Shakespeare in Italy Students Summer School 2019

Summer School 2019

July 6 — 19 Florence

Tutors: Lucy Bailey (Julius Caesar) Philip Franks (The Two Gentleman of Verona) Christopher Luscombe (Romeo and Juliet)

Introduction The Shakespeare In Italy Summer School has grown in reputation, since the programme was first established in 2014. This year's course will be in Florence at the British Institute, where we have been specially invited to run our school. For more information on the Institute go to www.britishinstitute.it Florence, known as the 'Flower of Italy', home of Giotto and Ghiberti, Masaccio and Michelangelo, Dante and Donatello, was the cradle of the Renaissance. Our programme is open to anyone over the age of 18 and who is fluent in English. It gives participants a unique insight into the plays, dramatic styles and techniques employed, and the rare opportunity to bring the works alive with top class actors and directors. The focus of the workshops is practical rather than theoretical. Our tutors’ expertise is in putting Shakespeare's texts on their feet. Any participant who is reluctant to get up and take part is welcome to be a spectator. The tutors this year are Lucy Bailey, Philip Franks and Christopher Luscombe. Their biographies and details of the course follow. Tutors (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Comus, A Masque In Honour Of Lucy Bailey studied English at Chastity (Sam Wanamaker Oxford University where she Playhouse, Globe), Kenny directed the world premiere of Morgan (Arcola, London). Lessness by Samuel Beckett in Other theatre credits include: consultation with the author. Titus Andronicus, Macbeth, She trained as an assistant Timon of Athens, As You Like It, director for the Royal The Maid’s Tragedy Shakespeare Company, National (Shakespeare’s Globe); The Theatre and Glyndebourne Winter’s Tale, Taming of the Opera Company. Lucy Shrew, Julius Caesar (Royal co-founded The Print Room a Shakespeare Company, new venue in Notting Hill Gate Stratford/Roundhouse, London/ and was artistic director from The Armoury, New York); Great 2010 - 2012 . Shows she directed Expectations, The Postman Philip Franks include: Fabrication, Snake in the Always Rings Twice, Dial M for Grass, Kingdom of Earth and Murder (West Yorkshire Philip’s stage roles have included Uncle Vanya with Iain Glen in the Playhouse/West End/UK tour); Mr Myers, Witness for the title role. She was also co- Around the World in 80 Days (St Prosecution, Witness London Ltd; founder and co-artistic director James Theatre, London); Gaslight Swanson, Flarepath, Flare Path of the gogmagogs (1995 – 2007) (Royal & Derngate Productions Ltd; Hector, The a music theatre company Northampton); The Importance History Boys, Bath Theatre Royal/ comprising seven string players. of Being Ernest (Harold Pinter, Tour; Dr. Watson, The Secret of Recent productions include: West End/UK tour); Fortunes Sherlock Holmes/The Hound of Switzerland (Ustinov Theatre, Fool (London’s Old Vic); King Lear the Baskervilles, UK Tour; Our Bath, Ambassador’s Theatre, (Theatre Royal Bath); The Man in Havana, Nottingham London’s West End); Witness for Beggar’s Opera (Regent’s Park Playhouse & Tour; Mr Winslow, the Prosecution (currently Open Air Theatre); Private Lives, The Winslow Boy, Salisbury Play- playing in London’s County Hall); Glass Eels, Comfort Me with Ap- house; Sir Peter Teazle, School Cave a site specific opera by ples (Hampstead); adapted and For Scandal, Salisbury Playhouse; Tansy Davies and Nick Drake directed Tennessee Williams’ Ba- Osborne, Journey's End, Comedy (London Sinfonietta, Print Works by Doll (National Theatre); Don’t Theatre; Alan Turing, Breaking London), Love From A Stranger Look Now (Crucible, Sheffield/ The Code, Northampton; Lloyd, (Royal & Derngate Northampton Lyric Hammersmith). Noises Off, RNT Tour; Yvan, Art, and UK tour); The Graduate West End and Tour. Crucible Theatre, Sheffield/Royal (Hampstead); When We Are National Theatre; Kiss of the Married (Garrick - Olivier Award Spiderwoman, Nottingham nomination for Best Revival); Playhouse; Private Lives, Royal Travels With My Aunt (Menier National Theatre; Kafka's Dick, Chocolate Factory) and Spamalot Nottingham Playhouse; Early (Playhouse). Morning, National Theatre Further credits include Studio; The Cocktail Party, Royal Masterpieces (Birmingham Rep); Lyceum Theatre - Edinburgh Little Shop of Horrors and The Festival; Rebecca, Royal Lyceum History Boys (West Yorkshire Theatre; Hamlet, Greenwich Playhouse); Things We Do for Theatre/West Yorkshire Love (Harrogate); Candida Playhouse/Tour; Night Must Fall, (Oxford Stage Company); The Theatre Royal, Windsor/ Likes of Us (Sydmonton); Arms Churchill, Bromley; Paint Said and the Man (Salisbury); A Small Further roles include Jacques Fred, Royal Academy of Art; Family Business (Watford); Hob- Roux, Marat/Sade, Royal Macbeth, Crucible Theatre; The son’s Choice (Sheffield); Hay Fe- National Theatre; Algernon, The Duchess of Malfi, Greenwich ver (Minneapolis); Henry V Importance Of Being Earnest, Old Theatre/Wyndham's; (Chicago); While The Sun Shines Vic Theatre; Hamlet, Hamlet, Great Expectations, Playhouse (Bath); Candide (Grange Festival) RSC, Roger Michell; Bertram, All's Theatre, Salisbury; The Browning and tours of The Importance of Well That Ends Well, RSC. Version, Greenwich Theatre. Being Earnest, Tell Me on a TV roles have included Sgt Sunday, The Lady in the Van, Craddock for 4 series of Christopher Luscombe Lord Arthur Savile’s Crime, Single Heartbeat and Charley in 3 series Christopher spent seven years as Spies, Dandy Dick, Blue/Orange of The Darling Buds of May. an actor with the RSC, going on and The Nightingales. He has to appear at the National staged several private Philip was Associate Director at Theatre, the Old Vic and in the entertainments for the Royal Chichester Festival Theatre from West End. His productions at Family, often marking particular 2007 to 2012. Plays include A Stratford as director include anniversaries. Marvellous Year for Plums, Twelfth Night, Love’s Labour’s Rattigan's Nijinsky, The Deep Lost and Much Ado About In 2019 he will be directing The Blue Sea, The Master Builder, Nothing. He is an Associate Artist Winter’s Tale in Cincinnati and Separate Tables, Collaboration/ of the RSC. Verdi’s Falstaff at the Grange Taking Sides, The Cherry Orchard, His other directing credits in Festival. Nicholas Nickleby (with Jonathan London include Star Quality and Church) including National Tour/ The Madness of George III West End/Toronto; Twelfth (Apollo); Home and Beauty Night. (Lyric); Fascinating Aïda – One Other plays directed Last Flutter (Harold Pinter - include The Winter's Tale, Royal Olivier Award nomination for Academy of Dramatic Art; Sixty Best Entertainment); The Six Books, Bush Theatre; The Comedy of Errors and The Merry Comedy of Errors, Open Air Wives of Windsor (Shakespeare’s Theatre, Regent's Park; The Globe); Nell Gwynn Duchess of Malfi, West Yorkshire (Shakespeare’s Globe and Apollo Playhouse; The Tempest, – Olivier Award for Best New Liverpool Playhouse; The White Comedy); A Midsummer Night’s Devil, Lyric Theatre, Dream (Regent’s Park); Enjoy Hammersmith; The Heiress, (Gielgud); Alphabetical Order made in areas of genuine conflict. The Two Gentlemen of Verona is In 1994 it was set in Bosnia with a one of Shakespeare’s very first Christian Romeo and a Muslim plays, possibly written as early as Juliet. Romeo and Juliet has been 1590. The plot revolves around filmed some 60 times, notably by the topsy-turvy relationships of Baz Luhrmann with Claire Danes two pairs of young lovers, Proteus and Leonardo di Caprio as the and Valentine, Julia and Silvia. It young lovers. contains many of the themes that are picked up again and in his Julius Caesar was written and first later plays. Julia finds it expedient performed in 1599, halfway to disguise herself as a boy. The through Shakespeare's working lovers venture into the forest, life. The action takes place in where their relationships become classical Rome in 44 BC when the entangled but finally return to empire was at its mightiest, and normal, as in A Midsummer Romeo and Juliet is begins with Caesar at the height Night’s Dream. The lampooning Shakespeare's early tragedy of of his greatness. It portrays his of romantic love, and with it the "star-cross'd lovers", whose assassination by a group of emasculation of lovers, is a theme youthful deaths ultimately conspirators led by Brutus and that recurs repeatedly. Much of reconcile their feuding families. Cassius. They fear that his the richest comedy is provided by Since its first performance in the ambition will lead to him being “low-life” characters, the servants mid-1590s it has remained one of crowned Emperor and thus see Speed and especially Launce, his most popular plays. The him as a threat to the Roman whose slavish devotion to his dog lovers are united by their passion republic. The political turmoil Crab is a wonderful satire on that yet doomed to separation, and from Caesar’s assassination ends of the young protagonists. The the fact that they have so little with the defeat of conspirators at sunshine becomes obscured by time together lends intensity to the hands of Mark Antony and dark clouds, most particularly in a their relationship. The play bril- Caesar’s great nephew Octavius. startling scene of attempted rape. liantly evokes the ardour of Two Gents is at heart an ebullient youth. The passion of the The play is one of several that early comedy, the work of a central drama is counterpointed Shakespeare based on true young playwright learning his by the wit of Romeo’s friend events, as chronicled by the craft. The abrupt reconciliation of Mercutio and the earthiness of Roman historian Plutarch. Julius the young men in the final scene Juliet’s Nurse, two brilliantly Caesar is a remarkable study of can be hard to accept. But on colourful characters. political intrigue. It is susceptible stage Shakespeare’s dramatic to agit-prop interpretation, often instincts prevail, and a lively A testament to the immortal as a representation of the production can help overlook power of what is frequently billed struggle for freedom . As such it these problems. as “The Greatest Love Story has been performed in Orson Ever”, is the fact that each year Welles' production during the rise thousands of letters are sent to of Italian fascism, with Caesar "Juliet" in Verona from young played as Mussolini; in South Afri- lovers, seeking her blessing or ca under apartheid; and in Bosnia. advice. The volume of mail is Despite being the title role, Julius such that a local organisation, Il Caesar is not the main part. He is Club di Giulietta, devotes itself to in only three short scenes. It is replying on her behalf. the patrician Brutus who dominates. Historians have since Romeo and Juliet draws much of debated whether he was a its power from discord, and despotic tyrant or truly great powerful versions have been military leader. Hotel Martelli What will I gain from the Cost of the course Our group booking prices are course? based on availability at the Hotel Martelli. Set in a former palace, it a) A greater understanding of Inclusive of bed and is an elegant hotel just nine Shakespeare's plays with close breakfast, three play modules, minutes’ walk from the Santa work on three from the canon. two evening meals with tutors Maria Novella train station.

and company members: b) Some experience of a history of the plays in The Florentine-style rooms include performance. €2650.00 single free wi-fi and satellite television, €2350.00 double (two people plus there are mini-bars. Room service is also available and rooms c) An opportunity to work with sharing a double room) some of the best teachers, are air conditioned. actors and directors in the UK theatre world. A buffet breakfast is served in the restaurant featuring Gothic arched d) Chance to explore ceilings and chandeliers. Florence.

e) Work in one of the most You are strongly advised to book important palazzos or town asap because hotels in Florence houses that overlook the river get booked up very early each year. Arno in the centre of Florence.

www.hotelmartelli.com

Contact details: [email protected] or Pictured: Summer School participants in Pizzo +44 (0)7493 757 302

Testimonials: Company Information You could not have chosen a better city. Urbino was absolutely beautiful. Thank YOU for running this program. Best vacation I’ve Website: ever had. www.shakespeareinitaly.eu Emma Day, university student, USA Shakespeare in Italy is a Registered Charity no. 1172308 The course was above and beyond my expectations. Bill is the Founders: Mary Chater, most outstanding teacher. Clear, knowledgeable, expert, living Julian Curry and Sandro treasure. Having the group so intelligent and with so much life Pascucci experience was an unexpected bonus. I loved the friendly, caring family atmosphere. It was a life changing two weeks for me and I Directors: Bill Alexander thank you from the bottom of my heart. Lucy Bailey Lyn Pierse, actress, Australia Associates: Collette Parker, Frankie Bill's session at Cagli theatre had us presenting scenes from the Parham and Anthony Sykes. play and that was very successful. It is such a special thing to Trustees: Bernard Harvey, work on a stage. Anthony Arlidge, Jayne Bridges, Reg Grouse, teacher aged 92, Australia. Peter Lennon, Rodney Stewart- Smith I cannot thank you enough for your vision, organization and clear passion. This has been one of the most rewarding educational Patrons: Dame Judi Dench, experiences of my life and I return home with many ideas for Sir Ian McKellen and infusing more passion into my own teaching of Shakespeare. Ralph Fiennes Rachel Barnes, teacher, USA