Shakespeare for dreamers and lovers

Shakespeare for dreamers and lovers

Shakespeare’s plays are fundamentally about human nature, which is why they lend themselves so well to reinvention. It’s something Laura Murphy clearly demonstrates in her exciting, imaginative new work, The Lovers, a musical adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It’s a modern take on one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, featuring an upbeat score, a vibrant set, and a stellar cast. 

Murphy has written original songs and music for a number of children’s television programs (in which she also starred) and original stage musicals. She has performed in major Australian productions of: Muriel’s Wedding, Cry Baby, Into The Woods, Funny Girl, Grease, and many others. 

Murphy is especially thrilled about the cast of The Lovers which includes familiar marquee names alongside young, emerging talent.

Natalie Abbott (Muriel’s Wedding, As You Like It, Aftertaste), Blake Appelqvist (Fangirls, Frozen, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, West Side Story, Kinky Boots among many others), Brittanie Shipway (A Letter for Molly [which she wrote and starred in], Chess, The Sapphires, Jesus Christ Superstar, to name a few), and Jerrod Smith (Heathers, as well as touring as a professional actor and musician) will bring experience and star power to the show. 

Representing the vanguard of emerging local talent are Stellar Perry and Monique Salle, both promising and exciting performers to keep an eye on. 

They will all be in the very capable hands of acclaimed director, Shaun Rennie, who had been at the helm of many major musical productions, and who has worked previously with Murphy. 

The Lovers takes Shakespeare’s quirky tale of romance, magic, and mischief and interrogates it through a modern lens. 

“For this production, I wanted to take Shakespeare’s text and look at how it relates to us now, by reinventing it with a contemporary voice through original lyrics and a modern pop score. Our infatuation with romantic love began long before Shakespeare was writing about it 400 years ago, and The Lovers explores how those narratives have either evolved or remain the same today,” Murphy explains. 

The Lovers

Bell Shakespeare Company

The Playhouse, Sydney Opera House

23 October – 20 November 2022

www.bellshakespeare.com.au/the-lovers

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