Shakespeare at Stonehenge Esperance - Winter Solstice
Event description
The critically acclaimed touring theatre troupe Come you Spirits bring their stunning productions of The Tempest and A Midsummer Night's Dream to Stonehenge Esperance for the Winter Solstice. Internationally celebrated by industry reviewers, academics, parliamentary dignitaries, journalists, young audiences and the young at heart - for creating 'magic' on stage. These 1.5 hour adaptations are fully immersive - with the action taking place around and among the audience and the stones.
Join them for an extraordinary experience at Stonehenge where the acoustics resonate the sound of their voices, layered with sound healing instruments, and a soul-souring musical score attuned to the natural frequencies of nature and the human energy centres. The performances of these timeless plays are explosive with charisma and energy and are fast, furious and full of heart. Renowned for their inspired and interactive use of breathtaking natural environments, and for 'making innovative steps in ecological theatre, their site-specific work is spectacular.' Dr Claire Hansen, Lecturer, ANU
In the darkness on the evening before the Solstice, enter the ring of Stonehenge and feel the effects of resonant sound as The Tempest explodes with full lighting and sound lashing the space for a story of freedom from colonisation, forgiveness, redemption and love. An exiled King finds refuge on an island full of magic - magic that he conquers and enslaves, until he learns better from those around him. It invites us to consider our own expressions of freedom and bondage, and to question - what binds us? How could those shackles be released? Performing at 6pm on Tuesday 20th June.
Then on the afternoon of the Winter Solstice itself, the same cast will give you A Midsummer Night's Dream to lead you into a meditative sunset... when the sun is its most powerful, lashing through the stones and filling it with electromagnetic energy. Move between dimensions with these four powerful characters as they try to heal the chaos of love via Fairyland, the Forest, and the Palace's thinly veiled layers of existence. Offering a comedy full of truth, love, joy, colour, expansion and expression. It invites us to run full-speed towards what we love. As dusk falls, the sun's final rays shine exactly in line between the Heel stones and the iconic 8 metre high middle Trilithon. Performing at 1:45pm on Wednesday 21st June.
“Come you Spirits will take you to a place just between the human and the ethereal, to demonstrate just how close we are through language and our connection to the natural world. Utterly indistinguishable from magic.” - Theatre Travels
"Come You Spirits put the rhythms of Shakespeare's language in tune with the frequencies of nature and the elements, breathing new life into words and characters with which we have become too familiar. Enthralled by these performers in a production pared back to bare essentials, I found myself finding Shakespeare made new again as if by alchemy." Professor Laurie Johnson, QLD university, President, Australian and New Zealand Shakespeare Association
"This is next-level experiential theatre. One of the best theatrical and outdoor adventure experiences you can possibly have in this or any other city." - City Hub
“⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Shakespeare but not as you know it...The troupe had done the work for us, so all we needed to do was show up. Nourishment for the eyes, ears, nose and tongue and offered a weight off the heart and kinship with your fellow human beings.” - Arts Hub
“Minimalized cast, delivers maximized SHAKESPEARE. Highly Recommended. Magnificently performed by 4 outstanding actors.” - Sydney Arts Guide
“An experience that spiritually rejuvenates while also entertaining."- Sydney Scoop
“The performers are wonderful storytellers, utilising the energy of the audience and environment to provide a connection to language and the powerful soundscape is designed to be a whole body experience. I found the performances to be spiritual and engaging. I was impressed with the passion and energy of the performances and completely mesmerised by the experience.”- StageWhispers
"The moonlight performance was just magic. The costuming and acting were brilliant and the acoustics were extraordinary.” - Commendation in NSW Parliament with a Community Recognition Statement by MP Tim James
– WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED –Ticket price a bit of stretch ? – let’s not let money keep us apart… get in touch and we can work something out.
Change of mind? – up until the day of the show we’ll give you a show credit for the tickets you’ve bought, or a full refund if you prefer.
Downpour? – unless the weather is so bad it’s dangerous, we do it, and always email and text ticket holders 2 hours before showtime to confirm we are ON. If we do have to postpone the show, we’ll give you show credits, or a full refund.
Call Jo on 0416 635 880 or email jo@comeyouspirits.com and we’ll find a way, whatever the obstacle.
“…and if it rains, we just soldier on, right?”
– 93 year-old audience member Anne, Sydney