#lockdownshakespeare

In 2020 and 2021, the measures taken to limit the spread of COVID-19 hit artists hard - performing artists in particular. We at Shakespeare ZA tried to do our bit to keep the digital arts economy going by promoting theatre makers and helping to provide some financial support.

The inspiring result: #lockdownshakespeare

The monologues below have also been added to our Resources pages for future reference. Open the videos in the #lockdownshakespeare YouTube channel to find out more about the players and the parts ...

Kwenzo Ngcobo as Othello

Soyiso Ndaba as Cassius

Faith Itumeleng Thobejane as Lady Macbeth

Thami Mbongo as Mark Antony

Anele Situlweni as Romeo

Bryan Hiles as Hamlet

Cara Roberts as Ophelia

Larissa Crafford-Lazarus as the Jailer's Daughter in "The Two Noble Kinsmen"

Buhle Ngaba as Hamlet

Lucky Ndlovu as Macbeth

Ayanda Nxumalo as Lady Macbeth

Bryan Hiles as Hamlet

Cara Roberts as Desdemona

Anelisa Phewa as Romeo

Luntu Masiza as Caliban

Duane Behrens as Iago

Vuyo Biyela as Coriolanus

Nomthandazo Shandu as Juliet

Gabe Gabriel as Hamlet

Amanda Seome as KaMadonsela / Lady Macbeth

Inge Crafford-Lazarus as Prospero

Anele Nene as Mark Antony

Sarah Richard as Lady Macbeth

Rob van Vuuren as Polonius giving advice to Laertes

Lee Roodt as Mark Antony

Phumelele Majola as Lady Macbeth

Thobani Dlomo Nzuza as Cassius

Oarabile Ditsele as Macbeth (in English and isiZulu)

Liatile Mohale as Lady Macbeth

Melusi Molefe as Mark Antony

Amanda Seome as Lady Macbeth

Alan Committie as Richard III

Carnia Layla Adams as Hermione

Ashleigh Harvey as Viola

Myer Taub experiments with lines and images from Antony and Cleopatra, Hamlet and The Merchant of Venice in this TikTok mashup!

Buhle Ngaba as Juliet

Lise-Marie Richardson as Polonius

Reneilwe Mashitisho as Gertrude

Duane Behrens as Iago

Ashleigh Harvey as Emilia

Mpilo Khumalo as Macbeth

Jeremy Richard as the Porter in Macbeth

Rachelle Weiss as Ophelia

Sanelisiwe Yekani as Cleopatra

Michael Richard as Claudius

Ashleigh Harvey as Angelo (Measure for Measure)

Mnqobi Africander as a bilingual isiZulu-English Cassius

Camilla Waldman as Hamlet

Since 2020, the #lockdownshakespeare YouTube channel has remained active, with more content being added: from lectures to Shakespearean video montages! In January 2024, after a hiatus of over three years, we had the opportunity to resume the series of #lockdownshakespeare monologues - with a new round of monologue performances, featuring students from the 2023 third year Theatre and Performance programme at the Wits School of Arts (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg).

Anita Matwa as Mark Antony

Asakhe Ngxonono as Calpurnia

Bonolo Lepeng as Portia

Wian Smit as Mark Antony

Robyn-lee Peffer as Mark Antony

Chantel Lerato Mokwalakwala as Calpurnia

Phatutshedzo Mudua as Portia