Shakespeare Republic
SHAKESPEARE REPUBLIC, SEASON ONE & TWO (Web Series) (2015-2020, Australia)
Created, Written & Directed by Sally McLean. Produced by Sally McLean, Billy Smedley & Christopher Kirby. Based on the works of William Shakespeare.
STATUS: SEASON ONE: COMPLETE / SEASON TWO: COMPLETE / SEASON THREE: COMPLETE / SEASON FOUR: IN DEVELOPMENT
SEASON ONE TRAILER
SEASON TWO TRAILER
Ranked at #14 out of 500+ web series in the world and #3 in Australia (2017 Web Series World Cup) according to number of official selections, nominations and awards the series received from a curated set of webfests around the world. Shakespeare Republic was the only independent web series (no broadcaster or funding body investment) in the Top 20 web series globally for 2017.
SYNOPSIS
Shakespeare Republic is an internationally award-winning web series celebrating not just the world’s greatest playwright, but also his insightful understanding of the big issues of his time. Insights that still hold relevance today and form the basis for a truly diverse, inventive and epic journey into the nature of being human.
Built on the premise of taking a selection of Shakespeare monologues and making them more accessible to modern audiences by setting each piece in a contemporary situation, our award-winning first season in 2015, staring Michala Banas, Alan Fletcher, Rowena Hutson, Sally McLean, Billy Smedley and Ben Steel included Hamlet as Media Advisor to a Government Minister, Juliet as one half of a same-sex couple in a Skype conversation, Phebe as an entitled Gen Y drunk texting, Macbeth as a politician about to metaphorically knife an opponent, a female Hamlet weary from the corporate cut and thrust and a performance of Sonnet 18 as a eulogy.
With Season One officially selected for 31 international film festivals and the winner of 9 awards, Shakespeare Republic returned to screens with Season Two of the web series, as well as staging our first live show to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in December 2016. Season Four is currently in development.
Season Two features Michala Banas (Upper Middle Bogan), Stephen Costan, Alan Fletcher (Neighbours), Nadine Garner (The Doctor Blake Mysteries), Dean Haglund (The X-Files), Christopher Kirby (Iron Sky, Star Wars: Episode III), Sally McLean (Utopia), Tariro Mavondo, Wahibe Moussa (Kick), Falon Ryan, Shane Savage (Chris & Josh The Web Series), Billy Smedley (Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries) and Phoebe Anne Taylor. The second season has been officially selected for over 50 international film festivals, been nominated over 70 times and won 19 awards to date.
Season Three was filmed entirely remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Find out more about this stand-alone season of the work here.
Full info on the series here: http://www.shakespearerepublic.com
Reviews
“… polished, beautifully made series from director/producer Sally McLean … a fine use of the platform and, more importantly, a very fine adaptation of the Bard … Shakespeare Republic is put together with grace and wit. An assortment of actors do terrific work making the (non-dumbed down) dialogue accessible, prying it open with great care and skill.”
THE GUARDIAN
“… taking the world by storm, done in an inventive, captivating way … the entire series is astonishingly smart.”
STAREABLE.COM
“… a sophisticated twenty-first century series with its own particularly Australian flavour.”
THE SHAKESPEARE BLOG
“… incredibly clever and highly addictive …”
MADE IN MELBOURNE FILM FESTIVAL
“This is a wonderful series … perfect to just dip in and out of whenever you feel the need to watch some Shakespeare. It is funny, emotional, and thought- provoking …”
BOOKS BY THE WINDOW
“… beautifully produced soliloquies from Shakespeare’s most famous characters, interpreted by a wide range of talented actors.”
SHAKESPEARE TWENTYSCORE
“… magnificent interpretations of some of Shakepeare’s most well known monologues and soliloques filmed gorgeously in contemporary settings.”
THEATRE PEOPLE
“… a thoroughly fresh and modern take.”
KURIOSITAS.COM
“… a fantastic way to take a dip in the Shakespearean swimming pool.”
RADIO GIRL PRODUCTIONS
“Shakespeare Things To Do This Week #7: Watch Neighbours actor Alan Fletcher as Macbeth in this Shakespeare Republic video.”
SHAKESPEARE MAGAZINE