20 Years in 20 Weeks - Looking back to Bard in the Botanics 2017
/20 YEARS IN 20 WEEKS
Our “20 Years in 20 Weeks” rolls on apace and this week reaches 2017 and our season entitled “These Headstrong Women”.
As in 2016, the year began with two Royal Conservatoire of Scotland co-productions. Working again with the MA Classical and Contemporary Text course, Gordon Barr directed an epic production of “Henry IV” (adapted from Henry IV Parts 1 & 2), while RCS Dean of Drama, Hugh Hodgart, directed “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.
“Henry IV” at Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (From L to R: Annelise Bianchini (Bardolph); Caitilin McCoy (Falstaff); Rose Oke Millett (Mistress Quickly); Ivy Charles (Peto)
Our 2017 summer season was, perhaps shockingly, the first to feature more female actors than male. Perhaps that isn’t so surprising when you consider that there are more than 5 times as many roles written for men as women in Shakespeare’s plays (over 1000 male characters compared with just under 200 female characters) – and that disparity itself isn’t so surprising when you consider that women’s lives were considerably more restricted in Elizabethan times, meaning they played a less active role in society. What is surprising, however, is that 400 years later we don’t question enough that limited representation of women.
So, feeling that the time was well overdue for a conversation about opportunities for women in classical theatre and their representation onstage, in 2017 we presented “these headstrong women” – a season of productions that put women at the heart of their stories. We feel very strongly that there is no reason why women should be confined to the roles of wife, girlfriend or daughter in classical theatre but should be seen in the stories we tell each other as rulers, politicians, fighters, fools & so much more – everything they are in the world today, and everything they have fought so hard to have the right to be.
The season opened with a new production, entitled “The Taming of the Shrew?” Although it might seem strange, in a season celebrating women, to stage such a controversial play as “Shrew” but that question mark in the title was key to Artistic Director, Gordon Barr, new version of the story. He drew material from John Fletcher’s “The Tamer Tamed” – a very modern, feminist riposte to Shakespeare’s play from the early 17th century – to give Kate and the other women in the play the opportunity to fight back and, actually, win against the brutal misogyny of a character like Petruchio. This addition to the original narrative allowed the production, set in the 1950’s, not to shy away from the horrendous, abusive treatment that Kate suffers at Petruchio’s hand and played out against a backdrop of real advertising hoardings from the 1950’s & 1960’s – a potent visual reminder of how sexism has been bred into the very fabric of our society. Stephanie McGregor led the company in a brilliant performance as Kate, fully embracing the comedy, the tragedy and the ultimate power of her character in this new version of her story.
James Boal as Petruchio with Will Underwood (Hortensio); Emma Beth Jones (the Widow); Stephanie McGregor (Kate); Esme Bayley (Bianca); Jordan Edgington (Lucentio) in “The Taming of the Shrew?” (Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan)
The first half of the season also saw us stage “Timon of Athens” in the Kibble Palace, with the play not only making its Bard in the Botanics debut but also, we believe, its professional Scottish premiere – at least in living memory. Nicole Cooper took on the title role in a story which, in its exploration of greed, capitalism and the need to consider our fellow man, resonated so clearly with modern audiences. Jennifer Dick’s production captured the hedonistic glamour of the 1930’s and juxtaposed it beautifully with the dark reality of those forgotten by society and left to rot. “Timon of Athens” is often considered one of Shakespeare’s weaker plays but in Jennifer’s vision and in Nicole’s performance, the play became a howl of rage against man’s inhumanity to man and a powerful plea for us to open our hearts to each other.
Nicole Cooper as Timon & Rebecca Robin as Flavia in “Timon of Athens” (Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan)
In the second half of the season, “Queen Lear” saw Jennifer Dick reinterpret Shakespeare’s great tragedy from the perspective not of a king but of a great queen. The play was adapted for 6 actors, focusing on Lear’s close family, but otherwise neither Shakespeare’s story nor his language (bar a few pronouns) were altered to accommodate the shift to a queen – merely casting a woman in the role cast new light on a well-known story. And what a woman – the great Janette Foggo returned to the company in 2017 to deliver a towering performance as Lear, powerfully supported by EmmaClaire Brightlyn & Stephanie McGregor as her warring daughters, Goneril & Regan; Nathan Byrne as youngest child, Cornelius (originally Cordelia); Finlay McLean as trusted advisor, Gloucester, and the return to Bard in the Botanics of Beth Marshall as Lear’s faithful ally, Kent.
From L to R: Nathan Byrne (Cornelius); Janette Foggo (Lear); Beth Marshall (Kent); Finlay McLean (Gloucester) in “Queen Lear” (Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan)
The final production of “these headstrong women” was the shocking and prescient drama, “Measure for Measure”, in which a woman’s body and, indeed, her immortal soul become a battleground in a struggle between hypocrisy and truth, between morality and abuse of power. Since 2017, we have seen more and more prominent examples of how women’s bodies are still too often at the mercy of men in all kinds of ways which, sadly, only makes “Measure for Measure” all the more relevant. In Gordon Barr’s version for 4 actors, it was no longer Isabella’s brother, Claudio, on trial for his life for getting his fiancé pregnant. Instead, it was her sister, Claudia, pregnant, imprisoned and facing execution – amplifying the theme of men exercising power over a woman’s body. A terrific ensemble – Kirk Bage as Duke Vincentio, Nicole Cooper as Isabella, Adam Donaldson as Angelo & Esme Bayley as Claudia – gripped audiences throughout.
Nicole Cooper as Isabella with Kirk Bage as Duke Vincentio in “Measure for Measure” (Photo credit: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan)
The year finished up again with our annual trip to St Andrews to co-produce another panto for the Byre Theatre – this time, “Beauty & the Beast”. Kirsty Findlay’s Belle was a worthy addition to the powerful women of our 2017 summer season while, in this version of the story, even Gaston found redemption and love with Robert Elkin’s “spirit of love”, Valentine. Yet another record-breaking panto run rounded off a tremendous, groundbreaking year for the company.
Kirsty Findlay as Belle & James Siggens as the Beast with Stephanie McGregor as Belladonna Nightshade in “Beauty & the Beast” (Photo credit: Viktoria Begg)
FUN FACTS:
- Gordon Barr’s production of “Henry IV” for RCS featured the most epic stage combat that Bard in the Botanics has ever produced, with all 12 actors involved in the Battle of Bosworth sequence, with weapons ranging from broadswords to spears to a particularly brutal looking “knobkerrie” (essentially a very hard stick with a large knob at the top for “thwacking” enemies with!)
- James Boal’s powerful & charismatic performance as Petruchio was a huge part of “The Taming of the Shrew?” so we were devastated when illness forced him to retire from the production before the end of the run. He was greatly missed but we cannot praise actor, David Rankine, enough. He kindly stepped into the role at very short notice and, with just one day’s rehearsal and with script in hand, played the role for the final week of performances – giving a remarkably rich performance. He literally saved the day and we will be eternally grateful to him.
- James Boal was also due to play the significant role of Angelo in “Measure for Measure” but when he had to withdraw from the season, Associate Artist, Adam Donaldson, travelled up from Newcastle with, like David Rankine, just a day’s notice and, in a week’s rehearsal, gave an incredibly chilling & powerful performance.
- While the sexist billboard adverts that formed the backdrop to “The Taming of the Shrew?” were a brilliant visual support to the story playing out onstage, we didn’t feel they were the right message to be sending to people utilising the Botanic Gardens during the day so the vast backdrop had to be removed each night and put up again before each performance – a small price to pay to prevent sharing such demeaning messages to the public out of context!
- “Timon of Athens” featured our most ambitious design to date in the Kibble Palace – including an incredibly quick set change at the interval, as the location shifted from the resplendent glamour of Timon’s mansion to a “cardboard city” reminiscent of the Hooverville shanty towns in the Great Depression. The full set changes was achieved by ASM, Eve Sinclair, is less than 10 minutes!
- The iconic song, “You Don’t Own Me”, became a bit of a theme tune for the season. The original Lesley Gore version blasted out as Kate took control of her own fate in “The Taming of the Shrew?” while a haunting modern take by Selena Gomez accompanied Isabella & her sister, Claudia, as they turned their back on the corrupt & venal men of Vienna in the closing moments of “Measure for Measure”.
- But it wasn’t our favourite tune in 2017 – that honour goes to the music which played as the characters gathered for the climactic party in “The Taming of the Shrew?” – the “Mable Got Sable Cha-Cha”. We don’t really have anything to say about that – we just wanted to mention it because we love the name so much!
- The Bard in the Botanics penchant for creating imaginary characters continued in rehearsals for “Measure for Measure”. On Duke Vincentio’s desk was an office telephone and the imaginary “Kevin” on the other end of the line found himself being blamed for pretty much everything that went wrong in the play and in rehearsals – it’s a tough life for a complete made-up person!
2017 COMPANY:
Bard in the Botanics 2017: these headstrong women:
Gillian Argo (Design – Queen Lear; Set Design – Shrew); Kirk Bage (Alcibiades / Duke Vincentio); Gordon Barr (Artistic Director); Esme Bayley (Bianca / Claudia & Escalus); Dylan Blore (Lucius & Phrynius); James Boal (Petruchio); EmmaClaire Brightlyn (Apemantus / Goneril; Fight Director); Nathan Byrne (Tranio / Cornelius); Lily Cooper (Lucilia & Timandra); Nicole Cooper (Timon / Isabella); Jennifer Dick (Director – Timon & Queen Lear); Jordan Edgington (Lucentio); Janette Foggo (Lear); Suzie Goldberg (DSM); Carys Hobbs (Design – Timon & Measure for Measure; Costume Design – Shrew); Emma Beth Jones (Biondello & the Widow); Beth Marshall (Baptista / Kent); Finlay McLean (Gremio & Vincentio / Gloucester); Caitilin McCoy (Grumio); Stephanie McGregor (Kate / Regan; Choreographer - Shrew); Sarah Michael (Wardrobe Supervisor); Sam Ramsay (Festival Manager); Rebecca Robin (Flavia); Sally Simpson (Composer – Queen Lear); Eve Sinclair (ASM); Will Underwood (Hortensio)
“Henry IV” / “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” RCS Company:
Gordon Barr (Director – Henry IV); Annelise Bianchini (Bardolph / Glendower); Ivy Charles (Peto / Prince John); Charlie Clee (Prince Hal); Lily Cooper (Titania / Hippolyta); Rebecca Coyle (Wardrobe Supervisor); Honey Durruthy (Snug / Egeus); Kate Dylan (Westmoreland / Fight Captain); Jordan Edgington (Hotspur); Joseph Emms (Oberon / Theseus); Thea Glindorf (Henry IV); Suzie Goldberg (Stage Manager – Henry IV); Leo Graham (Northumberland / Vernon); Simon Hayes (Lighting Design); Carys Hobbs (Designer); Hugh Hodgart (Director – Dream); Matthew Hunt (Bottom); Shilpa Hyland (Assistant Director – Dream); Emma Beth Jones (Helena); Courtney Keir (Worcester); Caitilin McCoy (Falstaff); Madison McLean (Quince); Rose Oke Millett (Mistress Quickly / Douglas); Megan Montgomery (Lady Percy / Blunt); Dani Nelson (Poins / Mortimer); Isabel Palmstierna (Puck); Samuel Pashby (Composer – Henry IV); Sam Ramsay (Associate Stage Manager); Rebecca Robin (Hermia); Marc Silberschatz (Fight Director); Veronika Smit (Starveling); Will Underwood (Demetrius); Verity Mullan Wilkinson (Flute); Ryan Wilson (Lysander); David Wood (Assistant Director – Henry IV)
“Beauty & the Beast” Company: Gordon Barr (Writer & Director); Rory Beaton (Lighting Design); Samantha Burt (DSM); Robert Elkin (Valentine); Kirsty Findlay (Belle); Ashley Foster (Young Cast Liaison); Carys Hobbs (Designer); Kylie Langford (Costume Supervisor); Stephanie McGregor (Belladonna Nightshade; Choreographer); Siobhan Randle (Wardrobe Assistant); Stephen Roberts (Composer & Musical Director); James Siggens (Beast); Alan Steele (Bunty Bahookie); Sam Ramsay (Stage Manager); Robert Watson (Gaston)
