LOVE’S MAGIC

$5.40 – $15.00

An exploration of Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for secondary students.

Love's Magic is an examination of the nature of love in Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. It focusses on the random nature of love and its magic. Four Actors explore the universal truths about love and how those truths are still relevant today. They demystify Shakespeare's language by using contemporary analogies. They examine Shakespeare's world and belief systems and look at how love can change the course of lives. The tension between the Actors reflects the tension between the characters. As they make these discoveries, the Actors explore the unique properties of theatre and the relationship between audience and performers. The comic and tragic possibilities of love are dissected and revealed as the Actors own relationships are reflected in the scenes they play.

This script was originally developed as part of a series, for Bell Shakespeare’s Actors At Work programme, performed between the years 2005 – 2011. Ned Manning would like to acknowledge the following people for their involvement and contribution to the development of these scripts: John Bell, Matt Edgerton (Director and dramaturg), Marion Potts (Director), John Sheedy (Director), Christopher Hurrell (Director), Naomi Edwards (Director), Damien Ryan (Director), Wayne Blair (Director), Sean O’Shea (Director) and the many actors who performed the plays around Australia.

APT