An Art Exhibition & Live Performances by The Visual Shakespeare Project

Exhibition of Paintings: 29 Jan-25 Feb 2027

Performance Dates and Times: two 45-minute performances each day on 19 and 20 Feb at 11.00am and 2.30pm.

Free tickets, with a collection box, if you enjoyed the show.

Presented by artist, Iain Will & actors, Rodolphe Fonty and Adrian Rose.

Overview

Enjoy an exhibition of Shakespeare-themed paintings paired with theatrical readings of the plays and sonnets. Guests can meet the artist and actors after the performance and have a tour of the paintings. The paintings and art prints are available for purchase, though there is no obligation to buy.

The Visual Shakespeare Project

Founded in 2019 by UK artist Iain Will, the initiative bridges the visual and performing arts. Actor and director Rodolphe Fonty soon joined as a key collaborator, bringing together talent from Paris, New York, and the UK. During live performances, the artist sketches the actors to capture their expressions and characterisation, creating paintings that are later displayed behind the actors on stage. The collection features over 20 works, including one held in the Drury Lane Theatre’s collection.

Biographies

· Rodolphe Fonty: A bilingual (French/English) actor and director educated at the Sorbonne and Trinity College, Cambridge, with training in dramatic arts, singing, and ballet. Rodolphe created a bilingual show of Shakespeare sonnets in collaboration with British artist Iain Will in Paris and in York. Recent roles include Buckingham and Cranmer (Henry VIII), Rosencrantz (Hamlet), and the lead in Molière’s Le Mariage Forcé. He is currently directing an adaptation of Racine’s Phèdre.

· Iain Will: A postgraduate of the University of York, Iain is a painter and instructor specialising in portraiture, narrative, and wildlife art. His works have been exhibited at venues including the Guildhall and the City Art Gallery, and are held in private collections worldwide.

· Adrian Rose: An experienced UK actor who performs Shakespearean roles nationally and models for surreal photography. He features as the tribune Brutus in the Coriolanus painting on display at the exhibition.

Please note: our studio is closed to the public on Wednesdays.