OXFORDSHIRE ACTOR WILLIAM MANNERING TO PLAY RICHARD III AT BLENHEIM PALACE THIS SUMMER
Sarah Edwards
Thursday 18th April 2019
Picture Credit Charlotte Graham
Picture Shows Paul Hawkyard (Macduff/Bottom) Leandra Ashton (Lady Macbeth) in Various Locations at Blenheim Palace
CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR BLENHEIM PALACEÕS
2019 SUMMER OF SHAKESPEARE
TICKETS NOW ON SALE
Blenheim Palace: 8 July Ð 7 September
[25 February] SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE, EuropeÕs first ever pop-up Shakespearean Theatre, today announces the creative team for its Blenheim Palace nine-week season, following a hugely successful inaugural run at its original site in York in 2018.
The 13-sided Elizabethan-style playhouse - complete with an Elizabethan village - will be constructed over a three- week period in the glorious grounds of ÔBritainÕs Greatest PalaceÕ where, in its Oxfordshire home, it will run from 8 July until 7 September, performing four of ShakespeareÕs greatest plays. The York season will return on 25th June and run until 1st September.
The Blenheim Palace company will be reviving the productions of A Midsummer NightÕs Dream and Macbeth as experienced in York last year as well as creating exciting new productions of Romeo & Juliet and Richard III. In York, SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE will be performing Hamlet, Henry V, The Tempest and Twelfth Night.
The plays have been selected from across the genres, offering something for everyone, and will be performed in repertory by two companies of actors based at each location, with casting to be announced.
Damian Cruden returns to SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE, having directed Macbeth last year in York. This year he will serve as overall artistic director for both companies. Tom Wright will be Associate Director for Macbeth and A Midsummer NightÕs Dream, and Juliet Forster, who was the original director of A Midsummer NightÕs Dream last year, will turn her skills to directing Romeo & Juliet this year. Amy Yardley will be associate scenic designer for both Macbeth and A Midsummer NightÕs Dream, and scenic designer for Romeo & Juliet. Sarah Mercade will be costume designer for Macbeth, A Midsummer NightÕs Dream and Romeo & Juliet. Lucy Pitman-Wallace will direct Richard III, which will have scenic and costume design by Adam Nee.
Originator of the project and CEO of international theatre company, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, James Cundall MBE, said ÒWe are thrilled that Damian Cruden is once again joining us at SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE, this time as overall artistic director. With him we are delighted to have found a first-class team of directors and designers for our eight productions. We are looking forward to seeing their interpretations of these great plays.Ó
Dominic Hare, Chief Executive of Blenheim Palace, said ÒWhen I visited SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE in York last summer I was absolutely blown away, not only by the quality of the whole event, even down to the vintage carts and wagons, but by the extraordinary experience of seeing Shakespeare performed in such an intimate setting. It created the most astonishing connection between audience and actors, and produced some truly spine-tingling moments.
ÒI immediately thought it would be the ideal summer event for Blenheim Palace and I am immensely excited at the prospect of bringing these outstanding Shakespeare productions, as well as the Elizabethan experience, to such a stunning setting. We believe that SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE will bring many more visitors to the area for everyoneÕs benefit as well as being a marvellous cultural experience for local people.Ó
The Blenheim Palace season will be co-presented by Raymond Gubbay Ltd, who have a wealth of experience promoting events and concerts worldwide, including the popular ÔChristmas at Blenheim PalaceÕ illuminated trail and Cinderella experience.
Anthony Findlay, Chief Executive of Raymond Gubbay Ltd, said ÒWe have had the pleasure of working closely with Blenheim Palace for the past three years and have also enjoyed successful partnerships with Lunchbox Theatrical Productions on their touring shows. ItÕs hugely exciting that all three companies have now joined forces to bring this fabulous Shakespearean experience to the beautiful grounds of Blenheim Palace and the audiences of Oxfordshire and beyond.Ó
SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE and ShakespeareÕs Village are produced by Yorkshire-based Lunchbox Theatrical Productions. The Blenheim Palace season is presented in association with Raymond Gubbay Ltd and Blenheim Palace.
@ShakespearesRT
To book tickets at Blenheim Palace please visit : www.blenheimpalace.com/shakespearesRT
Blenheim Palace Listing Information
SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE Ð BLENHEIM PALACE
Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1UL
Monday 8 July Ð Saturday 7 September 2019.
Macbeth, A Midsummer NightÕs Dream, Richard III, Romeo & Juliet
For full performance schedule please visit www.blenheimpalace.com/shakespearesRT Blenheim Palace Booking Information
Book online www.blenheimpalace.com/shakespearesRT
By phone 0115 9129107
Calls cost up to 13p per minute plus your phone companyÕs access charge.
In Person SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1UL from 10am, Mon 8th July 2019
Tickets
All seats in SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE are the same Ð comfortably cushioned and backed, with plenty of leg room. Groundling tickets in the courtyard are open-air, all other seats are under cover. Visit blenheimpalace.com/shakespearesRT for seating plan and further details.
Premium £70.00
A Reserve £55.00
B Reserve £45.00
C Reserve £35.00
D Reserve £25.00 (restricted view) Groundlings £15.00
Wheelchairs - Courtyard £15.00, Premium £70.00. Each wheelchair space includes carer seat free of charge. Children (16 and under) £3 off all seats, £2 off Groundlings.
Groups of 16+ receive 10% off all ticket types (excluding groundlings). Contact SEE groups on 0844 412 4650 or by emailing groups@seetickets.com
Schools Ð Eight morning performances have been set aside exclusively for schools at £10 per ticket anywhere in the theatre. 1 teacher goes free with every 10 children. Tickets available through SEE Tickets on 0800 852 7244 or by emailing education@seetickets.com.
There is up to 15% off when purchasing Ôcombined ticketsÕ.
Prices inclusive of booking fee. All transactions are subject to a single charge of £2 for print at home tickets and collections or £2.50 for postal orders.
For more information on SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE please visit: www.shakespearesrosetheatre.com NOTES TO EDITORS
About Lunchbox Theatrical Productions
Lunchbox Theatrical Productions, founded in 1992 by James Cundall, has established an unrivalled reputation for producing top quality international entertainment in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, The Philippines, Europe and South Africa.
Producing West End and Broadway musicals, plays, boutique shows, spectaculars, concerts, childrenÕs shows, ice shows and events across five continents, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions sells over one million visitor experiences per year.
In addition, from the companyÕs UK headquarters, Lunchbox Theatrical Productions has been delivering events in the York region for over 13 years. This includes the award-winning YorkshireÕs Winter Wonderland incorporating The Ice Factor; productions by The Imperial Ice StarsÕ at Castle Howard, Royal Albert Hall, Chatsworth House and Hyde Park Winter Wonderland; THORÕS tipi bars in York, Leeds, Sheffield, Lincoln, LondonÕs Hyde Park Winter Wonderland and Brighton; the Vintage Fun Fair in York City Centre; and Christmas at York Museum Gardens. In 2018, the company created SHAKESPEAREÕS ROSE THEATRE in York, which this year returns to York and makes its debut at Blenheim Palace.
About Blenheim Palace
A visit to Blenheim Palace offers an unforgettable experience. ItÕs a chance to share the splendours of Baroque architecture, to wonder at the collections of art, tapestry and antiques, and to explore the Park and Gardens and discover landscapes crafted by Lancelot ÔCapabilityÕ Brown.
Whether enjoying a day visit to this magnificent home to the Dukes of Marlborough and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, or as a regular visitor able to appreciate the changing seasons and an annual programme of historical and cultural events, you will be sure to feel enriched by the Blenheim Palace experience.
Blenheim Palace - BritainÕs Greatest Palace.
About Raymond Gubbay Ltd
Founded in 1966, Raymond Gubbay Ltd is recognised as being at the forefront for promoting and producing popular classical music, opera, ballet and major events worldwide. In partnership with world class venues, including Blenheim Palace, Forestry Commission England, National Trust, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, RGL Ltd regularly produce Christmas light trails around the UK and Europe. Additionally, the company annually presents over 500 concerts. raymondgubbay.co.uk
For further information and interviews please contact:
Rebecca Byers |Rebecca.Byers@target-live.co.uk | 020 7052 1301
Arabella Neville-Rolfe | Arabella.Neville-Rolfe@target-live.co.uk |020 7052 1301 www.target-live.co.uk
[dropcap type = “circle”]O[/dropcap]xfordshire actor William Mannering will perform the title role of ‘Richard’ in Richard III at Blenheim Palace this summer.
William was brought up in Northmoor and went to the Dragon School in Oxford, before becoming an actor at 13 – after which his education was mainly on film sets.
Most recently seen in the West End in Pressure alongside David Haig, William has worked extensively on Shakespearean productions, including many seasons at the Globe, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Oxford Stage Company and Birmingham Repertory Theatre. He has plied his trade in the region – frequently touring to the Playhouse in Oxford, and also played ‘Bottom’ in The Globe production of A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream in The Bodleian Quad in 2014. William’s film credits include Master and Commander, as well as popular TV series Poldark, Endeavour and The Infinite Worlds of H.G. Wells.
William Mannering said: “I am thrilled to have the opportunity of playing this iconic role in front of a home crowd in Oxfordshire. I grew up just a few miles from Blenheim Palace, always aware of its place in our nation’s history; I can think of no finer setting for the telling of this rich and powerful story. Our pop-up Rose Theatre is a building that Shakespeare himself would recognise and one in which he would feel quite at home.”
The 13-sided Elizabethan-style playhouse – complete with an Elizabethan village – will be constructed over a three-week period in the glorious grounds of ‘Britain’s Greatest Palace’ where, in its Oxfordshire home, it will run from 8 July until 7 September, performing four of Shakespeare’s greatest plays.
The Blenheim Palace company will be reviving the productions of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Macbeth as experienced in York last year as well as creating exciting new productions of Romeo & Juliet and Richard III.
The plays have been selected from across the genres, offering something for everyone, and will be performed in repertory by two companies of actors.
The Shakespearean theatre will be constructed using state-of-the-art scaffolding technology, corrugated iron and timber. Inspired by the famous London Rose Playhouse built in 1587, 12 years prior to The Globe, SHAKESPEARE’S ROSE THEATRE will house an audience of 900, with 560 seated in three covered tiers around an open-roofed courtyard with standing room for 340 ‘groundlings’. The theatre will be located within a Shakespearean village, a rustic rural scene complete with village pond, farm wagons and carts, bringing an authentic Elizabethan ambience and theatricality to the event.
SHAKESPEARE’S ROSE THEATRE and Shakespeare’s Village are produced by Yorkshire-based Lunchbox Theatrical Productions. The Blenheim Palace season is presented in association with Raymond Gubbay Ltd and Blenheim Palace.
Calls cost up to 13p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.
In Person SHAKESPEARE’S ROSE THEATRE, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, OX20 1UL from 10am, Mon 8th July 2019
Tickets
All seats in SHAKESPEARE’S ROSE THEATRE are the same – comfortably cushioned and backed, with plenty of leg room. Groundling tickets in the courtyard are open-air, all other seats are under cover. Visit blenheimpalace.com/shakespearesRT for seating plan and further details.
Premium £70.00
A Reserve £55.00
B Reserve £45.00
C Reserve £35.00
D Reserve £25.00 (restricted view)
Groundlings £15.00
Wheelchairs – Courtyard £15.00, Premium £70.00. Each wheelchair space includes carer seat free of charge.
Children (16 and under) £3 off all seats, £2 off Groundlings.
Groups of 16+ receive 10% off all ticket types (excluding groundlings). Contact SEE groups on 0844 412 4650 or by emailing groups@seetickets.com
Schools – Eight morning performances have been set aside exclusively for schools at £10 per ticket anywhere in the theatre. 1 teacher goes free with every 10 children. Tickets available through SEE Tickets on 0800 852 7244 or by emailing education@seetickets.com
There is up to 15% off when purchasing ‘combined tickets’.
Prices inclusive of booking fee. All transactions are subject to a single charge of £2 for print at home tickets and collections or £2.50 for postal orders.
