Fun, interactive, high-energy Shakespeare.
The Players are Bell Shakespeare’s touring ensemble of professional artists who bring Shakespeare to life in schools and communities across Australia.
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
50-minute performances are paired with a 10-minute Q&A for an action-packed hour of Shakespeare immersion. Each show comes with its own comprehensive Online Learning Pack to ensure you can make the most of the performance with pre- and post-show resources and exercises.
Each performance explores key scenes and soliloquies, analysis of Shakespeare’s language, choices and themes and contemporary commentary all wrapped up in a fresh, modern narrative.
The Players are sure to be a favourite of students and teachers alike. Book one show or host us for the entire day. Forget booking buses, let us come to you. We’re looking forward to delivering high-energy Shakespeare shows in your school.
The Players are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Bell Shakespeare is a COVID Safe registered business and is in regular contact with the Department of Education in regards to our work in schools. Our COVID-19 procedures and policies align with government advice as it is updated.
Outstanding. Lively, fun, energetic and educational.
Joyce Conte, Sir Joseph Banks High School NSW
Years 2 - 6
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
BOTTOM'S DREAM
By Joanna Erskine
Bottom has had a most rare vision. He’s just woken up in the forest after a strange dream involving fairies, magic flowers and donkey ears. Was it just a dream, or was it real?
In this adventurous, hilarious and heart-warming show, we explore the magic and mayhem of Shakespeare's classic comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Take Bottom's hand and help him piece together his strange dream through key scenes from the original play, playing with Shakespeare’s language and characters along the way.
This is A Midsummer Night’s Dream through the eyes of one of Shakespeare’s greatest clowns. A magical introduction to Shakespeare for primary students.
Years 7 - 10
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
SUCH SWEET SORROW
By Joanna Erskine and Matt Edgerton
One ancient grudge, one lifechanging connection, and one society forever changed. Romeo and Juliet remains a rollercoaster ride of passion and violence, and a tale that, generations on, we continue returning to. Join The Players as they retell Shakespeare's classic from youthful innocence to tragic conclusion, via modern commentary interweaved with Shakespeare's original text.
Such Sweet Sorrow is an engaging and interactive performance experience for students and teachers that will keep the audience on the edge of their seats, from first sight to final breath. In 50 minutes The Players will journey through the entire story, discussing character motivations, illuminating themes and analysing language techniques and narrative devices.
Years 10 - 12
1-hour incursion (50 min performance + 10 min Q&A)
MACBETH: THE REHEARSAL
By Joanna Erskine
A director has called their two leading actors to a special rehearsal of the ‘Scottish Play’, and your students are invited to observe. The show opens in two weeks and things are not looking good. It’s crunch time to engage with Shakespeare’s classic tragedy and transform text into performance. Become a fly on the wall for this fictional rehearsal, with illuminating and entertaining results.
Macbeth: The Rehearsal invites students to play observer and participant in this immersive and interactive show. Watch The Players play and replay with famous scenes and soliloquies from Macbeth. Witness the play’s trajectory blur with the actors’ own journeys, discovering key motivations, themes, language techniques and plot devices. This is a show that celebrates theatre-making, storytelling and the power of the imagination, within an engaging contemporary narrative.
BOOK A PERFORMANCE
Submit a booking form for 2025
The Players 2025 Performances
-
05 May -
22 Sept05 May -
22 SeptSydney
-
05 May
05 May
Central Coast / Newcastle
5 – 11 May 2025
-
12 May
12 May
Newcastle / Hunter region
12 – 18 May 2025
-
12 May
12 May
South Coast
12 – 18 May 2025
-
26 May
26 May
Mid North Coast
26 May – 1 June 2025
-
02 June
02 June
North Coast
2 – 8 June 2025
-
23 June
23 June
Central West NSW
23 – 29 June 2025
-
30 June
30 June
Central Tablelands
-
28 July
28 July
Northern Rivers region
28 July – 3 August 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
19 May -
26 May19 May -
26 MayCanberra
19 May – 1 June 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
28 July -
04 Aug28 July -
04 AugMelbourne / Geelong
28 July – 10 August 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
16 June -
23 June16 June -
23 JuneHobart
16 – 29 June 2025
-
30 June
30 June
Launceston / Devonport
30 June – 6 July 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
14 July
14 July
Darwin
14 – 20 July 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
14 July
14 July
Regional QLD
14 – 20 July 2025
-
21 July
21 July
Toowoomba / Brisbane / Gold Coast
21 – 27 July 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
18 Aug -
25 Aug18 Aug -
25 AugPerth
18 – 31 August 2025
-
01 Sept
01 Sept
Regional WA
1 – 7 September 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.
-
18 Aug -
01 Sept18 Aug -
01 SeptAdelaide
18 August – 7 September 2025
-
08 Sept
08 Sept
Regional SA
8 – 14 September 2025
Primary Performances:
$1,050 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $7.50 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Secondary Performances:
$1,300 per performance for up to 140 students. Additional students $9 each up to maximum audience of 200.
$1,100 per performance for schools with an ICSEA value of 1000 or less, for up to 140 students. Additional students $8 each up to maximum audience of 200.
Check your school’s ICSEA value at My School.
The Players’ performances are GST exempt.
Subsidies
Schools experiencing financial, socioeconomic and/or geographic challenges may apply for a Sharing Shakespeare subsidy.