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Outdoor theatre at Hall's Croft

Haringey Shed, Bilimankhwe Arts and Straylight Australia are among the diverse theatre groups lined up for a new series of open air performances this summer at Hall’s Croft.

The walled garden of the Jacobean home of Shakespeare’s daughter Susannah will host a lively mix of Shakespeare-inspired theatre 18 August and 1 September.  There will also be live performances in the Hall’s Croft Cafe and occasional daytime entertainment from strolling players and local troupes.   Visitors are welcome to picnic during the performances and the new cafe is offering a range of pre-bookable picnic options.

The acclaimed UK and Malawi based Bilimankhwe Arts Company will stage a production of Romeo and Juliet on 25 August.   Dedicated to promoting artistic collaborations between world cultures, Bilimankhwe Arts bring artists together from around the world, using local performance styles and traditional art forms to create vibrant, innovative theatre.  They arrive in Stratford fresh from the success in Malawi of And Crocodiles are Hungry at Night, an adaptation of award-winning poet Jack Mapanje’s prison memoir.  Their production of that play will have its UK premiere at The Shakespeare Centre on 29 July as part of the Stratford-upon-Avon Poetry Festival, in association with Amnesty International UK.

Hot-foot from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and en route to London, Straylight Australia Theatre Company will present Shakespeare’s Queens: She-Wolves and Serpents at Hall’s Croft on 26 August.  Written by Kath Perry, who also stars, the play sews a thread between all of Shakespeare’s queens, from the ruthless serpent of the Nile, Cleopatra, to Titania, Gertrude and Lady Macbeth.  

Fifty children from Haringey Shed, the young people’s mixed ability theatre group will perform The Tempest on 27 August.  Based in Tottenham, London, the award winning, inclusive company provides regular after-school workshops, outreach sessions and holiday activities in music, drama and movement for children and young people of all abilities.

The Festival Players Theatre Company, a professional company renowned internationally for delivering the best in open air Shakespeare, will perform Richard III on 18 and 19 August.

Oddsocks, the acclaimed touring theatre company will be bringing its high energy, entertaining version of Julius Caesar to Hall’s Croft on 25 July.  The family-friendly show will also be staged at Mary Arden’s Farm, Wilmcote on 27 and 28 July.

Tread the Boards Theatre Company, the resident company at the Attic Theatre, Cox’s Yard, Stratford-upon-Avon, will entertain early birds at Hall’s Croft Cafe with Breakfast with Shakespeare on 18, 22 and 25 August.  With plenty of audience participation and breakfast included, this show promises to start your day smiling.

See www.shakespeare.org.uk for event times and booking details.

Notes to editors:

The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust is the world’s leading charity in promoting the works, life and times of William Shakespeare.  It offers a unique Shakespeare centred experience with outstanding archive and library collections, inspiring educational and literary event programmes and five wonderful houses all directly relating to Shakespeare.

As an independent charity we receive no public subsidy or direct government funding. We depend entirely on income generated through our supporters: our visitors, volunteers, donors and Friends.

Hall’s Croft has recently undergone urgent conservation work.  The house is suffering from rot in the timbers which has led to a distortion of the frame that has now reached a critical condition.  Props have been added to existing beams, steel cleats introduced for support and external timber plates added to bridge over weakened joints. This will stabilise the house while the Trust plans for a longer-term conservation solution. The Shakespeare BirthplaceTrust is responsible for the conservation and care of the 400 year-old timber framed houses which were home to the Shakespeare family.  The Trust welcomes contributions to its Shakespeare Houses Conservation Appeal.

 

For further information contact:

Lynn Beddoe

PR Manager

Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

T: 01789 207134

M: 07887 661770

 

www.bilimankhwe-arts.org

http://www.haringeyshed.org/home