'I didn’t think Shakespeare would be an inspiration in my life; I didn’t even think he’d even feature. I was a terrible English Literature student, and Shakespeare especially made no sense to me. Then I got cast as Ariel in "The Tempest" when I was 17. Stepping out on stage, having learnt his words by heart to be spoken, rather than by head to be examined on - well, it changed my life. Now I work with him every day. He is a constant companion, a mirror to my heart, and an inspiration for the life still to come.'

 

Image credit

Ben Crystal (front, far left) animating a puppet Pyramus from a performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

August 2018

Other artists in the picture (from left) are: Dylan Kammerer, Anirudh Nair, Calley Luman, Edie, & Drew Ernhout. 
Pyramus designer and builder: Helen Foan, Helen Foan Puppetry
Photographer: Matt Reznek, Bold Rezolution