Travelling players retracing Shakespeare's steps, stop off at Stratford's Guildhall - The Stratford Observer

Travelling players retracing Shakespeare's steps, stop off at Stratford's Guildhall

Stratford Editorial 18th Jul, 2022   0

A BAND of travelling players are set to perform at Stratford’s Guildhall as they re-enact the routes taken by Shakespeare and Lord Leicester’s men in Tudor times.

Tell-Tale Presents will put on the promenade theatre performance of ‘Uncle Richard’ at Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall on Saturday (July 23) as part of a Guildhall Trail, which will see a second performance at Leicester Guildhall the following day on Sunday (July 24).

The group wanted to host the special performances, travelling from one side of the Midlands to the other, as travelling players would have done in Shakespeare’s time. As part of the trail, the travelling players plan to go on and retrace further routes that travelling players would have taken across the UK.

There are around 60 Guildhalls which would have hosted performances by travelling players such as Lord Leicester’s Men and the King’s Men with whom Shakespeare worked and produced his plays.




‘Uncle Richard’, written by E S Cooper, is described as “a fun-filled, immersive history play for all the family that explores all sides of the story of Richard III”.

Playwright Emma Sian Cooper told the Observer: “We will be putting on an interactive promenade performance at Shakespeare’s Schoolroom and Guildhall that showcases the 600 year old building and tells a story that families can enjoy together, as well as solve a mystery. The play was originally written to be performed in the ornate Mayor’s Parlour at Leicester Guildhall and we are thrilled to be returning there on the following day”.


Set in 1502, ‘Uncle Richard’ tells the tale of 11-year-old Henry VIII, his mother Elizabeth of York and his exuberant tutor John Skelton, as they try to piece together the mystery of Henry’s Uncles, the Princes in the Tower. As Henry begins to unravel the stories of The War of the Roses, he discovers that, when it comes to his great Uncle Richard III, no two tellings of the tale are ever quite the same.

Tickets for ‘Uncle Richard’ are £12.50 and bookable at www.shakespearesschoolroom.digitickets.co.uk

The performance starts at 7pm.

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