Shakespearemachine, Ltd

What is Shakespearemachine? Shakespearemachine is a theatre collective dedicated to exploring the complete works of William Shakespeare and his contemporaries through the use of masks and unusual audience-performer relationships. Who is Shakespearemachine for? Shakespearemachine is for everyone, especially those who hate Shakespeare. We strive to break down barriers so that everyone has access to quality classical theatre. Why Shakespeare? In short, Shakespeare provides some of the richest canvases for theatrical expression ever devised. We believe there is a universality about the Bard's work that can speak to all. Why masks?"Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask and he will tell you the truth."- Oscar Wilde.(We also think they look neat.) Shakespearemachine produces accessible classical theatre with an emphasis on exploring the complete works of William Shakespeare, as well as the plays of his lesser-known Elizabethan and Jacobean contemporaries. We explore these plays as an ensemble through the innovative use of expressive mask, constructed actors, and object theater in order to bring new vitality and unusual perspectives to these timeless works. We also produce other select classical plays, pieces that are devised by the ensemble in a collaborative manner, and site-sympathetic, immersive pieces. The collective also dedicates itself to providing educational resources to the community at large about the work of William Shakespeare and about the beauty and human necessity of the theatre.