Shakespeare SA company goes ahead with Carrick Hill season

Adelaide’s new Shakespeare theatre company will go ahead with its outdoor season at Carrick Hill this week

Shakespeare South Australia performs Twelfth Night at Carrick Hill from January 4-8, 2022. Picture: Natalia Petrenko, supplied.

NEW theatre company Shakespeare South Australia will take the Bard’s advice to “play on” with its production of Twelfth Night at Carrick Hill this week.

Its garden setting means audience groups can be seated at least 1.5m apart, in keeping with the show’s Covid-safe plan.

The dates and location were chosen to reflect the play’s title, said company founder Alys Daroy, who also performs in the production.

“Twelfth Night refers to 12 days after Christmas, traditionally celebrated as a Christian feast day on either January 5 or 6,” said Ms Daroy.

“It’s the perfect time of year to extend festive celebrations and the play’s lively mix of comedy, revelry and intrigue on a balmy summer evening, as the sun sets and the stars come out.”

Shakespeare South Australia performs Twelfth Night at Carrick Hill from January 4-8, 2022. Picture: Natalia Petrenko, supplied.

The cast includes Shedrick Yarkpai, Melanie Munt and singer-actor Michaela Burger, who also composed and performs the play’s music on an Appalachian dulcimer.

Adelaide born and based Ms Daroy is an academic researcher at Monash University and previously worked with Shakespeare’s Globe theatre in London.

She started Shakespeare SA as an eco-theatrical company dedicated to sustainable practices, and also plans to create unique performance spaces.

“We meld traditional performance with novel theatrical techniques such as physical theatre and eco-theatrical soundscapes with updated comedic references,” Ms Daroy said.

“I’d love to work with Adelaide indoor venues to create an amazing 360-degree digital environment, to make it more of a sensory experience.”

Twelfth Night has twilight performances at 6.30pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, followed by a matinee at noon on Saturday.

Ticket available at Humanitix or shakespearesouthaustralia.com