Students bring Shakesperean rom com to life

THE graduating class of the Federation University’s Arts Academy are making final preparations for their run of Cymbeline.

Opening Wednesday 9 October, the play by William Shakespeare is a romantic story set across King Cymbeline’s first-century Britain, fifteenth-century Italy, and the remote Welsh mountains.

A tragedy and comedy, as well as a romance, the play includes claims of infidelity, revelations and death.

Zephya Amelie and Olivia Sultmann both play Innogen, the daughter of King Cymbeline.

“Cymberline is Shakespeare’s forgotten play, and it’s rarely put on,” said Amelie. “It crosses over a lot of genres and has a bit of everything.”

The students have chosen to set Cymbeline inside a video game, adding a modern twist.

“There’s a lot of unique elements to it that you wouldn’t see in everyday Shakespeare,” said Sultmann.

“With that we have backing tracks that add to that atmosphere of it which is really cool.”

Both students are in the final year of their degree at Federation University Australia and Amelie said Cymbeline is the perfect conclusion to her experience.

“I moved from Sydney to attend the Arts Academy here, so it was a big decision, but it was the best decision I’ve ever made,” said Amelie.

“I really love the Arts Academy’s collaborative nature and I think Cymbeline has been kind of the perfect show to end on because it is really an ensemble show.”

Cymbeline will be performed at the Helen Macpherson Smith Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at bit.ly/4eyGt3k.