The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast Presents…

Bosworth Field: An Evening of History, Drama and Literature

With the death of Richard III, the battle of Bosworth Field saw the end of the Plantagenet dynasty and the beginning of the Tudor age. The events of that day have been retold by poets, historians and dramatists over the ages – including Bosworth Field by Sir John Beaumont, a brilliant retelling of the battle. Join the Beyond Shakespeare team as they explore the story of the battle from the side of history, before presenting a live performance of Beaumont’s story in all its dramatic glory.

Performed on Thursday 20th July 2023 at The Quay Theatre, Sudbury, Suffolk.

The Company

Pamela Flanagan – Narrator for King Richard

Karim Kronfli – Narrator for Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond

Simon Nader – King Richard III

Sarah Golding – The Ghost of Henry VI, Ferrers, Hungerford

Gillian Horgan – Richmond, Earl of Surrey (Norfolk’s son), Bourchier

Heydn McCabe – Thomas Stanley, Byron, Talbot

Rob Myson – Duke of Norfolk (father to Surrey), Clifton

Stephen Longstaffe – Brakenbury, Oxford

Kit McGuire – Catesby, Narrator for the French, Percy, Scout

Robert Crighton – Host

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The Road to Bosworth Field – panel discussion with host Robert Crighton, guest speakers Doctor Jitka Štollová & Doctor Stephen Longstaffe, plus readers Sarah Golding and Karim Kronfli.

The Afterlives of Richard the Third

Bosworth Field is a part of a host of plays, poems, and other interesting writing about Richard III from the aftermath of his reign. Explore our productions and explorations of these texts below.

The Song of Lady Bessy – dating from sometime after the fall of Richard, it exists in a strange in between world of being both fictive, and also potentially a first hand account of the run up to and battle of Bosworth. Exploring Session available.

The True Tragedy of Richard III, from the repertoire of the Queen’s Men – a play that gives a more rounded shape to the usurpation than you’d expect. First and Second Look Exploring Sessions available in the playlist below, plus a Fantasy Production Meeting projecting possible productions of the play.

The Rising to the Crown of Richard III by Himself (via Giles Fletcher) – a fairly conventional rise of the tyrant version of his story, conveniently stopping just prior to the battle itself. Performed by David Ault.

The Ghost of Richard III by Christopher Brooke – Adapted and performed by Robert Crighton during COVID lockdown, performed in an empty Quay Theatre. This is a cut down version of the poem, which tells Richard’s story as from his risen ghost. It delves more into his character, though he is still portrayed as a villain from the off, rather than as a more rounded human being. The live streamed video version will return online soon.

There’s also a discussing episode on the poem on the podcast below.

Bosworth Field – live show above, but we have also produced a rough exploring session to work through the text.

There are other works to come, including looks at another earlier Bosworth Field text, similar to Lady Bessy, and even an epic Latin play. There were also ballads on Richard, which can be heard via the wonderful Passamezzo. Work on Richard specific sections of historical work The Mirror for Magistrates will become public, but for the moment live on the patreon feed.