Voice & Text Coach for Melbourne Theatre Company's production of Bernhardt/Hamlet at The Sumner, Southbank Theatre, 2023.
NTRO Output Type
- Live Performance of Creative Work
NTRO Output Category
- Live Performance of Creative Work : Play
Place
Melbourne, SydneyVenue
The Sumner, Southbank Theatre, MelbourneNTRO Publisher
Melbourne Theatre CompanyStart Date
2023-03-04End Date
2023-04-15Medium
TheatreResearch Statement
In Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2023 production of Bernhardt/Hamlet, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks in her highly anticipated debut as Artistic Director, I worked alongside fellow voice and text coach Geraldine Cook-Dafner to support the vocal demands of Theresa Rebeck’s complex and linguistically rich play. Our collaborative coaching model was grounded in a unified approach – developed and delivered in close partnership – designed to meet the production’s heightened language with vocal dexterity, precision, and muscularity.
This production featured a dynamic ensemble of actors spanning a broad spectrum of experience, from internationally acclaimed performer Kate Mulvany to emerging talents. Our vocal strategy balanced ensemble-based workshops, aimed at building collective vocal presence, with tailored one-on-one sessions that supported the detailed individual work necessary to meet the text’s challenges.
The voice work was central to realising Sarks’ vision, helping to animate the play’s themes of theatricality, identity, and transformation. The production was critically well received. It is a rare opportunity for voice specialists to work as part of a team on stage or screen productions, but the success of this approach demonstrates the power of collaborative voice coaching in realising ambitious, text-driven work for contemporary stages.Size or Duration of Work
6 weeks, 8 productions a weekAffiliation
Amy Hume, University of Melbourne
