A Hotel Teatro and Birmingham REP 18-25 Company co-production

Supported by Strictly Arts Theatre Company

SHANGHAI INTERNATIONAL EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE FESTIVAL, CHINA 2016: SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, 13-17 September 2016

The company were delighted to be programmed at the Shanghai Festival and were also invited to present extra performances at the guest of the Shanghai Education Ministry between 18-20 September 2016.

All’s fair in love and war. Right?

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Right?

Love conquers all. Right?

Beatrice and Benedick have a history.

Now all that’s between them is merry war…

This adaptation explores the battle of the sexes and the close and complex relationship between love and hate; the physicality of arguments, especially between lovers, portraying a ‘cold war’ physically; and, most importantly, how to make the classical contemporary.

The focus is on Shakespeare’s theatrical mastery – his characters, conflicts, unseen scenes, his music, dances and hilarious comedy. Here Shakespeare’s text is fused with music (recorded and live, classical and pop), physical theatre and dance, comedy, contemporary references, cinematic influences and, of course, subtitles!

The story is the (in)famous relationship between Shakespeare’s ‘two bears’: Beatrice and Benedick, seeing them stuck in never-ending cycles falling in and out of love.