Two people in front of blue textured background. Standing back to back, one holding a guitar, the other eyes closed and relaxed.

The cast of The Barden Party as The Mechanicals in A Midsummer Night's Dream, crowded in a delightful group hug at dusk in a beautiful garden.

From left to right. First image: Wiremu Tuhiwai in a garden, comforting Caleb James as Don Pedro and a distressed Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing. Both men are wearing reddish cowboy shirts. Second Image: Blue wall background, Mackenzie Gardner leans her head contently on the shoulder of Ollie Howlett as the title characters of Romeo and Juliet. Ollie plays the guitar. Third and final image: Laura Irish and Sam McIlroy face each other excitedly with a background of trees and fairy lights as Hermia and Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream. These are the 6 actors of The Barden Party presenting all 3 shows in Shakespeare Roulette.

ROMEO & JULIET (FORMERLY SHAKESPEARE ROULETTE)

Theatre and Physical Theatre • Comedy

New Zealand • Adelaide Fringe Premiere

The Bard + Garden Party = The Barden Party!

Due to an unfortunate run-in with Covid-19, The Barden Party will now be presenting 'Romeo & Juliet' for every performance. The roulette wheel has spoken before we've even arrived!
Lucky for you, R&J is our headlining show of this season and has had rave reviews!
Here's one for you: https://ugc.production.linktr.ee/080282b8-3c2f-458c-a49b-6f0b2ee3323a_RandJReview.pdf

Award-winning theatre company, The Barden Party is bringing their usual fun-loving spin to R&J and filling Shakespeare's most famous play with their general hilarious, heartfelt antics. Set as modern-bohemian romance put to Kiwi and Australian music… You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll dance the night away.

Music, Mischief, Magic.

Romeo & Juliet Directed by Laura Irish and Ollie Howlett

Presented by: The Barden Party

The Barden Party was born in actor/director Laura Irish’s New Zealand backyard in the height of Covid as a way to keep theatre alive by bringing it directly to intimate audiences safely and giving actors work during the pandemic. The Bard + garden party concept ballooned with the cast travelling across NZ and the US performing in castles, gardens, patios and theatres - winning the Dunedin Fringe Excellence Award on the way (A Midsummer Night's Dream). The Barden Party was also behind the creation of the critically acclaimed, fully immersive, Butterfly Smokescreen, a joint venture with Sydney’s Jetpack, performed on a super yacht for 11 weeks in Auckland (currently looking for a yacht in Australia). They excel at making mischievous theatre experiences. Available for private or public shows.

Please bring blankets or chairs to sit on. Some may be provided. Picnics are welcome. No BYO but a bar will be provided on site.

Reviews & Fringefeed Reacts

An ensemble with talent worthy of fine concert halls - Liz Talbot, Talb.au

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