WORKSHOPS

Enrolment for the workshops has closed on 15 December 2025.

W01. The Distributed Performance of ‘Character‘ in Antony and Cleopatra

Organisers: David Schalkwyk, Elena Pellone

Description: This workshop will investigate a different notion of character through performance: exploring Cleopatra’s ‘infinite variety’ by dividing the character among at least three different actors, each speaking a different language, each bringing out different aspects of the linguistic and gestural indications provided in the speeches prefixed by the name ‘Cleopatra’. (The same experiment might be conducted with multiple embodiments of Antony, Octavian and Enobarbus.) Participants should be prepared to participate in the performances and bring a copy of the play in a language of their choice that is not English.

W02. Found in Translation: Elevating the Global Accessibility of Shakespeare in Research and Practice

Organisers: Lue Douthit, Jonathan Hope, CJ Ochoco, Ben Spiller

Description: Led by thought leaders and Shakespearean artists, the ‘Found in Translation: Elevating the Global Accessibility of Shakespeare in Research and Practice’ workshop invites audiences to examine Shakespeare through translation. For over ten years, the international company Play On Shakespeare has been translating, producing, and teaching Shakespeare through modern verse English translation. With the goal of revitalizing Shakespeare for new audiences, introducing accessible Shakespeare for pedagogy and productions, and reaffirming that Shakespeare’s work is for everyone, this workshop invites you to hear modern verse translation—and then try it out yourself. Together, we can reclaim Shakespeare and present his works on a global scale, finding discoveries with accessibility at the forefront.

W03. Shakespeare and Early Modern Theatre: Wikipedia Editing Workshop

Organiser: Kitamura Sae

Description: In this workshop, participants will learn about Wikipedia and edit Wikipedia articles related to Shakespeare and early modern theatre. This workshop has three primary goals: offer researchers an understanding of Wikipedia, especially Wikipedia articles about Shakespeare; discuss how Wikipedia could be utilised in educational contexts; and teach participants how to edit Wikipedia articles related to their research appropriately. The first part is an introduction to Wikipedia, followed by a question-and-answer session. The second part is an editathon, or Wikipedia editing event, during which the participants will edit Wikipedia articles about early modern English theatre under the organisers’ guidance. Participants need to create a Wikipedia account and bring a laptop.

W04. Shakespeare in Veneto: Unveiling Historical Heritage and Culture Acting Shakespeare Works

Organiser: Ornella Naccari

Description: This workshop will examine how Shakespeare’s works can be used to reveal cultural and historical heritage through immersive performances in historically significant sites. It will explore how blending theatrical art with cultural activities can enhance understanding of both Shakespeare’s plays and their settings. Participants will explore the potential of interactive, performance-based learning, especially for students, while addressing key challenges such as the need for multilingual performances and managing audience expectations. The discussion will provide insights into how these elements can be effectively balanced for successful implementation and enriched educational experiences.

W05. Rewilding Shakespeare: Creative Methods in Pedagogy and Performance

Organisers: Alys Daroy, Joshua Zeunert, Myriam Di Maio, Theo Black

Description:

This workshop invites participants to rewild their imaginations by engaging Shakespeare’s plays as an ecological archive. Across the canon lie thousands of references to trees, herbs, flowers, spices, birds, insects, mammals, minerals, waters, and elemental forces—traces of an intricate ecosystem that early modern audiences would have recognised with both wonder and familiarity. Our aim is to explore how these references can be reassembled into patterns, webs, and visual constellations that inform pedagogy and performance today. By drawing on biophilic design principles and the tradition of cabinets of curiosity, participants will investigate how Shakespeare’s ecosystemic imagination may be visualised, embodied, and performed as a way of generating new ecological insights and practices.