Emilia

Emilia is a call to revolution, a molotov cocktail that provides a shock to the consciousness and sets fire to the status quo. It premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe in 2018, and was written for an entirely female cast. Written by the dynamic Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, the play imagines the life of the real Emilia Bassano, a writer, mother and woman of colour who lived and worked in London during Shakespeare’s golden years. Time has clouded over much of what we know about her, but some scholars hypothesise that she was an influence on some of Shakespeare’s written works for the stage, as well as his sonnets, and is presumed to have been the ‘dark lady’ he wrote about in sonnets 127-152.

This play is a flight of imagination, a dream of what could have been, a statement of what was. It brings a forgotten historical figure into a 20th century spotlight, and challenges archaic gender roles as well as the role of creatives.

Emilia is a mourning, a celebration, and an inflammatory call to rebellion.

Toi Whakaari Taiohi o te Matau-ā- Māui: Hawke's Bay Youth Theatre (HaByt) is committed to actively nurturing a safe and encouraging creative space for young artists, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in their creative work, laughing, bonding and pushing themselves beyond their creative boundaries.

The best little arts festival in the bay is back! Fringe in the ‘Stings celebrates the breadth of talent in Heretaunga and beyond with a smorgasbord of artistic delights to suit every palate, at a price everyone can afford.

Fringe looks a little different this year, with a range of shows throughout the festival at St Matthew’s Hall on Eastbourne Street, from Thursday 10th to Sunday 13th October, with satellite venues around the town.

From an award winning run in Wellington, CRUNCH plays daily, exploring the crunchy parts of life via physical theatre and the vehicle of a chippie packet, to charm children and grown ups alike.

Our artist’s hub at the 118 Studio on Karamu Road transforms to an early morning dance party where you can get your boogie on with your coffee, then to an intimate theatre for a series of solo and duo shows that will make you laugh and cry.

There’s music of all sorts, from musicians with disabilities to big band jazz; spooky folk to full throated soul; djembe drumming to comedy ballads; ambient doom to anarchistic noise; heavy metal to heart-filled melodies.

Witness local legend, Stretch, launch his band, the Sinners, with brand new, never before heard material that you, the audience, will help co-create. Get All Folked Up with Ish’s eclectic mash-up made for dancing. Get down to drumming and doof in Albert Square on Saturday afternoon.

There’s rangatahi theatre - a self penned piece about grief; and Habyt’s Emilia, dealing with poetry and feminism in the time of Shakespeare. There’s drag and burlesque to tickle your fancy. There’s contemporary dance, set in the stars.

There’s something for everyone, and everyone is included. Fringe in the ‘Stings creates space for locals to experiment both as performers and audiences. Low ticket prices and free shows mean you can sample a medley of artistic experiences without breaking the bank.

Tickets are on sale now. Check out the full programme at www.fringeinthestings.co.nz.