The Melbourne Shakespeare Society is one of the oldest literary societies in Australia, having been in continuous existence since 1884.
It has an active program which includes monthly meetings, with readings of Shakespeare's plays and associated works. President: Dr Sue Tweg
Vice-President: Dr Peter Groves (0478 975 897)
The Melbourne Shakespeare Society is one of the oldest literary societies in Australia, having been in continuous existence since 1884. It has an active program which includes monthly meetings, with readings
09/06/2026
Thanks to everyone who either watched or participated in our reading of 'Macbeth' on the weekend!
Want to learn more about the Scottish play? Our very own Dr Peter Groves delves into its intricacies in a series of podcasts, found at:
Of the Devil's Party on Apple Podcasts Arts · 2023
12/05/2026
A century after Shakespeare’s death, his words were in danger of being forgotten. How did Shakespeare’s original works re-emerge? Thank the Shakespeare Ladies Club, a group of influential women who rescued his plays (and his double entendres) from obscurity. In their book, "The Shakespeare Ladies Club: The Forgotten Women Who Saved the B***y Bard" (Amberley Publishing) Christine and Jonathan Hainsworth uncover the club’s unsung contributions to Shakespeare’s legacy. Listen to the Hainsworths on the "Shakespeare Unlimited" podcast at the 🔗 in the comments!
24/04/2026
Happy 462nd birthday William Shakespeare 🎉
🖼️ The Droeshout engraving of William Shakespeare, the First Folio. Photo by RSC © RSC
25/03/2026
Join us in June as we present Macbeth's Stoic end in our first reading of the year. Details to follow ...
Why should I play the Roman fool? ⚔️
📝 Macbeth
Bell Shakespeare's 'Deep Dive into Julius Caesar' with Professor David McInnis is on this Thursday 19th, 6.30pm at the Univ of Melbourne. Details below.
20/02/2026
We’re casting for our upcoming production of Cleopatra & Antony directed by Sonya Suares at from 20 Aug to 13 Sep
Cleopatra & Antony will be an ensemble work, and we’re looking for actors who relish muscular, epic text. This will be a profit share production with an open book policy.
The creative team is committed to diversity and inclusion. We encourage submissions from First Nations actors, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, individuals of colour, neurodiverse people, those with disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ actors.
More details including an overview of characters and the rehearsal schedule are included in the Submission Form found in below.
The deadline for audition submissions is 11:59 PM on Sunday 1 March. Applications are reviewed as we receive them, so we recommend submitting early for the best chance of securing an audition time.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsBJRA6Btau1g2tezR1bmX4nPZwsSPvCgvFJY-NjN_XIviJQ/viewform?ref=shakespeare.mymagic.page
Unfortunately, we've had to cancel our intended March meeting on 'The Witch of Edmonton' (Rowley, Dekker, & Ford) and 'The Late Lancashire Witches' (Heywood & Brome).
However, in its stead a Members Day meeting will proceed, in which members are free to just come along, or to offer something - a short talk, for example, or a poem, a cameo performance, a little film or TV review (upper time limit, say, ten minutes). As usual, the fun will start at 2 pm, at Collingwood Library, Saturday 7th March.
Any questions about this change in programme, please DM us.
Our April meeting will proceed as normal, with a workshop on reading Shakespeare's language; details to follow shortly.
20/02/2026
The Australian Shakespeare Company- Royal Botanic Gardens is playing 'Twelfth Night' for only one more week!
This is your final call – Twelfth Night MUST CLOSE 28 February!
It’s mischievous. It’s romantic. It’s outrageously funny. With an exceptional cast and midsummer madness energy, it's Shakespeare exactly as it should be – bold, playful and under the stars.
If it’s still on your “we should go” list… now isthe time to make it happen.
🎟️Book tickets: https://www.shakespeareaustralia.com.au/productions/twelfth-night-melbourne-2026
📆Must close 28 Feb 2026
🌿Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
14/01/2026
'The Tempest' is playing in the gorgeous grounds of Cloudehill in the Dandenong Ranges - finishing this weekend!
The Tempest - Cloudehill Gardens Olinda - Jan 10-11 & 17-18 Ozact Theatre Company presents William Shakespeare's The Tempest. Banished to a remote island, a powerful sorcerer and Milanesian nobleman, his...
02/12/2025
'History has treated her badly': Hamnet and the 400-year-old mystery around Shakespeare's wife and son Oscar-tipped new film Hamnet imagines the home life of William and Agnes Shakespeare – and the "soul-crushing" loss of their child. It's a powerful story that fills in many blanks.
