Thrilling cast announced for UK tour of 20 Stories High’s WHO THE F--K IS SHAKESPEARE?

Photo credit: Rebecca Oliver

Following a stellar sell-out run, four of Shakespeare’s (in)famous characters are back for a countrywide tour this Autumn and gearing up to tell their side of the story!

In this radical reimagining of Shakespeare’s works, 20 Stories High will be blowing off the dust and breathing a new lease of life into Shakespeare’s classics. Tackling stories steeped in racism, patriarchy and violence, these old tales will be repurposed with punchy verses and punky attitudes for the next generation. All shows will be creatively captioned, with one BSL interpreted show per venue, as well as featuring integrated audio description.

This fantastic female and non-binary-led cast will star Mary Savage (Richard, My Richard, Shakespeare North Playhouse) as Lady Macbeth, alongside North Irish actor Beca Barton (Perverts, Kings Head Theatre) as Viola. They will be joined by Brummie-born creative Jada-Li Warrican (The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe, Birmingham Rep) in the role of Ophelia, alongside Harriett O’Grady (Richard III, Liverpool Playhouse) as Cleopatra.

Striving to break down the stigma around Shakespeare, who the f--k is shakespeare? will retell a range of Shakespearean classics to diversify and encourage lovers, haters and newcomers of his work to explore and hear their stories first hand. Audiences will hear stories from Ophelia in Hamlet, Lady Macbeth from Macbeth, Cleopatra from Antony and Cleopatra, and Viola from Twelfth Night - but not as you know them! In this retelling, they are relatable, young and questioning their place in the world. All their lives, they have been told a specific narrative of who they are, but for the first time they will own the space to figure this out for themselves.

Writer and Director for who the f--k is shakespeare? Ameera Conrad said: “I absolutely love Shakespeare - as a lover of language, how couldn’t I? But as a decolonial activist, I also have to question him. who the f--k is shakespeare? is my way of unpacking Shakespeare's stories to make space for voices which are largely excluded from the canon of theatre. This piece is a political occupation; we're taking these stories and turning them over to see new sides of these characters. I invite you to reconsider their narratives, and yours. This show is an opportunity to recontextualise and take over a language that can feel impossible to wrap your head around. It's an opportunity to question what we know about these stories, and write new ones too!”

The tour opens in Liverpool on 19 September before visiting Prescot, Bolton, Manchester, Chester and London.

For more info, please click here.