Shakespeare by the Lakes
Shakespeare by the Lakes is a summer festival of Shakespeare plays performed in Australian Capital Territory (ACT) public parks beside Lake Tuggeranong, Lake Burley Griffin, in Canberra's city centre and next to the Queanbeyan River.[1] Based on New York's Shakespeare in the Park festivals, Shakespeare by the Lakes was conceived and founded by Taimus Werner-Gibbings in 2017. Each year, the hosting theatre company Lakespeare & Co. (formed by Werner-Gibbings and collaborators Duncan Driver, Lexi Sekuless and Paul Leverenz) produces free performances of Shakespearean texts in multiple locations, attracting over 5,000 patrons in each season.
Seasons
[edit]The performances usually take place in February of each year. Due to restrictions on the size of gatherings during the Covid pandemic, no play was performed in 2021.
| Year | Play | Venues |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Much Ado About Nothing | Tuggeranong Town Park, Glebe Park, QE II Park (Queanbeyan) |
| 2019 | Twelfth Night | Tuggeranong Town Park, Lanyon Homestead, Glebe Park, Patrick White Lawns (National Library).[2] |
| 2020 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Tuggeranong Town Park, Glebe Park, Patrick White Lawns (National Library), ANU Kambri |
| 2022 | As You Like It | Tuggeranong Town Park, Yerrabi Ponds, Patrick White Lawns (National Library), ANU Kambri |
| 2024 | Henry V | Tuggeranong Town Park, Patrick White Lawns (National Library), Vikings Park |
Reception
[edit]
Free of charge to the general public, Shakespeare by the Lakes is financed by donations from local and federal government agencies, corporate sponsors, crowd-funding before the performances, and donations collected during the performances.[3][4] The performances have consistently been well-received by critics and audiences alike, lauded by reviewers and audiences for being at the forefront of an emerging, 'proud yet self-effacing culture'[5] in post-centenary Canberra, by presenting 'Shakespearean comedy as it was meant to be, fun-filled entertainment for every age,'[6] which makes it an 'authentic and relatable way to treat the bard we so often revere but rarely embrace.'[7]
Spin-offs
[edit]In 2019, Shakespeare Down the Pub was conceived by Werner-Gibbings as an informal spin-off from Shakespeare by the Lakes (adapted from another United States Shakespeare performance concept, Shakespeare in the Bar) and was presented successfully by Lakespeare & Co. at the George Harcourt Inn in Canberra without scenery, props, stage-lighting or microphones while the audience ate, drank and shouted at the cast.[8] This concept was then extended in later years at other venues.
References
[edit]- ^ "Twelfth Night for Canberra's Shakespeare by the Lakes in 2019". ABC Radio. Aug 10, 2018. Retrieved Apr 9, 2019.
- ^ Cerabona, Ron (August 9, 2018). "Shakespeare by the Lakes will return in 2019". The Canberra Times.
- ^ Snell, Christian. "Shakespeare by the Lakes in the Capital". The RiotACT. Retrieved Apr 9, 2019.
- ^ Doherty, Megan (Dec 6, 2017). "Crowd-funding brings Shakespeare by the Lakes to Tuggeranong and Glebe Park". Brisbane Times. Retrieved Apr 9, 2019.
- ^ "Review / A 'Night' not to be missed". Feb 22, 2019. Retrieved Apr 9, 2019.
- ^ Wilkins, Peter (Feb 25, 2019). "Shakespearean comedy as it was intended to be". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved Apr 9, 2019.
- ^ "Shakespeare by the Lakes | Foyer Talk". Retrieved Apr 9, 2019.
- ^ Musa, Helen (Feb 12, 2019). "Arts / Shakespeare goes to the pub". Retrieved Apr 9, 2019.