A labor of love is never lost. You do it for love. Starting in January 2026, Lydia Muijen a driving force and muse called for auditions and a reading where Inge, a 9 year old asian girl read Longaville with aplomb.
The journey
I returned from STA in St John’s Newfoundland refreshed and revitalised in my own Bardolatry; having found an international community of Shakespeare lovers and similar neuro-spicy nerds.
A 90 minute cut of the play followed, put into a .txt file, and made into cue scripts assisted by a new friend, Edward Speck (AD of Theater in the Open), who devised this ‘Tis your Cue software with Ben Swanson.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals began throughout feb and into march, once a week on sundays, with a cast of 17 including understudies for King, Princess & Sir Nathaniel.
My friend and collaborator DJ Steve Fly once again put together a soundtrack for scene changes and leitmotifs for individual characters.
Artistic Director Mike Manicardi confirmed our play dates from 13-16 April at the Badhuistheater (Click the link for Comedy of Errors tickets this June 27 & 28, 2026).
Four days and a capacity of 90 was a marketing & publicity challenge. (Our Will is never an easy sell not since his glory days back at the Globe).
Rehearsals were split between Lydia running lines and scenes and me putting together the rudiments of cohesion. So many actors and questions of differing degrees and difficulty and nerves that needed calming. Progress felt slow and labored but step by step the destination comes nearer.
PARIS: La Sorbonne et Shakespeare & Co
In between working at Mulholland Academy as Voice & Speech and Foundations of Acting coach my very good friend Ben Crystal conjured up another of his quick raises: starting monday of ‘our’ play LLL in Paris, rehearsing at the Sorbonne in the College Franco-Brittanique ending on saturday performing for French Scholars.
Or as they described it in their program a ‘Représentation de Love’s Labor’s Lost dir. Ben Crystal. Avec la participation de la Compagnie le Libre Alcyon, les étudiants, les lycéens et jeunes adultes des ateliers de pratique (Sorbonne Nouvelle et Sorbonne Université). These last all students that took part in workshops lead by Ben which helped pay for the experience.
Ben btw doesn’t direct; more than he facilitates an environment in which a cohesive ensemble rapidly grows. He also gave a talk on the tuesday evening at Shakespeare & Co where Sylvia Wh. resides and affords admirable leadership, assisted by Adam amongst a dedicated team.
My Paris of the literary thirties fantasies awakened as I sat outside on the terrace with Tsu our host on rue monsieur le prince, our backs to the rebuilt Notre Dame cathedral and the Seine, stroking Edie and soaking up the ambiance while the Crystal shone inside.
Once again another experience richer (et plus riche avec encore les nouveaux amis) we returned to Amsterdam from Paris by night bus directly to the studio and continued to glue our players around this narrative.
Note the fact that at least 6 players never performed on stage before, let alone do Shakespeare, and so understandably were panicking. Or maybe that was just me.
The muse stepped up and she corralled and cajoled and the players met more often, rehearsals increased, and our first try-out arrived.
Four people in the audience and just as well, as a complete run with complete cast had not yet happened. The next night we hit our stride and we knew come monday at the theatre we had it down.
Monday main cast, tuesday understudies night, wednesday glory be (and filmed it too) and our closing night thursday with a cast that had gelled and created characters that united to show and tell our audience the story of Loves Labors Lost.
In Conclusion
The magic of theatre is a combination of luck, grit, and dumb perseverance. Shit happens, emotions flare, people get sick, audiences make noise, and….
it’s all made worthwhile by a group of actors, who became lovers of their piece of Shakespeare, and made him live and breathe and sound again. Thanks to All who do this. Here’s we, waving at Lydia…
Avoid disappointment at not being able to see and hear this production made for you. Yes you, potential audience member. Treat yourself to the pathos and laughter you will feel. Real, alive and breathing, in front of your very eyes & ears; actual actor people speaking words you may barely grasp and yet be titillated by and absorbed in because the action makes so much sense. This disconnect and attraction is what makes Shakespeare so relevant to your life. Or carry on with screentime alone rather than sharing emotions with a roomful of others. We love you to be watching and listening. We love Shakespeare together. Join us on
We Love Shakespeare Ensemble (I Love Shakespeare & You Love Shakespeare)
Our aim at WLSE is raising a play in 14 weeks; workshopping from the page to the stage. Our 12 – 14 actors commit to one or more roles and create a character using the words Shakespeare provides; in a cut version of around 90 minutes length.
Our central focus is on speaking the Verse and Prose and Playing the Story Arc. A tailor-made soundscape by Fly Agaric 23 accompanies the play; and costume and props are kept to a minimum.
The idea arose as I watched a scene night at the Mulholland Academy where i give sessions in Speech & Voice as well as Shakespeare. Why not do a 14 week, 14 person workshop? Is anyone interested? Names and bodies quickly started to show interest.
Now how about YOUR opportunites to discover Shakespeare?
Shakespeare Programme Mulholland
Brush up your Shakespeare Introduction to his Verse through his Sonnets. This is for you IF you know nothing, or next to nothing about Shakespeare, his work and the world he lived in. (Your ‘If’ is the only peace maker; much virtue in your if) AYLI Act 5 Sc 4
Over the course of 6 weeks you will be introduced to his Life & Times, his Tragedies, Comedies, Histories and Romances. More importantly you will end by memorising and reciting one of his sonnets. Embodying & speaking Shakespeare cements your relationship with his work.
Guaranteed to whet your appetite in deliciously simple and delightful bite-sized chunks!
Monologues of Shakespeare’s Characters Learning a monologue of one his hundreds of characters helps you develop an affinity with his language. Deepen your understanding of his Prose & Blank Verse and advance your knowledge of the characters in his Plays.
(All the world’s a stage, And all the men & women merely players) AYLI Act 2 Sc 7
This is for you IF you already know some Shakespeare and want to take your understanding to the next level.
Over the course of 9 weeks you will be developing your chosen monologue and also working 2 or 3 person scenes. You will realise that the staging and acting of these imaginary worlds has few limits and there are no small parts. Most importantly you will be presenting your work in a final Shakespeare karaoke evening at Mulholland.
Guaranteed to ignite your passion for performance by challenging your limits!
Playing Shakespearefrom page to stage
Our 14 week course that explores a (90 min version) of a full play from beginning to end. You will be cast in one or more roles and called upon to participate in an ensemble. The course ends with 2 performances at Mulholland.
Next production will be Twelfth Night or What You Will (Oct 2025 – Jan 2026)
Upcoming productions will be Love’s Labours Lost (Jan to April 2026) A Comedy of Errors (April – July 2026)
This is for you IF you want to be part of an ensemble and perform at least twice with Mulholland; with an extended run of 3 more nights at a theatre with WLSE.
(As an unperfect actor on the stage, Who with his fear is put besides his part,) Sonnet 23 lines 1-2
Guaranteed to pucker your fundamental parts!
PAST PRODUCTIONS
As You Like It (AYLI) Monday evenings from 18:30-22:00 we rehearsed starting September 16th until December 16th 2024 to the 19th with two try-outs at the Boutique theatre at Mulholland on 16th and 17th and two showings at Mike’s Badhuis Theatre the 18th & 19th.
Midsummer Nights Dream (MND) Saturday afternoons from 11:30 – 16:30 we rehearse starting January 18th until April 19th & 20th when we have two matinee try-outs at OT 301 (Overtoom 301) at 2 pm and April 22nd & 23rd (Shakespeare’s Birthday) we have two showings at Mike’s Badhuis. Fairies, Mechanicals, and Lovers are doing fine and looking forward. [Link to Music album by Fly]
Tickets are 15 euros. Try-outs are FREE. (All monies earned after expenses go back into the programme for future publicity marketing etc.)
7 Main roles: King Claudius, Queen Gertrard, Prince Hamlet, Polonius, Laertes, Ophelia & Horatio all get their parts a month in advance. The cut being the ‘Dan Beaulieu’ special. Actor’s choices honoured (honored) from the get-go i.e. plead for lines cut to be reinstated, ask for someone to say that speech you don’t think fits your character etc.
5 Players: take on the other 17 or so roles left over in the cut. And they don’t start learning their lines until the first day of rehearsal. And then, they switch tracks every pass-through of the show. (A track is a given, or chosen, set of characters that can be played by one actor). A pass-through of the show could be either a line-run, or an on-your-feet (with minimal props) run of the cut of the play.
There is no director, or blocking.
And the actors all remain on the periphery of the action from beginning to end alongside the audience.
Costumes are the clothes the actor wears, many actors are barefoot, (cue reader prejudice) and props change per pass-through (Ophelia’s herbs ranged from sticks to candles).
And all this with a minimal budget, spent mostly on actor comforts (good housing & good food).
Our visually-impaired Polonius,
also happens to be an emeritus Shakespeare Prof with a penchant for Q1 Hamlet.
My dependable Gertrude, his colleague at UNH.
Our Hamlet a buff fellow from the Dominican Republic.
Our Horatio a Clark Kent type from OH10.
Our Laertes a clown & puppeteer implant Brit from Chicago.
Our Ophelia an adorably-kooky waiflet from Oklahoma.
And us, the King from Ham-sterdam.
The FIVE Players:
an observant DUMB clown
a bearded madman who cut the script
a ginger hunk
a cerebral Brooklynite
a jazz steeped ingenu
All wanting to be in no other place than the space we were in;
working towards a premiere pass-through of unknown proportions.
It should be a train wreck.
But the back end of any production is as important as the front end. Our stage manager was the humblest lovingest selfless type. Our general manager shuttled back and forth between NYC and Portsmouth holding down a job as well as on top of sponsors, publicity and audience co-ordination.
The Puppeteering co-ordinated (rather nauseatingly in my case) by a Fens born redhead, who together with a little help from Laertes whipped 5 non-puppeteers into a fine frenzy.
Fight directing was done by Superman.
How can I help?
The most operative phrase in this production had to be How can I help?
Quickly followed by: Okay let’s do it, let’s make it happen etc…
The Circle
Trust and openness are words easily spoken and as easily sidelined. Each day we met, opened and closed with a circle. The circle was non-exclusive. Whoever had observed a pass-through was welcome to be part of and comment. There’s a Band of Brothers (and Sisters) aspect to any production, which can inhibit interaction with the outside world, or allow for bonding and inclusion of outside influence.
Grateful
Gratefulness to be in the process poured from us all. Our process was observed by an MA student from Univ of Reno doing her theses on Original Pronunciation and the physiological changes that incurs. (Only the puppets spoke in OP). She became our book keeper and prompt up until premiere when she left us. She span out of the circle. And was replaced by nightly different audiences.
Location
The location for performance was an historic barn in Portsmouth NH
and for accommodation at Mayfair House in Old York, MN:
Guest Post by Francis Cox on Shakespeare in Italy:
Discovering Shakespeare in the pleasant garden of great Italy
“So, what do we think ‘Titus Andronicus’ is about?” asked theatre director Lucy Bailey, kicking off the Shakespeare in Italy Summer School 2017 in Padua. ‘Titus Andronicus’ is one of Shakespeare’s most challenging plays, seething as it is with murder, madness, rape, mutilation, revenge and inadvertent cannibalism. To say nothing of its confusing timescale. But Lucy soon had us all on our feet, doing dramatic exercises and bringing the play to life. Hardly surprising since she directed a powerful production at London’s Globe Theatre, whose realistic stage effects had audience members fainting in the aisles. “I was there,” said a fellow course participant. “They were dropping like flies.”
Enticing and accessible
A bit of background. I’m an actor who came to the profession late in life. I love Italy and Shakespeare, and I was getting tired of my usual summer holidays at one of the beach resorts that dot the vast Italian coastline. I wanted something different, and the two-week Shakespeare in Italy Summer School seemed to combine acting, the Bard and Italy in one enticing package. I was a little apprehensive about approaching this new adventure (Would my fellow students’ Shakespearean knowledge put mine to shame?), but the course was very accessible and Lucy Bailey got things off to a cracking start, so I immediately knew I’d made the right decision.
Impeccable credentials
Shakespeare in Italy is the brainchild of husband and wife Julian Curry and Mary Chater who lived in Italy for many years. As former actors with the Royal Shakespeare Company, their aim is to create opportunities to explore the important influence of Italian culture on Shakespeare and his writing. With their RSC connections, they are able to attract illustrious ex-colleagues to act as tutors at the summer school.
A diverse, international group
These boldface names in turn help draw participants from all over the world, ranging in age from 19 to 93. Some are actors, others are college or university students. The course also attracts adults with a lively interest in Italian Renaissance culture in general, and Shakespeare in particular. If you want to perform when scenes are “put on their feet” you can. If you don’t, you can observe and comment on the work in progress.
Exploring a challenging play
John Nettles, star of long-running TV shows ‘Bergerac’ and ‘Midsomer Murders’, taught the second play of the course, ‘The Merchant of Venice.’ With its blatant anti-Semitism, ‘The Merchant of Venice’ is possibly more challenging to modern audiences than ‘Titus Andronicus’, and John explored this aspect of the play in admirable depth. As a bonus, he brought with him the lovely Jane Wymark who played his wife in ‘Midsomer Murders’. As an experienced drama teacher at London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Jane led some wonderful exercises including a choral rendition of the moving “If you prick us do we not bleed” speech.
Well organized excursions
In between each of the three plays we studied, there was a day off to explore the local region. We had excursions to nearby Venice and Verona, and on our last day, to the fabulous Scrovegni Chapel in Padua itself. These trips were very well organized thanks to Mary Chater’s diligence. I particularly appreciated her attention to detail when I landed at Venice Airport to join the course. Thanks to her comprehensive instructions about the locations of the ticket desk and the bus stop, I made the next bus to Padua shortly after I cleared customs.
A unique perspective on ‘Othello’
All this led up to the final play of the course, ‘Othello’ taught by actress and director Janet Suzman. Born in South Africa, Janet directed a landmark production of the play starring John Kani at Johannesburg’s Market Theatre in 1987. It was the first time a black actor had played the Moor in apartheid South Africa. With this unique perspective, Janet guided us through the text in her characteristic no-nonsense fashion. Along the way, she made frequent references to ‘Antony and Cleopatra’, in which she played one her greatest stage roles. We finished the course by watching a TV version of her groundbreaking production of ‘Othello’. Over 30 years later, it’s still compelling viewing.
Eager for more
For me, the Shakespeare in Italy Summer School was an unforgettable experience and since returning to Amsterdam, I’ve been eagerly awaiting details of this year’s program. It’s just been announced that the 2018 summer school will run from Saturday 19 May to Saturday 2 June in Pizzo, Calabria. To my joy, Janet Suzman and Jane Wymark are returning to teach ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ and ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ respectively, while actor and director Michael Pennington will teach ‘The Winter’s Tale.’ I can’t wait.
