In Conversation with Kevin Hopkins and Claire Nicholls | Timon of Athens
Updated: 6 days ago
In today's Backstage Blog, we speak to Kevin Hopkins and Claire Nicholls from Timon of Athens, starting at Theatre Works very soon.
Following their production of Titus Andronicus at Theatre Works in November 2025, Th'UnGuarded Duncan now co-present Timon of Athens, which was developed as part of the Prague Shakespeare Company's 2025 Summer Shakespeare Intensive program.
Q: Welcome to Theatre Works! How are preparations going so far?
Kevin: Rehearsals are going really well, we have a shape on the whole show, and have just been joined by Jovanna Hepburn who is playing Timon, and has travelled from The Bahamas to join us for this show. We are in a good place.
Q: For audiences unfamiliar with the story of Timon of Athens, what is the elevator run down you can give them of the show?
Kevin: This is Shakespeare's anti-capitalist play, it tells the story of Timon, a rich and generous philanthropic man, who gives away too much of his money and can't pay the debts he has incurred supporting his "friends". He asks these friends for help, and is rejected by all of them. He becomes disillusioned and removes himself from society to live as a misanthrope in a remote place. He then finds gold digging for food, his friends follow wanting to get his gold, but he gives it to his military friend Alcibiades to overthrow the corrupt and money focussed Athenian government.
Q: If Timon had access to Afterpay, do you think the play would have ended differently?
Kevin: I think afterpay, and things like afterpay are the very systems that caused his issues in the first place.
Claire: Agreed
Q: What will surprise audiences about this work?
Kevin: It has surprised me that this work is so relevant to today's current global focus on money and finances. As with most Shakespeare, current modern issues suddenly appear as directly connected to this 450 year old text.
Claire: I think people will find it surprising how contemporary a lot of the language and characters feel too. This is probably due to the contributions of Shakespeare’s co-writer on this play, Thomas Middleton, who was a brilliant urban satirist. It’s also pretty surprising to get to see a Shakespeare play where you most likely have no idea what will happen next, due to it being so rarely performed! It’s a work that holds the mirror up to some very grotesque, uncomfortable truths about the selfish, greedy nature of humanity. It is gritty, sardonic, menacing and darkly funny.
Q: What has been the most memorable moment in your process so far?
Kevin; The discovery of deeper insights while working with our professional Australian cast have created many sublime moments of understanding: suddenly the use of some props/costumes click into place, and are totally right, without a doubt.
Claire: Yeah, this production was developed with Prague Shakespeare Company as part of their Shakespeare Summer Intensive training program in 2025 and 2026. It’s been great to get to really marinate on some of the play’s major themes and expand on a lot of the stylised ensemble movement which we use to further plot and world building. It was also really memorable when we stumbled across the idea of setting our telling of the play in and around a high class restaurant and how that influenced where our hero ends up for the latter scenes of the play.
Timon of Athens plays at Theatre Works from 28 October to 7 November.
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It is always interesting to hear actors discuss the creative choices and challenges behind a Shakespearean production. Timon of Athens explores themes of friendship, betrayal, generosity, and the impact of changing relationships, making it relevant to audiences even today. Conversations with performers can offer a deeper understanding of how these themes come to life on stage. Sharing artistic insights in an engaging way helps theatre connect with a wider audience. Similarly, a content writing service USA can help businesses communicate ideas clearly and create meaningful content for their readers.
This is a fascinating conversation that shows how classic theatre can remain relevant to modern audiences. I especially like how Timon of Athens explores greed, financial pressure, and the disappointment that comes when friendships depend too heavily on money. The creative decision to set the production around a high-class restaurant also sounds like an interesting way to bring these themes to life. Similarly, a perfume brand can create a lasting impression by combining thoughtful storytelling, distinctive presentation, and a deeper understanding of what matters to its audience.
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