Fun, interactive, high-energy Shakespeare.
The Players are Bell Shakespeare’s touring ensemble of professional artists who bring Shakespeare to life in schools and communities across Australia.
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
50-minute performances are paired with a 10-minute Q&A for an action-packed hour of Shakespeare immersion. Each show comes with its own comprehensive Online Learning Pack to ensure you can make the most of the performance with pre- and post-show resources and exercises.
Each performance explores key scenes and soliloquies, analysis of Shakespeare’s language, choices and themes and contemporary commentary all wrapped up in a fresh, modern narrative.
The Players are sure to be a favourite of students and teachers alike. Book one show or host us for the entire day. Forget booking buses, let us come to you. We’re looking forward to delivering high-energy Shakespeare shows in your school.
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
This is always a spectacular incursion. When I think we couldn't possibly match the previous performance, the Players prove me wrong.
Sharon Behl-Shanks, Jamberoo Public School NSW
Years 3 - 7
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
JUST MACBETH! (ABRIDGED)
By Andy Griffiths
Adapted by Joanna Erskine
TOURING TO ALL STATES
What do you get when you combine Shakespeare, Andy Griffiths, garden gnomes, daggers, Wizz Fizz and brussels sprouts? Just Macbeth! (abridged) Of course!
Journey to medieval Scotland for this perfect introduction to Shakespeare for young audiences, and the young at heart. Just Macbeth! (abridged) is a really silly version of Shakespeare’s great big gory tragedy packed into a pocket-sized play.
Exploring the themes and story of Macbeth through the eyes of Andy Griffiths’ much-loved characters, this hilarious and irreverent take on Shakespeare’s classic tragedy will have you in stitches!
Years 7 - 10
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
SHAKESPEARE IS DEAD
By Joanna Erskine
TOURING TO ALL STATES
If your students have ever asked ‘Why Shakespeare?’ this is the show for them. A funny, provocative and fast-paced rollercoaster ride through the world of William Shakespeare, Shakespeare is Dead follows a group of teenagers as they try to answer the age-old question – if Shakespeare is long dead, why are we still performing his plays?
Offering a smorgasbord of Shakespeare, from romance and tragedies to histories and comedies, students will be introduced to a host of Shakespeare’s characters and plays. Exploring some of his most iconic scenes, plot devices and language techniques, students will also learn about the world Shakespeare was from. An ideal taster, and a wonderful way to blow any negative, preconceived ideas about Shakespeare to smithereens.
Plays featured include: Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet and more.
Years 10 - 12
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
OTHELLO: THE REHEARSAL
By Joanna Erskine
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Three actors gather in a rehearsal room to find an answer to the question, ‘Should we stage Othello in our contemporary world?’
Othello is an epic tale, unafraid to ask big questions about race, prejudice, gender relations and violence. In the play we witness the downfall of a man masterminded by someone he thought he could trust, with devastating consequences. It is a story that treads a dangerous path from romance to nightmarish tragedy.
In this fictional rehearsal, three actors retell the story through key scenes and soliloquies, interrogating the complexity of Othello, in conversation with our modern world. In this show, students will play observer and participant as the actors open up the script and grapple with Shakespeare's classic tragedy.
Years 10 - 12
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
HAMLET: OUT OF JOINT
By Joanna Erskine and James Evans
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Madness, murder and revenge combine in one of the greatest works in literary history.
Hamlet: Out of Joint guides students through the entire plot of Shakespeare's original play, combining critical analysis with entertaining stagings of key scenes and soliloquies. Through a spirited retelling, The Players investigate the themes, language, ideas and perspectives presented in the play. The perfect complement to classroom study of Hamlet for senior students, promising to provoke rigorous discussion and rich debate upon return to the desks.
BOOK A PERFORMANCE
Submit a booking form for 2027
The Players Performances 2027
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26 Apr -
20 Sept26 Apr -
20 SeptSydney
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10 May
10 May
Taree/Port Macquire
-
17 May
17 May
Coffs Harbour
-
14 June
14 June
South Coast
-
21 June
21 June
Wollongong/Nowra
-
03 May -
10 May03 May -
10 MayCentral Coast/Newcastle/Hunter
-
31 May
31 May
Armidale/Tamworth
-
07 June
07 June
Orange/Bathurst/Dubbo
-
26 July
26 July
Northen Rivers
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
31 May
31 May
Regional Victoria
-
12 July -
19 July12 July -
19 JulyMelbourne
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
28 June
28 June
Canberra
-
17 May
17 May
Canberra/Surrounds
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
02 Aug -
16 Aug02 Aug -
16 AugAdelaide
-
23 Aug
23 Aug
Regional SA
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
06 Sept -
13 Sept06 Sept -
13 SeptHobart
-
20 Sept
20 Sept
Launceston/Devonport
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
12 July
12 July
Regional QLD
-
19 July
19 July
Brisbane/Gold Coast
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
09 Aug -
16 Aug09 Aug -
16 AugPerth
-
23 Aug
23 Aug
Perth/Bunbury
-
30 Aug
30 Aug
Regional WA
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
13 Sept
13 Sept
Darwin
Some performances will only be touring select regions -
Just Macbeth! (abridged) (Years 3 - 7)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Shakespeare is Dead (Years 7 - 10)
TOURING TO ALL STATES
Hamlet: Out of Joint (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, VIC, SA, TAS, ACT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Othello: The Rehearsal (Years 10 - 12)
TOURING TO SYDNEY, QLD, WA, ACT, NT & SELECTED REGIONAL NSW
Primary Performances:
$1,100 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,350 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.