All’s Well for Roleystone’s Shakespeare in the Park

ROLEYSTONE Theatre’s Shakespeare in the Park is back for another season, and this year the annual outdoor WA event has a new location.

Head to the 18th lawn at Araluen Estate Golf Resort for All’s Well That Ends Well, one of the Bard’s most thought-provoking comedies, given a 1980s spin.

Directed by Paul Treasure, the play follows Helena who loves Bertram, the Duke of Rousillon, but he thinks she is beneath him.

When Helena marries him with the King’s help, he won’t accept her as his wife until she fulfils two conditions – so she tries to come up with a way to meet his seemingly impossible demands.

“While the title of the play is well-known, the play itself isn’t, so exploring a script few people know is an exciting challenge,” Paul said.

“There are also several plot points that would be considered highly problematic if the play was written today, so it will be interesting to see if we can make the play as funny as it can be, while ignoring those trickier elements.

“After some discussion, we decided the only way to make those problematic parts work really well was by setting it in the 1980s.

“We’ve really tried embrace an ’80s teen flick vibe, including a stereotypical ‘hot girl transformation’ in the third act.”

Acting for more than 30 years, Paul has performed in most of Perth’s theatres – mainly with Roleystone and Marloo Theatres and the Mandurah Performing and Koorliny Arts Centres.

He has numerous acting awards and nominations to his credit, including a 2014 Finley Award for best actor in a musical for his role as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof with Murray Music and Drama.

These days, Paul divides his time between directing Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA productions at the Dolphin Theatre and outdoor Shakespeare performances.

“After directing the last four Shakespeares in the Park, I was given the challenge by one of our frequent actors to tackle a Shakespeare play I wasn't familiar with,” he said.

“While we could have gone for something really obscure, we decided All's Well That Ends Well is a play that most people have heard of, but few people have ever seen, so thought it was a great choice.”

All’s Well That Ends Well plays at 4pm November 3 and 10. Tickets are $27, $22 concession and $10 children – book at tinyurl.com/allswell2024.

Bring a hat, sunglasses, insect repellent and picnic blanket or low chair. No BYO alcohol – on-site bar available. Cafe offers soft drinks, grazing boxes and pizza or BYO soft drinks and nibbles.

Araluen Estate Golf Resort is on Country Club Ave, Roleystone.

Photographer: Zyg Woltersdof