LAUNCESTON’S Princess Theatre threw open its doors last night in celebratory welcome to John Bell, Australia’s tour de force of contemporary Shakespearean theatre.
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While many Bell Shakespeare productions have come to town over the past 16 years, this was its founder and artistic director’s first visit, and one which the actor immediately wished could have been for longer than 24 hours.
‘‘It’s a beautiful city, this is a beautiful theatre, I’d love to spend more time here,’’ said Bell, as he prepared for An Evening with John Bell: A Life With Shakespeare.
‘‘I’ve come here because I was invited, and this show is a first, created especially for tonight,’’ he said, describing the format as a conversation that would trace his 50 years’ involvement in theatre, an achievement which recently earned him recognition as an Australian Living Treasure.
What was scheduled as an hour-long stage appearance ended up spilling happily overtime, given the 75-year-old actor’s generosity of spirit in taking questions from the audience.
Last night’s free show was made possible through collaboration between Theatre North at the Princess, and The Tasmanian College of the Arts, through an inspired off-the-cuff call made by TCotA’s lecturer in theatre design and technology, Matt Delbridge.
‘‘It’s certainly a coup for Launceston and the university,’’ Dr Delbridge said.
Five second-year college students had the ‘‘opportunity and rare privilege’’ to work alongside Bell last night as stage hands, microphone managers and lighting technicians.
Last month Bell announced his intention to retire as artistic director of Bell Shakespeare, the company he created in 1990 after a stint working with the Royal Shakespeare Company in England and as a teacher at NIDA in Sydney.
This year Bell Shakespeare brought A Comedy of Errors to Launceston.
Hamlet will be staged here next September.