Beyond Shakespeare

Discussing: John Rastell, with John Thor Ewing - modern editor of Rastell's A Hundred Merry Tales, which is available now from all good book sellers. John Rastell was a huge influence on early modern drama, not only as a playwright (of The Four Elements and parts of Gentleness and Nobility) but more importantly as a publisher and stager of plays. His Jest Book, A Hundred Merry Tales, was an incred...

An archive recording of Act 1 of God's Promises written by protestant playwright John Bale in 1538 (staged in 1547). This act sees God talking to the prophet Adam - he will speak with another five prophets, before finally preparing the way for the arrival of Jesus through speaking to John the Baptist. This was a follow up (recorded in 2015) to a test recording made in 2013 (incorporating elements...

A Full Cast Adaptation of The Four P's by John Heywood Three travellers meet and pass the time arguing as to who is better at getting to heaven - the Palmer, for his pilgrimages, the Pardoner for his relics, or the Pothecary for his medicines. They are met by a Peddler, who persuades them to settle their disagreement by having a contest in something they are all suited at - lying. A couple of tall...

A Full Cast Adaptation of Gentleness and Nobility by John Heywood and John Rastell A Knight overhears a Merchant boasting of his nobleness, sparking an argument between the two as to what is a gentleman. They are further interupted by a Ploughman, whose debating style is a little more… violent. With Rob Myson as the Merchant, Heydn McCabe as the Knight and Robert Crighton as the Ploughman. The Epi...

An updated version of our Roaring Girl episode - with a discussion about the play with Professor Tracey Hill of Bath Spa University and host Robert Crighton. The prologue to The Roaring Girl by Middleton and Dekker is performed by Sarah Golding. Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

Anything For A Quiet Life (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to Anything for a Quiet Life by Thomas Middleton & John Webster - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not supplying one.   Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, produced by Robert Crighton.  Additional sound effects from the wo...

No Wit / Help Like A Woman's (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue  A performance of the prologue to No Wit / Help Like A Womans, or The Almanac by Thomas Middleton - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not supplying one.  Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, produced by Robert Crighton Additional sound effects from the wo...

The Roaring Girl (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to The Roaring Girl by Thomas Middleton & Thomas Dekker - recorded to frustrate everyone who wants to hear a full production, and as a sitting accusation to the world for not supplying one.   Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, presented by Robert Crighton  Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at...

The Bloody Banquet (Prologue) - What's Past Is Prologue A performance of the prologue to The Bloody Banquet by Thomas Middleton & Thomas Dekker, followed by a mix of the prologue with stage directions from the Inductio.  Prologue performed by Sarah Golding, presented by Robert Crighton Additional sound effects from the wonderful people at http://www.freesfx.co.uk

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 fr...

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...

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 m...

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 My...

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 Rober...

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. T...

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...

Duke Moraud: Unedited Fragments - the complete recording of all parts of the lost anonymous play. Written at the end of the 15th Century this morality tale tells the story of a Duke who has an incestuous affair with his daughter. This plain text version includes a performance of the surviving fragments with narrative links. Two additional podcasts on this play are also available - a live stage rec...

Duke Moraud: Live! Adapted by Robert Crighton with Simon Nader as The Duke. Based on the lost anonymous play, this is a recording of the live stage show from 2017. Originally Duke Moraud was a medieval morality play, hear it now as a comedy performed by Donald Trump! To listen to a more faithful version of the surviving fragments, or to hear more about the original play, go to the other podcasts o...

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

A rough recording of Act 6 of God's Promises written by protestant playwright John Bale in 1538. This act sees God talking to the prophet Esaias, preparing the way for the arrival of John the Baptist and eventually Jesus. This was a follow up (recorded early 2015) to a test recording made in 2013, to give us an idea of what would be needed to bring the play to life. It's closer to how we'd like to...

A very rough archive recording of the second half of an impromptu performance of medieval Mystery plays. Featuring plays of the Kings, Herod and the Slaughter of the Innocents. Mostly from the Towneley Cycle, though with sections of Chester. Recorded in the bar at the Quay Theatre in December 2006. #medieval #mysteryplays

A very rough archive recording of an impromptu performance of medieval Mystery plays. Featuring plays on the Annunciation, Joseph's Doubt, Nativity and the three Shepherds. Mostly from the Towneley Cycle, though with sections of Chester. Recorded in the bar at the Quay Theatre in December 2006. #medieval #mysteryplays

The Fall of Lucifer - Play 1 of the Chester Mystery Cycle A Full Cast Recording of the first play of the Chester Cycle - The Tanners Play covering the fall of Lucifer up to the creation of the world. Recorded in 2013. Cast: God - Robert Crighton Lucifer - Trevor Laver Lightbourne - Richard Fawcett Angels and Archangels - Helen Arbon, Neil Arbon, Adam Webster, Kevin Roychowdhury, AM Barrett, Annie...