Beyond Shakespeare
501 episodes - English - Latest episode: 3 days ago - ★★★★★ - 2 ratingsFrom the earliest drama in English, to the closing of the theatres in 1642, there was a hell of a lot of drama produced - and a lot of it wasn't by Shakespeare. Apart from a few noble exceptions these plays are often passed over, ignored or simply unknown. This podcast presents full audio productions of the plays, fragmentary and extant, that shaped the theatrical world that shaped our dramatic history.
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Episodes
126: Exploring: N-Town, Play 1 (Fall of Lucifer)
January 13, 2020 09:25 - 26 minutes - 24 MBExploring: The N-Town Play, a slow burn look at a medieval Mystery (sort of) cycle. The N-Town Play comes to us as a single manuscript, but it's a compilation of various different sources - including elements from what looks like a cycle and various other large scale productions focusing on episodes from the Bible. We start with Play 1, following the story of the fall of Lucifer. It's a super short play and it moves into play 2 very swiftly - and we'll be coming back to this play in a few we...
125: Tamburlaine the Great, Part 2 (Prologue)
January 10, 2020 09:17 - 8 minutes - 7.64 MBWhat's Past is Prologue: Tamburlaine the Great, Part 2 - a quick look at the prologue to the slightly murdery play by Christopher Marlowe. Tamburlaine the Great was so great it seems that Marlowe had to write a sequel, with a prologue telling us that the first part was so great it required the play the audience were about to witness. As it were. The prologue is performed by the fabulous Sarah Golding, voice actor and audio producer extraordinary - you can hear Sarah Golding all over the p...
125: Tamberlaine the Great, Part 2 (Prologue)
January 10, 2020 09:17 - 8 minutes - 7.64 MBWhat's Past is Prologue: Tamberlaine the Great, Part 2 - a quick look at the prologue to the slightly murdery play by Christopher Marlowe. Tamberlaine the Great was so great it seems that Marlowe had to write a sequel, with a prologue telling us that the first part was so great it required the play the audience were about to witness. As it were. The prologue is performed by the fabulous Sarah Golding, voice actor and audio producer extraordinary - you can hear Sarah Golding all over the p...
124: Exploring: The Tragedy of Antony (Act 1 into 2)
January 07, 2020 09:07 - 1 hour - 76.2 MBExploring: The Tragedy of Antony (Act 1 into 2) From our pre-production Exploring sessions, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. The Tragedy of Antony is a translation of Robert Garnier's play, done into English by Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke in 1592. These are recordings of various readers and actors working through the first Act, and part of Act 2, as we tried to find a route into the play. It's the first step in a journey to unde...
123: Discussing: Jack Drum's Entertainment by John Marston
January 04, 2020 12:42 - 52 minutes - 48.5 MBDiscussing Jack Drum's Entertainment by John Marston - with Sam Plumb, director of a production of the play with the Young Actors Company in 2016. Host Robert Crighton has a lengthy chat about the play, their production, working with youth theatre, and the nature of an Entertainment. And there's a bonus recording of the pre-show introduction, with Rob Myson as the Tireman. You can watch a recording of the discussed production on YouTube here - https://youtu.be/EbrxKFULTGk and there's more on...
122: New Year's Resolution for 2020
December 31, 2019 17:22 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBHappy New Year, if it is New Year yet, it probably is somewhere... anyway. Here's a little (fairly rambly) catch up from host Robert Crighton about the podcast at the end of the year, into the next, and projecting into the future. There's also a little bit on A Game at Chess, which is our five year plan. And an appeal to get involved - by joining us in Exploring A Game at Chess by Thomas Middleton. Support the podcast by going to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare and pledge something – or ...
121: The Stage Players Complaint (1641)
December 16, 2019 22:28 - 9 minutes - 8.84 MBThe Stage-Players Complaint by Anonymous (printed 1641) This is a performance of a dialogue between two players, Cane of the Fortune and Reed of the Friars, complaining that the plague has closed the playhouses. Of course, we know from afar that there's worse to come for the theatre in a very short time. The times are a changing, and not for the better. Amidst the general hope for employment is a call for clemency for the stage itself. It will not be heard, and within a year of the printing...
120: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Full Cast Audio Adaptation)
December 09, 2019 08:17 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBThe Life and Death of Jack Straw by Anonymous - A Full Cast Audio Adaptation The Peasants Revolt has begun! Jack Straw and his fellow rebels head to London to demand an end to unfair taxes from the king. The fourteen year old king Richard II and his counsellors are completely unprepared for the revolt that quickly spirals out of control. "We owe God a death, and we can but die!" Jack Straw is played by Pollie Hall, Wat Tyler by Leigh McDonald, Tom Miller by Hugh Weller-Poley, John Ball b...
119: Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr. S (Full Cast Audio Adaptation)
November 26, 2019 07:54 - 1 hour - 61.2 MBA Full Cast Audio Adaptation of Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr S. A Comedy in which Gammer Gurton loses her needle, which opens up the household to mischief by one Diccon, the Bedlam. Diccon was played by Heydn McCabe, Hodge by Geir Madland, Tib by Gillian Horgan, Gammer Gurton by Sarah Golding, Cock by Simon Nader, Dame Chat by Pamela Flanagan, Doctor Rat by Rob Myson and Master Baily by Andy Barrett. Technical presentation and opening narration by Robert Crighton. !Spoilers! episodes t...
118: Exploring Chester Play 24 (Judgement)
November 23, 2019 08:41 - 37 minutes - 34 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 24 (Judgement) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. It's the end - except it isn't really, because we're just going to start on another mystery cycle anyway. And we'll go back over all of this again at some point. The great journey of life continues. Anyway, This is the Webstars play of the Judgement - where some judging goes on. More low key then the extravaganza last...
117: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 4)
November 21, 2019 08:40 - 30 minutes - 27.8 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 4) Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. This is the end, as there is no Act 4 - except it isn't as we're doing a lot more with this play - skip to about 16 minutes in for news on this. Jack is dead, the rebels captured, it's time for justice/retribution. And a lot of politics on how to make that look good. The scenes are illustrated via a rough cut of our soon to be released ...
116: Exploring Chester Play 23
November 19, 2019 08:35 - 49 minutes - 45.6 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 23 (Antichrist) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. We're almost done with the past, for soon we'll be into the future! This is the Diars play of the Antichrist - or Antechrist - where someone decides to blow the season budget on the penultimate show. It's got magic, it's got battles, it's got music, it's got the coming of the end of the world. (The end will end next ...
115: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 3, Scene 3)
November 14, 2019 09:07 - 21 minutes - 19.3 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 3, Scene 3) Note: The precise scene division of Act Three is debatable, this episode goes from the general re-entrance of the king and the rebels after the mini scene with the Queen Mother. Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. This is the beginning of the end. Farewell Jack... this parley does not go well. And there's some business with a sword... which we need to sit down and...
114: Exploring Chester Play 22
November 12, 2019 09:25 - 20 minutes - 19 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 22 (Prophets of the Antichrist) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. We're almost done with the past, for soon we'll be into the future! This is the Clotheworkers play of the Prophets of the Antichrist, where everyone gets high and reenact their dream journal. It's a strange introduction to an even stranger play. There are only two more plays to go, and the end of the ...
113: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 3, Scene 2)
November 07, 2019 08:06 - 14 minutes - 13.2 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 3, Scene 2) Note: The precise scene division of Act Three is debatable, this episode goes from the general exit of the king and the rebels after the parley up to their re-entrance. Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. This is a little interlude scene, where Tom Miller and Nobs pass the time of day, and Tom makes an appeal to the Queen. The scenes are illustrated via a rough cu...
112: Exploring: Mundus et Infans
November 03, 2019 10:46 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBMundus et Infans or, The World and the Child by anonymous (dated somewhere before 1522). Mundus et Infans is a morality play in miniature, like other surviving morality plays, but scaled down to - potentially - only two actors. It follows the shape of the other medieval morality plays we have - Castle of Perseverance et al - in that a man grows up to sin in the world and is guided back to good in old age. There is at least one moment where we slightly overreact to the change in meaning fo...
111: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 3, Scene 1)
October 28, 2019 09:48 - 19 minutes - 18.2 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 3, Scene 1) Note: The precise scene division of Act Three is debatable, this episode goes up to the general exit of the king and the rebels after the parley. Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. The start of Act 3 sees our heroes meet for the first time - with the king giving in to their demands and the diminishing of the rebel forces. The scenes are illustrated via a rough cu...
110: Exploring Chester Play 21
October 21, 2019 07:19 - 26 minutes - 24.7 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 21 (Pentecost) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. We're almost done with the past, for soon we'll be into the future! This is the Fishmongers play of Pentecost, where the team break up for the regular season finale. There are only three more plays to go, but they are - in various ways - in the future. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Liz Cole, Ric...
109: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 2, Scenes 2 to 5)
October 15, 2019 09:44 - 23 minutes - 21.2 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 2, Scenes 2 to 5) Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. The rest of Act 2, following the goose scene, is a blur of incident as the rebellion sparks off into violence following a failed parley on the banks of the river Thames. The scenes are illustrated via a rough cut of our soon to be released full cast audio adaptation - which languishes in the edit as we post this. The roug...
108: Exploring: Nice Wanton
October 08, 2019 09:09 - 49 minutes - 45.4 MBNice Wanton, by anonymous (dated somewhere between 1547 - 1553) - with the version that we have having probably been revised around 1560. Nice Wanton is a fascinating interlude, a moral tale that is... somewhat judgy. Anything fun is bad and will lead to disease, poverty and death. As usual, a rough read through - with only a couple of "strong message here" accidental reading of stage directions as dialogue. There is an online version of the text available on Project Gutenberg here - other...
107: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 2, Scene 1)
October 03, 2019 08:20 - 10 minutes - 9.26 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 2, Scene 1) GOOSE ALERT - GOOSE ALERT Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. Act 2, scene 1 is the scene everyone remembers. There isn't enough time in the world to discuss the moral complexity of this deeply intellectual scene. Okay, it's a bit of Pantomime business - but it's great and does tie in (vaguely) with the plot, whilst also giving the audience a bit of light relief. ...
106: Exploring Chester Play 20
October 01, 2019 07:42 - 16 minutes - 15.1 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 20 (The Ascension) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. We're almost done with the past, for soon we'll be into the future! This is the Taylors play of the Ascension, where Jesus... ascends. There's a big visual/musical element to this play which we just can't do justice - and there's special effects which get... urm... messy. Let's just say, this play features injury ...
105: Discussing: T is for Tarlton (Early Modern Celebrity)
September 28, 2019 10:34 - 1 hour - 59 MBDiscussing: T is for Tarlton - Early Modern Celebrity with Sophie Shorland. This episode is a discussion with Sophie Shorland about Early Modern Celebrity - specifically looking at Sir Philip Sidney, Moll Cutpurse and - mostly - Richard Tarlton. We look at stories of his life, the myths and half truths, and are introduced to his animal avatar. With recordings of our workshops on Tarlton's Jests - with Leigh MacDonald, Mark Scanlon and Hugh Weller-Poley. We spend much time going over the ...
104: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 4)
September 25, 2019 09:34 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 4) Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. Act 1, scene 4 sees the crown get it together with this whole rebel alliance thing. Enter the royal family to the various lords we've already met. Something, at last, is going to be done. The scene is illustrated via a rough cut of our soon to be released full cast audio adaptation - which languishes in the edit as we post this. ...
103: Exploring: Love Feigned and Unfeigned (Fragment)
September 23, 2019 09:42 - 23 minutes - 21.3 MBExploring: Love Feigned and Unfeigned (A Fragmentary play c.1540 and 1560) Another fragment - and it's a not so short fragment, a couple hundred lines - and it's a play dancing around ideas of conditional and unconditional love (to God, to your friends, etc...) as well as the motivations of deceit and the pretence of friendship. There's more to mine from this than this recording suggests, it was at the end of a session, we were a bit short and cynical about it - but it's, as ever, a start.....
102: Discussing: Volpone by Ben Jonson
September 20, 2019 10:18 - 17 minutes - 16.1 MBDiscussing: Volpone by Ben Jonson Host Robert Crighton discusses with Charlie Day of Fresh Life Theatre Company their production of Ben Jonson's play Volpone. The show is coming to Bath in October 2019, and there is a kickstarter campaign to help get it on - support them and their work via the links below. And if you'd like to listen to the prologue to the play - it can be heard here. Support this podcast by going to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare, or follow us @BeyondShakes on Twitter,...
101: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 3)
September 18, 2019 06:51 - 15 minutes - 14.6 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 3) Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. Act 1, scene 3 returns us to the midst of the rebels - and they've been doing a little bit of looting, and have raided at least one castle. The scene is illustrated via a rough cut of our soon to be released full cast audio adaptation - which languishes in the edit as we post this. The rough cut of Act 1 scene 3 to The Life and ...
100: Exploring Chester Play 19
September 16, 2019 10:41 - 30 minutes - 28.3 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 19 (Lucas and Cleophas & Doubting Thomas) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. We're into the home straight now, with the appearance of Jesus to various disciples. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Liz Cole, Richard Fawcett, Mark Scanlon, and Alan Scott – with host, Robert Crighton. There are more versions of the Chester plays than you can shake a st...
99: Antonio and Mellida (Epilogue)
September 13, 2019 10:14 - 7 minutes - 7.09 MBAntonio and Mellida by John Marston (Epilogue) - Epic Epilogues Performances of the epilogue to Antonio and Mellida by John Marston - a piece of action that will one day be used as a bit of ammunition in the War of the Theatres - because Ben Jonson will steal the image presented here and use it against Marston. Another epilogue to listen to is The Poetaster - it's really fun - though a brief extract featuring Rob Myson is included here. The epilogue is performed (four times, each different...
98: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 2)
September 11, 2019 07:37 - 24 minutes - 22.1 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 2) Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. Act 1, scene 2 sees the first reaction to the revolt, and the introduction to some... short lived characters. The scene is illustrated via a rough cut of our soon to be released full cast audio adaptation - which languishes in the edit as we post this. The rough cut of Act 1 scene 2 to The Life and Death of Jack Straw is perform...
97: Exploring John the Evangelist
September 09, 2019 11:10 - 47 minutes - 44 MBExploring: John the Evangelist - 1520-57 (printed c.1550) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. John the Evangelist is a strange beast, with little in the way of plot it's a series of scenes orbiting the preaching of the titular character. Whilst it's fair to say we didn't warm to the dialogue, the dramaturgy of the play really sparked an interest. There's more to this play than meets the eye. The Beyond Shakes...
96: God's Promises - Omnibus Plain Text Version
September 06, 2019 07:00 - 1 hour - 64 MBGod's Promises by John Bale - an omnibus edition of our plain text version. No frills, just the text, all in one episode. This version was started over six years ago and reflects the evolving working practice of our producers. One day, we will go back... one day. Online editions of the play are available - here's one, others can and should be searched for. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/19481/19481-h/19481-h.htm God's Promises by John Bale - features Annie Eddington as the Prologue, narr...
95: Spoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 1)
September 04, 2019 09:08 - 38 minutes - 35 MBSpoilers: The Life and Death of Jack Straw (Act 1, Scene 1) Jack Straw is not a long play, but that won't stop us going into ridiculous amounts of detail about it. Act 1, scene 1 sees the beginning of the revolt, and the introduction to a lot of characters. The scene is illustrated via a rough cut of our soon to be released full cast audio adaptation - which languishes in the edit as we post this. The rough cut of Act 1 scene 1 to The Life and Death of Jack Straw is performed by Pollie Hal...
94: Exploring Chester Play 18
September 02, 2019 07:59 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 18 (The Resurrection) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. We're into the home straight now, with the Resurrection play - guarding of the tomb goes bad for the knights, and the disciples get a surprise visitor. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Liz Cole, Richard Fawcett, Mark Scanlon, and Alan Scott – with host, Robert Crighton. There are more versio...
93: Spoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 5)
August 11, 2019 07:41 - 49 minutes - 45.1 MBSpoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 5) Welcome to this spoilery introduction to the play Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr S. We present a run down of the action, with commentary and clips, followed by a plain text recording of material in the edit for the final full cast audio adaptation (coming soon!) It's Act Five (feel free to go back to the beginning if you want to work chronologically), in which the injured Doctor Rat brings in the LAW, i.e. Baily, whose presence allows all Diccon's lie...
92: Exploring Chester Play 17
August 07, 2019 08:25 - 22 minutes - 21 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 17 (The Harrowing of Hell) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. Some really interesting features to this play - it's not all harrowing action, there's some really interesting additional comic business as well. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Liz Cole, Richard Fawcett, Mark Scanlon, and Alan Scott – with host, Robert Crighton. There are more version...
91: The Malcontent (Epilogue)
August 04, 2019 12:10 - 11 minutes - 10.6 MBThe Malcontent by John Marston (Epilogue) - Epic Epilogues Performances of the epilogue to The Malcontent by John Marston - an act of fascinating arse licking to a one time enemy, Ben Jonson. This epilogue is best heard with the War of the Theatres in mind - because it is related to an earlier public spat with Jonson and others. Other epilogues to listen to are Cynthia's Revels and The Poetaster - they're rather fun - though brief extracts are included here. The epilogue is performed by F...
90: Spoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 4)
August 02, 2019 08:39 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBSpoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 4) Welcome to this spoilery introduction to the play Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr S. We present a run down of the action, with commentary and clips, followed by a plain text recording of material in the edit for the final full cast audio adaptation (coming soon!) It's Act Four (feel free to go back to the beginning if you want to work chronologically), in which Gammer calls in the local parson Doctor Rat - but he is soon dealt with by the cunning of Di...
89: Exploring Chester Play 16a
July 30, 2019 09:28 - 34 minutes - 31.8 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 16a (The Crucifixion) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. This is play 16a (preceded, to be confusing, by play 16) of the Crucifixion. Some violence and abusive language. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Liz Cole, Richard Fawcett, Mark Scanlon, and Alan Scott – with host, Robert Crighton. There are more versions of the Chester plays than you can sh...
88: The Cambridge Prologue (Fragment)
July 27, 2019 11:57 - 18 minutes - 17.2 MBThe Cambridge Prologue (Fragment) An initial look at the Cambridge Prologue, a 13th Century survival of a lost play, which comes in two flavours - French and English. We focused on the English, performed by Gillian Horgan, who recorded three takes of our version of the text, mixed in with our exploring session looking into the original. More to come on this fascinating survival. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode are Liz Cole and Alan Scott and your host Robert Crighton. The B...
87: Spoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 3)
July 24, 2019 10:37 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBSpoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 3) Welcome to this spoilery introduction to the play Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr S. We present a run down of the action, with commentary and clips, followed by a plain text recording of material in the edit for the final full cast audio adaptation (coming soon!) It's Act Three (feel free to go back to the prologue and act 1/2 if you want to work chronologically), in which Gammer and Dame Chat fight it out in a serious grudge match. The plain text vers...
86: Exploring The Prodigal Son (Fragment)
July 22, 2019 10:47 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBExploring: The Prodigal Son (Pater, Filius et Uxor) - A Fragment (printed c.1530) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this fragmentary play for future use towards an audio/stage show. The Prodigal Son survives as 84 lines of text, showing a wife threatening her husband with being made a cuckold, a son failing to sell wood, and a comic servant character making his entrance. Introduced by host Robert Crighton. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode are Liz ...
85: Spoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 2)
July 13, 2019 11:14 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBSpoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 2) Welcome to this spoilery introduction to the play Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr S. We present a run down of the action, with commentary and clips, followed by a plain text recording of material in the edit for the final full cast audio adaptation (coming soon!) It's Act Two (feel free to go back to the prologue and act one if you want to work chronologically), in which Diccon stirs some shit, Gammer and Dame Chat lose their shit, and Hodge does a shi...
84: Exploring Chester Play 16
July 10, 2019 09:25 - 31 minutes - 28.9 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 16 (The Trial) From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. This is play 16 (to be followed by play 16a) of the Trial. Some violence and abusive language. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Liz Cole, Mark Scanlon, and Alan Scott as everyone else – with host, Robert Crighton. There are more versions of the Chester plays than you can shake a stick at - (actuall...
83: Spoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 1)
July 06, 2019 08:44 - 42 minutes - 38.8 MBSpoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Act 1) Welcome to this spoilery introduction to the play Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr S. We present a run down of the action, with commentary and clips, followed by a plain text recording of material in the edit for the final full cast audio adaptation (coming soon!) Today it's Act One (feel free to go back to the prologue if you want to work chronologically), which sets up the primary thrust of the action of the play, the loss of Gammer Gurton's needle. ...
82: The Poetaster by Ben Jonson (Prologue)
July 03, 2019 08:01 - 11 minutes - 10.3 MBThe Poetaster by Ben Jonson (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the pre-show material to The Poetaster by Ben Jonson. It's a fun start which is very much caught up in attacking Jonson's rivals. We;'re only slightly joking when we suggest you watch this video at the same time as the introduction to the podcast - https://youtu.be/3tmd-ClpJxA - because there is a relationship between what this prologue is trying to do, and the public feuds that we see in modern media. And th...
81: Spoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (Prologue)
June 26, 2019 10:34 - 8 minutes - 8.17 MBSpoilers: Gammer Gurton's Needle (The Prologue) Welcome to this spoilery introduction to the play Gammer Gurton's Needle by Mr S. We present a run down of the action, with commentary and clips, followed by a plain text recording of material in the edit for the final full cast audio adaptation (coming soon!) Today it's the prologue, which lays out (almost) the entire plot of the play, including the biggest spoiler of them all - the location of Gammer Gurton's Needle. Tension in this play, t...
80: Discussing the York Corpus Christi Play
June 24, 2019 09:09 - 59 minutes - 54.1 MBDiscussing: The York Corpus Christi Play Host Robert Crighton discusses with Dr Christina M. Fitzgerald the York Corpus Christi Play and her Broadview edition of 27 selected pageants – which can be found in all good bookshops or via this link - https://broadviewpress.com/product/the-york-corpus-christi-play-selected-pageants/?ph=9aca224f1207703b2563bc35#tab-description Dr Christina M. Fitzgerald (Ph.D. UCLA) teaches English literature, specializing in the medieval period at the University ...
79: Exploring Chester Play 15
June 20, 2019 10:54 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBExploring the Chester Mystery Cycle - Play 15 From our Exploring workshop, where we read through the text of this play for future use towards an audio/stage show. This is the Bakers play of the Last Supper and Betrayal. Some ear splitting action. The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Richard Fawcett as Jesus, with Liz Cole, Mark Scanlon, Mark Saberton and Alan Scott as everyone else – with host, Robert Crighton. There are more versions of the Chester plays than you can shake...
78: The Family of Love (Prologue)
June 18, 2019 10:39 - 1 minute - 1.17 MBThe Family of Love by Somebody (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to The Family of Love by various possible contenders (we're not really sure if we should take sides on fiddly authorship questions). 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 or you can follow us on Twitter @BeyondShakes - or go to our website beyondshakespeare.org Prologue ...