Two historic local country houses provide the glorious setting for Shakespeare’s Weekend 2018.
Lutyens’ Mells Park is the venue for a hot debate on Who Was Shakespeare? between biographer and critic Alexander Waugh, great-grandson of Evelyn Waugh and advocate of the Oxfordian theory that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, wrote the works of William Shakespeare, and Shakespeare scholar Clare Asquith (Countess of Oxford & Asquith) who will argue that Shakespeare was indeed the author of these works.
This ‘Battle of the Oxfords’ will take place at 6.30pm for 7.00pm on Saturday 15th September at Mells Park and will be chaired by Professor Gerard Kilroy. A two-course supper together with a glass of wine is included in the ticket price of £30.
On the following day, Sunday 16th September, at 2.00pm for 2.30pm, The Merchant of Venice will be performed by award-winning theatre company Illyria in the purpose-built Elizabethan Playhouse housed in a Tudor barn at Manor Farm, Corsley – a house once lived in by Walter Raleigh’s brother, Carew.
Event organiser Chris da Costa explains, “Restoring the barn, we have tried to replicate the Elizabethan theatres that Carew and Walter Raleigh would have visited. We have adapted and adopted and been as authentic to that age as today’s world permits.”
This is the perfect environment to enjoy one of Shakespeare’s most accessible plays. Enjoy a delicious champagne tea in the gardens and hall of the beautiful Grade II listed house dating back to the time of Shakespeare – all included in the ticket price of £30.
Tickets including food and drink at both houses are available from Claire da Costa, 01373 832113, claire@theelizabethanplay house,com.
Proceeds to Child Bereavement UK, community-run Mells Village Shop, and The Shakespearean Authorship Trust.
For further information contact June Costelloe june.costelloe@btinternet .com 01373 837334
