Year Two: Brave New World
Year Two: Brave New World
Brave New World, took place between Sept 20 and Mar 21 while our Theatre doors were forced to close. After only one introductory workshop on the Norwich Playhouse stage, our Shakespeare Nation Project went into lockdown. Devastated but determined, we continued to welcome new participants and project champions. Throughout this challenging time, participants took part in weekly workshops, initiated frank discussions, sharing individual journeys, produced a soundscape and a short film, and most importantly, supported each other. This beautiful, diverse community embraced our theatre of sanctuary.
Doorstep Shakespeare
The final part of Norwich’s year two Shakespeare Nation was Doorstep Shakespeare, bringing theatre, powered by the words of Shakespeare to peoples’ homes – literally. Anyone aged over 18 and living in Norwich was welcome to take part in this exciting project, to be part of a short film capturing people from across the city performing from their very own doorsteps (all socially distanced of course!).
Poet Ashley Hickson-Lovence led a series of online creative writing workshops and introduced participants to Shakespeare’s sonnets, with a contemporary twist. Participants produced outstanding modern sonnets reflecting the time we are currently living in. Click here to read some of the sonnets.
An Isle Full Of Noises
(headphones on, turn up the volume, close your eyes & immerse yourself in sound)
Through online workshops and masterclasses, this soundscape was inspired by Shakespeare and created to give the participants a voice during lockdown. Experimenting with sound and rhythm, they worked together to see how different languages could unite in this foreign world. Shakespeare supporting the well-being of ‘our Nation’. Audio produced by Richard Hand & Safia Hall, UEA. Directed by Miche Montague.
To Be Or Not To Be
A short film capturing the distortion of isolation. An honest celebration of individual journeys, the participants were challenged with self-recording contemporary sonnets, written during online workshops. Directed by Miche Montague. Edited by Luke W Bryant. Music by Rosie Anne Peat.