Ambition and the Aftermath Perth: Panellists announced!

We are thrilled to announce our Perth Panellists, drawn from the worlds of politics, education and the arts. Join us for Ambition and the Aftermath at The University of Western Australia. 

Power-hungry politicians, scheming masterminds and pursuers of greatness – Shakespeare’s characters are no strangers to ambition. But what happens once they achieve their goal Shakespeare seems just as interested in the aftermath as the pursuit, giving his characters plenty of space to reflect on the ultimate question: was it all worth it?

Does ambition always lead to ruin, or can it be a force for good? Join host Head of Education Joanna Erskine and a panel of experts for this riveting conversation series about ambition in Shakespeare’s plays and in our contemporary world.

Dr Brid Phillips

Dr Phillips has a strong interdisciplinary background having completed her doctorate in Shakespearean Studies and the History of Emotions while working in an emergency department as a senior nurse. Her research focuses on health humanities with a particular interest in the emotions we ascribe to matters of the heart and the use of drama in simulation to explore empathetic behaviours. Currently, she is Course Director and Deputy Head of Nursing for an innovative, new nursing course which is embedding health humanities across the program. Her most recent publications include ‘Wilt Break My Heart?’ Takotsubo Syndrome and Shakespeare’s Discourse of Heartbreak in Antony and Cleopatra and King Lear. Shakespeare (2024), and The Fallibility of the Female heart: A Patient’s Perspective, JACC: Case Studies (2025), published with the Heart of the Matter research team, Dr Claire Hansen and Dr Michael Stevens.

Kate Chaney MP

Kate Chaney is the Independent Member for Curtin.  She is WA’s first female Independent Federal Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives. Coming from a family with a strong political history, Kate grew up valuing service to community. Kate has worked as a lawyer, and in corporate roles covering Strategy, Innovation, Sustainability and Aboriginal Affairs. Kate has also held Board positions with a range of organisations including Next 25, Lifeline, Awesome Arts WA and the WA Regional Development Trust.

Senator Varun Ghosh

Varun Ghosh is a Labor Senator for Western Australia and is the chair of the Senate Environment & Communications Legislation Committee. In 2024, he became the first Senator to take the oath using the Bhagavad Gita.

Varun received degrees in law and arts from the University of Western Australia and completed a master of law degree at the University of Cambridge, where he studied on a Frank Downing scholarship.

Before entering politics, Varun was a barrister at Francis Burt Chambers in Perth, an adjunct lecturer in constitutional law at the University of Western Australia, and a contributing writer to the Australian Book Review. He previously worked as a finance attorney in New York and as a consultant for the World Bank in Washington, DC.

Outside of politics, Varun enjoys bushwalking, cricket, and the theatre.

Kyle Morrison

Kyle Morrison (he/him/Baal) is a Noongar of the southwest of Western Australia with Budimya and Watjari heritage, actor, director and Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts graduate.

For Bell Shakespeare, Kyle performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and was creative instigator and actor for Hecate, a retelling of Macbeth completely in the Noongar language for Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company and Bell Shakespeare which premiered at Perth Festival 2020.

Other recent theatre credits include Swan Lake for the Western Australian Ballet, where he is also a Creative Associate, performer and teaching artist.

Kyle was Artistic Director of Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company from 2009-2019. During his tenure, his directing credits include Muttacar Sorry Business, In The Nyitting Time, Good Lovin, Honey Spot, Mother’s Tongue, Kaarla Kaatijin, The Cake Man (with Belvoir St Theatre), King Hit, The Fever and The Fret and So Long Suckers.

Kyle’s recent film credits include voice actor on Fist of Fury Noongar Daa, a re-voiced version of the Bruce Lee film Fist of Fury in Indigenous Noongar Daa language.

For his performance in Hecate, Kyle won Best Supporting Actor and his direction of King Hit was awarded Best Production at the Performing Arts Western Australia Awards.