Wellington Summer Shakespeare 1983-2017

Since its first production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 1983, the Wellington Summer Shakespeare has become an unmissable annual event, staging some of the liveliest Shakespeare productions performed in New Zealand. Over 33 years, the Summer Shakespeare has enthralled audiences, introduced new generations of theatregoers to Shakespeare in performance, and played a formative role in the early careers of many of New Zealand’s leading creatives. Wellington Summer Shakespeare 1983–2017 collects photos, ephemera and memories from some of the plays’ directors to document the evolution of Wellington’s only large-scale, large-cast, outdoor theatre event.

David Lawrence is a director, musician and actor, best known for his work with The Bacchanals, the theatre company he founded in 2000. His association with the Summer Shakespeare began in 1993, and he was co-chair of the Summer Shakespeare Trust from 2012–2016. David is a Hunter Fellow of Victoria University, and in 2013 he was a member of the International Actors’ Fellowship at Shakespeare’s Globe.