SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

adapted for the stage by Lee Hall

based on the screenplay by Marc Norman & Tom Stoppard

​A Mockingbird Theatre Company production

Originally produced on the West End by Disney Theatrical Productions & Sonia Friedman Productions, directed by Declan Donnellan, and designed by Nick Ormerod. By Arrangement with ORiGiN™ Theatrical on Behalf of Samuel French. A Concord Theatricals Company

Setting: London 1593. The performance will run for approximately 140 minutes with a 20 minute interval

CAST:

The Playwrights

Will Shakespeare — Tom Cullen / Kit Marlowe — James Phillips

The De Lesseps House

Viola de Lesseps/Thomas Kent — Asha Forno / Nurse — Sian Harrington / Sir Robert de Lesseps — Sachin Nayak / Catling — Camden McCooey / Lord Wessex — Bruce Hardie

The Rose Theatre

Henslowe — Anto Hermida / Fennyman — Peter Fock / Frees & Lambert — Ethan Wiggin & Savas Savidis / Ralph— Rob Karlen / Nol — Savas Savidis / Adam — Ashton Casha / John Webster — Xen Kennedy / Wabash — Travis Beardsley

The Admiral’s Men

Ned Alleyn — Darcy Worthy / Sam — Ethan Wiggin / Peter —Zade Fainstein

The Chamberlain’s Men

Richard Burbage — Richard Manning

The Palace

Mistress Quickly — Mia Dimovski / Lord Edmund Tilney — Sachin Nayak / Queen Elizabeth I — Liz St Clair Long

The Tavern

Boatman — Ashton Casha / Kate & Molly — Mia Dimovski & Ciara Ford (also Viola u/study)

PRODUCTION TEAM:

Director, Choreographer, Set Designer and Sound Designer – Chris Baldock

Assistant Director – Zac Bridgman

Stage Manager & Sound & Lighting Operation – Lottie Leahy

Set Realisation – Chris Baldock and cast

Lighting Design – Rhiley Winnett and Chris Baldock

Costumes – Maya Hadfield, Sian Harrington, Liz St Clair Long

Props – Lottie Leahy, Chris Baldock and cast

Spot the Dog puppet – Lottie Leahy and Siân Harrington

Music – Siân Harrington and Richard Manning

Publicity & Photography – Chris Baldock

Shakespeare Expert – Peter Wilkins

Intimacy Coordination – Steph Evans

FOR MOCKINGBIRD THEATRICS:

Artistic Director & Head Tutor – Chris Baldock

Technical Manager – Rhiley Winnett

Publicity, Graphics and Photography – Chris Baldock

Associate Directors – Zac Bridgman, Steph Evans, Céline Oudin

MOCKINGBIRD SUPPORTERS: Special Friend of the Theatre: Jane Ahlquist, Tracey Pulli / Season Supporter: Sarah Byrne & Peter McDonald, Anonymous / Season Patron: Liz St Clair Long

From the Director:

Bringing Shakespeare in Love to the stage has been, quite simply, a huge undertaking — the kind that makes you occasionally question your sanity, and then immediately remember why you love the theatre so fiercely.

This play demands a lot: speed, precision, emotional honesty, comedy, romance, swordplay, chaos, poetry — often all at once. It has been a genuine thrill to watch this extraordinary company rise to that challenge. The cast represents a heady mix of deeply experienced performers and exciting emerging talent, and the electricity created by that combination has been one of the great joys of the rehearsal room. They have gone above and beyond at every turn, meeting the scale of the play with generosity, discipline and sheer commitment.

At its heart, Shakespeare in Love is a love letter — to theatre, to art, to passion, to inspiration, and to love itself. It celebrates the messy, miraculous act of creation: how ideas arrive unannounced, how art is forged through collaboration and courage, and how love can ignite imagination in ways nothing else can.

The wit and intelligence of Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman’s original, Oscar-winning screenplay is a marvel — dazzlingly clever, deeply human and riotously funny. Lee Hall’s stage adaptation honours that brilliance while fully embracing the magic and possibility of live theatre.

This production also follows a particularly affirming moment for Mockingbird. Recently, the company was honoured with eight CAT Awards, including Production and Director of a Play for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, alongside a Gold CAT Award recognising my work across the year. After our first year as theatre-company-in-residence at the Belconnen Arts Centre, that validation feels like a quiet reassurance that we must be doing something right.

My heartfelt thanks go to everyone who has brought this ambitious production to life — especially this remarkable cast.

And the year is only just beginning. We hope you’ll join us next for our next productions, Almost, Maine and No Exit, as we continue what promises to be an unforgettable season.

Thank you for being part of it.

Chris Baldock

THANKS TO:

Anni, Christopher, Paul & the Belconnen Arts Centre staff, City News & Helen Musa, ABC Radio Canberra, Canberra Critics Circle, ArtsSound, Living Arts Canberra, Chris Zuber & Kelly Roberts. Special thanks to Goodwin Village, Dickson

REVIEWS:

https://citynews.com.au/2026/will-and-viola-make-a-strong-performance-partnership/

https://ccc-canberracriticscircle.blogspot.com/2026/02/shakespeare-in-love-mockingbird.html

https://ccc-canberracriticscircle.blogspot.com/2026/02/shakespeare-in-love.html

Cast Bios:

Tom Cullen – Will Shakespeare

Tom has been acting since an early age and has carried a passion for the stage throughout his life. He has appeared in a number of local productions, most recently as the opportunistic Edwin in Canberra Repertory’s production of Baby Jane. Other appearances have included Cornwall in Echo Theatre’s King Lear, Captain Robert Watt in Ribix’s original production Legacies, and a younger imagining of Colonel Pickering in Tempo Theatre’s Pygmalion.

Though lacking formal training as an actor, Tom has undertaken short courses at NIDA and holds majors in drama and English literature from the University of Queensland. He abides by a self-taught technical practice of passion and boundless enthusiasm for the theatre arts; a passion and enthusiasm which he has sought to embody in the shoes of a love-struck, writer’s block-afflicted Will Shakespeare in Mockingbird Theatre’s Shakespeare in Love.

Asha Forno – Viola De Lesseps/Thomas Kent

Asha Forno has been acting since the age of 7. She has trained with NIDA, Simply Theatre, Budding Entertainment and Canberra Youth Theatre. She was most recently seen on stage as #7 in Mockingbird Theatre’s The Wolves (directed by Chris Baldock), which won ‘Best Ensemble’ at the 2026 CAT Awards. Her most recent credits include George Merry in Treasure Island (directed by Rachel Pengilly), Ms Miller in the Australian Premiere of Green Oak Theatre’s Play Me Something (directed by Shaylie Gillies), Cam in the Australian Premiere of Corrugate (directed by Phoebe Fielden) and Wendy Darling in Simply Theatre’s Peter Pan. In the past 10 years, Asha has been in a variety of performances, from in-class shows to full theatrical productions. She has performed internationally in English and in Fluent French. Her screen credits include internationally acclaimed feature film Snatchers (directed by Craig Alexander and Shelley Higgs), and multiple student directed short films. Asha is excited to bring the character of Viola DeLesseps to life as a passionate believer in the importance of female led stories and complex female characters.

Liz St Clair Long – Queen Elizabeth I

Canberra Repertory Society: The Actress (Lydia Martin);  Mr Bennet’s Bride (Mary); Cat On A Hot Tin Roof (Big Mama); The Grapes of Wrath (Ensemble); Waiting in the Wings (Deidre); A View From the Bridge (Greek Chorus); Coarse Acting (Stage Manager); Pride and Prejudice (Lady Catherine de Burgh); Hayfever (Judith Bliss); Don Parties On (Helen); Blithe Spirit (Mme Arcati);Tom & Viv (Viv); Tartuffe (Elmira); Sinners (Monica); Seasons Greetings (Belinda); Henceforward (Zoe/Nan); Just Between Ourselves (Pam); Blithe Spirit (Elvira); The Country Wife (Alithea); The Misanthrope (Celimene); Arms and the Man (Raina); Romanoff and Juliet (Marfa); Death of a Salesman (Jenny); Androcles and the Lion (Enemble)

Mockingbird Theatre Company:  The Laramie Project and The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later (multiple characters), 8 Women (Grandma), When The Rain Stops Falling (Elizabeth Law (older))

Alchemy Artistic: The Boys (Sandra)

AWARDS – Canberra Area Theatre Awards – The Actress, Waiting in the Wings; Cat OnA Hot Tin Roof; The Boys.

Peoples’ Choice (Short & Sweet Festival 2019) – Shopping for Underwear

Anto Hermida – Henslowe

Before relocating from Madrid to Sydney, this Spanish actor with Galician heritage spent his university years studying arts and performance. In 2017, he joined the Sydney Theatre School, which led to opportunities in popular contemporary plays, including God of Carnage. Anto’s most recent project involved writing, producing, and performing one of the lead roles in the acclaimed comedy Random Shit, featured in the 2019 Sydney Fringe Festival. He has also portrayed Manuel in the Fawlty Towers dinner experience and Bobby—a charming yet psychotic air conditioning technician—in the play A Good Man.

Additionally, Anto has gained experience in Sydney’s screen industry, appearing in well-known television shows like Home and Away and landing lead roles in advertisements for prominent brands.

After taking a break for acting training in his native language, Anto has returned to Australia. Having already portrayed the eccentric character of Gerald in the Mockingbird production of Meteor Shower, he is now stepping into the shoes of another outrageous character, Henslowe, in the acclaimed production Shakespeare in Love.

Siân Harrington – Nurse

Born and raised in Abergavenny, South Wales, Siân studied Musical Theatre and Drama atCumbria Institute of the Arts. She met her husband working at Camp America and then moved to Australia in 2012. Since then, she has performed in a range of shows such us Under Milk Wood, Arcadia, West Side Story, Billy Elliot and Spider’s Web. She currently teaches Dance, Drama and Music at Hawker College. In her free time she enjoys watching her 5 year old son put on shows for her!

James Phillips – Marlow

A staple of the ANU theatre scene appearing as Ensemble in As You Like It, The Duchess in Alice by Heart, Richard III in Richard III and Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing; this will James’s first show with Mockingbird. A great lover of Shakespeare, acting and all the other theatre nonsense, he is incredibly excited to take on the role of Kit Marlowe.

Bruce Hardie – Wessex

Bruce moved to Canberra in 2024 and, as self-described theatre slut, immediately set about trying to find his tribe. His first role was Dwight/Gordon in Dead Man’s Cell Phone at REP for which he was fortunate to win a CAT and Ovation award. Regular Mockingbird Theatrics viewers would recognise him from his role as Joe in When the Rain Stops Falling. He has also done a few shows at ACTHUB including Bill in August: Osage County and Pato in Beauty Queen of Lenane.

Other personal highlight shows before arriving from Melbourne include: Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Blackbird, Boeing Boeing, Sylvia, Leading Ladies, Jake’s Women, and God of Carnage.

Richard Manning – Burbage

Richard has been involved in various creative endeavours over a number of years. But only since retiring in 2018 has he ventured to the top of the stage. Since then he has played: Clyde Cameron in the Peter Wilkins play A Deadly Game of
Marbles performed at Old Parliament House; Capulet in Will’s Romeo and Juliet for REP; Ray in Brendan Cowell’s Ruben Guthrie for Wander Theatre (for which he was nominated for a 2023 Ovations Outstanding Supporting Performance award); Alan in Mary Rachel Brown’s Rosieville for CYT. He played as Lord Burleigh in the Kate Mulvaney adaption of Friedrich Schiller’s Mary Stuart for Chaika Theatre; Steve in August – Osage County for Free Rain Theatre; Ed in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and Morgan in The Drawer Boy (for which he won a CAT Best Actor in a Featured Role Award) for Mockingbird Theatre and Bishop Thiel in Ferdinand von Schirach’s GOD with Mill Theatre. Richard is very pleased to be working with Mockingbird again as Richard Burbage in Shakespeare in Love.

Now let’s also talk about golf! I was on the first tee, slight dogleg left par 5, wind hurting and quartering from the right…….

Peter Fock – Fennyman

Peter has been treading the boards around Canberra for about 30 years. He has played many roles, from Shakespeare to local playwrights (notably the gifted Rachel Hogan), from 10 minute productions to hour long monologues, for theatre and screen. He has been nominated for and won awards. He’s been Harry in Away, Alfred Doolittle in Pygmalion, Machiavelli in The Prince, Norm in Norm and Ahmed, and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night. He likes exploring English accents and in Shakespeare In Love he gets another go (or 2).

Peter is delighted to be working with Mockingbird Theatrics and Chris Baldock again, after the success of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The attention to detail has tested Peter’s talents and rewarded his desire for quality theatre in Canberra. We are lucky to have productions, companies and creative people of this calibre here. He’s proud to be a part of it and grateful for your support.

Sachin Nayak – Tilney/De Lesseps

Canberra-based actor Sachin R Nayak brings charisma and versatility to the stage in Mockingbird Theatre’s production of Shakespeare in Love, where he portrays Edmund Tilney and Robert De Lesseps. A passionate performer with a growing presence in the ACT arts scene, Sachin continues to build a strong body of work across theatre and screen. In 2025, he appeared with Mockingbird Theatre as Norm in Meteor Shower, delivering a lively and memorable performance. The same year, he took on the role of Gryffin Walters in When He Cries with Green Oak Theatre, further showcasing his range in emotionally layered storytelling. He also featured in the short film Thoughtless (2025), expanding his screen portfolio.

Sachin’s on-screen experience includes major international commercials such as MasterCard alongside Hrithik Roshan and a Chevrolet Diwali campaign. His recent YouTube TV commercial for the Australian Institute of Sport (February 2026) highlights his continued success in the Australian market. He has also appeared in the web series Once Upon a Trip to Dubai with Anil Kapoor.

With dedication, professionalism, and a genuine love for performance, Sachin is proud to be part of Shakespeare in Love and looks forward to sharing this vibrant production with audiences.

Darcy Worthy – Ned Alleyn

Bringing his first performance to the stage, Darcy Worthy is eager to showcase his passion for theatre. Guided under the training of Christopher Baldock, Darcy is excited to be part of this production and looks forward to growing as an actor on stage.

COMPANY:

Camden McCooey

Beginning his theatre journey in 2023, Camden has worked on stage and in short film projects. His previous performances are mostly from his time at Gungahlin College including The Crucible where he starred as John Proctor and All Shook Up as Jim Haller. Through these productions Camden gained a Certificate III in Community Dance, Theatre, and Events along with Gungahlin College’s Excellence award for the performing arts. Recently branching out into Canberra’s community theatre scene Camden was a part of Green Oak Theatre’s When He Cries playing Padrig Eoin.

Rob Karlen

Rob is a Canadian Australian with a lifelong passion for community and independent theatre. Recently, Rob performed the role of Jake in Mockingbird Too’s Consent (2025).

Since moving to Canberra from Sydney for his day job, Rob has appeared in Green Oak Theatre’s Play Me Something (2024), If I Could Save Her (2022), and Budding Theatre’s Gatsby (2020)and A Christmas Carol Gone Wrong(2019).

Mia Dimovski

Mia Dimovski is an emerging actor, musician and visual artist based in Canberra. During her time at Narrabundah College she worked as the scenic artist for Rachel Pengilly’s Puffs which went on to win the CAT Award for Best Production of a School or Youth play in 2024.

In 2025 she worked with Pengilly again, this time as an actor in Treasure Island as Israel Hands. Mia has also worked in student films by GMeirdia as an actor including, Follow the Trail, Main Vein  and Home For Christmas. With a passion for comedic and strange characters Mia is eager to explore the acting world.

 Xen Kennedy

Xen Kennedy is a Sydney and Canberra based actor, working in theatre and film, with extensive training with NIDA, Julia Grace, Rachel Pengilly and Phoebe Fielden. They have received a Certificate II in Creative Industries and Certificate III in Community Dance, Theatre and Events. Xen’s credits include Justice Death in Treasure Island by Rachel Pengilly and Inspector Bertozzo in The Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Aleksis Andreitchenko. A notable film credit includes Hidden Ties by Mia Sofios. Xen is an aspiring polyglot, fluent in English and French, learning Dutch and Spanish, and a beginner in Korean.

Ethan Wiggin

Ethan is an emerging artist, recently located to Canberra from Perth. Ethan performed in Mockingbird’s The Curious Incident of the Night-Time where he played Christoper Boone CAT Award nomination). Ethan’s other credits include: Jeremy in You Can’t Tell Anyone (Canberra College), Michael in Picnic at Hanging Rock (Canberra College), The Accused in Bucket Full Of Fire (Canberra College), and Haemon in Antigone (Canberra College). His credits in Perth include: Unhappy Person in Audience in I Hate Shakespeare (Rockingham Montessori), Ensemble in Oliver (Laughing Horse Perth), Rat in Dick Whittington (Community Theatre Perth), Philosophy Master in The Would-Be Gentleman (John Curtin College), Ensemble in 15 Reasons Not to Be in a Play (Rockingham Montessori). He was also a Sound and Light Engineer for Mockingbird’s Consent and A Hundred Words For Snow. Ethan also enjoys playing guitar with his band Lux Crusade.

Zade Fainstein

This is Zade’s first official theatre production outside of high school. He graduated St Francis Xavier College in 2023 and in that time, has studied years 7-8 performing arts and years 9-12 tertiary drama. In that time, Zade has performed several pieces including Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, a self-written monologue, and a class creative piece in the Canberra theatre for 2021’s Act Up. He also played Mr Myers in the 2023 SFX school musical Fame. Outside of school he has played several characters in an unreleased web series titled The Side Hustle. Zade was also an extra in season 2 episode 5 of the ABC show Austin. He is excited to pursue more stage and screen acting opportunities in the future.

Travis Beardsley

Travis Beardsley has been studying acting for most of his life, both during school and after graduation. He achieved a Certificate IV in Acting with Hand to Hand Academy, as well as studying for many years under the guidance of one of Canberra’s respected actors and directors, Christopher Baldock, at the Mockingbird Theatre Company.

Mockingbird Theatre Company : The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Shakespeare in Love

Hand to Hand Academy/ Perform Australia: Game Theory, burn in heaven

Savas Savidis

Passionate about creative writing, storytelling, drama/theatre, and Martial Arts, Savas Savidis excels in both academic pursuits and creative endeavors. His writing spans short stories, scripts, and plays, complemented by extensive acting experience showcased at Cairns State High School and the Brisbane Powerhouse Comedy Festival. Savas also shares his expertise as a drama teacher, imparting acting skills to children at the Cairns Children’s Festival. Beyond the arts, he actively engages in community activities such as dragon lion dancing, Greek dancing, Wing Chun and Taiko drumming. Savas is committed to excellence in all his endeavors, receiving accolades for both academic achievements and extracurricular contributions.  In his free time, he enjoys watching 90s sitcoms, and playing video games.

 Ciara Ford

Ciara Ford is a Canberra-based actor, director, stage manager, and producer. She trained at ATYP, The Actors Pulse, and Young Actors Assembly, working with Tim Dashwood, Billy Milionis, Laura Turner, David Cuthbertson, Eleni Cassimatis, Adam Marks, Kat Hoyos, and Joseph Tanti.

While completing a double major in drama at Narrabundah College under award-winning director Rachel Pengilly, Ciara was assistant stage manager for the award-winning Puffs and played Dr Livesy in Treasure Island. Her performance credits include Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Abigail Williams in The Crucible, Amy March in Little Women, Multiple leads in Sonder, and Mr Wickham in Pride and Prejudice.

Ciara has collaborated on multiple films as an actor and writer, received the Best Developing Actress award for I Am Free dir. Ujjwal Rai and she creates her own films through her production company, ALONE. She also worked as an assistant stage manager on Ribix’s Peter/Wendy at the Mill Theatre.

 Ashton Casha