My Shows
News on your favorite shows, specials & more!

Bell Shakespeare Announces THE BELL DEBATES Series In Celebration Of 30th Anniversary

The first debate on Thursday 24 September will be livestreamed at 7.30pm.

By:

Bell Shakespeare Announces THE BELL DEBATES Series In Celebration Of 30th Anniversary Image

Bell Shakespeare today announced a series of debates to take place around the country and available virtually to celebrate the company's 30th anniversary year. The Bell Debates will bring together high-profile Australians from a range of industries to debate direct quotes from Shakespeare, addressing and tackling ideas from his plays in the context of our modern world. The first debate on Thursday 24 September will be livestreamed at 7.30pm from Sydney's Carriageworks via Bell Shakespeare's website on a 'pay what you feel' basis.

With two teams of three debating for and against, the debates will provide a forum to demonstrate the enduring relevance of Shakespeare's ideas and his unique ability to provoke thought and discussion about the human experience. The first debate will focus on the line "We have seen better days" from As You Like It, a particularly relevant idea to discuss in light of the current situation. Debaters will include team captains Benjamin Law and Jane Caro AM alongside Jess Scully, Jan Fran and Peter Fitzsimons AM. The event will be moderated by Bell Shakespeare Board Member Rebecca Huntley, one of Australia's foremost social researchers, and hosted by Artistic Director Peter Evans.

Peter Evans, Artistic Director of Bell Shakespeare, said: "While we haven't been able to celebrate our 30th anniversary as planned this year, it has allowed us to think of new ways to engage our audiences and revisit programs from our archive, like our successful debates from the 90's. We're delighted to launch this new series to keep Shakespeare and his endlessly relevant words in the forefront of our minds, as profound today as they were 400 years ago."

Subsequent debates will take place in Canberra at the National Portrait Gallery on 12 November and in Melbourne on a date to be determined, provided they are permitted to do so in line with updated health guidelines. Bell Shakespeare is closely monitoring current government health and safety guidelines and will announce further details in due course taking these into account.

Theater Fans' Choice Awards
2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats
Best New Musical - Top 3
1. The Lost Boys
39.2% of votes
2. Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
25.7% of votes
3. Schmigadoon!
22.3% of votes

Need more Australia - Sydney Theatre News in your life?
Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...


Videos


84 Charing Cross Road in Australia - Sydney 84 Charing Cross Road
Ensemble Theatre (5/01-6/13)
Play In A Day: Henry VI Part 2 in Australia - Sydney Play In A Day: Henry VI Part 2
The Neilson Nutshell, Pier 2/3 (9/15-9/15)
Beetlejuice the Musical in Australia - Sydney Beetlejuice the Musical
Capitol Theatre, Sydney (11/21-1/10)
Collegium Musicum in Australia - Sydney Collegium Musicum
Mosman Art Gallery (6/12-6/12)
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience - Armidale in Australia - Sydney Faulty Towers The Dining Experience - Armidale
Rydges Armidale (7/25-7/25)
Selene in Australia - Sydney Selene
Riverside Live @ PHIVE (5/28-5/28)
Pride And Prejudice* (*sort of) in Australia - Sydney Pride And Prejudice* (*sort of)
Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House (7/16-8/30) VIDEOS
First, Do No Harm by Grace Malouf in Australia - Sydney First, Do No Harm by Grace Malouf
KXT on Broadway (6/24-7/04)
HAIR - THE TRIBAL LOVE-ROCK MUSICAL in Australia - Sydney HAIR - THE TRIBAL LOVE-ROCK MUSICAL
Theatre Royal Sydney (6/06-7/05)
Good Company Entertainment Presents: The Big Chillout in Australia - Sydney Good Company Entertainment Presents: The Big Chillout
The B - Queanbeyan Performing Arts Centre (5/23-5/23)