William Summers
William Summers is an emerging artist based in Brisbane, with a keen interest in classical Shakespearean, and socialist theatre. Originally hailing from the Midlands in England, William’s family has always encouraged his artistic practice. Working on creative projects allows him to feel close to his relatives despite the immense distance.
Although he had performed Shakespeare’s works previously, it was not until an adolescent William travelled to Stratford-Upon-Avon in 2016 to view a production of The Tempest, that he was in awe of Shakespearean theatre.
Along with acting, William is heavily interested in Socialist politics, which often influences his works. He has written punk poetry about various political leaders, policies, and injustices, and is currently in the process of writing an essay about the misconceptions of socialism in regards to comparisons with state capitalism. His goal is to create works that utilise his Shakespearean roots to communicate his socialist message, allowing his passion to inspire others through theatre. He aims to do this by incorporating the Theatre of the Oppressed methodology, as well as elements of Brechtian theatre.
William has previously won two state awards for performing in Shake & Stir’s Queensland ShakeFest. These include second in the state for a monologue from The Tempest in 2016, and third in the state for a duologue from Julius Caesar in 2015. Shake & Stir also employed William to be a facilitator for their after-school drama programmes; teaching young kids to perform and inspiring self-confidence. William has also assisted with creative projects at Queensland University of Technology, including acting in student films and advising on student theatre works. William is thrilled at the opportunity to work closely with artists at QSE, and further develop his creative practice.