Actors revisit Hamlet

A New Year's resolution to ride his bike at least 10km every day is helping USQ senior acting lecturer Robert Ketton prepare for his role as the evil Polonius in the mid-March production of Hamlet.

"Rehearsing Shakespeare is very energetic and to get the character into your body one must be physically fit as well as mentally alert,'' he said.

This will be the third time Mr Ketton has performed in a production of Hamlet during a 30-year career as an actor and educator, the first as Hamlet, the second as Horatio, Hamlet's friend and now as Polonius.

"It's interesting to see how your perspective changes as you get older.

"Polonius has two children, so I've been able to draw on my own life experience with my children to find the powerful emotions needed to play this role. I couldn't have done that with the same breadth of knowledge when I was 20.''

Mr Ketton was a head drama teacher at a comprehensive school in England before migrating to Queensland where he helped introduce theatre into Queensland secondary schools by assisting in writing the initial syllabus. He has been teaching at USQ since 1976 and has written more than 24 plays, published eight collaborative books and directed more than 25 major stage productions.

USQ Performance Centre Director Associate Professor, Kate Foy, will also make a guest appearance in Hamlet as Queen Gertrude, mother of Hamlet. It will be her second time in the role, the first in USQ's 1979 production of the Shakespearean classic.

She said it was wonderful to be again working with young, enthusiastic actors and a passionate director in a play that is guaranteed to move people.

"I love Shakespeare, it offers the actor the most incredible challenges and you find it to be the most powerful and supportive material to work with."

Dr Foy has enjoyed a career spanning 30 years and has worked with some of Australia's leading performance companies including more than 30 productions with the Queensland Theatre Company and stage work in the United States.

Her last production as director was Marcel Dorney's Return at the USQ Performance Centre in November 2003 and her next appearance will be as a police inspector in the upcoming feature film Avatar. 

Directed by Scott Alderdice, Hamlet will be performed under the majestic avenue of trees, Queens Park from March 9 to 14.

For further information or bookings please phone the USQ Performance Centre Box Office on 4631 1111.

Deborah Marshall marshald@usq.edu.au 07 4631 2495