Taking Shakespeare

Victoria, BC...From June 8 - 13, 2021, the Belfry Theatre will be streaming a filmed reading of John Murrell’s Taking Shakespeare, a sharp and engaging play about an aging academic and her young, unfocussed tutee.

Taking Shakespeare is taking the time slot of Same Old Same Old. With the health orders in place, our ability to rehearse Same Old Same Old was affected and for the safety of everyone, we chose to delay the production. We expect to film Same Old Same Old in late June and stream it later this year. 

Directed by Michael Shamata, Taking Shakespeare stars Patti Allan (Belfry - Anatol, 1993 / Three Tall Women, 1995) as Prof and Austin Eckert (Belfry - Spring Awakening, 2014 and BEING HERE: The Refugee Project, 2021) as Murph.

Murph is two months into his first university term and in way over his head. His mother, a dean at the university, has sent Murph to Prof for some private tutoring.

Prof is nearing the end of her academic career and is unpopular with her students and fellow academics. Her only friend is one William Shakespeare and she is wary of sharing him with Murph, who thinks the titles of Shakespeare are too long.

Diving deep into Othello, Murph and Prof transcend their differences of age and isolation and discover a true, heartwarming friendship.

Why I Chose This Play (Michael Shamata) 

An evolving relationship between an older Professor and a younger student may seem like a clichéd set-up for a play.  However, in the hands of John Murrell—one of this country’s most celebrated playwrights—what appears to be a simple play, is as complex as life itself.

Taking Shakespeare focuses on two wounded individuals with unfulfilled needs.  Through their shared exploration of Shakespeare’s Othello, they discover the one (unlikely) person with whom they can share their vulnerabilities.  It is a deeply humane play, about our fragility and our susceptibility to the whims and wounds of others.  Shakespeare’s unparalleled understanding of the human heart becomes both the bond between these two, and the window into each other’s soul. 

We are all so easily hurt—and yet—if we are lucky enough to find an ally—we can also find the strength to carry on.

Creative Team  

Michael Shamata - Director

Videographer & Video Editor - Candelario Andrade  

Lighting Designer - Sophie Tang  

Stage Manager - Becca Jorgensen  

Ticket Information  

The play will be streaming online from June 8 - 13. Streaming tickets for Taking Shakespeare are $25 and available at 250-385-6815 or online at tickets.belfry.bc.ca.  

Show Sponsor

Taking Shakespeare is generously supported by Used.ca.  

Season Sponsors  

The Belfry is generously supported by The Times Colonist and Helijet.  

Public Funders  

The Belfry is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, the Province of BC, BC Arts Council, CRD Arts Development and the City of Victoria.  

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