Posted: 13/05/13
Student theatre company gives Shakespeare contemporary twist
Performing arts students at West Nottinghamshire College will be bringing their own version of William Shakespeare’s ‘Coriolanus’ to Mansfield’s Create Theatre for a two-night show.
The students, who are coming to the end of their HND in Performing Arts course, have set up their own theatre group called Signature Theatre Company.
For their end-of-year show on Tuesday 21 and Wednesday 22 May, students will be performing a contemporary interpretation of the Shakespearean tragedy – replacing the bloody battlefields of Rome with the cold-blooded halls of Westminster, immersing the audience in a world of intense political intrigue.
Conservative party leader Caius Martius Coriolanus, played by 21-year-old Conor Wilkinson, fights for survival in an ever more fickle world, not only against the Labour opposition but against his own pride.
Signature Theatre Company’s production, directed by tutor Andrew Proctor is a fast-paced, newly reimagined piece using Shakespeare’s original text in a thoroughly modern context.
Conor said: “The way we’ve set this Shakespeare classic in a modern context may help audiences to understand the story better.
“As a group we’ve worked hard to understand the language in the play and hope we’ve turned it into an entertaining production.
“I’m looking forward to applying for the top-up degree at the college and our end of year show is a great way to end our studies for this term.”
Tickets for the 7.30pm show cost £5 and £3 for concessions. To purchase tickets call 01623 413363 or visit the website at www.createtheatre.co.uk
