STORY: With a script based on a carefully edited version of the original text, this musical offers a memorable introduction to one of Shakespeare's most clourful plays. Set in ancient Egypt and Rome, the tragedy tells of the love, intrigues and battles that brought about the demise of the Roman Triumvir Mark Antony and Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. For a summary of the plot please click on the link to the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Key stages 2 – 4 (age 7 – 16) ; duration approximately 1 hour ; cross-curricular aspects include language and literature, history, geography, art, music, drama, dance and social education.
CAST: The list is flexible to accommodate variable numbers of available performers with fairly evenly distributed lines. There are approximately 40 speaking/singing parts plus various Choruses of Egyptians and Romans.
Narrator ; Mark Antony – Roman Triumvir ; Demetrius, Philo, Enobarbus, Eros, Candidus, Scarus, Ventidius, Silus, Decretas – followers. Cleopatra – Queen of Egypt ; Charmian and Iras – female attendants; Alexas and Mardian – male attendants. Octavius Caesar – Roman Triumvir; Maecenas, Agrippa, Taurus, Thidias, Dolabella, Gallus, Proculeius – his followers and Octavia – his sister and Antony’s wife ; Lepidus – Triumvir ; Sextus Pompeius – general; Menecrates, Menas, Varrius – followers. Clown, Soothsayers, Dancers, Guards, Soldiers, Sailors and Messengers
SONGS: eleven songs and dances explore a wide diversity of musical styles including Oriental, Ballad, Waltz, March, Rock and Tango. Click the buttons for sound and image files of a recent school performance.
O, Never was there Queen so Mightily Betrayed CD Track 3
Going to meet her Man CD Track 5
I am dying, Egypt, dying CD Track 11 and Lyrics; CD Numbers refer to Vocal and Backing Tracks.
STAGING MATERIALS: for details of the SCRIPT, SCORE and CD, PROJECT PACKS, the NECESSARY LICENCE and convenient ONE-STOP PERFORMANCE PACKS please click the red arrow on the right.
