The Keystone Pub, Portsmouth Road, Guildford is the venue for The Guildford Shakespeare Company’s photographic exhibition titled Lovers and Madmen, taking place from 6 to 25 November.
During the course of the summer, they have been working with award-winning photographer Phil Adams to create a special exhibition of photographic artwork, re-staging and re-imagining key moments from the professional theatre company’s three main productions this year.
The company aims to give the audience a unique experience of Shakespeare, and the impetus behind this project is to explore these larger-than-life characters and their timeless stories beyond the boundaries of the stage setting.
GSC’s Sarah Gobran said, "This has been a really exciting project to work on, not only for exploring Shakespeare in a whole new way, but also a great opportunity for local artists across different mediums to work together and promote their talent."
The seventeen stills depict actors from Richard III, The Merry Wives of Windsor and A Midsummer Night’s Dream in character and full costume. With a cinematic influence, the photographs not only depict scenes from the plays but also key moments from the backstories that we are invited to believe happen ‘off-stage’.
The portraits cover a broad range of feelings from witty to grave, horrific to thought-provoking, mirroring the same twists and turns of Shakespeare’s original works yet remaining faithful to Guildford Shakespeare Company’s own unique interpretation of this season's plays.
Adams currently has work in the permanent collection at the National Portrait Gallery. He lives in Guildford with his wife and young son.
This exhibition is not being held in a conventional gallery but at the Keystone Pub on Portsmouth Road in central Guildford, continuing the company’s ethos of using non-conventional spaces for performance.
There will also be a talk and Q&A with Phil, Sarah and GSC on Tuesday 13 November from 7:30PM. Entry is free to view the exhibition, though the company suggests a drink from the bar would be an appropriate accompaniment.