CYMBELINE (OR, IMOGEN)
by William Shakespeare. Directed by Robert Johnson.
Produced with Heartstring Theatre Co.
Princess Imogen is in love with her father’s orphaned ward Posthumous. He loves her too, but her malicious stepmother the Queen wants her to marry her loutish buffoon of a son, Cloten. Lovers are separated and united, lost siblings resurface, the Gods descend to Britian to bless anguished mortals and only Imogen’s grace and Posthumous’ valour can save the country from being plunged into a terrifying war against the might of Rome.
Burning House and Heartstring team up after the success of Little Eyolf to present this rare romance - one of Shakespeare’s wildest and most complex plays. Staged in the intimate confines of Collingwood Yards, Melbourne audience’s get to witness this tale of love and longing in candle-lit glory, the first professional production in Melbourne in over a century.
CREATIVES/PRODUCTION TEAM
Producer - ELISA ARMSTRONG
Producer - JESSICA JOHNSON
Producer / Director / Adapter - ROBERT JOHNSON
Set Designer - SAMANTHA HASTINGS
Costume Designer / Assistant Stage Manager - KARA FLOYD
Lighting Designer / Stage Manager - LANI MASON
Lighting Designer / Assistant Stage Manager - PATRICK SPENCER
Sound Designer and Composition - JACKIE VAN LIEROP
Prop Manager / Assistant Stage Manager - CHARLOTTE FISCHER
Assistant Director - EMILY MOREY
Poster Photographer - SHANE PALMER
CAST
Imogen- ELISA ARMSTRONG
Iachimo / Belarius - PAUL ARMSTRONG
Second Lord / Philharmonus - INDIANA BUTIGAN
Queen / Posthumus’ Mother - ALYS DAROY
First Lord - AMÉLIE DEVEREUX
Pisanio - KAITLIN DEVINE
Cymbeline / Sicilius Leonatus - ALEC GILBERT
Arviragus / Posthumus’ Brother - LUKE HILL-SMITH
Caius Lucius / Philario / Gaoler - SHANE PALMER
Cloten / Posthumus Leonatus - ALEXANDER TOMISICH
Guiderius / Posthumus’ Brother - FLETCHER VON ARX
Cornelius / Messenger / Lord - GABRIELLA WHEELER
REVIEWS
“I haven’t laughted so much in ages. Fight scenes, a beheading . . . this play has everything.” - TAGG
“Engaging and entertaining - at times funny in its silliness, at other times touching a deeply moving.” - Stage Whispers
