We think of the key, each in his prison
Thinking of the key, each confirms a prison
Only at nightfall, aethereal rumours
Revive for a moment a broken Coriolanus
The Waste Land, T.S. Eliot
Poet, essayist, and playwright T.S. Eliot kept coming back to Coriolanus, incorporating it into several of his works written in the year preceding The Waste Land. Perhaps most famously, he called Coriolanus, along with Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare’s ‘most assured artistic success’. In a parable of how our thoughts constitute our worlds, Eliot’s confined and isolated speakers in The Waste Land, 'think of the key.' What they fail to understand, and what Eliot beautifully distils into just two lines, is that to fixate on the key is to confirm our own confinement and isolation. Coriolanus' physical banishment from Rome is nothing compared to the psychological imprisonment he imposes on himself. But to 'think of the key' is also to imagine the possibility of its use, an opening outward to a world elsewhere...
On 28 July, our new donor circle Stranger Companies gathered over wine, nibbles, and conversation to talk about this idea, amongst many others. The circle takes its name from A Midsummer Night’s Dream: 'to seek new friends and stranger companies.' True to spirit, the group brought together both long-term friends of the company, and a group of brand new faces. And in-keeping with the salon style, the night’s conversation flowed beautifully between the play’s most resonant themes and what rings true to us in contemporary life. We were also lucky to be joined by cast members Jules Billington and Marco Chiappi, alongside our very own Board Member and Shakespeare aficionado, Katherine Brazenor.
Why is Coriolanus so rarely staged? Perhaps because Shakespeare leaves us with so little of the title character’s inner voice. There is a distinct lack of insight into Coriolanus’ own mind. And yet, as one attendee, Rachel Matulis, so perfectly put it, that very absence makes the play ripe for speculation and discussion:
What began between the Stranger Companies group as a discussion of Coriolanus’ unique value profile soon broadened into larger questions: is isolationism a form of strength? To what extent must we relate to those who represent us? And what do we make of populism in a world shaped by a 24-hour news cycle and relentless digital scrutiny?
These are, of course, testing and heavy questions. But in the warmth of the circle, nothing feels too impenetrable. The conversation at the Arts Centre was light-hearted, invitational, and most importantly fulfilling for everyone involved.
Of course, a night like this with Bell Shakespeare is never without purpose. Stranger Companies is dedicated to supporting our Hearts in a Row initiative, which opens our productions up at no cost to students and communities who might not otherwise have the chance to experience live theatre. For many, it’s their very first time stepping into the world of Shakespeare.
In this way, the circle comes back around: donors not only gain a community of fellow Shakespeare lovers, but their philanthropic support also provides vital funding for Hearts In A Row. This ensures that people who might never otherwise have the chance to experience Shakespeare can access theatre education and the arts for the first time.
Each Stranger Companies circle membership is $1,500 per calendar year, which includes a tax-deductible donation of $1,000.
If you are interested in attending our next event on 14 October, Blood Ties: Romeo & Juliet and the Forces of Tribalism, please contact Bell Shakespeare’s Philanthropy Coordinator, Anna Day at annad@bellshakespeare.com.au.
