How Queer really are the plays of Shakespeare? A punk pirate musical answers the question

Two characters both named Antonio in two different Shakespeare plays - the Merchant of Venice and Twelfth Night - are often considered to be gay. Antonio in Much Ado About Nothing is also suspected. A new queer punk pirate musical Antonio! playfully suggests Shakespeare wasn't just reusing this character name, but was inspired by a real life gay pirate searching for love. In the musical, a swashbuckling Antonio is joined by a live band to reclaim his stories. Antonio! is the brainchild of three Aotearoa New Zealand writers who also came together from across the seas to make it. Writer and producer Ania Upstill is based in New York, music writer William Duignan in Wellington and co music Andy Manning is in Barcelona. The three originally met while performing at Christchurch's Court Theatre. Antonio! premiered in New York and at the Edinburgh Fringe, and has just had its New Zealand premiere on Valentine's Day. It's opened the New Zealand Fringe Festival ahead of playing in March in the Hamilton Arts Festival, at Tamaki Makaurau Auckland's Basement Theatre and the Adelaide Fringe. Back from New York to perform, Ania Upstill joined Culture 101.

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