See The Merchant of Venice as Tudor Audiences Saw It

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W12 resident Lizzie is creator of 'cue script' Shakespeare at Cockpit Theatre

Shepherd's Bush resident Lizzie Conrad-Hughes is the creator of an unusual production of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, opening at the Cockpit Theatre in Marylebone on Tuesday 3 October.

Lizzie is Artistic Director of the Shake-Scene Shakespeare Theatre company, which specialises in "cue script", presenting the playwright's work as it was performed in Tudor times, without the actors rehearsing together before the performance.

Guided only by their character’s lines and immediate cue words, the performers embark on a gripping journey of discovery as actors enter the stage without knowing what scenario or whom they are about to face. The audience journeys with them as they step into the unknown and gamble moment to moment.

Shake-Scene Shakespeare aims to provide today's theatre goers with the same experience - or as close as possible - as the 16th centuryaudience, while seeing a 21st Century production. In Shakespeare's time, audiences were known to pay double to see new plays performed for the first time and to witness these delightful moments of discovery and surprise.

Certain aspects of casting however will be different, such as some traditionally male roles being played by female actors.

The cast includes Charlotte Gallagher (The Judas Kiss, Duke of York’s Theatre), Jonathan McGarrity (The Full Monty national tour, Coronation Street) and Mary-Ann Cafferkey (Offie nomination for Proof at the Tabard Theatre).

Lizzie, the creator and Artistic Director of Shake-Scene Shakespeare, has produced two previous cue-scripted plays: The Tempest in 2016 and The Two Gentleman of Verona in 2015. Both productions thrilled audiences, received critical acclaim and attracted academic interest. Lizzie has been teaching Shakespeare for 25 years alongside a career as an actress.

The Merchant of Venice, described as "authentic and intensely spontaneous" is on at the Cockpit Theatre, in Gateforth Street off Church Street in Marylebone from 3 October till Saturday 7 October at 7pm. Find out more and book tickets on the website.

October 1, 2017