Download 23 April – 18 October 2015 theatre season

23 April – 18 October
2015 theatre season
T
he first great cornerstone of Western
drama, Aeschylus’ Oresteia, ends with
a court scene as compelling as that in any
John Grisham novel. Orestes is on trial for a
crime of vengeance, and the jury must decide
whether to prolong the chain of retribution,
or break it with an act of mercy. In their
decision lies the creation of a new civility,
and a new understanding of how the wrath
of an individual is contained within the life
of a community.
Eight hundred years ago, Magna Carta was
sealed under oath by King John. It was
an imperfect and temporary document,
but one that enshrined to this day the citizen’s
right to live without fear of the power of the
despot. Though there has been no shortage
of attempts to subvert or short-change that
right since that day, it remains at the heart of
what it means to live within a commonwealth
under a common law.
The theatre is a great place for these
ideas to be formulated, and for them to be
discussed, a place where the overweening
like Richard II, or King John, or Angelo in
Measure for Measure, can test the limits
of the law, and discover just how strong it
is; or where the law can be shown to be the
improvised, very human moral labyrinth that
it turns out to be in The Merchant of Venice;
or where the laws of the court and the laws
of nature can be vividly contrasted as in
As You Like It.
These glorious Shakespeare plays are
of course about much more than just this,
packing in questions of race and sex and
identity and politics high and low, and packed
with love and laughter, but we are delighted
to bring this group together and view them
through this prism.
They will share our glorious Globe stage
with The Oresteia, and with two new plays,
Helen Edmundson’s The Heresy of Love,
a beautiful and heart-breaking telling of the
battle between a woman’s creativity and the
church in seventeenth century Mexico; and
Jessica Swale’s Nell Gwynn, a rambunctious
pursuit of Nell Gwynn’s pell-mell charge
through the world of Restoration London.
Our tours continue their wild wanders
around the Globe. At the time of writing
this, our Globe to Globe Hamlet has played
63 countries, and everywhere it goes it
brings its galvanizing wit and wisdom.
Please follow the thread it is stitching
through the world on the Globe to Globe
Hamlet website. Two more small-scale
tours will travel next year, as well as visiting
the Globe – a revival of this year’s joyous
Much Ado About Nothing, and a fresh
version of Romeo and Juliet.
Having just undertaken a ground-breaking
tour of China with A Midsummer Night’s
Dream, we are delighted to welcome the
return of the National Theatre of China
with Richard III in Mandarin, and of the
great Tang-Shu Wing’s company from
Hong Kong with Macbeth in Cantonese.
The Globe is expanding at pace throughout
the world, but wherever it goes, its energy
and its inspiration are drawn from the many
communities which are formed throughout
the summer, as people gather day after day
within the wood and plaster of the Globe,
and happily form fresh communities united
by listening, by laughter, by thought and by
the shared shifts of the heart which move
people forward together.
Please come and enjoy such moments with us.
Dominic Dromgoole
Artistic Director
The Merchant
of Venice
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
directed by
Jonathan Munby
designed by
Mike Britton
composed by
Jules Maxwell
From 23 April
#Merchantof Venice
I will not
hear thee speak;
I’ll have my bond
P
ortia, a wealthy heiress of
Belmont, is forced to set her
suitors a challenge. The winner
will win her hand in marriage; the
losers will lose her hand and much
more. In Venice, the epicentre
of consumption, speculation and
debt, Bassanio borrows money
from his friend Antonio to finance
his attempt. Antonio, in turn, takes
out a loan from the moneylender
Shylock. The loan will be repaid
when Antonio’s ships return to the
city. But if the ships fail to return,
and the money cannot be repaid,
Antonio will give to Shylock a
pound of his own flesh. And they
do fail. And Shylock will have
his ‘bond’.
In some of his most highly-charged
scenes, Shakespeare dramatises the
competing claims of tolerance and
intolerance, religious law and civil
society, justice and mercy; while in
the character of Shylock he created
one of the most memorable
outsiders in all theatre.
Fleet the time carelessly,
as they did in the golden world
as you
like it
R
osalind, the daughter of an
unjustly exiled duke, falls in
love with the wronged Orlando,
a courtier deprived of his birthright
by his brother – but her usurping
uncle, jealous of her popularity,
banishes her from court. Disguised
as a boy and accompanied by
her cousin Celia, she seeks out
her father and his friends in the
Forest of Arden. There she meets
Orlando again and, under the guise
of a young man, counsels him in
the art of love.
A firm favourite among
Shakespeare’s comedies, and
featuring some of his best-loved
characters, As You Like It runs
the glorious gamut of pastoral
romance: cross-dressing and
brilliant conversation, gentle
satire, forgiveness and reparation.
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
directed by
Blanche McIntyre
From 15 May
#AsYouLikeIt
king john
R
ichard the Lionheart is dead.
His less than heroic brother,
John, is determined to keep his
grasp on the English throne, in spite
of the stronger claims of his nephew,
the young Prince Arthur. Increasingly
threatened by Arthur’s supporters
at home and in France, John finds
the answer to his woes: he will blind
the boy with hot irons.
The remotest in time of all
Shakespeare’s English history plays,
King John, with its cynical allegiances
and ruthless politicking, now feels
his most abrasively modern.
This is a first for the Globe and a
rare opportunity to see some vividly
memorable characters brought to
life on the stage – especially the
wildly outspoken Faulconbridge,
‘the Bastard’, one of Shakespeare’s
most thrillingly caustic and sardonic
political commentators.
King John also performs at Temple
Church, London from 10 – 19 April.
Tickets £50. Please see the schedule
for dates and times.
A co-production between
Shakespeare’s Globe
and Royal and Derngate,
Northampton
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
directed by
James Dacre
From 1 June
#KingJohn
Mad world! Mad kings! Mad composition!
Measure for
Measure
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
directed by
Dominic Dromgoole
From 20 June
#MeasureforMeasure
The law hath not been dead, though it hath slept
V
incentio, Duke of Vienna,
disgusted by the immorality in
his city, announces his withdrawal
from public life and leaves his
deputy, the puritanical Angelo,
in charge. Angelo, in his zeal for
observing the letter of the law,
begins a ruthless programme to
stamp out sexual licence, in the
course of which he condemns one
Claudio to death. Surely Claudio’s
virginal sister Isabella, a novice
nun seeking mercy for her brother,
could not awake the lust of this
cold, censorious man?
Injustice, hypocrisy and the
challenge of inflexible virtue
combine in Shakespeare’s most
searching exploration of sexual
politics and social justice.
Within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples of a king
Keeps death his court
Richard II
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
directed by
Simon Godwin
From 11 July
#RichardII
R
uling by divine right, but himself
ruled by caprice, King Richard
exiles Henry Bolingbroke and seizes
his father’s vast estates. While
Richard is distracted by a rebellion
in Ireland, Bolingbroke returns
to England, intent on recovering
his rightful property and, with the
support of his disgruntled peers,
perhaps seizing the crown itself.
Dazzlingly eloquent and
ceremonious, Richard II invests
a weak and self-dramatising man
with tragic status and represents
Shakespeare’s most searching
exploration of the meaning of
kingship and the rising powers
that can destroy it.
The Heresy
of Love
I
n the late 1600s, in a convent in
Mexico, a gifted and progressive
writer finds herself at the centre of
a deadly battle between two Princes
of the Church. Celebrated by the
Court but silenced by the Church,
she is betrayed by the very people
she thought she could trust.
Inspired by the life of Sor Juana Inés
de la Cruz, writer of The House of
Desires, The Heresy of Love uses
all the devices of Spanish Golden
Age Theatre – intrigue and danger,
passion and politics, comedy and
tragedy – in this clash between
organised religion and personal faith.
A new production of Helen
Edmundson’s critically-acclaimed play.
WRITTEN by
Helen Edmundson
From 31 July
#HeresyofLove
‘A bold and eloquent play’
The Guardian
‘It has the sweep, the intrigue,
and the bold theatrical effects
of the original Spanish Golden
Age dramas’
The Daily Telegraph
Faith should not enslave our minds
but open them. Faith is an endless
universe of light
The Oresteia
A new version based on
the original by Aeschylus
directed by
Adele Thomas
From 29 August
#Oresteia
B
efore setting out for the Trojan
War, King Agamemnon sacrificed
his daughter Iphigenia. Many years
later, when Agamemnon returns to
his palace, his adulterous Queen
Clytemnestra takes her revenge by
brutally murdering him and installing
her lover on the throne. How will the
gods judge Orestes, their estranged
son, who must avenge his father’s
death by murdering his mother?
The curse of the House of Atreus,
passing from generation to generation,
is one of the great myths of Western
literature. In the hands of Aeschylus,
the story enacts the final victory of
reason and justice over superstition
and barbarity.
The original trilogy will be distilled
into one thrilling three-act play.
He who learns must suffer
They’ve disgraced our trade. Ruined our art.
They’ve put a woman on the stage
Nell Gwynn
I
t is 1660. The Puritans have run
away with their drab grey tails
between their legs. Charles II has
exploded onto the scene with a
love of all things loud, French and
sexy. And at Drury Lane, a young
Nell Gwynn is getting her satsumas
out for the punters.
Nell Gwynn charts the rise of an
unlikely heroine, from her roots in
Coal Yard Alley to her success as
Britain’s most celebrated actress,
and her hard-won place in the
heart of the king. But at a time
when women are second-class
citizens, can her charm and spirit
protect her from the dangers of
the court? And at what cost?
Having delighted audiences with
Blue Stockings in 2013, writer
Jessica Swale returns to the Globe
with this vibrant take on life in the
theatre in the 17th century.
WRITTEN by
Jessica Swale
From 19 September
#NellGwynn
Richard III
Macbeth
National Theatre of China
Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio,
from Hong Ko‑ng
in Mandarin
W
e are delighted to welcome
the National Theatre of China
back to the Globe, after they thrilled
audiences in 2012 with this production
of Shakespeare’s hilarious horror-show
of power and paranoia. Directed by
the National’s Associate Director,
Wang Xiaoying.
in Cantonese
T
he hybrid culture of Hong Kong
informs this production of the
Scottish play from the eminent director
Tang Shu-wing’s outstanding and
groundbreaking troupe. Described as
the ‘alchemist of minimalist theatre’,
the company works with simple staging,
voice and movement, to release the
energies of classic texts.
Hamlet
A TWO-YEAR TOUR TO EVERY
COUNTRY IN THE WORLD
‘T he first genuine world tour in theatre history’
‘Hamlet tickets sell out in less than an
hour… evening performance sold out
in 14 minutes… It’s like Shakespeare’s
a rock star doing a gig in town’
The Hindu, India
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
Performed in
Mandarin with scene
synopses in English
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
directed by
Wang Xiaoying
From 20 July
Performed in
#RichardIII
#G2G
directed by
‘A crisp, no-nonsense view of the play’
The Guardian
From 17 August
‘T he new production has put the world on
stage. And to great effect’
‘A passionate act of advocacy for a play oft
cited as the pinnacle of all literature’
Time Out, UK
Brockville Recorder & Times, Canada
Cantonese with scene
synopses in English
Tang Shu-wing
International Herald Tribune
#Macbeth
#G2G
Visit the website for more information
shakespearesglobe.com/globetoglobe
#G2G
@WorldHamlet
Under the patronage of
UNESCO
United Nations
Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization
Romeo &
Juliet
on tour & at the globe
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
From 27 April
#RomeoandJuliet
#GlobeOnTour
‘Summer is all the sweeter
for a Shakespeare road trip’
The Daily Telegraph
A
violent street brawl between
their rival families is the prelude
to Romeo’s first encounter with
Juliet. Despite this, and the fact
that Juliet has been promised to
another, they fall in love. But any
plans for their future happiness
are cruelly destroyed by renewed
violence between their families,
and tragedy begins to unfold.
A small troupe of travelling players
takes to the road with Shakespeare’s
classic tale of star-crossed lovers.
Performed at the Globe and on
an Elizabethan-style stage, this
stripped-down version breathes
new life into one of the greatest
of all love stories.
Performed at the Globe and touring on
a small-scale, Elizabethan-style stage.
Much Ado
About Nothing
on tour & at the globe
C
laudio loves Hero and Hero
Claudio and nothing seems
capable of keeping them apart.
Claudio’s friend Benedick loves
Beatrice and Beatrice Benedick,
but (because neither will admit it)
nothing seems capable of bringing
them together. Only the intrigues
of a resentful prince force Benedick
to prove his love for Beatrice –
by vowing to kill his best friend.
After delighting audiences in
2014, Much Ado About Nothing
returns this summer. Performing at
the Globe and on an Elizabethaninspired stage, a handful of players
reinvent renaissance touring
theatre for the 21st century with
Shakespeare’s timeless comedy.
Performed at the Globe and touring on
a small-scale, Elizabethan-style stage.
WRITTEN by
William Shakespeare
directed by
Max Webster
designed by
James Cotterill
composed by
John Barber
From 10 August
#MuchAdo
#GlobeOnTour
‘A delight of a production’
Irish Independent
events
SUPPORT US
COMEDY STORE PLAYERS
Talking Theatre
Read Not Dead
The Comedy Store Players
return to the Globe with
a stunning line up of six
comedians presenting
a night of hilarious and
improvised comedy.
Theatre company members
share their experiences
of playing the Globe and
answer your questions in
chaired Q&As.
Performances with scripts
of rarely performed plays
chosen to complement the
theatre season.
Monday 29 June 8.00pm
Tickets: £5 – £43
Tickets: £5
(£4 FoSG/concs/students)
#TalkingTheatre
#ComedyStorePlayers
setting the scene
Inspiring talks about the
plays in the season given by
leading Shakespeare scholars
and Globe actors.
Tickets: £8
(£6 FoSG/concs/students)
#SettingTheScene
Study Days
A day of workshops,
seminars and lively
discussion exploring the
season’s plays led by Globe
Theatre artists and leading
Shakespeare scholars.
Tickets: £15
(£12 FoSG/concs/students)
Rarely Played
Thought-provoking
introductions to the Read
Not Dead performances.
The Shakespeare Globe Trust is an
educational charity (registered charity
number 266916). We receive no annual
public subsidy and rely on the generosity
of our individual, corporate and trust
supporters to help us maintain our
standard of excellence for our artistic
and education programming.
Thank you for your support of
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like to find out how you can get more
involved please contact a member of the
Development office on 020 7902 1458.
Tickets: £5
FRIENDS & PATRONS
#ReadNotDead
Tickets: £55
(£45 FoSG/concs/students)
#StudyDays
design
Small Back Room
The Shakespeare
Globe Trust,
a limited company
registered in
England and
Wales No.1152238
and a registered
charity No.266916.
Shakespeare
Globe Trading
Limited registered
charity in England
and Wales
No.997433.
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whilst Courtiers gain access up to
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LEGACY GIVING
Join a group of supporters who have
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To find out more contact Jo Matthews
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[email protected]
SUPPORTING THROUGH
YOUR BUSINESS
You can also get involved with
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outreach programmes. We work with
businesses in many different ways,
offering a flexible and creative approach
to develop collaborative partnerships
that effectively meet your needs.
Entertaining and hospitality
opportunities are also available
throughout the theatre season,
from private hire of our Gentlemen’s
Boxes to sponsorship of a performance
of your choice throughout the season.
Alternatively, join as an annual
corporate member and make the most
of everything the Globe has to offer
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To find our more please contact
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THE ORESTEIA
HAMLET
MACBETH
RICHARD III
the MERCHANT OF VENICE
KING JOHN
NELL GWYNN
RICHARD II
ROMEO & JULIET
AS YOU LIKE IT
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
justice
& mercy
the HERESY OF LOVE
MEASURE FOR MEASURE