Refuge and displacement are the themes for a trio of Shakespeare’s plays touring the UK this summer, with Chilham Castle the first stop
After last year’s success, Chilham Castle, in association with Canterbury Festival, welcomes back Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour to its beautiful castle grounds.
Brendan O’Hea is directing a trio of The Bard’s great plays , from 17 to 19 May, all of which explore the themes of refuge and displacement.
Pericles, The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night will be performed across three days, with both matinee and evening performances, in the same style as a touring production would have been staged in the 17th century, with a stripped-back booth stage and a small, highly versatile troupe of actors.
The cast will not only be taking on multiple roles across all three plays, but also playing musical instruments. The players will unravel these three timeless tales of those who have crossed seas and lost their families, are seeking lost homes, and finding out what belonging truly means to them – themes that are effortlessly relatable within today’s troubled society.
A new development for this year is that, for the first time ever, Chilham Castle is hosting glamping in conjunction with Events Under Canvas to provide an extra-special element to your Shakespeare weekend.
So, when you’re not watching the performances, you can relax in a fully equipped bell tent, with the Castle as your backdrop, enjoy an exclusive tipi bar, street food and log fires in this quintessential Kentish setting.
Find out more
With sold-out performances last year, you won’t want to miss out. Buy tickets from £10 per performance at: www.shakespearesglobe.com. Or enjoy VIP access including a Champagne and canapé reception in the Castle’s Great Hall for £50.
For further information about this event and the Glamping opportunities, please visit www.chilham-castle.co.uk
Shakespeare’s Globe on Tour is kindly sponsored by Taittinger & Ashford Borough Council and is in association with Canterbury Festival.
The performances
Friday 17 May
7pm – Pericles
Saturday 18 May
2pm - The Comedy of Errors
7pm - Twelfth Night
Sunday 19 May
12.30pm - Twelfth Night
6pm - The Comedy of Errors
Standing: £10
Standard seat: £30
Premier seat: £50
Premier Seats includes reception held in the Castle’s Great Hall with Champagne and canapés, exclusive entry through front gate and parking on hardstanding outside the Castle.
Chilham Castle, Chilham, nr Canterbury CT4 8DB
The plays
The Comedy of Errors
Take one pair of estranged twin brothers (both named Antipholus) and one pair of estranged twin servants (both named Dromio), both pairs separated at sea. Add a dash of mistaken identity and throw them into a city with a reputation for sorcery, and you have all the ingredients for theatrical chaos…
Pericles
The spirit of fairy tale is never far from the surface of Pericles, the first of Shakespeare’s late romances. Imbued with music, miracles and the constant presence of the sea, this rarely performed work sees Pericles, Prince of Tyre, forced to flee his kingdom and wander the world.
Twelfth Night
When a shipwreck tears a family apart, twins Sebastian and Viola seek refuge in a new land. Filled with memorable characters, this perennial favourite combines cruelty with high comedy and the pangs of unrequited love with subtle poetry, expressed through some of Shakespeare’s most exquisite songs.
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Interview with director Brendan O’Hea
Why is Chilham the first stop on your tour?
We love opening the show in Kent. The castle isn’t too far from The Globe, so we run our technical rehearsals during the week so that if we need to grab something from our London store or need someone to support us last minute, it isn’t too far for them to dash down and help.
What do you all like about performing here?
The weather, the scenery, the beautiful backdrop of the castle and the great audiences.
How many venues in the UK are you performing at?
We will be performing in Bangor in Wales, the Minack in Porthcurno, in Brighton and in Oxford. We are also going out to Europe, the US and Asia. The tour offers a huge diverse experience for our actors who will be travelling all summer.
Will you get time to explore?
I love Canterbury and Whitstable. I have friends there, and will find any excuse to return.
Why these particular plays?
Shakespeare is one of the greatest humanitarian writers and we are so privileged to have him as our resident writer at The Globe.
Although the three plays are unique in tone, they all explore shipwrecked characters lost at sea who are forced to find refuge in a new country.
It therefore felt appropriate to assemble a company of international artists who are able to bring their own voices and unique experiences to the work. At a time when the world seems to be fracturing rather than uniting, we couldn’t think of a better time or better plays to respond to the importance of refuge, belonging and our common humanity.
The tour will also be returning to The Globe during our refugee week festival in June and these three plays felt like the perfect fit.
Will you be including the audience choice element?
The audience choice element has been hugely popular across the touring venues, but the feedback from last year in Chilham was that audiences wanted to choose in advance, so we decided to fix the schedule. We will be offering Pericles on Friday night and Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night on Saturday and Sunday.
Why are you directing The Globe on Tour again?
I love being around good words, and I love the challenge of directing three plays with a small company of actors.
It forces me to be simple and clear with the storytelling. I don’t miss acting at all; I was an actor for 30 years. I enjoy directing as I get to learn about the technical side of putting on plays.
Are this year’s actors all new to you?
I taught Andrius when he was at drama school, but apart from that, they’re all new.
Touring takes a particular talent. You need to be robust, talented, resourceful, playful, passionate about Shakespeare, open and kind. And ideally, play a musical instrument. I think I’ve struck gold with this company.
