Shakespeare’s Globe makes its way to SOTA's stage with a chest full of stunning costumes, detailed sets, eight talented actors and three all-time classics – Twelfth Night (Sep 19 & 20),
The Merchant of Venice (Sep 18 & 21) and The Taming of the Shrew (Sep 21). To spice things up, there is also an audience choice show where you vote for the story you want to see acted out on stage – the majority vote wins. But before we strap into our seats for the Bard's plays, we chat with the director of Shakespeare's Globe, Brendan O'Hea, about what goes on backstage, the voter's choice feature and his favourite Shakespeare quote.
Hi Brendan! Are you excited for the Singapore shows?
Hello! We’re all thrilled to be performing in Singapore. It’s our penultimate stop on a tour which has taken us all over the UK and Europe, and we can’t wait to bring the shows to Hong Kong and Singapore audiences before we head home.
Aside from treating Shakespeare fans here with three of the Bard's plays, what gets you excited about Singapore?
Friendly, kind people, generous audiences, the best crab I’ve ever tasted, and the cleanliness.
Would you say there's a difference between catching a show of a touring company versus catching it at the Globe in London?
The Globe is a shared space for people from all backgrounds, ages and walks of life to come together and engage in simple, clear storytelling. We can’t take the Globe itself around the world, but the tour has that same spirit of sharing and storytelling at its core. The Globe is also a theatre which creates unique interactions between audience and actors. They can stand in the Yard and lock eyes with Hamlet, or reach out and touch Katherina as Petruchio drags her through the crowd to the altar. Our Voter’s Choice shows allow for a similar level of interactivity. The audience itself becomes a character in the play. So in many ways, there isn’t a huge amount of difference.
What can the audience expect from the Singapore shows?
A terrific ensemble performing three of Shakespeare’s darker comedies. No clever concept, and no gimmicks - simple, clear storytelling.
Tell us about the extra feature of letting the audience decide which play they want to see on-stage.
When we were planning this year’s tour, we asked ourselves ‘what would Shakespeare do?’ We know that Elizabethan touring players travelled for months at a time with a whole programme of plays at their fingertips. The choice of play was always left to the most powerful person in the household, who would decide the evening’s entertainment. We’ve decided to hand that power back to the audience. They’re the most influential people in the room, so the choice of play is up to them.
The cast takes on multiple roles for the shows – is this more challenging? And with all the touring, how do you make sure the cast stays on top of their game?
I think it makes for a more exciting experience for actors and audience alike. I’ve tried to match the essence of the character to the actor, regardless of gender or age, and I’ve found that very liberating. But of course, there are challenges too, not least of which the huge number of lines everyone has had to learn! Four of the actors in our company have also just graduated from drama school, so the tour is a huge learning curve for them on every level.
The voter’s choice shows have kept the cast on top of their game – they often don’t know what they’ll be performing from one night to the next. But they’re also an incredibly kind, generous bunch, and have supported each other throughout.
If you could direct any other Shakespeare play, which would it be and why?
I’d want to direct them all, but I’m very fond of Cymbeline and All’s Well That Ends Well.
Finally, give us your favourite Shakespeare quote?
'And this our life, exempt from public haunt,
Finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks,
Sermons in stones, and good in everything.'
- As You Like It
