Sale St launches Shakespeare over lunch

Media release                                                                                               

August 18, 2010

Sale St launches Shakespeare over lunch

The world may be a stage but for eight Thursdays and Sundays in August and September the spotlight is on Auckland city bar and restaurant Sale St.

In collaboration with performing arts company Elephant Nation, Sale St is staging Thursday lunch and Sunday evening events featuring contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare’s works.

Sale St proprietor Luke Dallow came up with the concept and says the events are designed to add a taste of the arts to the Auckland hospitality scene.

“We wanted to bring a bit of culture to the traditional lunch with colleagues or friends – what better way to do it than with a little Shakespeare? We may not have a theatre district to rival the West End but we Kiwis certainly have a taste for the arts and Sale St is happy to bring a little bit of it to our customers.”

The plays are presented in Shakespearian text but are adapted to suit colloquial language and present day situations.

The productions are small scale with seven actors or less and each show lasts around 30 minutes. Stef Lawrence from Elephant Nation says Sale St is the perfect venue for the plays.

“The large open spaces enable us to tell the stories in a very effective and dramatic way while at the same time also providing us with ample room for interaction with the audience,” she says.

The Thursday play is called Love Over Lunch and is an adaptation of the classic Romeo & Juliet love story with a modern day twist. It is hosted by Owen Black and Will Hall (ex-Shortland St) and features a two course meal accompanied by wine and the play for $37.

The Sunday play is in the bar’s Velvet Room and is called The Night Before the Morning After. It is billed as “desire, lust, seduction and drinks” and admission is $15.

Love Over Lunch: Thursdays 12:30 to 1.30pm, August 26, September 2, 9 and 16.

The Night Before the Morning After: Sundays, 6.30 to 8.00pm, August 22 & 29, September 5 & 12.

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