Beyond Shakespeare

Discussing: Staging Marlowe with Lazarus Theatre Company Host Robert Crighton discusses with Ricky Dukes & Gavin Harrington-Odedra of Lazarus Theatre Company about their upcoming work on Doctor Faustus, as well as their past productions of other plays by Christopher Marlowe, including Edward II, Dido and Tamberlaine. Lazarus is an award-winning theatre company, re-imagining and revitalising classic work in visual, visceral and vibrant productions. Lazarus is currently in residence at the Greenwich Theatre, and their latest season begins again in February 2018. Thanks again to Ricky Dukes, & Gavin Harrington-Odedra for speaking with us and for Greenwich Theatre for allowing us to record in their space. Links and twitter handles - https://www.lazarustheatrecompany.co.uk @LazarusTheatre  The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi htt

A plain text version of Act 4 of God's Promises written by protestant playwright John Bale in 1538\. This act sees God talking to the prophet Moses, part of a procession of prophets, before finally preparing the way for the arrival of Jesus through speaking to John the Baptist. This is a follow up to a test recording made in 2013 and incorporates elements from that session and maintaining the basic style for continuity. As a plain text version, with no music or sound effects beyond the odd filter, it's primarily here to give us - and you - an idea of what would be needed to bring the play to life. Other recordings from the play are available, and more are on the way. Narrator - Annie Eddington, God - Robert Crighton & Moses - Rob Myson. For more info go to our website: www.beyondshakespeare.org - or you can support our work on patreon: www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare The text to God's Promises can be found variously online with only a few textual issues - one example can be found here. https://www.gutenbe

The Alchemist (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to The Alchemist by Ben Jonson - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not (necessarily) supplying one. If you'd like to make us to do a full audio production of this play, join us on patreon and choose this play at the next vote. www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare  Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, produced by Robert Crighton. Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk The play is in print and available variously online - an example of the text can be found here. http://www.hollowaypages.com/jonson1692alchemist.htm

Discussing: The Playhouse (or Newington Butts) with Professor Laurie Johnson . Host Robert Crighton discusses with Laurie Johnson (Professor of English and Cultural Studies at the University of Southern Queensland) about The Playhouse, otherwise known as Newington Butts, and his book covering what happened there over eleven days in 1594\. Shakespeare’s Lost Playhouse: Eleven Days at Newington Butts is available now from Routledge. To help follow the discussion of these eleven days in 1594, we suggest having at look at Henslowe As A Blog - http://hensloweasablog.blogspot.com/2018/06/ - this link covers the month of playing at The Playhouse, so start at the bottom of the page and follow us up! It can also be found on Twitter @HensloweAsaBlog with updates most days. It’s a lovely application of social media and the online to bring history to life. Thanks again to Professor Laurie Johnson for speaking with us. Support this podcast by going to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare or follow us @BeyondShakes on Twitt

A Tale of a Tub (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to A Tale of a Tub by Ben Jonson - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not supplying one.  If you'd like to make us to do a full audio production of this play, join us on patreon and choose this play at the next vote. www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, produced by Robert Crighton. Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

D, G, T (or, Tom, Dick & Gary) - A Fragment of a Lost Play.  A lost fragment of a play, only ten lines long - given as full a treatment as we could do at this time. Dick is played by Heydn McCabe, Tom by Geir Madland and Gary by Rob Myson. The presenter is Robert Crighton. The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare

It's the results of the first ever public vote by our patrons has come in - full update of future shows, the new winter / spring season of shows. Four winning plays - and other news. Hosted by Robert Crighton - with additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk - To support our work go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare

Cain and Abel, from the Chester Mystery Cycle, based on the second half of the Drapers Play. This full cast audio recording covers Adam teaching his children, their offerings to God, Abel's murder by Cain, and his leaving. Sound effects and musical stings are from https://www.zapsplat.com and http://www.freesfx.co.uk. Cast: God - Robert Crighton, Adam - Cecil Qadir, Eve - Annie Eddington, Abel - Andy Barrett and Cain - Richard Fawcett. Recorded at the Quay Theatre #earlyenglishdrama #mysteryplay #chester #adamandeve

Discussing: John Rastell, with John Thor Ewing - modern editor of Rastell's A Hundred Merry Tales, which is available now from all good book sellers. John Rastell was a huge influence on early modern drama, not only as a playwright (of The Four Elements and parts of Gentleness and Nobility) but more importantly as a publisher and stager of plays. His Jest Book, A Hundred Merry Tales, was an incredibly popular work of the time, and now has a spanking new edition edited by our guest. Host Robert Crighton discusses with John Thor Ewing the history of the book, John Rastell's life, and a little bit about their contemporaries and his own writing. Also featured, a preview of new weeks podcast, from our full cast audio production of the Cain sequence in the Chester Mystery Cycle. Support this podcast by going to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare or follow us @BeyondShakes on Twitter. The Cain preview features performances by Andy Barrett as Abel and Richard Fawcett as Cain - with additional sfx from freesfx.co.uk

An archive recording of Act 1 of God's Promises written by protestant playwright John Bale in 1538 (staged in 1547). This act sees God talking to the prophet Adam - he will speak with another five prophets, before finally preparing the way for the arrival of Jesus through speaking to John the Baptist. This was a follow up (recorded in 2015) to a test recording made in 2013 (incorporating elements from that session), to give us an idea of what would be needed to bring the play to life. It's closer to how we'd like to record work in the future, but still work in progress. Other recordings from the play are available, and more is on the way. Narrator - Annie Eddington, God - Robert Crighton & Adam - Simon Nader

A Full Cast Adaptation of The Four P's by John Heywood Three travellers meet and pass the time arguing as to who is better at getting to heaven - the Palmer, for his pilgrimages, the Pardoner for his relics, or the Pothecary for his medicines. They are met by a Peddler, who persuades them to settle their disagreement by having a contest in something they are all suited at - lying. A couple of tall tales later, and the Peddler is ready to make his judgement. Otherwise known as The Four PP - the double PP is pronounced Peees - this is a full cast adaption recorded on location as part of the complete plays of John Heywood season. With Robert Crighton as the Palmer, Heydn McCabe as the Pardoner, Geir Madland as the Pothecary and Rob Myson as the Peddler. Recorded on location at the Constitutional Club, Bury St Edmunds, with addition sound effects thanks to http://www.freesfx.co.uk  For more information about this podcast go to our blog. https://beyondshakespeare.blogspot.co.uk/

A Full Cast Adaptation of Gentleness and Nobility by John Heywood and John Rastell A Knight overhears a Merchant boasting of his nobleness, sparking an argument between the two as to what is a gentleman. They are further interupted by a Ploughman, whose debating style is a little more… violent. With Rob Myson as the Merchant, Heydn McCabe as the Knight and Robert Crighton as the Ploughman. The Epilogue is Geir Madland. John Heywood exploring sessions can be found on our YouTube channel - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoKffZtkgZ7mUYF_d1mD72fr For more information about this podcast go to our website - http://beyondshakespeare.org/

An updated version of our Roaring Girl episode - with a discussion about the play with Professor Tracey Hill of Bath Spa University and host Robert Crighton. The prologue to The Roaring Girl by Middleton and Dekker is performed by Sarah Golding. Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

Anything For A Quiet Life (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to Anything for a Quiet Life by Thomas Middleton & John Webster - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not supplying one.   Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, produced by Robert Crighton.  Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

No Wit / Help Like A Woman's (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue  A performance of the prologue to No Wit / Help Like A Womans, or The Almanac by Thomas Middleton - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not supplying one.  Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, produced by Robert Crighton Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

The Roaring Girl (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to The Roaring Girl by Thomas Middleton & Thomas Dekker - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not supplying one.   Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, presented by Robert Crighton  Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

The Bloody Banquet (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to The Bloody Banquet by Thomas Middleton & Thomas Dekker, followed by a mix of the prologue with stage directions from the Inductio.  Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, presented by Robert Crighton Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

The Actors Remonstrance or Complaint for the silencing of their profession and banishment from their several playhouses - a satirical pamphlet written in January 1643 about the closing of the playhouses. We've taken the text at its word as to the setting. If it's too silly, we may put out a less fiddly version.  Performed by Geir Madland and produced by Robert Crighton. Additional sound effects from www.zapsplat.com

An Ordinance for the Utter Suppression and Abolishing of All Stage Plays and Interludes - 1647 A reading of the ordinance that abolished stage plays in 1647 - the final podcast in our timeline, ironically one of the earliest recorded. Performed by Geir Madland and produced by Robert Crighton.

A Full Cast Adaptation of John Heywood's comedy, The Pardoner and the Friar. A Pardoner and a Friar arrive at a church to beg for alms - unfortunately at the same time, the each refusing to give way to the other. With increasing frustration they compete for the audiences attention, before things get more fraught with the arrival of the local Parson. With Rob Myson as the Friar and Heydn McCabe as the Pardoner. Also featuring Robert Crighton as the Parson and Simon Nader as Neighbour Prat. Additional voices by Michael Fouldes and Andy Piper. For more information about this play, a transcript of the rehearsal text, and general background go to our blog. https://beyondshakespeare.blogspot.co.uk/