Bell Shakespeare and the University of Western Australia have commenced a partnership to strengthen engagement in Western Australia, where Bell Shakespeare's National Tour visits each year.
To launch the partnership, the University of Western Australian (UWA) hosted Bell Shakespeare's public program series Ambition & the Aftermath, which also toured to Sydney and Melbourne. The Perth event was facilitated by Joanna Erskine and featured panellists Kate Chaney MP, Senator Varun Ghosh, Dr Brid Phillips and Kyle Morrison, who explored leadership, ambition and the consequences of power through the lens of Shakespeare.
While in Perth, Bell Shakespeare's Executive Director James Evans reunited with his teaching artist roots, joining Joanna Erskine to lead a workshop for UWA's English and Literary Studies students in the University's open-air New Fortune Theatre. The New Fortune Theatre is the world's only permanent reconstruction of London's Fortune Theatre (built in 1600) and is made all the more memorable by its resident roaming (and often very vocal) peacocks.
It was also something of a homecoming. Both Bell Shakespeare's James Evans and Debra Reinecke, Head of Marketing and Development, are UWA alumni, making it a special opportunity to revisit their old campus and reconnect with the University community.
With special thanks to Professor Tanya Dalziell, Chair of the Department of English and Cultural Studies, and Dr Shalmalee Palekar, Discipline of English and Literary Studies, School of Humanities, for their support in establishing this partnership.
