venues

Shakespeare House

Date

23rd & 26th April 2009

Director

Barbara Pipes

As part of the first year of our second century we marked our 101st celebration of Shakespeare's birthday with this rehearsed reading of 'Cymbeline'. The play that had only previously been presented once in an abridged form as part of an arts festival at the Guildhall in 1984.

The production was directed by our then President Barbara Pipes with assistance from Bryan Cleary. 'Cymbeline' had always been one of her favourite plays and she particularly enjoyed the fairy tale elements of abducted children, changing identities and magical intervention that permeate this story of ancient Britain.

The play contains themes of love, loyalty and chastity that would have been of great interest to a 17th century audience and remain intriguing and entertaining today.