The cast taking their bows at the Eastgate Theatre, PeeblesThe cast taking their bows at the Eastgate Theatre, Peebles

Shakespeare Shorts 2018

The Taming of the Shrew (Edinburgh Fringe)

Much Ado About Nothing (Edinburgh Fringe

Adapted and directed by Tim Wilcock

The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing

Following sell-outs in 2015 and 2016, Shakespeare at Traquair are back up to Edinburgh for Fringe 2018.  Mix fourteen young actors, a couple of Shakespeare plays, some creative editing and you’ve all the ingredients for two shows that will appeal to anyone from age 5 upwards.

The Taming of the Shrew  finds theatre director Kate’s cast revolting; fed up of being outnumbered by the audience, they want to make Shakespeare fun to watch by turning the history plays into a rugby game, Romeo and Juliet into an ice-cream war and Hamlet into a comedy. Kate, a Shakespeare purist, is in despair. But can Petrucio tame this tyrant?  Can Kate outwit this manic misogynist? Plays within plays, music and mayhem in a modern day version of this classic.  The show lasts 55 minutes and is at theSpaceUK Niddry Street (Venue 9) at 12 noon on 3rd, 6th, 8th and 10th August.

Much Ado About Nothing see buns burning in the studio of The Great Brexit Bake Off as Beatrice battles TV co-host Benedick, Don Juan gets totally confused and Hero hopelessly harassed.  Man-eating Margaret is doing strange things with her scones and Borachio’s fiddling with his fondant fancies.  Keep calm and carry on baking in a tale of soggy bottoms, burned biscuits and scalded scones as Leonato tries to make a TV spectacular from this bowl of souring sponge mix.  The show lasts 55 minutes and is at theSpaceUK Niddry Street (Venue 9) at 12 noon on 4th, 7th, 9th and 11th August.

Fringe tickets £8, £5 (conc) and £20 family and be bought online (The Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing).  There’s a “2 for 1” deal on 6th/7th August and various other offers apply.  School parties or other group bookings welcome – contact Tim Wilcock at tdjwilcock@gmail.com.

In the Borders

As well as the Fringe shows, both plays were performed back to back at the Eastgate Theatre and Carlops Village Hall in June (15th and 16th respectively).

Photographs and Video from Shakespeare Shorts 2018

View the Flickr photographs and video below, which were taken at the Eastgate Theatre and Carlops Village Hall in June

Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare Shorts - Much Ado About Nothing 2018


The Taming of the Shrew

Shakespeare Shorts - Taming of the Shrew 2018