Cast Set For IN A NUTSHELL: THE POETRY OF VIOLENCE From Bell Shakespeare

Bell Shakespeare has announced the full cast for the company's second installment of In A Nutshell, titled The Poetry of Violence. An ensemble cast will perform scenes and speeches, guided by Bell Shakespeare Artistic Director Peter Evans as he takes audiences on a journey through Shakespeare's various depictions of violence. The production will open in Sydney at The Neilson Nutshell from 4 – 8 September, before touring to Canberra Theatre Centre from 13 – 14 September.

Offering a look into Peter Evans' personal thoughts on Shakespeare as he provides his own commentary, In A Nutshell: The Poetry of Violence explores how Shakespeare questions our relationship with violence. The production gives a comprehensive look at how violence is portrayed across various plays, from how he uses words to describe the limits of emotion and the rashness provoked by love and hate, to acts of gratuitous or political violence. The cast will jump from scene to scene from plays including Macbeth, Henry VI, Titus Andronicus, Coriolanus, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Romeo and Juliet and Julius Caesar.

Cast members announced today include Jessica Tovey, known for her critically acclaimed performance as Lady Macbeth in Bell Shakespeare's 2023 production of Macbeth, alongside daughter of company founder John Bell Lucy Bell, Bell Shakespeare Associate Director James Evans, and recent NIDA graduate Madeline Li. They are joined onstage by Nigel Poulton, normally known for his work behind the scenes as an internationally renowned movement and fight director who has worked extensively with Bell Shakespeare, and Darius Williams, a Sydney-based actor recently making his lauded Bell Shakespeare debut in the current production of King Lear. Poulton will join the ensemble cast and brings his expert knowledge of staging Shakespearean violence, giving audiences a glimpse at the mechanics at work behind the scenes.

Artistic Director Peter Evans said: “I'm looking forward to bringing In A Nutshell back this year, after we had such a tremendous response to the first installment in 2022. It's an unashamedly personal journey through scenes and speeches I love, focused on the various ways Shakespeare explores and defines violence. I'd encourage everyone, whether you're new to Shakespeare or an aficionado, to come along and join us as we take a deep dive into Shakespeare's concerns and preoccupations and the inner workings of the plays.”

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