A thousand natural shocks

Tim Cox reflects on finding the right people to support the company

Tim Cox (Former Board Chair of Bell Shakespeare)  reflects on finding the right people to support the company
A thousand natural shocks was written by Beatrice Waller, a Master of Museum and Heritage Studies student, who explored the history of Bell Shakespeare through oral histories in 2025 as a part of her degree. Oral history refers to the process of recording history in the voice of those who witnessed it and consists of conversational interviews recorded in audio format. This project was completed in collaboration with the University of Sydney, partner of Bell Shakespeare.
 
Well, the reason they are, there's a couple of reasons. Firstly, the name Shakespeare. There's a lot of people who want to see Shakespeare work. There's a lot of people who want to see Shakespeare work within the Australian context and not just being in pantaloons. And then, of course, there's John Bell. And now one of the things that's happened is John has retired and the company has performed well and it's still going and still going strong.

Tim Cox reflects on the collapse of the trust

Tim Cox (Former Board Chair of Bell Shakespeare) reflects on the collapse of the trust
A thousand natural shocks was written by Beatrice Waller, a Master of Museum and Heritage Studies student, who explored the history of Bell Shakespeare through oral histories in 2025 as a part of her degree. Oral history refers to the process of recording history in the voice of those who witnessed it and consists of conversational interviews recorded in audio format. This project was completed in collaboration with the University of Sydney, partner of Bell Shakespeare.
 
I had donated some money to the Elizabethan Theatre Trust to come somewhere and it didn't. And I knew there was who got money and who didn't get money and the ballet was involved in it and it got its money from them. Virginia did a great job. When you think of this company, I don't think the company would be here without Virginia. I think John would be the same, Tony Gilbert would be the same and she's the third leg.

Tim Cox: The circus tent

Tim Cox (Former Board Chair of Bell Shakespeare): The circus tent
 
A thousand natural shocks was written by Beatrice Waller, a Master of Museum and Heritage Studies student, who explored the history of Bell Shakespeare through oral histories in 2025 as a part of her degree. Oral history refers to the process of recording history in the voice of those who witnessed it and consists of conversational interviews recorded in audio format. This project was completed in collaboration with the University of Sydney, partner of Bell Shakespeare.
 
We were at the first performance of Bell Shakespeare in the circus tent and it was I thought I knew people in the arts world and the audience was completely and utterly different to what had been going to the ballet and that's when I really started to get to know the company and I got to know John over the years.
 
Everything was different and this to be the start of Bell Shakespeare being different. And of course the tent episode was fine in Sydney then it wasn't in Canberra because it got a bit cold, it was a bit hot in Sydney. But in those early days it was a struggle but it was great fun and it was John being different and he was having to fight against people who were telling him that he wasn't performing traditional Shakespeare. And then you have the definition of what is Shakespeare and what is he all about. And over time some people who wanted traditional Shakespeare, pantalooms and whatever, dropped out of the company and others came in when they found that the company was a company you could understand more.

Tim Cox reflects on Bob Carr’s initial promise of a home on Pier ⅔

Tim Cox (Former Board Chair of Bell Shakespeare) reflects on Bob Carr’s initial promise of a home on Pier ⅔ and the process of finding their home
 
A thousand natural shocks was written by Beatrice Waller, a Master of Museum and Heritage Studies student, who explored the history of Bell Shakespeare through oral histories in 2025 as a part of her degree. Oral history refers to the process of recording history in the voice of those who witnessed it and consists of conversational interviews recorded in audio format. This project was completed in collaboration with the University of Sydney, partner of Bell Shakespeare.
Bell Shakespeare got a letter from Bob Carr that he would put Bell Shakespeare and the Australian Youth Orchestra, I think it was, into Walsh Bay. And it was just a matter of when that would happen. Time sort of went on and Premiers went on and whatever. Every time a Premier changed and the new Arts Minister was there, we would approach them and here's the letter from Bob Carr, yes, we will follow that promise. Then there was a change of Labor to Libs and yes, we will do that. And then one day in a board meeting, it was, I can't remember who, the tourism…Margie Osmond suggested that we go to Sydney Dance Company and City of Sydney and talk to them about Walsh Bay and here's a letter that was promised and why don't we all get together. We went there and they all thought this was a good idea and away it went. And it really was driven to that early stage by Bell Shakespeare. I'll guarantee you not many people know that. They will have forgotten. But it all started with Bob Carr and was driven by Bell all those years. Bob Carr was a great supporter of the company and he came to most performances and he still does.