1616 – The Secrets and Passions of William Shakespeare

 

 

Text and Performance: Gareth Somers

Direction , Dramaturgy and Design: Lucyna Rossa

Edition and Marketing: Anne Dixey  

 

1616 Secrets and Passions of William Shakespeare is a poetically written, physical one man play, which sees our greatest playwright re-live his own dramatic, grimy and humorous life story.

Locked in a room inside his Stratford home, the poet, actor, lover, betrayer, moneylender and “King’s Man” conjures a final audience to pick through the “rinds and fruits” of his life.

 

Somers says: “I wanted to examine the image of the great humanist and genius, in the light of research suggesting illegal activities might have been partly responsible for his ability to retire in 1613, as the largest property owner in Stratford-upon-Avon. Further studies pointing to a complex sexuality, a penchant for interracial relationships and a skill for staying out of jail - despite treading very dangerous waters - offered me opportunities to paint a picture of his very vivid life, times, comrades and adventures. 

 

"I was interested in exploring our contemporary attitudes to ageing.  Famous and worshiped in his lifetime Shakespeare, was "out of fashion" by the time he retired to his Stratford home in 1613. I wanted to emphasise the human component and show Shakespeare as an old man, no longer on the pedestal.  I wanted to investigate how facile determinants in our modern media-rich society are used to define notions such as "value" and “beauty”. - Lucy Rossa 

 

Tour Dates:

 

The Kings Arms Salford:

Friday 11th and Friday 18th of September 2015

 

Mitchell Arts Centre, Stoke-on-Trent

3rd of October 2015

 

Alma Tavern Bristol: 19th – 21st November

 

Rhodes College (USA) 1616 Conference

April 21-23, 2016

 

Kings College- London a part of #Shakespeare400 Celebrations

July 21-22, 2016

 

Windsor Castle- September 29th 2016 19:30;

 

Hannover, Audimax 1st June 2018