Adapted from William Shakespeare

February 2003

Link to cast & production team Link to what the critics said Link to photo gallery

– another Bard in the Yard production by Eastbourne’s award-winning Butterfly Creek Theatre Troupe.

Bard in the Yard has become an annual feature of the Eastbourne summer scene. This year’s show keeps the relaxed atmosphere and simple setting focusing on Shakespeare’s characters and language. Join us for an evening of 12 scenes from Richard II, the Henry plays, and Richard III.

The women range from queens, princesses and duchesses to pub owners, maids and prostitutes. With them you’ll see Henry the Fifth, Falstaff, Richard the Third – and lots of others. Most people will never have seen these scenes before – it’s a truly unique experience.

Eastbourne directors and actors involved are Laurie Atkinson, Fran Baldock, Peter Baldock, Ashley Bloomfield, Chris Cameron, Will Clannachan, Jerry Duckor, Sandra Gillespie, Reuben Hardie, Joanna Hulme, Anne Manchester, John Marwick, Barry Mawer, Florence McFarlane, Rowan McRae, Holly Robinson, Trevor Rose. Merilyn Noonen will be playing the hurdy-gurdy.

Cast & Production Team

1: The Duchess of York

Richard II: Act V Scenes 2 and 3

Duchess of York	Sandra Gillespie
Edmund, Duke of York	Jerry Duckor
Duke of Aumerle, their son	Ashley Bloomfield
Bolingbroke – King Henry IV	Reuben Hardie
Director	John Marwick

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2: Lady Percy – 1

Henry IV Part 1: Act II Scene 3

Henry Percy, known as  Hotspur	Chris Cameron
Lady Percy, his wife	Holly Robinson
Director	Laurie Atkinson

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3: Mistress Quickly – 1

Henry IV Part 2: Act II Scene 1

Mistress Quickly	Florence McFarlane
Fang	Will Clannachan
Snare	Jerry Duckor
Sir John Falstaff	Barry Mawer
Lord Chief Justice	Trevor Rose
Director	John Marwick

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4: Queen Margaret – 1

Henry VI Part 3: Act I Scenes 1& 4

Henry VI	Ashley Bloomfield
Queen Margaret, his wife	Fran Baldock
Edward, Prince of Wales, their son	Reuben Hardie
Richard, Duke of York	Laurie Atkinson
Director	John Marwick

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5: Lady Percy – 2

Henry IV Part 2: Act II Scene 3

Earl of Northumberland	Trevor Rose
Lady Northumberland, his wife	Sandra Gillespie
Lady Percy, their daughter-in-law	Holly Robinson
Director	Jerry Duckor

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6: Princess Katherine – 1

Henry V: Act III Scene 4

Princess Katherine of France	Joanna Hulme
Alice, her companion	Anne Manchester
Director	Florence McFarlane

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Henry VI Part 3: Act V Scenes 5

Edward IV, York’s son	Will Clannachan
Richard, Duke of Gloucester, York’s son	John Marwick
George, Duke of Clarence, York’s son	Trevor Rose
Queen Margeret, wife to Henry VI	Fran McGrath
Edward, Prince of Wales, her son	Reuben Hardie
Director	Laurie Atkinson

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Henry IV Part 2: Act II Scene 4

Mistress Quickly	Florence McFarlane
Doll Tearsheet, a whore	Rowan McRae
Sir John Falstaff	Barry Mawer
Bardulph, his man	Chris Cameron
Pistol, his ensign	Peter Baldock
Director	John Marwick

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Richard III: Act I Scene 2

Lady Anne	Holly Robinson
Richard, Duke of Gloucester	John Marwick
Director	Peter Baldock

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Richard III: Act I Scenes 3

Queen Elizabeth	Rowan McRae
Lord Rivers, her brother	Trevor Rose
Marquis of Dorset, her son	Will Clannachan
Lord Stanley, Earl of Derby	Chris Cameron
Duke of Buckingham	Peter Baldock
Richard Duke of Gloucester	John Marwick
Lord Hastings	Reuben Hardie
Queen Margaret, widow to Henry VI	Fran Baldock
Director	Laurie Atkinson

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Henry V: Act V Scene 2

Princess Katherine of France	Joanna Hulme
Alice, her companion	Anne Manchester
Director	Florence McFarlane

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Henry IV Part 2: Act II Scene 4

Mistress Quickly	Florence McFarlane
Doll Tearsheet, a whore	Rowan McRae
Bardulph, Falstaff’s  man	Chris Cameron
Pistol, Falstaff’s ensign, married Mistress Quickly	Peter Baldock
Director	John Marwick

Costumes	Carol Thompson
Props	Julia Stuart
Stage and House Manager House	Kate Booth
Programme	John Marwick
Publicity board	Steve Wilson

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Beauties, Barmaids and Battleaxes by William Shakespeare

Butterfly Creek Theatre Troupe, February 2003

Reviewed by Ewen Coleman

Although many of the more famous characters from Shakespeare’s plays are men, his women are no less interesting, especially those from his history plays which Butterfly Creek Theatre Troupe have chosen to portray for their Bard In The Yard season this year, Beauties, Barmaids and Battleaxes.

The period is the War of The Roses, the House of York (the White Rose) – the Richard’s and Edward’s – are fighting the House of Lancaster (the Red Rose) – the Henry’s.  In12 short scenes in roughly chronological order we see the role women played supporting their men at war.  In Richard II, The Duchess of York (Sandra Gillespie) intercedes for her son who is accused of treason.  In Henry IV, Lady Percy (Holly Robinson), suspects her husband, Henry Percy of preparing for war only to find later that he is killed in action.  Through the Henry VI and Richard III plays we meet one of Shakespeare’s more interesting women, Queen Margaret (Fran Baldock). She begins by raising an army against those who over threw her husband Henry VI only to lose her son Edward at the Battle of Tewesbury, ending up a bitter and twisted old lady under Richard III’s reign, her famous tirade against him one of the highlights of the production.

To provide some light relief through these scenes, the tavern owner Miss Quickly (Florence McFarlane) and her adversary Falstaff from Henry IV appear, as does Katherine (Joanna Hulme), the French princess showing us how not to learn English.  All the scenes are presented simply with no set and a minimum of props and costumes, the focus of the production on Shakespeare’s words and the interaction of his characters.  Strong performances from all the women in the central roles ably supported by the men makes this production a fascinating and insightful look at a different aspect of Shakespeare.

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