Shakespeare's Women Programme

SHAKESPEARE’S WOMEN

Written by Clare McMahon

Directed by Benjamin Gould

Shakespeare’s Women Is there life after love, after death, and after The Bard?

What if Ophelia met Juliet? Would she give her some relationship advice?

What if Portia told Cleopatra to wise up? Headstrong, feisty and in the thralls of love, what can they learn from each other?

Fusing modern comedy and drama with classical verse, see Shakespeare and his favourite women in a brand-new light. Presented by award-winning Belfast company Commedia of Errors (The Gap Year, I Am Maura, Plays Aloud), this brand new production of their smash hit show is sure to entertain, enthrall and enlighten audiences.

Calla Hughes (The Snow Queen, Lyric) and Catherine Rees (The Mousetrap, West End) star as Juliet and Ophelia, or Jules and Fee for short. Watch as they probe Shakespeare’s best-known characters to learn a little more about themselves. Can Goneril give them strength? Cleopatra, power or Portia, guile? Could Hamlet be the key to unlocking who they are, what went wrong and why they’re still stuck playing their parts over and over forever more?

A modern examination of the relationships between men and women, this is Shakespeare dissected by two young (dead) women stuck in purgatory determined to be penned anew.

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Creating the World of Shakespeare’s Women

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Behind the Scenes at Rehearsals

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Calla Hughes 'Juliet'

(she/her)

Calla graduated from studying a Musical Theatre BA Hons Degree at Italia Conti, London in 2022. She went on to make her professional debut in November 2022 as Gerda in The Lyric Theatre Belfast’s “The Snow Queen”, composed and directed by Paul Boyd.

In March 2023 Calla was cast as Maura in Commedia of Errors’ one woman play “I Am Maura” written by Clare McMahon and directed

by Benjamin Gould. This ran as part of Belfast Children’s Festival in The Mac Theatre transferring into The Lyric Theatre Belfast for a second independent run. In May 2023 Calla was cast as leading actress Flora in an independent short film “The House That Was Not” written and directed by Dean Byrne (YDB Films).

In September - December 2023 Calla was cast in Replay Theatre Company’s production of ‘Tribe’ an immersive theatre project designed for autistic and neurodivergent children and young people. At the beginning of the New Year Calla set out to perform a 2024 Tour of “I Am Maura” travelling to different theatre and community spaces around the North and South of Ireland.

In March 2024 Calla was cast in “Mary Ann The Forgotten Sister” with Kabosh Theatre Company, with performances taking place in April 2024. Calla is currently filming for Lisa McGee’s new series.

Catherine Rees (she/her) ‘Ophelia’

Catherine trained at East 15 Acting School.

Theatre Credits include: The Mousetrap (West End and two India Tours) Vection (Headrush/Lyric Belfast) Forget Your Troubles Rehearsed Reading (Chichester Festival Theatre) Borderline:The People’s Story (Kabosh Theatre Company) Bones (Theatre 503) Poached (rehearsed reading- Prime Cut Productions) Through the Window (Three’s Theatre Company) Morningland (Finborough Theatre) Project A (Pleasance Theatre/ Camden People’s Theatre/Etcetera Theatre) Frack (Lyric Hammersmith) Valiant (Edinburgh Fringe/Theatre 503) Pride and Prejudice (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) TV & film includes: Blue Lights (BBC), Hope Street (BBC/Britbox) Nova Jones (BBC) Ted’s Top Ten (ZodiakKids/ITV) Catholic Marriage Bureau (BBC Three) The Deceived (Netflix) Oyster (Farset Films/NI Screen) Stanley (BBC) Worried,Sick (NI Screen) Life Ruiner (NI Screen) The Silence Between (CauseaScene) Light In The Sky (Long Runs the Fox) Audio includes: Love is Mortifying (BBC Radio 4) Quick Comedy (BBC) Catherine is also a writer and Hatch Artist at The Mac and an Incubate Artist with Tinderbox Theatre Company 4

Benjamin Gould Director

(he/him)

Benjamin founded Commedia of Errors in 2014 and is Artistic Director of the Company. He holds a BA (Hons) Drama (1st Class) from Liverpool Hope University, and an MA Professional Acting from Alra, London. His productions have toured across Ireland, the UK, Italy and the USA. He won the 2019 John Fernald Award for Emerging Directors in UK and Ireland and is a multiple Arts Council Northern Ireland and British Council Award winner.

Recent credits as director / producer include: "The Gap Year" (Lyric Theatre), "Lily" (VR Film), "The Gap Year" (1st Irish Festival, New York), "I Am Maura" (Lyric Theatre and NI Tour), "That Scottish Play!" (Lyric Theatre and NI Tour), "Women Troubles" (CQAF), "Shakespeare’s Women"(CQAF, Lyric Theatre and National Tour), "The Tain" (Milan, Italy and tour of Ireland) and "Romeo and Juliet" (Hen & Chickens, London).

As Assistant / Associate Director: "Three Sisters" (SITI Company, Singapore International Arts Festival), "Molly Sweeney" (Goodman Theatre Chicago), "Sweeney Todd" (NI Opera / Lyric Theatre), "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" (Terra Nova).

Noleen Stevenson (she/her) Stage Manager

Noleen graduated in 2010 from Queen's University Belfast with a BA Hons in Drama.

Since graduating Noleen has worked in various roles within stage management, production and technical. Some of her theatre credits include Stage Manager for “The Man Who Fell To Pieces” (Tinderbox, 2018), “The Untold Story of Captain Hook” (Replay Theatre Company, 2020), “Is Iomaí Rud a Tharla – the Story of the Shaw’s Road Gaeltacht” (Aisling Ghéar, 2021), “An Nollaig Dhraíochta” (Aisling Ghéar, 2021), “Gepetto” (Amadan, 2023 & 2024), The Man Who Swallowed a Dictionary (Green Shoot, 2023 & 2024), Pride of the Shore (Green Shoot, 2024) She has also worked in various roles within TV and Film such as Production Secretary for the Jim Henson Company's "Pajanimals" (2011), Production Designer for KGB's award winning film "Made in Belfast" (2013) and “Parting Gift” (Village Films Belfast Ltd. 2018) and Art Director for “Echoes” (Out Of Orbit Films, 2018). Noleen is delighted to be working with Commedia of Errors again, bringing back ‘Shakespeare’s Women’ which we toured together many years ago.

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Clare McMahon (she/her) Playwright

Clare McMahon is a playwright and actor based in Belfast and is Co-Creative of Commedia of Errors. A graduate of the Lir Academy’s MFA Playwriting she is currently under commission with Kabosh Theatre & Commedia of Errors and is one of the Abbey Theatre’s Centenary development awardees. She recently made her main stage debut with ‘The Gap Year’ at the Lyric Theatre. This smash hit production was chosen as one of British Theatre Guides ‘NI Highlights of 2022’.

Previous plays include, 'Shakespeare's Women' & 'Women Troubles' (co-written).

Clare was shortlisted writer for Fishamble New Play Company’s ‘Play for Ireland’ and is an alumni of the Lyric Theatre’s New Playwrights Programme. Her work has been selected for New York’s 1st Irish Origin Festival Vital Voices programme and she was a shortlisted writer for the Zodiak Kids Award with CBBC. As an actor Clare trained at Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and has worked in theatres across the UK & Ireland including the West End. Her work at home includes; The Lyric, The Mac, Tinderbox, Bruiser and Cahoots. Television credits include playing Fanny in 'The Woman in White' (BBC1) and Carlo in 'Agatha The Truth of Murder' (Netflix).

Carrie Neal

Project Assistant

(she/her)

Carrie joined Commedia of Errors from an arts and health charity. She has extensive experience in the arts and other non-profit organisations and has a masters degree in Arts Management and a first class honours degree in Media Production. Carrie is a multiplatform artist, from dancing in the Belfast Mela to photography and ceramics.

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Further Credits Elle Kent Original Design Sarah Gordon Original Lighting Design Jonathan M. Daley Lighting Support Ally McConnell Costume Support Johnny Frazer Photographer Dan Leith Videographer

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The Company British Theatre Guide's Highlight of 2022- 'The Gap Year'

Commedia of Errors is an award-winning independent theatre company based in Belfast, creating art that responds to, challenges and questions the changing times in which we live. Following on from their highly acclaimed and sell-out show I Am Maura and the smash-hit The Gap Year with the Lyric Theatre, the awardwinning organisation are making their Dublin debut before bringing the show home to Belfast & Derry.

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Up Next!

After another sucessful run in Summer 2024, Plays Aloud is back for Christmas 2024! As well as performances there will be workshops and lots of Christmas craic!

British Theatre Guide's Highlight of 2022- 'The Gap Year' is back in 2025 for another run at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast!

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www.commediaoferrors.co.uk Reg Charity: NIC108049 Company Number: NI676327