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Video

First Tuesday Book Club: The lost and the missing at Hanging Rock

Joan Lindsay's 'Picnic at Hanging Rock' is often considered a classic of Australian literature. But what makes it so well-regarded? And does everyone agree? Join in this panel discussion and explore why one person's literary masterpiece is another's turgid pot-boiler.

Video

Great Expectations: Victorian and Gothic

How does Charles Dickens weave Gothic elements into his classic Victorian novel, Great Expectations? Listen as Literary Professor John Bowen explains some of the ways in which Dickens draws on the Gothic tradition to challenge the conventions of Victorian literature. Consider the importance of time, repetition, violence, ...

Video

Othello: Is Iago the vilest villain?

Some characters we just love to hate! Iago, the villain in Shakespeare's 'Othello', is a perfect example: scheming, manipulative but oh-so-clever. James Evans and actor Damien Ryan both of Bell Shakespeare, discuss the complex role of Iago. Evans explains just how skilfully Shakespeare employs language to fashion the dark ...

Video

Hamlet: Mischievous or mad?

The question of whether Hamlet is mad or just pretending to be has plagued critics and theatre-goers alike. In this excerpt from 'Hamlet', the audience is confronted with this very question. Watch Eryn-Jean Norvill and Tom Conroy from Bell Shakespeare as they present the encounter between Hamlet and Ophelia from Act 3, scene 1.

Interactive

Writing a discussion

The resource contains information, activities and tasks on how to write a discussion. It includes writing and publishing templates for students for a variety of purposes and contexts. This resource supports the Australian Curriculum in English K–10.

Audio

Radio National: Teaching Aboriginal languages in schools

Would you like to learn another language? This audio recording features a number of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians discussing both the teaching of Aboriginal languages in schools and the benefits that this teaching offers all Australians.

Video

The Tempest: The island of grief

Caliban, the half-human antagonist of 'The Tempest', is often depicted as monstrous. Yet, modern readings of the play characterise him more sympathetically, particularly when viewed through a postcolonial lens. Join Bell Shakespeare's James Evans as he discusses with John Bell how Prospero's treatment of Caliban reflects ...

Interactive

Tara June Winch

This resource is a series of videos featuring writer Tara June Winch talking about her writing and book 'Swallow the Air'. Related resources and teaching notes are included.

Video

Julius Caesar: Comprehending Cassius

Cassius from Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar' is a very complex character! Although conspiring to overthrow Julius Caesar, the motivation to do so appears to stem from patriotism to Rome. Or does it? Join Bell Shakespeare's James Evans as he discusses Shakespeare's characterisation of this historical figure with actors Kate ...

Video

Getting inside Hamlet's mind

Imagine your whole world has been turned upside down. How would you react? Join James Evans and actor Tom Conroy from Bell Shakespeare as they explore how this soliloquy from Act 1 reveals Hamlet's fragmented state of mind following the death of his father and, as he sees it, his mother's betrayal. Learn how the soliloquy ...

Interactive

Alice Pung

This resource is a series of videos featuring writer Alice Pung. She talks about how her Chinese-Cambodian background and her experiences growing up in the western suburbs of Melbourne inspired her to become a writer. Related resources and teaching notes are included.

Video

Julius Caesar: Justifying murder

Brutus is in a dilemma! His friend Julius Caesar is about to be crowned Emperor of Rome. However, Brutus is concerned that Caesar will become a tyrant, and he wants to do what is best for Rome. Join interviewer James Evans and actors John Bell and Hazem Shammas from Bell Shakespeare as they explore the language of this ...

Video

Othello: 'Tis a wrong in your own world

What's good for the goose is good for the gander, so the saying goes. But does everyone agree with this? In Act 4, scene 3 of 'Othello', Emilia and Desdemona discuss the concept of fidelity. In doing so, they raise moral questions about gender and equality in Shakespeare's times. Listen as Kate Mulvany and Eryn-Jean Norvill ...

Video

Macbeth: Realisation and regret

'Macbeth' is a play drenched in bloodshed and death. In this haunting soliloquy, delivered after Macbeth hears of his beloved wife's death, Macbeth seems to emerge from his bloodlust and reflect on what it has achieved. Join Bell Shakespeare's Ivan Donato as he infuses Macbeth's final soliloquy with pathos and regret.

Online

Cats, Dogs and Us: Lesson Plans (years 5-6)

This teacher resource is an International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) resource designed to encourage students to examine the physical characteristics and natural behaviours of cats and dogs, and discuss the various ways we live with and care for cats and dogs around the world. It consists of seven lesson plans, two worksheets, ...

Video

Romeo and Juliet: The language of true love

There are moments of extraordinary light and beauty amid the tragedy of 'Romeo and Juliet'. Join James Evans and actor Damien Strouthos from Bell Shakespeare as they discuss Act 2.2. Damien explains how Shakespeare's use of language reveals the intense passion, as well as frustration, experienced by Romeo and Juliet.

Video

Julius Caesar: The adder and the ladder

Shakespeare's tragedies provide his audiences with moral dilemmas. Julius Caesar is no exception. In this soliloquy, Brutus ponders whether assassinating Julius Caesar would be in the best interests of Rome. Shakespeare's use of metaphor provides the key to understanding Brutus' motivation, convincingly brought to life ...

Video

Othello: Was Shakespeare a feminist?

Shakespeare seems to have a complicated relationship with his female characters. Some of his heroines are quite timid and compliant while others are complex and strong. Here, James Evans and Kate Mulvany from Bell Shakespeare explore Emilia's impassioned speech to Desdemona in Act 4, scene 3 of 'Othello'. They consider ...

Video

Julius Caesar: Conspiracy and crime

In this early scene from Shakespeare's historical tragedy, Brutus and Cassius discuss Julius Caesar's right to rule. It acts as a prelude to the infamous conspiracy to assassinate Caesar. This performance by Hazem Shammas and Kate Mulvany of Bell Shakespeare reveals the persuasive power of language in Cassius' clever tongue ...

Video

The Tempest: Two sides of Caliban

Caliban is one of Shakespeare's most fascinating characters. Half human and the son of a witch, Caliban attacks Prospero's daughter Miranda. However, he is not without a sympathetic side. In this scene from Act 1.2 of 'The Tempest', with Miranda Tapsell, John Bell and Damien Strouthos of Bell Shakespeare, Caliban's impassioned ...