I was watching some promenade street theatre in Stony Stratford yesterday. The local Theatre Society where performing, in the open air, various renditions of sonnets and scenes from Shakespeare as part of his 400th anniversary. Caz Tricks who had organised this wandering band of players had done an excellent job, as ever, of bringing the spirit of Shakespeare to the prettier corners of Stony. With Sarah, my wife, and our two young daughters, we happily strolled around the town in the evening sunshine.
Audience and players began on Horsefair Green and went on to seven other sites around the town ending at the courtyard of the Cock Hotel. We began with the redoubtable Eric Thompson and the aptly named Vicky Shakeshaft performing ‘a domestic’ as Caz put it between Oberon and Titania. Followed by my old mucker Anthony Chapman with perhaps Shakespeare’s most famous sonnet 18 (‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day…’). Apart from the pleasure of the theatre this was also a pleasant introduction to locations of interest around Stony. I loved the event and the location and would like to thank everyone involved. I especially enjoyed Patricia Allati’s rendition of the ‘Willow’ song from Othello which really did give one the impression of how these songs would have enlivened and given great strength to the drama. She also sang as beautifully as the summer sun coming through the trees.
Sarah particularly enjoyed the various pieces performed by Danni Kushner from Hamlet to Juliet no less. The musical accompaniment from site to site made it a very jolly affair and I could have happily jigged about the town all evening. Caz even co-opted myself and Sarah to do a sonnet each: I with Isla, my two year old, on my back (munching crisps, I was told afterwards and happily ignoring my performance!) Sarah with Freya on her stomach in the papoose and being heckled by Isla saying ‘Mummy, mummy’ throughout (hope we didn’t disturb anyone too much!). I would have loved Andy Powell to finish with Henry V’s St Crispin’s day speech but his rendition midway through events, outside the place Richard III reputedly stayed one night, on the high street, certainly kept pedestrians and motorists alike on their toes! I could go on but I would recommend getting along yourself if you can, events are on-going for the rest of the week, just check out the ‘Stony Live’ website for details.
Audience and players began on Horsefair Green and went on to seven other sites around the town ending at the courtyard of the Cock Hotel. We began with the redoubtable Eric Thompson and the aptly named Vicky Shakeshaft performing ‘a domestic’ as Caz put it between Oberon and Titania. Followed by my old mucker Anthony Chapman with perhaps Shakespeare’s most famous sonnet 18 (‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day…’). Apart from the pleasure of the theatre this was also a pleasant introduction to locations of interest around Stony. I loved the event and the location and would like to thank everyone involved. I especially enjoyed Patricia Allati’s rendition of the ‘Willow’ song from Othello which really did give one the impression of how these songs would have enlivened and given great strength to the drama. She also sang as beautifully as the summer sun coming through the trees.
Sarah particularly enjoyed the various pieces performed by Danni Kushner from Hamlet to Juliet no less. The musical accompaniment from site to site made it a very jolly affair and I could have happily jigged about the town all evening. Caz even co-opted myself and Sarah to do a sonnet each: I with Isla, my two year old, on my back (munching crisps, I was told afterwards and happily ignoring my performance!) Sarah with Freya on her stomach in the papoose and being heckled by Isla saying ‘Mummy, mummy’ throughout (hope we didn’t disturb anyone too much!). I would have loved Andy Powell to finish with Henry V’s St Crispin’s day speech but his rendition midway through events, outside the place Richard III reputedly stayed one night, on the high street, certainly kept pedestrians and motorists alike on their toes! I could go on but I would recommend getting along yourself if you can, events are on-going for the rest of the week, just check out the ‘Stony Live’ website for details.
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