Beyond Shakespeare

It's a mini double bill, with Robert wittering on about the new patreon voted play/workshop series - followed by another 'lost' discussing episode. It's a bittersweet convo with Beth Burns about Hidden Room Theatre's production of Arden of Faversham, which was supposed to come to the UK - but this was recorded pre-pandemic and... well, things didn't turn out the way everyone hoped. But, there is a good chat about early modern theatre in revival and Arden specifically, so good stuff. The Hidden Room Theatre page on Arden of Faversham is here - http://hiddenroomtheatre.com/past/arden-of-faversham/ 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 https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: htt

This is our spoilerly introduction to the Chester Temptation play - with the Woman Taken in Adultery. It is play 12 of the Chester cycle, which we've danced around as a sequence a fair amount since our inception.  The forthcoming full cast audio adaptation has been produced by the wonderful Dashingly Quirky, one of a number of upcoming works we've commissioned. The full cast audio adaptation follows in a few weeks time. !Spoilers! is hosted by Robert Crighton, featuring the voices of... Satan - Robert Cudmore Jesus - Karim Kronfli Doctor - Méabh de Brún Maeve de Brun Pharisee 1 - Fiona MacKinnon Pharisee 2 - Emily C. A. Snyder Woman - Sarah Golding Play text directed by Sarah Golding & Fiona Thraille. The upcoming production of The Temptation was produced by Fiona Thraille and Sarah Golding and is a Dashingly Quirky Production for the Beyond Shakespeare podcast. We've done a lot on Chester and Temptation plays... Chester Playlist - https://audioboom.com/playlists/4623693-the-chester-mystery-cycle There's

This is a bonus episode of interviews with the youth company of last year's Lord Mayor's Show reconstruction of The Sun in Aries by Thomas Middleton. This is pretty much the last of our material from the show - new shows to come! Many thanks to Charlie Beer, Holly Bartlett Giles, Quinn Scott, and Sam Plumb for giving their time to this project and that interview – the interview was recorded at Chesterton Community College in November 2021. More on this LMS, and our reconstruction of the event, can be found here - https://beyondshakespeare.org/triumph-1621-sun-in-aries-recon/ Previous podcasts on the 1621 LMS include this intro to our reconstruction - https://audioboom.com/posts/7961092-reconstructing-middleton-s-1621-lord-mayor-s-show And this recording of the live event - https://audioboom.com/posts/8000607-triumph-1621-live-recording-of-the-sun-in-aries-recon And this !Spoilers! episode, walking you through the whole text in detail - https://audioboom.com/posts/8137014-spoilers-the-sun-in-aries-by-thomas-

Welcome to this very special !Spoilers! episode, covering The Sun in Aries by Thomas Middleton - it goes through the text in the usual stop/start way, with a mix of readings from our prep for the live recon, plus the original exploring session in full. It's everything you didn't need to know under one roof. I have yet to do a final pass over the audio, so some tweaking will occur prior to final release. With Tracey Hill, Perry Mills, Daniel Yabut, Stephen Longstaffe, Liza Graham, Gregory Musson, Eric Karoulla, Rachael Nicole and Angela McShane. Additional reading thanks to Charlie Beer, Holly Bartlett Giles, Quinn Scott, and Sam Plumb of the youth company for the reconstruction. The episode is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton More on this LMS, and our reconstruction of the event, can be found here - https://beyondshakespeare.org/triumph-1621-sun-in-aries-recon/ Previous podcasts on the 1621 LMS include this intro to our reconstruction - https://audioboom.com/posts/7961092-reconstructing-middleton-s-1

A remixed combination of the two fragmentary play texts, Temperance and Humility and The Four Cardinal Virtues - using the material we recorded for the two separate plays. We think, whilst the match isn't quite perfect, that the similarity of the two texts means we can slot them together, and one day use these fragments to construct a longer, fuller version for performance. In Temperance and other Virtues – Disobedience who becomes Fortitude was played by Gillian Horgan, Temperance by Pamela Flanagan, Humility by Leigh McDonald, Wilfulness by Robert Crighton, Justice by Geir Madland, and Prudence by Liza Graham. Recording and technical presentation was by 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 - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow u

Discussing: Look About You with Lois Potter, Ned B. Allen Professor Emerita of the University of Delaware. Yes, it's time for a nice chat with YouTube regular Lois Potter about one of our favourite plays - Look About You, or Robin Hood: The Early Years. We've done exploring sessions on Look About You on YouTube here - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoIR0raF2UFZ6J8lyzEhyAha We've done, at the least, a first look exploring run at all the Robin Hood plays, plus more for select others.  Full Cast Audio Adaptation on the Podcast: Robin Hood and the Sheriff/Knight - https://audioboom.com/posts/7124367-robin-hood-and-the-sheriff Robin Hood and the Friar - https://audioboom.com/posts/7114942-robin-hood-and-the-friar Robin Hood and the Potter - https://audioboom.com/posts/7120136-robin-hood-and-the-potter YouTube videos: General Playlist - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoLajx9vcZ7Vtw07YsJgY8FD Edward I by George Peele - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoI-6hCF_T_COL-JP6mZ

It's another exciting fragments episode - The Four Cardinal Virtues was written sometime between 1537-47. This is a ridiculously long episode for the length of the fragment, but we don't care; no play left behind! There will be a bonus episode doing a link up with Temperance and Humility, which feels very close to this play, soon. In The Four Cardinal Virtues by the Unknown Robert Crighton was Wilfulness, Geir Madland was Justice, Pamela Flanagan was Temperance, Liza Graham was Prudence and Gillian Horgan was Fortitude. Recording and technical presentation was by 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 - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyon

Discussing: Robin Hood, Outlaws in Drama with special guest Dr. Liz Oakley-Brown. First of four lost discussing episodes that we should have released ages ago, but a number of reasons - plague/technical problems/inertia - led to delay after delay. But here we are. A chat about Robin Hood in all the plays. We've done, at the least, a first look exploring run at all the Robin Hood plays, plus more for select others.  Full Cast Audio Adaptation on the Podcast: Robin Hood and the Sheriff/Knight - https://audioboom.com/posts/7124367-robin-hood-and-the-sheriff Robin Hood and the Friar - https://audioboom.com/posts/7114942-robin-hood-and-the-friar Robin Hood and the Potter - https://audioboom.com/posts/7120136-robin-hood-and-the-potter YouTube videos: General Playlist - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoLajx9vcZ7Vtw07YsJgY8FD Edward I by George Peele - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoI-6hCF_T_COL-JP6mZfzye George-a-Greene - First & Second Look videos - https://youtube.com/play

It's that time again - tell us what plays you want to hear us produce!  Also on this episode - up and coming episodes of the podcast! Anyone can vote, though not all votes are equal. Priority does go to our wonderful patrons and one off supporters, so, if you can, do vote and pledge something to keep the lights on and make new shows happen. VOTE HERE: https://forms.gle/PeUzadzTBEsYnrsB9 Join our patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare Donate a one off coffee here: https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare Find out more about the plays to vote for here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/68186467 Thank you for all your support...

A read through and discussion of Wily Beguiled by the Unknown (there are theories, but they don't help) printed in 1606 and could have been produced from around 1601 onwards. It's really difficult to tell who produced the play originally, the text pushes us in contradictory directions. This is a session that normally would live on the YouTube channel, but the first session was such a disaster it could only survive as audio... so this is now here. Though there is a video version, but that's been given to our lovely patreons. https://www.patreon.com/posts/67592179 With Lynsey Beauchamp as Sophos, Plod-all, Gripe; Tom Helsby as Fortunatus; Liza Graham as Songs, Will, Churms, Robin; Somhairle Kelly as Sylvanus, Nurse, Clerk, Peg, Robin. The host was Robert Crighton, who also read Peter, Midnight. 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 http

A read through and discussion of Wily Beguiled by the Unknown (there are theories, but they don't help) printed in 1606 and could have been produced from around 1601 onwards. It's really difficult to tell who produced the play originally, the text pushes us in contradictory directions. This is a session that normally would live on the YouTube channel, but there were a massive number of cock-ups which meant I had to do a LOT of editing which my video skills failed at. So... audio! Part two will follow soon... With Eric Karoulla as Player, Plodall, Peg; Tom Helsby as Lelia, Robin; Angela McShane as Juggler, Will, Sophos, occasional Churms; Desna Mackenzie as Prologue, Old Man, Nurse, occasional Churms; Liza Graham as initial host, Gripe, Peter, Fortunatus, Midnight. The eventual host was 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 - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee

A series of podcasts looking at plays we'd like to see, where we and guests pitch a Fantasy Production. With much merriment and chat, we explore different media, different approaches and a different play each session. Each play has been covered on our YouTube channel, or on the podcast, so you can dig deeper into the text if you'd like. Regular segments include - Cocktail Minute (a play themed cocktail), and from the Chatroom (reactions to the play in chat from our readings). Contributors include: Liza Graham, Alexandra Katagida and Robert Crighton, plus special guest Tamara Ritthaler. Episode Four: Richard III - a dive into the usurpation of a kingdom. Catch up with our First and Second Look Explorings of the play via this handy playlist! https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoLqof8eUWJU5EEJXr93e56y Contribute to our work specifically via Richard III paypal. There will one day be some merchandise - coming soon! Join our Patreon to listen to uncut versions of the podcast - full uncut

Chess Pieces: Exploring A Game at Chess by Thomas Middleton A planning session for our future productions of A Game at Chess by Middleton. We focus on the second half of the play with the scenes between the White Queen's Pawn and the Black Queen's Pawn. Here the play goes in a slightly odd direction, which opens questions of how far does adaptation go. With Gregory Musson as Black Bishop's Pawn; Liza Graham as White Queen's Pawn; Lynsey Beauchamp as Black Queen's Pawn; Tom Helsby as Black Knight's Pawn, White Bishop's Pawn. The host was Robert Crighton, who also read the White Queen. Our initial First Look Exploring Session can be found on our YouTube channel - feel free to browse, like, subscribe - and all that malarky. https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLflmEwgdfKoJWOdHzBzkdJXtRR7UkydSW 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 https

The Brome Abraham and Isaac Play (Full Cast Audio Adaptation) Abraham receives an order from God to sacrifice his favourite son Isaac. Will he go through with it?  Content Warning: Attempted infanticide. It's HEAVY stuff.  If you'd like to get a more detailed look at the text of the play and possible meanings, then go to our !Spoilers! episode - https://audioboom.com/posts/8087109-spoilers-brome-abraham-and-isaac - or one of our other many looks at similar texts (links below...) In the Brome play of Abraham and Isaac are Geir Madland as Abraham, Leigh McDonald as Isaac, Rob Myson as God and Pamela Flanagan as the Angel and the Doctor. The play was recorded and produced Robert Crighton. With additional sfx from zapsplat.com Want more versions of the Abraham and Isaac story? Really? You sure? It's dark out there man! Oh well, you have been warned... Podcast Links - Exploring Session on the Brome Play - https://audioboom.com/posts/7148855-exploring-the-brome-abraham-and-isaac Exploring Sessions on the Chester

A read through and discussion of The Play of Wit and Science, as seen on our YouTube exploring sessions in another of our occasional cross over episodes. Performed around 1544ish. Opinions vary. Late in the reign of Henry the Eighth will do. The play is missing the first few pages, but what can you do. This is the first of three plays that riff on the same material. They have annoyingly similar but different titles.  With Claire Richardson as Reason, Experience; Stephen Longstaffe as Wit; Gregory Musson as Instruction, Idleness, Science; Alex Scott Fairley as Confidence, Tediousness, Ignorancy, Riches; Nuno Meireles as Diligence, Fame; Liza Graham as Study, Honest Recreation, Favour.   The host was Robert Crighton who also read Worship.   You can go to the video version of this episode here. If you want. It's pretty much exactly the same, just you can see our lips move - https://youtu.be/a55FYFxkrEQ  There is also a series of workshop videos where we break the text down further, plus looks at the other vari

It's the first of two episodes on the Brome Abraham and Isaac play, witnessed from somewhere in the late 15th century. This is a !Spoilers! session, working through the rough cut of the play - with the plain text recording at the end. Full cast audio edit to follow shortly! Content Warning: If you don't know the story, it's about attempted infanticide. It's HEAVY stuff.  BE WARNED - If you just want to listen to the play as a play, don't listen to the spoilers episodes. Come back later, or don't listen. However, if you find early drama hard to follow, then you will get a good grounding in the action here - especially as we may make changes or cuts for our final version! The plain text version is rough in hew, it will change and we produce it in part to hunt out errors. In the plain text recording of the Brome play of Abraham and Isaac are Geir Madland as Abraham, Leigh McDonald as Isaac, Rob Myson as God and Pamela Flanagan as the Angel and the Doctor. If you want to skip to the plain text, it starts after 4

A read through and discussion of Godly Queen Hester, as seen on our YouTube exploring sessions in another of our occasional cross over episodes. Performed in the 1520's - possibly 1529. With Eric Karoulla as Third Gentleman, Hardydardy; Alan Scott as Mardocheus; Elizabeth Amisu as Pursuivant/s, Adulation, Arbona; Daniel Yabut as Aman; Lynn Freitas as First Gentleman, Ambition, First Jew; Helen Good as Prologue, Pride, Third Jew; Aliki Chapple as King; Briony Sparrow as Hester; Rachel Moles as Second Gentleman, Second Jew, Scribe. The host was Robert Crighton.  You can go to the video version of this episode here. If you want. It's pretty much exactly the same, just you can see our lips move - https://youtu.be/cic7SNFxNKw 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 https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedba

A Full Cast Audio Adaptation of Dame Sirith, written somewhere in the 13th century. There is a !Spoilers! episode that works through the play text in detail, and you might want to go back there before starting this on, it is a tricky text. !SPOILERS! can be found here - https://audioboom.com/posts/8075104-spoilers-dame-sirith In Dame Sirith: Mark Scanlon was the Narrator, Gillian Horgan - Margery, Seb Ranson - Wiliken, and Sarah Golding - Dame Sirith. The host is Robert Crighton, who produced the audio and provides additional voices. CONTEXT WARNING: Contains scenes of sexual coersion and animal cruelty. No animal was harming in the making of this audio. The dog is deliberately a bit rubbish, because we didn't want the play to take you to too dark a place. You can also listen to our version of the fragmentary Interludium de Clerico et Puella, which is basically the same story, done differently and slightly later... https://audioboom.com/posts/7224328-interludium-de-clerico-et-puella-fragment The Beyond

It's the first of two episodes on Dame Sirith from somewhere in the 13th century. This is a !Spoilers! session, working through the rough cut of the play - also with an Exploring session at the end. It's a massive episode, the follow up full cast audio adaptation will be a lot shorter. The cast for the plain text of Dame Sirith are - Mark Scanlon as the Narrator, Gillian Horgan as Margery, Seb Ranson as Wiliken, and Sarah Golding as Dame Sirith. The Exploring Session readers are Richard Fawcett, Liz Cole, Alan Scott, Maria Walker. The host is Robert Crighton BE WARNED - If you just want to listen to the play as a play, don't listen to the spoilers episodes. Come back later, or don't listen. However, if you find early drama hard to follow, then you will get a good grounding in the action here - especially as we may make changes or cuts for our final version! The plain text version is rough in hew, it will change and we produce it in part to hunt out errors. You can also listen to our version of the fragmenta

A special surprise discussing episode, hot off the press - here is a discussion with Jasmine Silk of the upcoming production of Mariam from Cutpurse Theatre Company - which is super exciting. If you can support the show, go along or pop something in their kickstarter appeal. Twitter @cutpursetheatre Buy Tickets 27th to 28th April (Evenings) and 30th April to 1st May (matinees and evenings) 2022 - https://www.tickettailor.com/events/cutpursetheatre/675429 Support their kickstarter - http://kck.st/3ix57GI Jasmine Silk is a theatre director & producer, working with Cutpurse Theatre to create a production of 'Mariam' by Elizabeth Cary for a modern audience. Cutpurse was founded with the goal of telling old stories in new ways, and collaborating with artists from other art forms to make exciting new productions. There is, as ever, a host of material on The Tragedy of Mariam by Elizabeth Cary play - on the podcast - https://audioboom.com/playlists/4631219-the-tragedy-of-mariam-by-elizabeth-cary And on the