Welcome to the 18th annual 4MBS Brisbane Shakespeare Festival!

Experience the world of the Bard in Brisbane!

Join us for two fully-staged professional performances of Shakespeare’s passionate romantic tragedy ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA in the lush Roma Street Parkland Amphitheatre. Come early for Shakespearean dance, swordplay, talks, free facepainting and food trucks!


Festival overview (click to view events)


SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK
Saturday 2 & Sunday 3 November 2023

Roma Street Parkland Amphitheatre | 1 Parkland Blvd, Brisbane City

Experience the world of the Bard amongst the drama of Brisbane’s nature! 
Come early for Shakespearean dance workshops, swordplay, talks, free face painting and tasty food trucks!

Dress in your Roman togas or Egyptian best!

4pm SHAKESPEAREAN DANCE WORKSHOP AND DEMONSTRATION
Dr Heather Blasdale Clarke
Learn to dance like the Bard! Join dance historian Dr Heather Blasdale Clarke as she teaches beautiful dances from Shakespeare’s time. Bring your children along for a dance especially for over-5-year-olds! Enjoy live Renaissance music and a demonstration by Dr. Clarke and her dancers.

4.40pm SWORDPLAY DEMONSTRATION
Prima Spada School of Fence
En garde! Agente! Watch authentic Shakespearean swordplay by Prima Spada School of Fence and learn about the skills and weaponry used in historical fencing. Based on the work of European masters of the 16th and 17th centuries.

5.10pm SHAKESPEAREAN LANGUAGE TALK
Roly Sussex
Discover how Shakespeare’s way with words made him one of the most famous playwrights in history! Roland ‘Roly’ Sussex is Emeritus Professor of Applied Language Studies at UQ. He has been broadcasting language segments on ABC Radio in Queensland since 1997.

5.30pm ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
Be captivated by this true tale of passion and power from Ancient Rome and Egypt. Witness Shakespeare’s tragic romance unfold under the open sky, directed by Jacqui Somerville. Featuring Stephen Hirst as Mark Antony and Ashlee Lollback as Cleopatra, with an outstanding cast of Brisbane Shakespearean actors. 
2hrs with interval. 

Tickets:
$15 for Adults | FREE for Children / Full-time students / Companion Card Holders


OTHER EVENTS

WOMEN IN SHAKESPEARE
Library Talk

Discover how Shakespeare’s portrayal of women was groundbreaking for his time! Join Gary Thorpe OAM, General Manager of 4MBS Classic FM, for a discussion of Shakespeare’s complex female characters including Cleopatra, Lady Macbeth, Juliet and Rosalind. The talk will be enhanced by music and audio samples.

Tuesday 22 Oct 11am (60 mins)
New Farm Library
135 Sydney St, New Farm  
Free entry, please book
Ph: (07) 3403 1062 

Wed 30 Oct 1.30pm (60 mins)
Chermside Library  
375 Hamilton Rd, Chermside
Free entry, please book
Ph: (07) 3403 7200 

Thu 31 Oct 11am (60 mins)
Carindale Library  
Westfield Carindale, 1151 Creek Rd, Carindale
Free entry, please book
Ph: (07) 3407 1490 

SHAKESPEARE’S KEYNOTE SPEECHES
Shakespeare Talk/Readings

Sat 26 Oct 2pm (60 mins)
4MBS Performance Studio, 384 Old Cleveland Rd, Coorparoo

Join acclaimed actor Eugene Gilfedder for an exploration and recital of Shakespeare’s famous speeches ‘Once more unto the breach’, ‘Lend me your ears’, ‘Now is the Winter’, and ‘Tomorrow and tomorrow’. Eugene will also share the immortal soliloquies from Hamlet and much more, in the intimate 4MBS Performance Studio.

Tickets | $25 


SHAKESPEARE ON RADIO

Tune in to 4MBS Classic FM 103.7 to hear some of the magnificent classical music inspired by Shakespeare!
Listen in South East Queensland on 103.7FM, or livestream from anywhere in the world.

4MBS Subscribers can access full radio program details.
Become a 4MBS Subscriber.

Sat 12 Oct 12 noon | SHAKESPEARE SMORGASBORD
Music based on his comedies, from composers such as Verdi, Vaughan Williams, Weber

Sat 19 Oct 12 noon | SHAKESPEARE SMORGASBORD
Music based on his histories, from composers such as Smetana, Saint-Saëns, Schumann

Sat 26 Oct 12 noon | SHAKESPEARE SMORGASBORD
Music based on his tragedies, from composers such as Barber, Liszt, Prokofiev

Sat 26 Oct 4pm | SATURDAY FEATURE
4MBS Shakespeare Festival
Overtures to his plays commissioned by 4MBS in 2016 from local composers: Beath, Paul Bonetti, Brumby, Cronin, Healy, Kopetz, Lawrence, Seeto 

Sat 2 Nov 4pm | SATURDAY FEATURE
The Bard of Avon
Music inspired by his plays and sonnets, from Coles, Robert Jones II, Kabalevsky, Nicolai, Quilter, Vaccai


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Images from previous festivals: