Victoria
Gartner
The play tells the story of how a young man from a small town became the greatest playwright in history. Will has been produced in 2 languages, and has toured 4 European countries with 4 different casts, counting more than 50 performances to date.
The play is bursting with echoes to William Shakespeare's future works, as well as modern music and free dance, in-between fantasies and reality. Performed by five multifaceted actors, Will is a physical, lively and poignant piece. It has been nominated for two Offies - Off West End Awards (Best Director, Best Supporting Male in a Play), and has had rave reviews from audiences and critics alike. It was a great success at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019. For Will, Victoria received the National Grant for Playwrighting from her home country, Switzerland.
“In the script, Gartner toys smartly with the parallels between our two plagues, riffing on lockdown hobbies and comparing theatres’ competition with Netflix to the enticing thrill of bear-baiting.” The Guardian
“Baumgartner’s firm belief in the power of poetry and well-placed emotional beats make this a strangely fascinating work.” The Stage
“An engrossing play which over the course of eighty minutes (eight years in eighty minutes) does what Lord Reith declared ought to be the mission of the BBC: to inform, educate and entertain.” London Theatre 1
“Just like the RSC in the seventies." Deirdre, audience
Pictures credits: Marie Lauria, Julien James Auzan, Nathan Taylor-Ford
Cast & Creatives
Producer Victoria Gartner Costumes Karolina Luisoni Press Noémy Menyhart Assistant Directors Ruth Hunduma, Elodie Miserez Trailer La Paire de Cerises
As Will Shakespeare Sam Veck Anne Shakespeare Katherine Moran Richard Burbage Ronnie Yorke, Xavier Loira, Kieran Taylor-Ford Olivia Burbage Beatrice Lawrence, Charlie Mackellar Earl of Southampton, Kit Marlowe, Gravedigger, Queen Elizabeth I Charlie Woodward, Jack Spencer
With the generous support of The Swiss Cultural Fund UK - Swiss Embassy in the UK, The Swiss Authors' Society, The City of Lausanne, Switzerland, Comba Consulting, The Lausanne Shakespeare Festival, and Unfolds Theatre
Special thanks to all our Edinburgh Fringe Kickstarter campaign supporters Adrian Fernandez, Alexandra Cottier, Alexis Michalik, Alma Gudzevic, André Gurtner, Anna Rumball, Antony Weeks, Aude Bourrier, Bertil and Marie Cottier, Blaise Bersinger, Brian Benacloche, Camille Mottier, Caroline Genolet, Charlotte Scobie, Chris Hemmens, Cynthia Benassi, Donatella Gabrielli, Fanny Comba, Florent & Marie Carbone, George Veck, Gergely Odor, Gillian Barmes, Hazel Veck, Hélène LaGrotteria, Isabelle Munyankindi, Hon. Prof. and Nobel Prize winner Jacques Dubochet, Jade Andrey, Jean-Claude Sauthier, Joe Evans, Joseph Veck, Juliette Genolet, Kate Maravan, Katherine Moran, Kickstarter, Laura Beer, Léa Fanchon, Luca Da Pare, Lyudmyla Dutruel, Marine Spalletta, Mélanie Carrel, Melissa Allcock, Nicole & Hans Baumgartner, Nina Babayan, Olivier Maillard, Olly Bovay, Peter Hevoud, Pierre Fankhauser, Pierre Magnenat, Prof. Agnieszka Soltysik Monnet, Prof. Kevin Curran, Raphaël Braunschweig, Sara Dominguez, Sarah Emmerson Morley, Sébastien Rey, Sergio Mendolia, Sofia Armella, Stefanie Ginster, Susan Morris, Svitlana and Pierre Willi, Sylvie Stefanelli, The Creative Fund by Backer Kit, Thomas Wiesel, Tibor Menyhart, Trish and Steve Down, Valérie Boujon, Vera Presas, Veronika Mendiola, Vitaliy Nedelko, Zelda Chauvet & all those who wished to remain anonymous.