Live Streaming: The Rising to the Crown of Richard III

I haven't been blogging much - I haven't really known what to do with this blog since the rebrand of Beyond Shakespeare and I'm effectively in isolation. Everyone will soon be in isolation. And that's fine, I don't get out much. But all I've got now is to edit things for the podcast. Next to no new recordings will be coming in - or not till I get my head together and organise some remote recording from other people who are in isolation.
So... prose. Stories. Single narrator text. That's the thing to keep me sane. And produce more for the future of the podcast. And keep me sane.
After the live show was cancelled on Friday, and every other job I had lined up over the course of the year also got cancelled, I was a bit manic. Like, I have all this time now, what do I do with it? And then I saw a post from Professor Tracey Hill on twitter, mentioning The Wonderful Year by Thomas Dekker, and I thought, looks interesting. So I hunted around, had a look and thought.
Well, I'm not doing anything on Sunday.
So, Sunday comes and I record the whole thing. I was thinking of editing the whole thing, but I ran out of steam. There are lots of pick ups and questions of how to finish it as audio, but it's basically in the can.
At this time of general plague, doing a reading of a pamphlet about another plague - there's a fuck ton of death in it - would be very bad for my mental health. It wasn't. It might be bad for YOUR mental health, if you listen to it, but it was very therapeutic.
Which is odd, because recording audio books is the most tedious of recording jobs. It is exhausting and oddly painful in surprising parts of the body. But that was a good day.  I determined to work through the first session in the morning, and see if I could finish it by the end of the week for the podcast.
And then, this morning, I thought... why not keep going?  Why not just keep doing the prose, the poetry, the non dramatic stuff? Not every day, not perfectly - but as part of the day?  Because it was good for me to get out of the edit, out of my head, and just say words.
But I know what my motivation is like, I'll get bored - so, I decided to try doing it live.  Again, I'm not going to be doing anything live for a while, so why not. Even if only one person is listening, it's part of the practice.
I put out a feeler on twitter, hunted for a platform (so much has changed since I last live streamed anything) and did a test with a short poem The Rising to the Crown of Richard III, which came to my attention, along with other pieces I've been developing, thanks to Dr. Jitka Štollová who I met at the Changing History conference the other year. It's not as good a quality as a proper recording, but it was good enough and it got a few listens - so I'll be going on with it for a while. So, tomorrow (16th March 2020) at 12.30pm GMT, for between 30 minutes and an hour I will be performing a text - probably the same text over the course of the week.  Not because anyone is clamouring for it, but because it's good for me. And it basically makes public the kind of initial work I do with any text that comes my way. An initial fun read through. And then I'll get it recorded properly.
Come and join me. https://www.podbean.com/lsw/beyondshakespeare/s-3OlgtMoSJx

The (Vaguely) Complete Playes of Christopher Marlowe

NB: We've got a website! www.beyondshakespeare.org - that doesn't mean we're abandoning this blog, but it does mean that the main action is starting to shift elsewhere. 

Latest News - Reserve Your Seat Now!

The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast Presents...

The (Vaguely) Complete Workes of Christopher Marlowe (Abridged... by a sharp pointy thing in the eye)

Live Recording for the Beyond Shakespeare Podcast

Kit Marlowe wrote some of the most popular plays of his time (usually mid afternoon), creating mighty characters and mightier verse.  Join us for a whistle stop tour of all the plays and some of his best characters - Tamberlaine, Doctor Faustus, Edward II, and many, many more.  A hell fund raising event for the Beyond Shakespeare Podcast.

Recording live as a radio show in the atmospheric and historic location of the Farmers Club in Bury St Edmunds, it's an evening (and afternoon) of drama, comedy, satire, history and the satanic ritual*.
Go Beyond Shakespeare and enjoy some Kit.
*No creatures of darkness will be harmed during this event. 

Strictly Limited Numbers - Book Now!

Bury St Edmunds - Saturday 13th April at 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Performing in the Bury St Edmunds Farmers Club Lower Lounge on Saturday 13th April 2019
Tickets: £15 - Contact 01284 750 969 or email FrontofHouse@BSEFC.co.uk - or go to their website.

Any general enquiries call 07946 652 196, or email admin@beyondshakespeare.org

Picture - from our Discover John Heywood night, 2018

Performed by the Beyond Shakespeare Enterluders - including Heydn McCabe & Rob Myson. Produced by Robert Crighton

The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast can be found online via itunes or your favourite podcast provider. Follow us on Twitter @BeyondShakes 

The ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ Podcast – A (Sort of) Mission Statement

​From the earliest drama in English, to the closing of the theatres in 1642, there was a hell of a lot of drama produced - and a lot of it wasn't by Shakespeare.

Apart from a few noble exceptions these plays are often passed over, ignored or simply unknown. This podcast presents full audio productions of the plays, fragmentary and extant, that shaped the theatrical world that shaped our dramatic history.

We're going to produce EVERYTHING. In full, in part, in different ways, live, in studio, in rehearsal, in production - help support us by pledging on our patreon account, and get a vote as to what we do next. www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher or just listen here.

Exploring N Town

We're beginning our Exploring sessions again - and this is the beginning of one of those long time slow burn projects that will possibly never end.  We're focusing on the N Town plays - that strange and mysterious composite text made up of various East Anglian mystery plays.  We're going to take our time working through the plays, recording as we go, with the long term aim of staging/recording them - that is, we're working towards producing a stage production, which we will record, rather than do separately as part of our current studio recording set up - which is what we've been doing with the Chester cycle (which is a cycle).
We're interested in exploring not just how the bits of plays might have been originally performed, but also how they work as a text for personal use - as a devotional work.  How the edit works towards a new work, whilst nodding to its past.  How this will come out in the end, we have no idea.  But it'll be fun finding out.

Anyone can come along to these Exploring sessions - either as a reader, a performer, or just to sit and listen/comment on the text.  If you're interested in coming along, do let us know so that we can plan accordingly.  These sessions are recorded for the podcast so that anyone can follow up on our work.

We will be working from various editions of the text - the Early English Text Society editions - and there is a very good online Middle English Text series edition you can look at here https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/publication/sugano-the-n-town-plays. Other versions and editions are available and maybe referred to at intervals.  Part of the point of these sessions is to create our own working text - trying to make our own editorial choices as to how we create our show/recordings.

These first March sessions will focus on the first six 'plays' (Creation to Moses) - though we may get ahead or massively behind - and we may do some compare and contrast with other plays as we go along.  There is no forced pace being made.  It's planned that we'll return in April, though precise dates are TBA.

Exploring: The N Town Plays
Saturdays 9th, 16th, 23rd March 2019 from 10am till 12pm in the Jetty at the Quay Theatre, Sudbury.
For more information contact us at: admin@beyondshakespeare.org

Discover John Heywood!

NB: We've got a website! www.beyondshakespeare.org - that doesn't mean we're abandoning this blog, but it does mean that the main action is starting to shift elsewhere. 

Latest News - Discover John Heywood Tickets Now On Sale!

The Beyond Shakespeare Company Presents...

DISCOVER John Heywood:

Entertainer to the King (and the Queen, another King, and another Queen – he lived a long time...)

Live Recording of a Podcast for the Beyond Shakespeare Company

Beginning his career as a musician and all round entertainer in the court of Henry the Eighth, John Heywood became a writer of some of the best plays of his age. The Beyond Shakespeare Company has been producing a complete works of John Heywood throughout 2018, playing his comedies and dramas for audiences online.

As a special fundraiser and launch for the newly created company, we present a selection box of Heywood's best work to entertain and edify. Recording live as a radio show in atmospheric and historic locations in East Anglia, Discover John Heywood will be an evening of comedy, debate, satire, history and the odd fart joke.
Go Beyond Shakespeare and discover the greatest theatre maker of his age.

Strictly Limited Numbers - Book Now!

Bury St Edmunds - Saturday 1st December from 7pm

Performing at the Bury St Edmunds Farmers Club - with buffet option.
Pre-show Buffet Option – Hosted by the Artistic Director of the company, Robert Crighton, who will talk about the show and introduce John Heywood to you.
Buffet, Introduction & Show (7pm onwards) – £30 for buffet and show
Tickets for just the Show (8pm onwards) – £15
Performing in the Bury St Edmunds Farmers Club Lower Lounge on Saturday 1st December
Tickets: Contact 01284 750 969 or email FrontofHouse@BSEFC.co.uk - or go to their website.

Any enquiries call 07946 652 196, or email admin@beyondshakespeare.org

Directed by Robert Crighton and performed by the Beyond Shakespeare Enterluders - including Heydn McCabe, Rob Myson, and Geir Madland.
The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast can be found online via itunes or your favourite podcast provider. Follow us on Twitter @BeyondShakes 

The ‘Beyond Shakespeare’ Podcast – A (Sort of) Mission Statement

​From the earliest drama in English, to the closing of the theatres in 1642, there was a hell of a lot of drama produced - and a lot of it wasn't by Shakespeare.

Apart from a few noble exceptions these plays are often passed over, ignored or simply unknown. This podcast presents full audio productions of the plays, fragmentary and extant, that shaped the theatrical world that shaped our dramatic history.

We're going to produce EVERYTHING. In full, in part, in different ways, live, in studio, in rehearsal, in production - help support us by pledging on our patreon account, and get a vote as to what we do next. www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare

Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google, Stitcher or just listen here.

Discussing John Rastell

This week in audio - we're sharing a discussion with John Thor Ewing about printer, lawyer, playwright, adventurer, explorer, theatre builder... we run out of appellations, he seemed to do everything... John Rastell.

Around 1524/5 he published his jest book A Hundred Merry Tales, which has just been republished in a new edition by John Thor Ewing. Now, you might expect a book called A Hundred Merry Tales to contain one hundred merry tales, but you'd be mistaken.
To find out why there aren't you'll have to listen to the podcast OR you can buy the book on amazon here - it's excellent.
Enjoy.


Rastell also probably had a hand in writing Gentleness and Nobility with John Heywood. There's some debate on that, but you can decide for yourself by listening to our full cast audio adaptation.


And if you want to help us continue creating full cast audio and all our other podcasts, then do consider giving to our patreon - you even get a vote to decide what we do next! www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare

Or, if you want to give a one off donation, then you can buy us a coffee here.

More information about voting for plays can be found here!

Votes for Plays

Most podcasts / theatre companies do some sort of crowdfunding, and we're no different. This full cast audio lark isn't cheap and we're still a few months away from live shows.
Till then we're going to have two ways of donating - one ongoing via patreon, and the other as a little one off.

Just a One Time Thing...

The one off is simple and effective, you can give £3 via ko-fi, if you so choose.  The money from there goes to the development side of things, our explorations of plays at read through's etc. We have a simple, low goal to achieve at present - we want to cover our printing costs for the autumn. Check it out. Help us print things. http://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare

For As Long (or as short) As You Like

The patreon feed is on going (www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare), a donation a month, but you get cool stuff in return.  You can join our patreon here.  And, unlike other podcast, we're not primarily offering access, trips to the studio, meet and greets, merchandise or special editions (we will do this, but it's not the cool thing) - we're offering you...

A VOTE!

You get to shape our repertoire!

Hell, not just a vote - you can flat out bribe us to produce whatever you want.  Taxation with representation.
The system is simple, though there is some flanging round the details to be figured out - the more money you give, the more control you have over what we do.  It starts with shaping the vague areas of work, from genre or time period, to focusing on specific playwrights and plays - to the final and logical end point of co-opting our production base.

The ballots occur every six months or so - so don't worry about missing one, you'll be in place for the next one.

Here's a rough outline of what you get: (NB: don't panic if it's not in your currency, whilst there is a variation in exchange rate for the amount, there are no massive fees or anything silly.)

$1 - gets to take the general survey, however any results will be considered non binding.

$3 - Vote for a Playwright - the first past the post winning gets some kind of project developed based on their work. Number of projects will depend on funds raised.  This playwright will then have their tally dropped to zero for future rounds, though people can vote again later. This can be the same as the winning of the play category, and runners up may also get content produced, depending on funds raised. (Voting guide below.)

$5 - Vote for a Play - the first past the post winner will go into some kind of production, depending on funds raised. Second or third runners up may also do so. These plays will then be removed from the ballot for at least a year. (Voting guide below.)

$10 to $30 - Speeches and Scenes - your pledge gets you a special recording of speeches or scenes from plays of your choice, sometime over the next year, probably sooner. Once that is produced, we will work on your next choice over a similar timetable.

$50 - we will produce a table reading of a play of your choice, again sometime in the next year, again working on another project of your choice once your first choice is complete.

$250 - Full audio production of a play of your choice, recorded over a year.

$1000 - Full stage production of a play of your choice, produced over a year.

We will go back to the tally with an additional ballet whenever the voted for projects are complete, every four to six months or so - new patrons will be able to vote for the first time, patrons from previous ballots will get to vote again.

So, you want to help out, or more importantly boss us around - pledge today and start voting - www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare

A VOTE FOR US, IS A VOTE FOR US!

Don't know who to vote for?

Not in play, we've done him...

Playwrights? There's over a hundred to choose from, including Anon.  The only excluded playwrights from the first ballot are John Heywood and (forever and ever, amen) William Shakespeare.  Playwright's who are coming up anyway are in play - so John Bale can be voted for, we'll just do more on him.
You can be obvious and go for a big hitter like Marlowe or Jonson, or someone obscure like R.B. Up to you. So long as they wrote prior to 1642.
Here's some names - it's not an exhaustive list, there may be errors, typos, omissions, and even some red herrings: Anonymous, Henry Medwall, John Rastell, John Skelton, John Bale, John Redford, L. Wager, John Phillip, W. Wager, Henry Cheke, George Gascoigne, George Peele, Robert Wilson, Thomas Watson, Nathaniel Woods, John Lyly, Robert Greene, Thomas Kyd, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Hughes, Thomas Lodge, Henry Porter, Anthony Munday, Mary Herbert, William Alabaster, William Warner, Thomas Heywood, Samuel Daniel, Robert Yarington, Samuel Brandon, William Rowley, George Chapman, Ben Jonson, Richard Benard, Henry Chettle, William Haughton, John Marston, Michael Drayton, Fulke Greville, Thomas Middleton, Thomas Tomkis, Richard Vennar, Elizabeth Cary, Samuel Rowley, Francis Verney, William Alexander, John Day, Francis Beaumont, Samuel Daniel, Edward Sharpham, Cyril Tourneur, George Wilkins, Robert Armin, Barnabe Barnes, John Webster, Gervase Markham, Nathan Field, Robert Daborne, Jo Cooke, George Ferebe, Samuel Brooke, John Stephens, Robert Tailor, Phineas Fletcher, William Browne, George Ruggle, Thomas Tomkis, Robert Daborne, John Fletcher, James Shirley, Richard Brome, Jasper Heywood, John Studley, Thomas Nuce, Thomas Newton, Sir Philip Sidney, Philip Massinger, John Ford & Uncle Tom Cobley and all.

Plays? There's literally hundreds of plays to choose from (and there's a ridiculous list below!) - and we're not adverse to some cheating, so poems that are a bit dramatic, translations from the period, stuff that's about theatre of the time, we'll give it a chance (and if we dismiss it, we'll give you another vote for something else, we're nice that way).  Plays we've already done are excluded from the ballot - if you vote for something we've done we will take that as a vote for something similar to that play - in an IF YOU LIKE THAT, YOU'LL LOVE THIS kind of way.

Here's a stupidly inaccurate list of plays - with typos, errors, omissions, and red herrings.

The Cambridge Prologue, Interludium de Clerico et Puella (frag), The Pride of Life, The Castle of Perseverance, Shrewsbury Fragments, Dux Moraud, The Rickinghall Fragment, The Durham Prologue, Reynes – Delight / Epilogue, Wisdom or Mind, Will, and Understanding, Play of the Sacrament, The Northampton Abraham, Mankind, Brome Abraham and Isaac, Robin Hood and the Sheriff/Knight (frag), Norwich Grocers’ Play, The four Mystery 'cycles' - N-Town, York, Chester and Towneley, Occupation and Idleness, Lucidus and Dubius, The Killing of the Children, Mary Magdalene, Fulgens and Lucrece, Nature, Ashmole Fragment, Mundus et Infans, The Summoning of Everyman, The Conversion of St Paul, Youth, Hickscorner, The Four Elements, Magnificence, Christ’s Burial, Christ’s Resurrection, Callisto and Melebea, Godly Queen Hester, Witty and Witless, John John, Gentleness and Nobility, Pardoner and the Friar, Play of Love, The Prodigal Son or Pater, Filius et Uxor (frag), Lucrece (frag), The Four PP, Courage, Kindness, Cleaness (frag), D, G, T (frag), Play of the Weather, Old Christmas or Good Order (frag) Temperance and Humility (frag), Albion Knight (frag), Thersites, God’s Promises, Baptism, Temptation, Three Laws, King Johan, Wit and Science, Love Feigned and Unfeigned (frag), The Four Cardinal Virtues (frag), Resurrection of Our Lord, Impatient Poverty, Somebody and Others (frag), Lusty Juventus, Nice Wanton, Somebody Avarice and Minister, Ralph Roister Doister, Gammer Gurtons Needle, Respublica, Jacob and Esau, Wealth and Health, Jack Juggler, The Life and Repentance of Mary Magdalene, Patient Grissell, The Longer Thou Livest the More Fool Thou Art? The Disobedient Child, Enough is as Good as a Feast, The Pedler’s Prophecy, Tom Tyler and his Wife, Robin Hood and the Friar, Robin Hood and the Potter (frag), Cambises, Gorboduc, Free Will, The Bugbears, Apius and Virginia, King Darius, Damon and Pithias, The Cruel Debtor (frag), Supposes, Gismond of Salerne, Horestes, The Trial of Treasure, The Marriage of Wit and Science, Like Will to Like, Susanna, Misogonus, Clyomon and Clamydes, Juli and Juliun, New Custom, The Conflict of Custom, Glass of Government, Abraham’s Sacrifice, Common Conditions, The Tide Tarrieth No Man, All For Money, Promos and Cassandra, A Marriage Between Wit and Wisdom, The Arraignment of Paris, Three Ladies of London, The Conflict of Conscience, Rare Triumphs of Love and Fortune, Maleager, Dido, Fidele and Fortunio, Oedipus, Campaspe, Sappho and Phao, Galatea, The Seven Deadly Sins, The Famous Victories of Henry V, Love’s Metamophosis, Hunting of Cupid, The Troublesome Reign of King John, Alphonsus, The Spanish Tragedy, Tamberlaine I, Dido (again), David and Bathsabe, Mucedorus, The Misfortunes of Arthur, The Wounds of Civil War, Endymion, Tamberlaine II, The Two Merry Women of Abingdon, Three Lords and Three Ladies of London, Taming of a Shrew, Friar Bacon and Friar Bungay, Midas, Mother Bombie, The Jew of Malta, John a Kent and John a Cumber, Battle of Alcazar, Fair Em, King Leir, Soliman and Perseda, James IV, George a Green, A Looking Glass for London and England, The Old Wives’ Tale, The Cobblers Prophecy, Tragedy of Antony, A New Northern Jig, Arden of Faversham, Jack Straw, Locrine, True Trag of Richard III, Orlando Furioso, Edward I, A Knack to Know a Knave, Thomas of Woodstock, Ulysses Redux, Selimus, John of Bordeaux, Dr Faustus, Edward II, Massacre at Paris, Summer’s Last Will and Testament, Roxana, The Four Prentices of London, The Woman in the Moon, Cornelia, Thomas Kyd, Cleopatra, John a Kent and John a Cumber, Two Lamentable Tragedies, The Virtuous Octavia, A New Wonder - A Woman Never Vexed, A Match at Midnight, The Birth of Merlin, The Blind Begger of Alexandria, An Humourous Day’s Mirth, The Case is Altered, Every Man In His Humour, The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntingdon, The Death of Robert Earl of Huntingdon, Englishmen for My Money or A Woman Will Have Her Will, The Two Angry Women of Abingdon, Antonio and Mellida, Sir John Oldcastle, Old Fortunatus, The Shoemaker’s Holiday, Every Man Out of His Humour, All Fools, Cynthia’s Revels, Alaham, Mustapha, Lust’s Dominion, The Weakest Goeth to the Wall, Patient Grissel, I Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green, The Bloody Banquet, What You Will, Satriomastix, The Poetaster, Blurt, Master Constable, Sir Thomas Wyatt, The Royal King and the Loyal Subject, Lingua, England’s Joy, Sir Thomas Wyatt, Hoffman, or a Revenger for a Father, Mariam, The Gentleman Usher, The Family of Love, The Dutch Courtesan, When You See Me, You Know Me, Antipoe, The Tragedy of Darius, Sejanus, A Woman Killed With Kindness, The Rape of Lucrece, The Phoenix, The Honest Whore, Westward Ho!, Northward Ho!, Law Tricks, The Wise Woman of Hogsdon, The Malcontent, The Fawn, Croseus, Monsieur D’Olive, Bussy D’Ambois, The Tamer Tamed, Philotas, A Yorkshire Tragedy, The Fair Maid of the West, Part 1, The Widow’s Tears, The Queen’s Arcadia, Eastward Ho!, If You Know Not Me - You Know Nobody, The Whore of Babylon, A Mad, Mad World My Masters, Michaelmas Term, The Isle of Gulls, Volpone, The Wonder of Women or Sophonisba, The Fleir, The Woman Hater, A Trick to Catch the Old One, The Puritan, The Revenger’s Tragedy, Cupid’s Whirligig, The Atheist’s Tragedy, The Miseries of Enforced Marriage, The Alexandraen Tragedy, Julius Caesar, The Two Maids of Moreclacke, The Devil’s Charter, Ram Alley, David, The Knight of the Burning Pestle, The Travels of Three English Brothers, Humour out of Breath, Fortune by Land and Sea, The Lovesick King, Your Five Gallants, The Faithful Shepherdess, Charles Duke of Byron, The Parliament of Bees, A Shoemaker a Gentleman, Appilus and Virginia, The Dumb Knight, The White Devil, A Woman is a Weathercock, Epicoene, May Day, A Christian Turned Turk, The Revenge of Bussy D’Ambois, Philaster, The Coxcomb, The Alchemist, The Roaring Girl, If It Be Not Good the Devil is in It, Match Me in London, The Insatiate Countess, Amends for Ladies, The Golden Age, Catiline his Conspiracy, The Maid’s Tragedy, A King and No King, Greenes Tu Quoque or The City Gallant, The Second Maiden’s Tragedy, No Wit / No Help Like A Woman’s, Cupid’s Revenge, The Captain, The Silver Age, Rollo or the Bloody Brother, The Brazen Age, The Iron Age, The Shepherd’s Song, A Chaste Maid in Cheapside, The Honest Man’s Fortune, Adelphe, Scyros, Chabot Admiral of France, Caesar and Pompey, Cynthia’s Revenge, Hog Hath Lost His Pearl, The Dutchess of Malfi, The Witch, Wit at Several Weapons, Bonduca, Valentinian, Wit Without Money, Hymen’s Triumphs, Bartholomew Fair, Sicelides, Melanthe, Ulysses and Circe, Ignoramus, The Hector of Germany, Albumazar, More Dissembers Besides Women, The Nice Valour, A Fair Quarrel, Monsieur Thomas, The Scornful Lady, Thierry and Theodoret, The Nightwalker or the Little Thief, Four Plays in One, Love’s Cure or the Martial Maid, Wit at Several Weapons, The Faithful Friends, The Widow, Hengist, King of Kent, The Devil Is An Ass, The Poor Man’s Comfort, The Old Law, The Virgin Martyr, The Witch of Edmonton, Anything for a Quiet Life, The Island Princess, Women Beware Women, The Changeling, The Wonder of a Kingdom, The Spanish Gypsy, The Suns Darling, A Game at Chess, The New Inn, The Staple of News, Love’s Tricks, The Maid’s Revenge, The Wedding, The Witty Fair One, The Grateful Servant, Pleasant Dialogue and Dramas, The Fair Maid of the West, part 2, The Noble Spanish Soldier, The Traitor, The Duke or the Humorous Courtier, Love’s Cruelty, The Magnetic Lady, A Tale of a Tub, The Changes, Hyde Park, The Ball, The Arcadia, The Bird in a Cage, The Gamester, The Young Admiral, The Example, The Opportunity, The Coronation, The Lady of Pleasure, The Duke’s Mistress, Mortimer (frag), The Royal Master, The Constant Maid, The Doubtful Heir, The Gentlemen of Venice, The Politician, The Imposture, The Country Captain, A Jovial Crew, The Brothers, The Cardinal, The Sisters, The Court Secret, The Devil’s Law Case, A Cure for a Cuckold, The Unnatural Combat, The Duke of Milan, The Bondman, The Renegado, The Parliament of Love, The Roman Actor, The Great Duke of Florence, The Maid of Honour, The Picture, The Emperor of the East, The Fatal Dowry, Debts, The City Madam, The Guardian, A Very Woman or the Prince of Tarent, The Bashful Lover, Tis Pity She’s A Whore, The Lover’s Melancholy, The Broken Heart, Love’s Sacrifice, Perkin Warbeck, The Fancies, Chaste and Noble, The Lady’s Trial, The Sun’s Darling, A Pleasant Conceited Comedy of how a man may choose a good wife from a Bad… and many many more!

The Bloody Banquet by Middleton and Dekker

One day we will do a full production of The Bloody Banquet by Thomas Middleton and Thomas Dekker - but till then we look at just the beginning, in the first of our What's Past is Prologue features. We're asking a fairly simple question - how do you start a play?  Here's one way - the chorus and dumb show combo, with straightforward exposition that merges straightaway into action.
The Chorus is performed by Sarah Golding and it is presented by Robert Crighton.

INSERT PLAY HERE!