• Behind The Scenes,  Project Updates

    The experiment continues … #Shakespeare Republic – the global edition

    In what is now a tradition on the eve before the premiere of a new season, Shakespeare Republic Creator/Director, Sally McLean, reflects on the past four months and how she came to be directing a “surprise” edition of her critically acclaimed web series during a global pandemic while in lockdown. The pandemic that has the globe in it’s clutches right now has given us all a new sense of weird. When it first began, responses ranged from blithe dismissal to low-level anxiety. We distracted ourselves with baking (sourdough apparently a favourite), learning the limitations of Zoom, divesting supermarket shelves of toilet paper and reassuring ourselves that restrictions would only be…

  • Behind The Scenes,  Project Updates

    Our new series “Dark Arcadia” is an ACF BOOST Funding recipient!

    We have the exciting announcement that we are one of the lucky recipients of the 2020 Australian Cultural Fund BOOST Grant Program!  Selected from all art forms across Australia in a highly competitive funding round, we are one of 22 independent artists, small groups and art organisations selected to receive this funding boost from the Australian Government for our new mini web series Dark Arcadia. So, how does this work? We are now running a crowdfunding campaign throughout May via the ACF, with the aim to raise $3,500 in donations. If we are successful in reaching our target, the Australian Federal Government, via Creative Partnerships Australia will match that amount, dollar-for-dollar, in the form of a grant to go towards…

  • Behind The Scenes,  Celebrating The Bard,  Project Updates,  Team,  Video

    New special season of Shakespeare Republic has launched! #AllTheWebsAStage #TheLockdownEdition

    On the final day of this anniversary week for the Republic, which culminated with a Republic history-making first – our first livestream launch for the series (see video above) – Republic Creator/Director, Sally McLean, muses on the journey so far … When I first had the idea for Shakespeare Republic, many moons ago just after I finished working for the BBC in London in the late 1990’s, little did I know what it would grow to become – once I found the courage and means to make it a reality. Fast forward to five years ago, after a round of phone calls to a few of my favourite actors in…

  • Behind The Scenes,  Project Updates

    Shakespeare Republic featured in new academic textbook to be published by Routledge

    Shakespeare Republic is the subject of an entire chapter written by Republic Creator/Director, Sally McLean, for the forthcoming academic textbook Playfulness in Shakespearean Adaptations, due for publication globally by Routledge this July! Sally was approached by the fabulous editors of the book (Marina & Aidan – shout out to both of you!) and invited to submit an abstract (essentially an academic pitch document) for consideration in early 2018, and her chapter was subsequently given the green light for inclusion. After several drafts (huge thanks to Dr Steinar Ellingsen for his expert guidance at the beginning of this process!) and a round of editing suggestions from Marina and Aidan, the final chapter…

  • Behind The Scenes,  Project Updates,  Screenings & Festivals

    Shakespeare Republic Season Two finishes its festival run, plus … our next project looms for 2020 …

    Eva Torkkola with Sally McLean & Billy Smedley at the 2019 Sydney WebFest Awards Night It has been a busy, crazy year for the Republic team and we have sadly neglected this blog as a result, for which we apologise! That said, if you are a subscriber to our newsletter, you will have been getting regular updates and if you have been following our social media, you’ll be pretty much fully in the loop. But for those who aren’t doing those two things, then here’s a quick recap of the past six months to round out 2019 … MELBOURNE WEBFEST 2019 Above: Kate Whitbread, Mike Cowap, Ron Brown, Sally McLean and Clayton…

  • Behind The Scenes,  Project Updates,  Team

    #OzflixLovesTheBard! New competition in conjunction with Mr Moto & Ozflix!

    Competition Time! To celebrate Shakespeare Republic streaming exclusively on Ozflix and being in development for Season Three, our fabulous Marketing sponsor, Mr Moto (Print & Distribution, Digital Screen Event Advertising) is helping us spread the word around #Melbourne with an awesome postcard and digital screen promotion in over 70 locations around town (and beyond!). And you get to be part of the fun! Here’s how … Simply #SnapASelfie with one of our snazzy postcards around Melbourne (be as creative as you like!); OR #SnapASelfie with our ad as it plays on one of Mr Moto’s digital screens found in over 70 locations; THEN Upload your selfie to your socials on…

  • Sally McLean works with HFAS Full Time grad, Cameron Duncan in 2018 as resident Shakespeare teacher at Howard Fine Acting Studios Australia.
    Behind The Scenes,  Project Updates

    NEW DATES: Playing The Bard: Shakespeare In Performance returns to Howard Fine Acting Studio!

    “Playing The Bard” will now be running at Howard Fine Acting Studio Australia from Tuesday May 21 until June 25, and we’re excited to get back into the work! Shakespeare Republic Creator/Director, Sally McLean is bringing back her own unique take on the Bard and the technique she uses when working with her award-winning Republic cast, for another six week course that will help actors truly make Shakespeare’s words their own! “Sally’s knowledge of Elizabethan times as well as Shakespeare’s works was out of this world.” HEATHER ALLARDYCE (Actor) This six week course will enable actors to delve deep into Shakespeare’s text, create place and embody character, bringing Shakespeare’s words truly to…

  • Project Updates

    Shakespeare Republic has the highest viewing figures of any launch on the Ozflix platform!

    What a week it’s been! This time last week, Shakespeare Republic producers, Sally McLean and Billy Smedley, were getting ready to head over to ACMI in Melbourne for the presenter’s rehearsal for the 2019 Ozflix Independent Film Awards taking place that night. So much has happened concerning the Republic since then, it seems almost impossible that seven days have passed! But they have, so, with no more ado, let’s get to sharing the news! 2019 OZFLIX INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS What a fantastic night of celebrating Australian Independent Film the 2019 Ozzies at the Australian Museum for the Moving Image were! So much love in the room from and for Aussie…

  • Behind The Scenes,  Project Updates

    Shakespeare Republic acquired by National Film & Sound Archive!

    March has turned out to be a wonderful and busy month for the Republic! We are delighted to announce that the entire Shakespeare Republic series (both Seasons One & Two) is now part of the official collection at the NFSA (National Film & Sound Archive) of Australia! As part of their remit to “collect and preserve significant Australian audiovisual productions”, we received a request from them to lodge the series in their archives for posterity early last year. As of this week, copies of all episodes produced to date, plus scripts, stills, behind the scenes footage and more are now catalogued and secure in their archives and on record for as long…

  • Project Updates,  Screenings & Festivals

    Shakespeare Republic streaming globally in new home and more news coming this week!

    We are so delighted to share with everyone that Shakespeare Republic has a new home as of April 1 – with the fabulous Australian streaming service Ozflix! The work of the Republic will be streaming globally alongside some of Australia’s greatest feature films, including Mad Max, Romper Stomper, The Castle, The Man From Snowy River, Proof, Animal Kingdom, Wolf Creek, Kenny, Muriel’s Wedding, the list goes on, as well as short films featuring Guy Pearce, Sigrid Thornton, Jack Thompson, Ditch Davey and more and the new strand of Aussie web series, set to take on the world! We would like to thank Ron Brown and the Ozflix team for all their…