Stage set for Shakespeare

Plays written by, and about, William Shakespeare are set to be brought to the stage this spring by Horncastle’s young thespians.
Horncastle Theatre Company's Up-Stagers preparing for Macbeth.Horncastle Theatre Company's Up-Stagers preparing for Macbeth.
Horncastle Theatre Company's Up-Stagers preparing for Macbeth.

Horncastle Theatre Company’s Up Stagers will be bringing Shakespeare In Love to the stage this weekend Friday and Saturday (March 22 and 23) with a 7.30pm start on both nights and a 2.30pm Saturday matinee.

This is a stage production of the 1998 Oscar-winning film starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Fiennes, which has been adapted for the stage by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard.The play sees Will Shakespeare suffering from writers block, promising his new play ‘Romeo and Ethel the Pirates Daughter’ to various promoters, but is unable to deliver.

The wealthy Lady Viola soon becomes his muse when she auditions for his company disguised as Thomas Kent hoping to fulfill her dream of becoming an actor.What follows is an imagined fable of how Will Shakespeare came to write the most famous love story of all time, Romeo and Juliet.

Ruby Cairns as Will Shakespeare and Amelia Yates as Viola in Shakespeare in Love.Ruby Cairns as Will Shakespeare and Amelia Yates as Viola in Shakespeare in Love.
Ruby Cairns as Will Shakespeare and Amelia Yates as Viola in Shakespeare in Love.

This is the Upstagers first Production since before Covid, and spokesman Nancy Shackleton said that the company is “extremely proud” of their talented teenagers.

Meanwhile, the theatre company’s Young Stagers are deep in preparation for William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which has been innovatively adapted for younger actors and audiences by Neil Richards.

The production promises all the magic of Shakespeare’s tragic tale of murder, mystery and witchcraft with drama, dastardly deeds and intrigue – interwoven with dance and song.

The Young Stagers have been hard at work practicing their stage combat and musical numbers, ranging from haunting Scottish laments to rap and rousing battle anthems

Macbeth is set to be performed from May 16 to 18, starting at 7.30pm each night.

Tickets for both Shakespeare in Love and Macbeth are available via the Horncastle Theatre Company’s website at https://www.horncastletheatre.co.uk/book-tickets/