Episodes

  • 366: Discussing: The Oxford Medieval Mystery Cycle 2025

    366: Discussing: The Oxford Medieval Mystery Cycle 2025
    Mar 7 2025
    We have a special walk and talk discussing episode, recorded around St Edmund Hall in Oxford, with Professor Henrike Lähnemann, Fellow of St Edmund Hall and Professor of Medieval German Literature and Linguistics, as our guide to The Oxford Medieval Mystery Cycle. Join host Robert Crighton, with Liza Graham, as we were given a walking tour around the route of the event, coming up on Saturday 26th April 2025. We were also briefly joined by Antonia Anstatt, who is part of the team.
    We hope to be there at the event itself in April, and to be able to share some of the responses to the shows.
    For more about the event, and for a host of videos of previous performances, go to their website. https://www.seh.ox.ac.uk/mystery-cycle

    Our patrons received most of this episode in advance.
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
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    54 mins
  • 368: Lady Rachel Fane's Household Masque (Behind the Scenes)

    368: Lady Rachel Fane's Household Masque (Behind the Scenes)
    Mar 6 2025
    Surprise pod drop! Yes, we're embedded in a production of Lady Rachel Fane's Household Masque, performing this Saturday (8th March 2025) at Boston Manor House. We're helping archive the rehearsal process and the performance, and hope to do a more detailed BTS episode further down the line. This is a quick pop up episode, recorded during the first day of rehearsals on Wednesday 5th March 2025, featuring Alison Findley, Tamsin Lewis of Passamezzo, and some of the cast.
    Tickets for the show available here!
    Find out more about Passamezzo here!

    To celebrate International Women’ Day, Boston Manor House, a Jacobean house built in 1623 by Lady Mary Reade will be home to a staging of Rachel Fane’s ‘May Masque’ directed by Alison Findlay and Tamsin Lewis of Passamezzo. The performance at 7.30 is preceded by refreshments, music and craft making starting at 6.30 pm.
    As far as we know, this is the first performance of the entertainment that Rachel Fane (1613-1680) wrote for her family in 1627, featuring them as performers and named members of the audience at the family home Apethorpe Hall. Fane’s teenage, hand-bound manuscript is held at the Kent Archive Office (Maidstone). Experts Marion O’Connor and Erin Julian will imitate those family members who watched and mentored Fane’s original production. Boston Manor House is an ideal place to stage an entertainment designed to show learning because its owner, Lady Mary Reade took care to display her own learning in the plasterwork of the drawing room.

    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
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    7 mins
  • 361: Exploring: Beware the Cat by William Baldwin - Part 4 (Archive LIVE Stream)

    361: Exploring: Beware the Cat by William Baldwin - Part 4 (Archive LIVE Stream)
    Feb 28 2025
    Welcome to archived live stream exploring session for Beware the Cat by William Baldwin. It was live streamed on Robert Crighton's private YouTube channel, but not officially added to the podcast, during the opening of the 2020 plague and, beyond a few minor tweaks, remains as streamed. It's a First Look, so it's rough as such things are, and obviously we've come a long way since then.
    This fourth part takes us into the Third Oration of Master Streamer, when the cats speak!
    Following our live reading in 2023, an adaptation of the book is rehearsing now, planning to tour later this year. If you'd like to be kept up to speed with developments, join the Beware the Cat mailing list.
    If you're interested in the show coming to your area, get in touch here.

    The audio recording of our live adaptation from the Revels season is available now - but it isn't on the pod for the moment. It can be listened to by signing up for free to our Patreon - it won't be released on the podcast as per usual so as not to give away too easily a future production.
    Part One can be heard here! Just sign up and listen!
    Part Two can be heard here! Just sign up and listen!

    Other useful material -
    General Beware the Cat material -
    https://audioboom.com/playlists/4635670-beware-the-cat-by-william-baldwin
    Various Cat elements in Gammer Gurton's Needle - https://audioboom.com/playlists/4628938-gammer-gurton-s-needle
    For the earlier example of the Dame and her 'magically' transformed daughter, Dame Sirith - https://audioboom.com/posts/8079017-dame-sirith-full-cast-audio-adaptation
    For an example of anti-Catholic propaganda of the period - https://audioboom.com/posts/8242513-john-bon-and-master-parson-by-luke-shepherd-full-cast-audio-adaptation
    Discussing: Beware the Cat with Dr Rachel Stenner - https://audioboom.com/posts/7252019-discussing-beware-the-cat
    Discussing: A Mirror for Magistrates - also by William Baldwin - https://audioboom.com/posts/8456073-discussing-a-mirror-for-magistrates-with-prof-scott-c-lucas

    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
    Show more Show less
    45 mins
  • 358: Discussing: Mucedorus with AMP Theatre Company

    358: Discussing: Mucedorus with AMP Theatre Company
    Feb 21 2025
    This week we have a chat with Allison and Mark Pajor of AMP Theatre Company, who recently produced a version of Mucedorus. Coming soon, a production of Galatea by John Lyly!
    Find out more about them and their work at https://www.amptheatrecompany.org/

    Our patrons received this episode a month in advance.
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
    Show more Show less
    45 mins
  • 363: Doctor John Faustus (Chapter 15)

    363: Doctor John Faustus (Chapter 15)
    Feb 18 2025
    The History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus, is the book that is the source for Christopher Marlowe's play. Chapter by chapter we will wander through the twists and turns of this story.
    Performed by Robert Crighton
    Chapter Fifteen: How Doctor Faustus desired again of his Spirit, to know the secrets and pains of hell: and whether those damned devils and their company might ever come into the favour and love of God again.

    Our patrons also get an exploring session looking in detail at the text -     join our chat here.

    Thunder sfx thanks to     zapsplat.com
    Our patrons received this episode in January 2024 - approx. 13 months early.
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
    Show more Show less
    15 mins
  • 361: Exploring: Beware the Cat by William Baldwin - Part 3 (Archive LIVE Stream)

    361: Exploring: Beware the Cat by William Baldwin - Part 3 (Archive LIVE Stream)
    Feb 14 2025
    Welcome to archived live stream exploring session for Beware the Cat by William Baldwin. It was live streamed on Robert Crighton's private YouTube channel, but not officially added to the podcast, during the opening of the 2020 plague and, beyond a few minor tweaks, remains as streamed. It's a First Look, so it's rough as such things are, and obviously we've come a long way since then.
    This third part covers the Second Oration of Master Streamer.
    Following our live reading in 2023, an adaptation of the book is rehearsing now, planning to tour later this year. If you'd like to be kept up to speed with developments, join the Beware the Cat mailing list.
    If you're interested in the show coming to your area, get in touch here.

    The audio recording of our live adaptation from the Revels season is available now - but it isn't on the pod for the moment. It can be listened to by signing up for free to our Patreon - it won't be released on the podcast as per usual so as not to give away too easily a future production.
    Part One can be heard here! Just sign up and listen!
    Part Two can be heard here! Just sign up and listen!

    Other useful material -
    General Beware the Cat material -
    https://audioboom.com/playlists/4635670-beware-the-cat-by-william-baldwin
    Various Cat elements in Gammer Gurton's Needle - https://audioboom.com/playlists/4628938-gammer-gurton-s-needle
    For the earlier example of the Dame and her 'magically' transformed daughter, Dame Sirith - https://audioboom.com/posts/8079017-dame-sirith-full-cast-audio-adaptation
    For an example of anti-Catholic propaganda of the period - https://audioboom.com/posts/8242513-john-bon-and-master-parson-by-luke-shepherd-full-cast-audio-adaptation
    Discussing: Beware the Cat with Dr Rachel Stenner - https://audioboom.com/posts/7252019-discussing-beware-the-cat
    Discussing: A Mirror for Magistrates - also by William Baldwin - https://audioboom.com/posts/8456073-discussing-a-mirror-for-magistrates-with-prof-scott-c-lucas

    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
    Show more Show less
    39 mins
  • 354: !Spoilers! Cleopatra by Samuel Daniel (Act 4 to 5)

    354: !Spoilers! Cleopatra by Samuel Daniel (Act 4 to 5)
    Feb 7 2025
    This is the second of our !Spoilers! episodes on Cleopatra by Samuel Daniel. A walk through of the action of the play, mixed with an initial edit of our recording of the play made at the White Bear during our Revels season on Wednesday 13th December 2023.

    Featuring the voices of...
    Pamela Flanagan - Cleopatra
    Lynsey Beauchamp - Proculeius
    Karim Kronfli - Rodon
    Alex Kapila - Messenger
    Kit McGuire - Seleucus
    Sojourner Hazelwood-Connell - Titius
    Emma Kemp - Chorus One
    Valentina Vinci - Dolabella
    Roel Fox - Chorus Two, who also produced the music for the production (though not heard in this episode)
    Robert Crighton – Host, and Producer

    A playlist for explorations of all Samuel Daniel's work is here.

    Our patrons received this episode a month in advance.
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 16 mins
  • 360: Exploring: Beware the Cat by William Baldwin - Part 2 (Archive LIVE Stream)

    360: Exploring: Beware the Cat by William Baldwin - Part 2 (Archive LIVE Stream)
    Jan 31 2025
    Welcome to archived live stream exploring session for Beware the Cat by William Baldwin. It was live streamed on Robert Crighton's private YouTube channel, but not officially added to the podcast, during the opening of the 2020 plague and, beyond a few minor tweaks, remains as streamed. It's a First Look, so it's rough as such things are, and obviously we've come a long way since then.
    This second part begins midway through the First Oration of Master Streamer.
    Following our live reading in 2023, an adaptation of the book is rehearsing now, planning to tour later this year. If you'd like to be kept up to speed with developments, join the Beware the Cat mailing list.
    If you're interested in the show coming to your area, get in touch here.

    The audio recording of our live adaptation from the Revels season is available now - but it isn't on the pod for the moment. It can be listened to by signing up for free to our Patreon - it won't be released on the podcast as per usual so as not to give away too easily a future production.
    Part One can be heard here! Just sign up and listen!
    Part Two can be heard here! Just sign up and listen!

    Other useful material -
    General Beware the Cat material -
    https://audioboom.com/playlists/4635670-beware-the-cat-by-william-baldwin
    Various Cat elements in Gammer Gurton's Needle - https://audioboom.com/playlists/4628938-gammer-gurton-s-needle
    For the earlier example of the Dame and her 'magically' transformed daughter, Dame Sirith - https://audioboom.com/posts/8079017-dame-sirith-full-cast-audio-adaptation
    For an example of anti-Catholic propaganda of the period - https://audioboom.com/posts/8242513-john-bon-and-master-parson-by-luke-shepherd-full-cast-audio-adaptation
    Discussing: Beware the Cat with Dr Rachel Stenner - https://audioboom.com/posts/7252019-discussing-beware-the-cat
    Discussing: A Mirror for Magistrates - also by William Baldwin - https://audioboom.com/posts/8456073-discussing-a-mirror-for-magistrates-with-prof-scott-c-lucas

    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org
    You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ
    The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.
    Show more Show less
    34 mins