A steam-punk production of The Tempest which was staged in Sydney last year is now available to stream online for a slight fee (a month’s rental is $4.95). Click on the link above to view the trailer and to purchase the filmed production.

Tim Minchin is set to make his Sydney Theatre Company (STC) début performing, with Toby Schmitz, in Tom Stoppard’s absurdist, existentialist tragicomedy Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, directed by Simon Phillips.

Previews 6 - 9 August
Season 10 August - 7 September

This was just posted to Bell Shakespeare’s Facebook page and might interest those in Sydney:

Bell Shakespeare is taking up residence of a great pop-up space in The Rocks. Opening its doors today, Bell Shakespeare’s Closet, located at 123-125 George Street Sydney, has become home to the Company’s costume and development departments for seven weeks.

Drop in to see some of the costumes being made for Henry 4 and check out some of our more elaborate costumes and props used over our 23 year history.

The space will be open to the public from Wednesday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm.

Two Shakespeare related events at Sydney Festival 2013 in January:

- Othello c’est Qui

- The Rape of Lucrece

I hope these are both also part of the the Perth International Arts Festival line up in February next year.

Miriam Corowa visits a new production of Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ at Sydney’s Fringe Festival.

This is one of two Shakespeare related offerings at this year’s Sydney Fringe, the other being Bard to the Bone.

“Last week, in Sydney, Cate Blanchett and Richard Roxburgh took on the roles of the blistering Queen of Egypt and the beguiled Roman ruler in a two-day workshop at the Sydney Theatre Company with a view to a full-scale production in Sydney at the end of next year followed by a European tour…”

Sydney Symphony plays Leonard Bernstein’s electrifying orchestral score live at the Opera House while the newly remastered film West Side Story is shown in glorious high definition with the original vocals and dialogue.

For more details and to book tickets, follow the link. On sale Nov 9.

I’m seeing this in London in Sept. How exciting for those who can’t get over to the UK for this.

If you missed the live stream of the Bell Shakespeare Much Ado About Nothing post-show Q&A, it is now available at the Bell Shakespeare website. Hosted by Julie McCrossin, the cast from Bell Shakespeare answer questions from the live audience and from across the world.

Bell Shakespeare - Much Ado About Nothing - Toby Schmitz and Blazey Best

Bell Shakespeare post show Q&A live streaming Tue 19 Apr, 9:10pm Australian EST

The Much Ado About Nothing post-show Q&A will follow the Sydney Opera House performance on Tuesday the 19th of April. For the first time, Bell Shakespeare will be streaming this event live on their website. You can participate in this discussion from wherever you are.

If you have a burning question for director John Bell or the cast, you can send it through ahead of time either via e-mail (news (at) bellshakespeare (dot) com (dot) au) or using the hashtag #bellQA on twitter.