At the end of Term 1, the Hawke's Bay Regional Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival was held in The Blyth Performing Arts Centre.

The very best of Hawke’s Bay was on show, with a broad range of interpretations of Shakespeare’s works. Iona students presented two very worthy performances. A five-minute piece ‘As You Like It’, student-directed by Taygen Elliott, and a 15-minute modern interpretation of The Merry Wives of Windsor, directed by Iona’s former Director of Performing Arts, Lisa-Jane Easter.

We were thrilled that The Merry Wives of Windsor piece was selected to represent HB at this year’s SGCNZ National University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival to be held in Wellington in June.

Director Lisa-Jane Easter noted “It’s always a pleasure to be involved with the Shakespeare Festival. This year, the goal for the students was laughter. Find a piece that makes us and the audience laugh and through this process gain an understanding of Shakespeare's bawdy humour - that is The Merry Wives of Windsor!”

Bravo to all involved!

Article added: Tuesday 24 May 2022