Bard in the Botanics scoops major award in 15th annual CATS

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Bard in the Botanics’ gender-bending production of Coriolanus has seen Glasgow’s celebrated Shakespeare festival scoop the Best Female Performance Award at the 15th anniversary CATS it was revealed today.

Nicole Cooper won the Best Female Performance  Award for a barnstorming performance in a gender-bending Coriolanus, part of Bard in the Botanics on-going commitment by to taking women out of the roles of wives and daughters, and seeing them as rulers, leaders, politicians and fighters. 

“As Coriolanus in Bard in the Botanics' stripped back production of Shakespeare's war-time classic, Nicole Cooper took on a role usually associated with unhinged machismo, and stomped her way through the Kibble Palace with a whirlwind-like ferocity,” says Neil Cooper, Herald Theatre Critic. “This not only gave the play a fresh edge of femininity in a still contemporary work, but pointed to a major actress, who can tackle big roles with a mix of fearlessness and sensitivity.”

 Cooper will continue her exploration on the traditionally male roles in the 2017 festival where she will play the title part in a new production of Timon of Athens which opens in the Kibble Palace on 22 June. Speaking about the Bard in Botanics commitment to opening up traditionally male roles to female actors Artistic Director, Gordon Barr said: 

“At Bard in the Botanics, we believe it is so important for us to be presenting work which puts women at the heart of all the stories we are telling. There is absolutely no reason why a female actor can’t play Coriolanus or Timon or why the worlds represented onstage in modern productions of classical texts shouldn’t be more reflective of the world we live in today. We are delighted that Nicole’s performance as Coriolanus and our commitment to reflecting the full range of roles that women play in contemporary society have been recognised in this prestigious Award.”