Beyond Shakespeare

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/

From the Rehearsals for John John by John Heywood - Bonus Material to accompany the live recording, this is the first read through of the uncut play. As we had to make cuts for the live recording, it seemed only fair to release this read through of the uncut script. Due to the archive nature of the recording, audio quality varies. The readers are Sian Notley, Mark Jenner and Robert Crighton.

For more information about this and other plays go to our blog - https://beyondshakespeare.blogspot.com/

Fragments - A Speech by 'Reason' by John Heywood

There's a lost play by John Heywood from which only one short speech survives - a character called Reason who makes the argument that he is the most important part of Man. The play would probably have been allogorical, with characters named Reason, Man etc. personified on stage. Introduced by Robert Crighton, with text from the source read by Rob Myson and the speech by 'Reason' performed by Heydn McCabe.

John John by John Heywood

A Full Cast Audio Adaptation of 'A merry play between John John the husband, Tyb his wife, and Sir John the Priest' by John Heywood.

John John believes his wife is having an affair with the local priest. He's right, but that doesn't mean he can't be tricked into inviting the priest to his home and eat his dinner.

With Mark Jenner as John John, Sian Notley as Tyb and Robert Crighton as Sir John the priest. The Narrator was Heidi Bernhard-Bubb Recorded at the Quay Theatre on Saturday 3rd September 2016 #comedy #audio #drama #tudor #tudorcomedy #tudorinterludes #interludes #heywood

Witty and Witless by John Heywood

A Full Cast Adaptation of the Stage Play, part of the complete plays of John Heywood box set.

Originally written as a play for the court of Henry VIII, this audio production resets the action to a pub, where three men try to decide whether a person is happier if they are clever or not.

With Rob Myson as John, Heydn McCabe as James, and Robert Crighton as Jerome. The announcer is Simon Nader.

For more information about this play, a transcript of the rehearsal text, and general background go to our blog. https://beyondshakespeare.blogspot.co.uk/

The Durham Prologue is all that survives of a lost play from the late 14th / early 15th century - performed by Sarah Golding and introduced by Robert Crighton

Adam and Eve from the Chester Mystery Cycle Based on the first half of the Drapers Play, this recording covers the creation of the world through to the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the garden of Eden.
Sound effects and musical stings are from https://www.zapsplat.com and http://www.freesfx.co.uk under creative commons licence. Cast: God - Robert Crighton, Adam - Cecil Qadir, Demon - Trevor Laver, Eve - Annie Eddington. Recorded at the Quay Theatre #earlyenglishdrama #mysteryplay #chester #adamandeve

Duke Moraud: In Conversation - discussion of the fragmentary play with cast member Simon Nader and producer Robert Crighton. Full audio recordings also available of the original text and the live version produced in 2017