An Evening of History, Drama and Literature

Richard II was a king whose life was frequently held up as a lesson to future generations. The boy king who put down the Peasant’s Revolt, who sold his kingdom from under him to his favourites, and who was finally deposed. His story, and what it meant, was argued over by writers in the then famous collection A Mirror for Magistrates – which summoned the ghosts of historical figures past, and questioned them from the present. See the ghosts of figures in his life come alive once more, as a warning against the fall of princes.

Discussion Guests Include – Dr Harriet Archer, Professor Thomas Betteridge, Dr Stephen Longstaffe

Thursday 11th April at 7.30pm at the Quay Theatre, Sudbury – 01787 374 745 – Tickets available online here. Or go to their website – quaysudbury.com

From the producers of last year’s Bosworth Field – “Bosworth Field was as enthralling as the podcasts ingenuously begun in lockdown. Sir John Beaumont’s rhyming couplets helped the rollicking pace of his bloody tale. The cast’s impressive delivery of them ensured spell-binding success… Bravo Beyond Shakespeare!” Pat Rudkins, HALSTEAD GAZETTE

Cast

Henry, Lord Stafford (summoning Sir Thomas of Woodstock) – Stephen Longstaffe (see panel below)

George Ferrers (summoning Robert Tresilian) – Liza Graham

Liza Graham has a long history of working with grassroots Shakespeare companies including Cream-Faced Loons, Sirrah Sisters, Scaffold Shakespeare Company, Scrawny Cat and The Show Must Go Online.  Recently she directed The Old Wives’ Tale by George Peele for Beyond’s Winter Revels 2023.  Operatic roles include Omniscient Seashell Aegyptische Helena, Arnalta & Nutrice Poppea, Mrs Sedley Peter Grimes, and Cesare Giulio Cesare. 

William Baldwin (summoning Lord Mowbray) – Robert Crighton

Robert Crighton is a multi award-winning playwright, performer, storyteller and theatre maker. Based in the wilds of Suffolk, he explores strange old worlds and old civilisations as founder of Beyond Shakespeare. He has led workshops and readings of over 500 plays from the pre-modern period, and produced dozens of full cast audio adaptations free to hear online.

Sir Thomas Chaloner (summoning Richard II) – Kit McGuire

Kit McGuire is an actor and writer. Previously with the Beyond Podcast, Kit has appeared in Dido Queen of Carthage, Arden of Faversham, Cleopatra, Old Wives Tale, and the Battle of Bosworth Field. Other theatre credits include Surrogates (WWWC), Bard in the Yard (Will and Co.), and Romeo and Juliet (Fred Theatre).

After the Fall Discussion Panel

Professor Thomas Betteridge is Dean of the College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences at Brunel University London. He is an expert in English Reformation history and Tudor drama, a member of the Research Advisory Board for Historic Royal Palaces and a strategic reviewer for the AHRC.

Dr Harriet Archer is a lecturer in Early Modern English Literature at the University of St Andrews. Harriet’s research focuses on Tudor attitudes toward textual transmission, cultural production and literary authority, including the Renaissance reception of classical and medieval writing and thought in drama and printed poetry.

Dr Stephen Longstaffe has edited the only early modern play on the 1381 Peasant’s Revolt (Jack Straw) for the Edwin Mellen Press, a collection of essays on 1 Henry IV for Bloomsbury, and co-edited a collection of essays on the Elizabethan history play for Manchester University Press. He has a long-standing interest in the English radical tradition, history plays, clowns, and cue-scripts, and since his retirement a university lecturer, has trained in both clowning and improvisation. Following this show he will be performing at the second Liverpool Improvisation Festival.