Reinventing the Classics Through Global Voices
Led by Paula Rodriguez
A 2-Day Workshop for Migrant Actors and Theatre Makers Based in the UK
Dates:
Saturday 28th February, 11am to 2 pm
Saturday 7th March 11am to 2 pm
This workshop invites migrant artists to enter a creative dialogue with classical theatre, with a particular focus on Shakespeare. Together, we will explore how classical works can be re-imagined through contemporary perspectives.
Working with characters such as Caliban and Pericles, we will examine themes of identity, belonging, power, and justice. Participants are also welcome to bring classical or ancient texts from their own cultural heritage.
From shipwrecks to warlords, Shakespeare’s characters are often outsiders themselves. This workshop offers an inclusive and supportive space for migrant actors and theatre makers, combining text analysis with collaborative performance to explore classical texts in fresh and creative ways. It aims to foster new possibilities for dialogue, representation, and contemporary performance.
The DYCP Award that made this possible was supported using public funding by Arts Council England. Find out more about Arts Council England at https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/
Paula Rodriguez is a UK-based, award-winning actor, director, and writer whose work focuses on the reinvention of classical texts through a global and inclusive lens. Her exploration of Migrant Voices of Shakespeare began in 2016 with The Other Solos Shakespeare, a YouTube series of Shakespeare monologues performed by migrant actors.
Recent directing credits include Tras ellas (de Celestina a Xirgu) at the Festival Internacional de las Artes Escénicas (Uruguay) and Ana por Ana (Barroco a Compás Flamenco) at the Almagro International Classical Theatre Festival. Paula is also the creator of Project AURIC, presenting bilingual, accessible performances of Golden Age texts in dialogue with live contemporary music.
She is the co-founder of the company Teatro Inverso, reinventing classics for international audiences. Their production Rosaura, a feminist adaptation of Life is a Dream by Calderón, won the Walker Raid Prize, AHCT, during its USA tour. Her productions have toured internationally.
Paula has worked at the Bridge Theatre, Young Vic, Orange Tree, Cervantes Theatre, and Chichester Theatre Festival, as well as with the National Classical Theatre Company (CNTC) and Teatro de la Abadía in Spain. She graduated from the Real Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático (RESAD) in Madrid and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama (RCSSD) in London.
Paula has led workshops on performing and reinventing classics worldwide, including Madrid, London, Rome, Buenos Aires, and Montevideo. She is the director of the Spanish Theatre Program at BADA London and the founder of Our New Gold, an educational international digital festival hosted by UCL. Paula is a member of Spain’s Academia de las Artes Escénicas.
