EUROPE S FIRST EVER POP-UP SHAKESPEAREAN THEATRE 25 JUNE 2 SEPTEMBER 2018 TOWER STREET YORK

Transcription

1 EUROPE S FIRST EVER POP-UP SHAKESPEAREAN THEATRE 25 JUNE 2 SEPTEMBER 2018 TOWER STREET YORK

2 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 8 the greatest wordsmith in history To be, or not to be: that is the question. Hamlet Act 3, Scene 1 My only love sprung from my only hate Romeo and Juliet Act 1, Scene 5 Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon em. Twelfth Night Act 2, Scene 5 Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast. Romeo and Juliet Act 2, Scene 3 This above all: to thine own self be true. If music be the food of love, play on. Twelfth Night Act 1, Scene 1 Hamlet Act 1, Scene 3 ALL THAT GLISTERS IS NOT GOLD. Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow. Romeo and Juliet Act 2, Scene 2 The Merchant of Venice Act 2, Scene 7 Friends, Romans, %%% countrymen, lend me your ears: I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him. Julius Caesar Act 3, Scene 2 Is this a dagger which I see before me, The handle toward my hand? Macbeth Act 2, Scene 1 A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse! Richard III Act 5, Scene 4 And though she be but little, she is fierce. A Midsummer Night s Dream Act 3 Scene 2 How far that little candle throws his beams. So shines a good deed in a weary world. The Merchant of Venice Act 5, Scene 1 Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Henry IV, Part 2 Act 3, Scene 1 OFF WITH HIS HEAD! Richard III Act 3, Scene 4 LOVE LOOKS NOT WITH THE EYES, BUT WITH THE MIND A Midsummer Night s Dream Act 1, Scene 1 Out, damned spot! Out, I say! Macbeth Act 5, Scene 1 O beware, my lord, of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on. Othello Act 3, Scene 3

3 INTRODUCTION Europe s first ever pop-up Shakespearean theatre is coming to York in summer 2018 More than 400 years ago, the first audiences for Shakespeare s plays enjoyed an experience that was as intimate as it was exciting, crowded in close to the actors and the action, in a small theatre in the bustling city of London. In Shakespeare s Rose Theatre an experience every bit as exciting, intimate and immersive will be offered to today s audiences in a dramatic playhouse setting beside the iconic 13th century Clifford s Tower in the heart of the historic city of York. Inspired by the famous London Rose Playhouse built in 1587, 12 years prior to The Globe, the theatre will combine state-of-theart scaffolding technology, corrugated iron and timber with the historic 13-sided design of a 16th century Shakespearean theatre. It will house an audience of 950, with 600 seated on three tiered balconies around an openroofed courtyard, and standing room for 350 groundlings. Outside the theatre, Shakespeare s Village will showcase the best of Yorkshire s food and drink, with free wagon performances and other forms of Elizabethan entertainment vying for attention. Four of William Shakespeare s greatest plays will be performed by two companies of actors in repertory over the 10-week summer season: Macbeth, A Midsummer Night s Dream, Romeo and Juliet and Richard III. Traditional in conception, yet fresh and fun in delivery, Romeo and Juliet and Richard III will be directed by the West End s renowned Lindsay Posner, while York Theatre Royal s Olivier Award-winning Artistic Director Damian Cruden and Associate Director Juliet Forster will be putting their stamp on Macbeth and A Midsummer Night s Dream. The unique environment of Shakespeare s Rose Theatre connects actors and audience together in ways many people will never have experienced before. While an interactive experience awaits those closest to the stage in the courtyard, no seat will be more than 15m from the action, providing plenty of breathtaking, spine-tingling, heart-stopping moments! With dramatic sword-fights, bubbling cauldrons, wayward fairies, passionate love scenes, gruesome murders, grand poetry and no shortage of fake blood, audiences will experience the comic heights and tragic depths of Shakespearean theatre in a memorable setting.

4 THE PLAYS Romeo and Juliet For never was a story of more woe Than this of Juliet and her Romeo. The most famous love story ever written, Romeo and Juliet is a tale of young love, grand passion, feuding families, street violence and the cruelties of fate. A long-standing feud between two noble families, the Montagues and the Capulets, means that when Romeo Montague and the Capulets only daughter Juliet, meet and fall passionately in love, they know that their love is forbidden. Soon after marrying in secret, another brawl between the warring sides erupts on the streets, and in revenge for the killing of his friend, Romeo kills Tybalt, a Capulet cousin, and is exiled. Attempts to unite the star-crossed lovers lead to tragic consequences. Macbeth It is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. Macbeth is bloody, fast-paced, action-packed and psychologically tense. Populated by witches, ghosts and haunting apparitions, it tells the story of over-reaching ambition, a toxic marriage, a kingdom in crisis and a man s encounter with his own darkest self. Returning victorious from battle in the service of King Duncan of Scotland, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three witches who prophesy that Macbeth will become Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland, while Banquo s descendants will be kings. Consumed by ambition and spurred on by his wife, Macbeth murders Duncan and assumes the crown. Macbeth then embarks on a murderous path to secure his position and confront his own fears.

5 A Midsummer Night s Dream The course of true love never did run smooth. One of Shakespeare s funniest and most delightful comedies, A Midsummer Night s Dream is a riot of criss-crossed love and feuding fairies, with clod-hopping amateur actors and a magical potion adding to the mayhem. In Athens, Hermia is in love with Lysander, and Helena is in love with Demetrius. But Hermia s father insists that his daughter marry Demetrius. Hermia and Lysander decide to elope, confiding in Helena who in turn tells Demetrius, hoping that her honesty will win his heart. That night all four set out into the wood near Athens where the fairy king and queen, Oberon and Titania, are arguing. When Oberon decides to resolve matters by using the juice of a magic flower, much confusion, mistaken identity and comedy ensues. Richard III Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York. Of particular significance to the historic city of York, Shakespeare s Richard III has contributed influentially to Richard s reputation as one of the most colourful villains in British history. Shakespeare portrays Richard as more intelligent and more engaging than any other character in the play a gleeful and treacherous villain murdering his way mercilessly to the crown before facing his own demons the night before the Battle of Bosworth. The Duke of Gloucester (the future Richard III) has his eyes firmly fixed on the crown, and will stop at nothing to achieve his aim. He conducts a strikingly audacious love suit wooing the woman whose husband and father-in-law he has murdered and one by one eliminates the obstacles that stand between him and the throne. Having arranged to have his two young nephews murdered in the Tower of London, he is finally crowned King. But his tyranny does not go unopposed. The Earl of Richmond arrives from France to challenge him at Bosworth Field. The night before the battle, the ghosts of all Richard s victims appear to him in a dream, cursing him and praying for Richmond to be victorious. The following morning Richard is killed, and Richmond assumes the throne, promising a new era of peace for England by uniting the warring Houses of Lancaster and York into the new Tudor dynasty.

6 SHAKESPEARE S VILLAGE Outside Shakespeare s Rose Theatre will be Shakespeare s Village, with wagon entertainment, jesters and minstrels, the best Yorkshire food and drinks and an Elizabethan garden. Access to Shakespeare s Village is free of charge. Experience... During Elizabethan times, actors would often travel the country performing plays on farm wagons. We will be recreating this entertainment with a daily schedule of sensational speeches, punchy plays, soulful sonnets and medieval music as well as silent black and white Shakespeare movies from the early 1900s. And no Shakespearean village would be complete without a jester or fool, making merry with japes and juggling! Feast... Shakespeare s Rose Theatre has joined forces with Brian Turner, the Yorkshire-born celebrity chef (Ready Steady Cook, Saturday Kitchen, A Taste of Britain), to source some of the finest local fare to feast on, as well as ice creams, soft drinks and a fully licensed bar, housed in oak-framed and reed-thatched buildings. Relax... With a leading Yorkshire garden designer we will be creating an Elizabethan garden with ornate box-edged beds of vegetables, cottage flowers and herbs. Learn... Immerse yourself in the history that surrounds Shakespeare s Village with display boards illustrating the 13th century York landmark of Clifford s Tower, the Female Prison, Castle Museum, the ancient Eye of York and even The Drop where criminals were hanged!

7 I like this place, and willingly could waste my time in it As You Like It Act 2, Scene 4 STAY A LITTLE LONGER Tarry a little. There is something else. The Merchant of Venice Act 4, Scene 1 Just a short walk from Shakespeare s Rose Theatre there is much to intrigue and delight YORK CASTLE MUSEUM Explore over 400 years of history in this award-winning museum of everyday life, famous for its collections of costumes, textiles, military and social history. Take a trip through time into the recreated Victorian street of Kirkgate. CLIFFORD S TOWER One of the best-loved landmarks in York, its 13th century stone tower is the largest remaining part of York Castle. Climb to the top of the Tower for the wall-walk affording panoramic views of the city. JORVIK VIKING CENTRE The world-famous JORVIK Viking Centre has recently re-opened following a multi-million pound re-imagining. Hop aboard the new ride experience and be transported back to the year AD960, with the sights, sounds and of course smells of Viking-age York.

8 DIRECTORS Lindsay Posner DIRECTOR ROMEO AND JULIET AND RICHARD III Lindsay is a renowned West End theatre director. His production of Death and the Maiden, as Associate Director at the Royal Court Theatre in London, won two Olivier Awards and his production of A View from the Bridge at the Duke of York s Theatre was nominated for four Oliviers, including Best Director. Lindsay s Shakespeare credits include Richard III (at the Old Globe, San Diego) as well as Twelfth Night and The Taming of the Shrew for the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has directed some of the greatest plays at some of London s most famous theatres: The Provok d Wife, The Winslow Boy and Noises Off at The Old Vic, Abigail s Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Uncle Vanya and An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville, The Hypochondriac at the Almeida, and Tartuffe at the National Theatre. In addition, Lindsay has directed musicals and operas. Damian Cruden DIRECTOR MACBETH Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to you, trippingly on the tongue. Hamlet Act 3, Scene 2 Damian has been Artistic Director of York Theatre Royal for the past 20 years. He won an Olivier Award for his acclaimed production of The Railway Children, which incorporated a real steam engine into the imaginative staging. Originally performed at the National Railway Museum in York, the stunning production later transferred to Waterloo Station in London, followed by a season in Toronto, and the King s Cross Theatre in London. In addition to directing the celebrated York Mystery Plays (2012), Damian s Shakespeare credits at York Theatre Royal include Macbeth, Othello and Romeo and Juliet. His other notable productions include Brideshead Revisited, Blithe Spirit, Peter Pan, My Family and Other Animals, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Wind in the Willows, Death of a Salesman, Pygmalion, Brassed Off, Les Liaisons Dangereuses and Educating Rita. Damian has also co-directed the last 18 hugely popular pantomimes at York Theatre Royal with local legend Berwick Kaler. Juliet Forster DIRECTOR A MIDSUMMER NIGHT S DREAM Juliet is an award-winning director and Associate Director at York Theatre Royal. She has also worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) at Stratford-upon- Avon the home of Shakespeare directing young people s productions based on The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors, Much Ado About Nothing and Henry IV, Part One, as well as regularly leading teacher training sessions on practical approaches to Shakespeare both nationally and internationally. Juliet s Shakespeare credits also include Twelfth Night for York Theatre Royal, The Tempest for Winchester Theatre Royal and A Midsummer Night s Dream for Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. Her other directing credits at YTR include: Everything Is Possible: The York Suffragettes, The Machine Stops, Betrayal, The Crucible and Beyond Measure to name just a few.

9 PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE JUNE 2.30pm 7.30pm MON 25 MACBETH ROMEO & JULIET TUE 26 ROMEO & JULIET MACBETH WED 27 ROMEO & JULIET MACBETH THU 28 MIDSUMMER N D ROMEO & JULIET FRI 29 RICHARD III MIDSUMMER N D SAT 30 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH JULY 2.30pm 7.30pm SUN 01 ROMEO & JULIET RICHARD III MON 02 MACBETH *(SCH) MIDSUMMER N D TUE 03 MIDSUMMER N D *(SCH) RICHARD III WED 04 ROMEO & JULIET *(SCH) MACBETH THU 05 MIDSUMMER N D ROMEO & JULIET FRI 06 ROMEO & JULIET MACBETH SAT 07 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET SUN 08 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D MON 09 ROMEO & JULIET *(SCH) RICHARD III TUE 10 MIDSUMMER N D *(SCH) MACBETH WED 11 MACBETH *(SCH) ROMEO & JULIET THU 12 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D FRI 13 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET SAT 14 ROMEO & JULIET MACBETH SUN 15 RICHARD III MIDSUMMER N D MON 16 MIDSUMMER N D *(SCH) MACBETH TUE 17 ROMEO & JULIET *(SCH) MIDSUMMER N D WED 18 MACBETH *(SCH) ROMEO & JULIET THU 19 ROMEO & JULIET RICHARD III FRI 20 RICHARD III MACBETH SAT 21 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH SUN 22 MIDSUMMER N D ROMEO & JULIET MON 23 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D TUE 24 ROMEO & JULIET RICHARD III WED 25 RICHARD III MIDSUMMER N D THU 26 MACBETH ROMEO & JULIET FRI 27 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH SAT 28 ROMEO & JULIET MIDSUMMER N D SUN 29 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET MON 30 MACBETH ROMEO & JULIET TUE 31 ROMEO & JULIET RICHARD III AUGUST 2.30pm 7.30pm WED 01 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH THU 02 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D FRI 03 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET SAT 04 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH SUN 05 ROMEO & JULIET MIDSUMMER N D MON 06 ROMEO & JULIET RICHARD III TUE 07 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D WED 08 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET THU 09 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH FRI 10 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D SAT 11 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET SUN 12 ROMEO & JULIET MIDSUMMER N D MON 13 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D TUE 14 ROMEO & JULIET MACBETH WED 15 MIDSUMMER N D RICHARD III THU 16 MACBETH ROMEO & JULIET FRI 17 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH SAT 18 ROMEO & JULIET MIDSUMMER N D SUN 19 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET MON 20 MACBETH ROMEO & JULIET TUE 21 ROMEO & JULIET RICHARD III WED 22 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH THU 23 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D FRI 24 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET SAT 25 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH SUN 26 ROMEO & JULIET MIDSUMMER N D MON 27 ROMEO & JULIET RICHARD III TUE 28 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D WED 29 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET THU 30 MIDSUMMER N D MACBETH FRI 31 MACBETH MIDSUMMER N D SEPTEMBER 2.30pm 7.30pm SAT 01 RICHARD III ROMEO & JULIET SUN 02 ROMEO & JULIET MIDSUMMER N D *(SCH) = Schools performances at 11.00am. See Booking Details for further information. OUR SUPPORTERS FROM THE STAGE Dame Judi Dench, Sir Ben Kingsley, Dame Penelope Wilton, James Norton

10 SEATING PLAN 9 UPPER MIDDLE LOWER LOWER MIDDLE UPPER 1 THE YORK EXPERIENCE THE YORK EXPERIENCE STAGE 8 COURTYARD WHEEL- CHAIRS WHEEL- CHAIRS 2 GROUNDLINGS AREA 7 MIDDLE LOWER WHEELCHAIRS PLATFORM LOWER MIDDLE 3 UPPER UPPER The York Experience VIP A Reserve B Reserve C Reserve Groundlings Wheelchairs Courtyard VIP (Each wheelchair space includes carer seat free of charge). All our seats are the same comfortably cushioned and backed, with plenty of leg room so you just need to decide how close to the action you would like to be! The York Experience Be a part of the drama in the best seats! Individual chairs right beside the stage with a private area in the village for entertaining guests pre-show and during the interval, a glass of champagne and canapes per person and an exclusive backstage tour. VIP * Either beside the stage or the nearest covered seating to the stage, on the lower tier. A superb, close-up view of the action. A Reserve * In the middle tier and first row of the upper tier (blocks 2-8), under cover, with an excellent view of the stage, just above the action. B Reserve * In the middle tier of Blocks 1 and 9 (which may at times have a back view of the actors) and the upper tier of the rest of the theatre. Under cover with a wonderful elevated view of the action. C Reserve * In the upper tier. (Blocks 1 and 9 may at times have a back view of the actors.) Under cover with a wonderful elevated view of the action. Groundlings Be immersed in the drama, in the courtyard right up close to the stage, interacting at times with the actors. It s first come first served! You will be standing for the duration of the play, and will be open to the elements, so dress appropriately. Umbrellas will not be permitted as this will impede the view of other patrons. Wheelchair users and carers are positioned in the open courtyard in front of A Reserve seating, directly opposite the stage. Best seats in the house! In addition, VIP wheelchair and carer seats will be available under cover at the side of the stage. = booking/delivery fees apply * Note there are stairs to climb.

11 BOOKING DETAILS MULTIPLE SHOW DISCOUNTS Buy tickets for 2 shows and enjoy 5% discount Buy tickets for 3 shows and enjoy 10% discount Buy tickets for all 4 shows and enjoy 15% discount GROUPS Groups of 10 plus receive 10% discount in VIP, A and B Reserve only Additional 5% discount if purchased before 28 February Only one discount offer applicable per booking for Multiple Show Discounts and Groups WHEELCHAIR USERS Courtyard, ramped platform, not under cover 8 wheelchair spaces and 8 carer seats Groundling price of 12.50, carer goes free. VIP, ramped platform, under cover, beside stage two areas of 6 wheelchair spaces and 6 carer seats 59.95, carer goes free. Registered disabled patrons are also entitled to a free carer ticket, though ambulant patrons should select regular seats as wheelchair spaces are limited. Note there are stairs to climb (see Seating Plan) and no lifts. SPONSORS CHILDREN (17 and under) 3 off all seats, 2 off Groundlings. Productions are suitable for those aged 10 and above, at parent/guardian s discretion. Children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult. Babes in arms will not be permitted in the theatre. All patrons must be in possession of a ticket. SCHOOLS Nine morning performances have been set aside for schools (see schedule). Please contact Lunchbox Theatrical Productions on for further details, information on other school initiatives, and to arrange your visit. School tickets can be purchased for all other performances at the discounted price of for Groundlings or 20 for best available B and C Reserve (limited to 50 tickets per performance). Teacher goes free with every 10 children. THE YORK EXPERIENCE Two boxes of 16 seats (or four of 8 seats) right beside the stage are available for corporate entertainment or private parties, with an exclusive backstage experience and hospitality. Please contact Lunchbox Theatrical Productions on for full details and to book tickets. TO BOOK Calls cost up to 7p per minute plus your phone company s access charge YORK THEATRE ROYAL BOX OFFICE = Booking/delivery fees apply Shakespeare s Rose Theatre is located in Castle car park, off Tower Street, York, YO1 9WD SUPPORTERS

12 All the world s a stage, and all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts. As You Like It Act 2, Scene 7 design & print: