Bringing death speeches back to life

KEDIBONE MODISE

SIMON Fortin brings Shakespeare’s death speeches to life in Or Not To Be… How Shakespeare Could Change Your Death, currently showing at Auto & General Theatre On The Square.

It seems New-york-based actor and playwright Fortin has mastered the art of dying… on stage.

Armed with over four decades of acting experience and having died on stage over 100 times,

Fortin believes he is best suited to deliver a unique chance at death education.

Directed by Christian Coulson, this enthralling theatre piece brings to life a series of Shakespeare’s death speeches that will leave the audience on the edge of their seats.

“William Shakespeare and I wrote this play together. We’ve been collaborating for years. No one knows that… ,” says Fortin in between chuckles.

Chatting to us about conceptualising the show, Fortin says: “I realised after many years that I have died so many times on stage and that’s something that very few people can do.

“So it started with that. And then, years later, I went back to university and I did my PHD. And my thesis was about dying in the Shakespeare theatre. Soon after, I started presenting work at various international conferences and people would come up to me and say ‘you should do a show about that’. And that’s exactly what we did.

“This play is my doctoral thesis in action! It’s full of liberty. I’m very proud of it. I love it.”

Elaborating on the character, Fortin explains: “It’s an amusing Shakespeare’s death speeches as posted as a narrative for my own long 40-year-old career in the theatre and the fact that I come from a theatre dynasty.”

The 75-minute production is not entirely about our demise, the show also touches on other themes – love, family and the importance of humour.

The show is currently running at Auto & General Theatre On The Square, Sandton, untill February 29, before returning to New York.