An evening with Bell Shakespeare at Cranlana
A moment of theatrical connection during dinner at Bell Shakespeare's anniversary celebration at Cranlana. The performers moved among the tables, bringing Shakespeare's words to life in this intimate setting
Bell Shakespeare invited Michelle to document their 35th-anniversary celebration at Cranlana, the historic Myer family home in Toorak. This wasn't your typical event – guests had contributed $1500 each for an evening where Shakespeare's words would come alive right beside them at the dinner table.
Gardens, Grandeur, and Great Theatre
The evening began in Cranlana's beautiful gardens. As I navigated between heritage trees and classical garden features, guests enjoyed welcome drinks before the performances. Cranlana isn't regularly open for events, so there was a sense of privilege just being there.
Pre-dinner conversations in Cranlana's gardens set the tone for an evening of culture and connection
Kerry Gardner AM and Andrew Myer AM, our gracious hosts, welcomed everyone before guiding guests into the ballroom where dinner awaited. The schedule thoughtfully alternated between courses and performances, creating natural rhythms for both dining and photography.
When Performers Rise From Their Seats
What made this event special to photograph was the unique format. Rather than watching performers on stage, guests experienced something much more intimate. Robert Menzies (performing as Prospero), Brian Lipson (as Enobarbus), and Geraldine Hakewill and Michael Wahr (as Romeo and Juliet) rose from their seats among the diners to perform.
Capturing Without Intruding
Events like this require a delicate approach. The performances were intimate, the setting was someone's family home (albeit a historic one), and the guests had paid significantly for an uninterrupted cultural experience.
My challenge was to document everything from the garden reception to the final applause without becoming part of the story myself. This meant anticipating moments rather than chasing them, understanding the performance schedule, and moving quietly through the space.
The main technical challenge was the overhead lighting that caused banding in images when shooting in silent mode. I needed to be absolutely quiet during key moments to avoid disrupting the intimate atmosphere. For most shots, I carefully timed my shutter clicks where ambient noise could mask them. However, during Romeo and Juliet's kiss—perhaps the most poignant moment of the evening—I had no choice but to switch to silent mode, which unfortunately introduced visible banding across the image. This required careful post-processing to restore the quality while preserving the emotional impact of that perfect theatrical moment
The Power of Place
Cranlana itself played a starring role in the evening. The historic Myer family home created a backdrop that perfectly complemented Shakespeare's timeless works. As twilight settled over Toorak, the warm glow from the windows against the deepening blue sky created a magical transition from garden reception to indoor performances.
Moments Between Performances
Between the scheduled performances, I focused on capturing the dinner service, the conversations between guests, and the small details that made the evening special. These quieter moments help tell the complete story of an event, providing context for the more dramatic theatrical elements.
Why These Images Matter
For Bell Shakespeare, these photographs serve multiple purposes – documenting their anniversary celebration, acknowledging their patrons, and creating content for future fundraising efforts. For the hosts and Cranlana, the images capture a special use of this historic space, continuing the Myer family tradition of cultural patronage.
What I love most about event photography is capturing those unplanned moments – a spontaneous reaction to a performance, an improvised interaction between actor and guest, or simply the perfect light falling across a historic room at just the right moment.
And for everyone who didn’t attend, it provided them with plenty of office gossip!
Whether you're planning an intimate cultural event or a large corporate function, thoughtful documentation creates lasting value for your organisation. We’d love to help tell your event's unique story through photography. Contact photo@michellemcfarlane.com
