Melbourne Shakespeare Society Home Page

The Melbourne Shakespeare Society is one of the oldest literary societies in Australia, having been in continuous existence since 1884. It has an active program which includes monthly meetings, and monthly readings of Shakespeare's plays and associated works.

General Meetings are usually held on the fourth Saturday of each month (excluding January). They feature an invited main speaker, often from the arts or academia, or sometimes a Society member speaks on one of their special interests. The talks may be illustrated by short prepared readings by members. As well, meetings may include musical items, book reports, sonnet readings and reports of Shakespearean related events.
The venue is the St Francis Pastoral Centre, at the corner of Elizabeth and Lonsdale Streets, Melbourne, in the Monastery Hall or other meeting rooms at the Centre.

Play Readings - The Society's Reading Group performs Readings of the complete plays of William Shakespeare, in basic chronological order, on the second Saturday of each month (except January). In 2012 the group begins a fourth cycle of reading of the complete Canon, over six years.
The rehearsed readings are performed by Society members in the Ballroom of the English Speaking Union at 146 Toorak Road West, South Yarra (between Punt and St Kilda Roads). Public transport access is via the Toorak Road tram or Punt Road bus.
Rehearsals for Readings are held (first Saturday of the month) in the Collingwood Library, 11 Stanton Street, next to the Collingwood Station carpark. Melway 2C H10 or 44 D5. Public transport access - train to Collingwood station, Hurstbridge or Epping line; Hoddle Street bus.

Associated Readings of works which illuminate the Shakespearean Canon are interspersed with the Shakespeare plays throughout the year. These include Shakespeare's poems (eg The Rape of Lucrece), his contemporaries (eg The Massacre at Paris by Christopher Marlowe), classical drama (eg Menaechmi by Plautus), and modern plays for which Shakespeare is an essential reference point (eg Macbett by Eugene Ionesco).

The Society publishes a Newsletter, The Melbourne Shakespearean,with articles, poetry, reviews and reports of Shakespearean interest, which is available free to members and for sale to others.

There are very modest attendance fees at meetings and readings, and guests and new members are always welcome. For further information, contact the President or any others listed in the Contacts.

Items of Note

We start our fourth cycle of Readings of the complete canon, interspersed with Associated Readings, on February 11th, with Henry VI Part 1. (The 3 parts of Henry VI are to be read in order for the sake of continuity).
Starting time is 1.00 pm. The venue is the English Speaking Union, 146 Toorak Road West, South Yarra.
Visitors very welcome. Cost $9 includes refreshments. For any enquiries ring Paul Roebuck on 9525 4541.

Our first meeting for 2012 will be held on February 25th at St. Francis Pastoral Centre, cnr. Lonsdale and Elizabeth Streets, Melbourne, starting at 2.00 pm. Sue Tweg will be speaking on Beginnings: introducing Shakespeare's contemporaries.
For further information, contact Paul on 9525 4541. Visitors always welcome. Cost $9 includes refreshments.

Henry IV Part 1 will be showing at fortyfivedownstairs between Tuesday 28 February - Sunday 11 March 2012.
'Recently returned from the southern hemisphere's only recreated Elizabethan theatre - The New Fortune in Perth, Western Australia - Nothing but Roaring's production of Shakespeare's historical masterpiece imaginatively recreates the world of Shakespeare through the power of his words and using the conventions of his theatre. Starring Tom Considine (MTC, STC, Playbox, State Theatre of SA) as the irrepressible rogue Falstaff, Nothing But Roaring present Henry IV in "original practices" - all-male, period costume, audience-included - Shakespeare.'
And, playing in repertory with this, Wednesday 29 February - Sunday 11 March will be 'The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet, ... an all-female, psychological examination of one of literature's most famous - and youngest - heroines. Featuring a cast of six young women - one of whom plays Juliet and five of whom play Romeo - it re-imagines Shakespeare's iconic love story within the erotically-charged world of teenage girls.'
Tickets: $15/$30, or Double Pass $50/$35
Venue: fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne. 03 9662 9966
Bookings and full details of dates, times, etc. fortyfivedownstairs.com

Shakespeare Study Tours
If you are planning a trip to Europe, you may want to include one of these tours in your itinerary.
"Enjoy a fascinating Shakespeare study tour in the company of a Renaissance literature scholar. See the key sites of London and Stratford-upon-Avon, including the GlobeTheatre and Shakespeare's birthplace, and witness stage performances of Shakespeare. One-week and weekend tours available. Ideal for students and teachers of all nationalities."
Run by Dr Philip Major, an academic teaching at Birkbeck, they cost around £950 (AUD $1430) per head for 7 nights in central London, including all transfers, entrance fees and full board.
We have no personal knowledge of these tours, but those wanting more details can contact: Dr Philip Major at philipmajor@sky.com

For those who would like a printable copy of the year's programme or the current brochure, it can be opened from the following
Brochure (PDF 130K)

We have now added our Rules of Association for the convenience of those members who want access to them.

You will also find information about coming events in the theatre world in Melbourne if you go to Whitehat, the Melbourne happenings page (he also does a nice line in weekly newsletters!)

Another interesting site to visit is www.bookandvolume.com.au. This is a 'virtual' bookshop based in country Victoria, which in addition to its wide range of books has a passion for things Shakespearean. There can be found information of events of all kinds to do with Shakespeare, his contemporaries and times.

DVDs of recent Readings are available for a minimal cost. Anybody interested in obtaining one of these is invited to contact Paul Roebuck on 9525 4541.

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Updated February 3, 2012