Speak The Speech by Bell Shakespeare

S3 Ep5: Matu Ngaropo

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Episode notes

This week on Speak The Speech we are joined by Matu Ngaropo. Matu performs and unpacks Othello’s speech from Act 1, Scene 3.  He shares how Māori culture and language influences his approach to Shakespeare, the experience of performing at Shakespeare’s Globe in traditional Māori dress and language, and the parallels between the musical Hamilton and Shakespeare’s plays and much more. 

Matu Ngaropo is a graduate of Toi Whakaari, New Zealand’s premier drama school. On stage he’s played Othello for Centrepoint Theatre, Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet for Downstage Theatre, Guildenstern in Hamlet, Macduff in Macbeth and Angelo in The Comedy of Errors for the Pop-Up Globe, as well as Achilles in The Māori Troilus and Cressida at the Globe Theatre in London. He’s also appeared in Disney’s The Lion King and performed at Rugby World Cups in New Zealand, France and Japan. His musical act, The Modern Māori Quartet, has toured to China, Australia, London, Edinburgh and New York. His screen credits  Shortland Street, Korero Mai and Seven Periods with Mr Gormsby. He is currently playing George Washington in the Australian cast of the smash-hit musical Hamilton.