York Shakespeare Project Explained

The York Shakespeare Project (YSP) was set up in 2001 to perform all of Shakespeare's plays within a twenty-year period in the city of York. The project is a registered charity, with a stated aim of providing "a long-term cultural, educational and community resource for the people of York and beyond by involving the wider York community in the production of the whole cycle of Shakespearean drama."^[1]

Productions

The list of plays to be performed includes all those in the First Folio, together with Pericles, Prince of Tyre and The Two Noble Kinsmen. Productions have proceeded in approximate chronological order of writing. Productions so far are:

• Richard III, directed by John White,^[2] October–November 2002.
• The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Paul Toy,^[3] June 2003.
• The Comedy of Errors, directed by Ali Borthwick,^[4] December 2003.
• Titus Andronicus, directed by Paul Toy,^[5] April 2004.
• Love's Labour's Lost, directed by Chris Rawson,^[6] December 2004.
• Romeo & Juliet, directed by Sarah Punshon,^[7] July 2005.
  • The Project's first outdoor production.
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona, directed by Ali Borthwick,^[8] November–December 2005.
• A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Mark France,^[9] July 2006.
  • The audition and rehearsal process for this production was filmed for local Public-access television station York@54, who also broadcast the completed production.
• The Life and Death of King John, directed by Jeremy Muldowney,^[10] December 2006.
  • Thought to be the first production of this play in York for over 100 years.^[11]
• Henry VI, directed by Mark France,^[12] June 2007.
  • A two part adaptation combining Henry VI, Part 1, Henry VI, Part 2 and Henry VI, Part 3 into parts named Henry VI: The Occupation and Henry VI: Civil War and performed in alternation in the York Guildhall.^[12]
• As You Like It, directed by Roger Calvert,^[13] July 2008.
  • This production was performed in the Gardens of York Minster.^[14]
• The Merchant of Venice, directed by Cecily Boys,^[15] November 2008.
• Julius Caesar, directed by Mark Smith,^[16] June 2009.
• Richard II, directed by Hugh Allison,^[17] November 2009.
• Henry IV, directed by Tom Cooper,^[18] July–August 2010.
  • The two plays Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2 performed in alternation in the disused medieval church of St Martin-cum-Gregory, Micklegate.^[18]
• Much Ado about Nothing, directed by Paul Taylor-Mills,^[19] June–July 2011
• Troilus and Cressida, directed by Paul Toy,^[20] November 2011
• The Merry Wives of Windsor. directed by Tom Straszewski,^[21] May–June 2012
• Othello, directed by Mark France^[22] October 2012
• Hamlet, directed by John Topping, again in St Martin-cum-Gregory Church, Micklegate,^[23] July–August 2013
• Measure for Measure, directed by Matt Simpson,^[24] December 2013
• Twelfth Night, directed by Mark Smith,^[25] April 2014
• All's Well That Ends Well, directed by Maurice Crichton,^[26] November 2014
• Timon of Athens, directed by Ruby Clarke,^[27] May 2015
• an all-female production of Henry V, directed by Maggie Smales,^[28] October 2015
• Pericles, Prince of Tyre, directed by Sophie Paterson,^[29] April 2016
• King Lear, directed by Ben Prusiner,^[30] November–December 2016
• Henry VIII, performed in King's Manor, directed by Ben Prusiner,^[31] March–April 2017
• The Winter's Tale, directed by Natalie Quatermass,^[32] October 2017
• The Two Noble Kinsmen, directed by Tom Straszewski,^[33] May 2018
• an all-female production of Coriolanus, directed by Madeleine O’Reilly,^[34] November–December 2018
• Cymbeline, performed in Merchant Taylors' Hall, directed by Ben Prusiner,^[35] March 2019
• Antony and Cleopatra, directed by Leo Doulton,^[36] October–November 2019
• Macbeth, directed by Leo Doulton, prepared for March–April 2020 but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic^[37] Finally staged October 2021.
• The Tempest, directed by Philip Parr, September-October 2022. Performed as a touring production in seven locations in North and East Yorkshire. This production marked the successful completion of the project's initial aim.

Patrons

Patrons include Dame Judi Dench, Adrian Noble and the late Sir Antony Sher.^[38]

Notes and References

1. Web site: York Shakespeare Project. 17 November 2013.
2. Web site: This is York . 7 July 2009 .
3. Web site: The Taming of the Shrew . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080517125601/http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/ysp/shrew.htm . 17 May 2008 . 10 July 2009 . British Theatre Guide.
4. Web site: York Press, reproduced at YSP website. 17 November 2013.
5. Web site: Titus Andronicus . 10 July 2009 . British Theatre Guide.
6. Web site: Love's Labour's Lost . 10 July 2009 . British Theatre Guide.
7. Web site: Romeo and Juliet . 10 July 2009 . British Theatre Guide.
8. Web site: The Two Gentlemen of Verona . 10 July 2009 . British Theatre Guide.
9. Web site: A Midsummer Night's Dream . 10 July 2009 . British Theatre Guide.
10. Web site: Riding Lights . 20 April 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20101220074401/http://www.ridinglights.org/whatson/past.php . 20 December 2010 .
11. Web site: York Shakespeare Project. 17 November 2013.
12. Web site: York Press, reproduced at YSP website. 17 November 2013.
13. Web site: York Press, reproduced at YSP website. 17 November 2013.
14. Web site: York Minster. 10 July 2009.
15. Web site: York Theatre Royal. 10 July 2009.
16. Web site: Nouse, York student newspaper. 19 June 2009 . 10 July 2009.
17. Web site: York Shakespeare Project. 17 November 2013.
18. Web site: York Shakespeare Project. 17 November 2013.
19. Web site: Review of Much Ado about Nothing. York Press. July 2011. 7 April 2012.
20. News: Review of Troilus and Cressida. York Press. 7 April 2012.
21. News: Review of The Merry Wives Of Windsor. York Press. 28 May 2012.
22. News: Review: Othello, The Studio, York Theatre Royal. York Press. Stephen . Lewis. 25 October 2012. 7 November 2012.
23. News: Review: Hamlet, York Shakespeare Project, St Martin-cum-Gregory Church, Micklegate, York. Hutchinson. Charles. 23 July 2013. York Press. 29 April 2020.
24. News: Review: Measure For Measure, York Shakespeare Project, Friargate Theatre until December 8. Hutchinson. Charles. 6 December 2013. York Press. 29 April 2020.
25. News: Review: Twelfth Night, York Shakespeare Project, York Theatre Royal, until April 12. Hutchinson. Charles. 5 April 2014. York Press. 29 April 2020.
26. News: Review: All's Well That Ends Well, York Shakespeare Project, Friargate Theatre. Hutchinson. Charles. 29 November 2014. York Press. 29 April 2020.
27. News: Review: Timon Of Athens, York Shakespeare Project, York International Shakespeare Festival, De Grey Rooms Ballroom, York, until Sunday. Jones. Louise. 15 May 2015. York Press. 29 April 2020.
28. News: Review: Henry V, York Shakespeare Project, at Upstage Centre, 41 Monkgate, York ****. Hutchinson. Charles. 23 October 2015. York Press. 29 April 2020.
29. News: Review: Pericles, Prince Of Tyre, York Shakespeare Project, Upstage Centre, 41 Monkgate, York, until Saturday. Hutchinson. Charles. 21 April 2016. York Press. 29 April 2020.
30. News: Review: King Lear, York Shakespeare Project, John Cooper Studio Theatre, 41 Monkgate, York. Jones. Louise. 2 December 2016. York Press. 29 April 2020.
31. News: York Shakespeare Project to stage Henry VIII at King's Manor this week. Hutchinson. Charles. 27 March 2017. York Press. 29 April 2020.
32. News: Review: The Winter's Tale, York Shakespeare Project, John Cooper Studio @41 Monkgate, York. Hutchinson. Charles. 27 October 2017. York Press. 29 April 2020.
33. News: Review: Two Noble Kinsmen, York Shakespeare Project, De Grey Rooms Ballroom, York. Hutchinson. Charles. 4 May 2018. York Press. 29 April 2020.
34. News: Review: Coriolanus, York Shakespeare Project, Friargate Theatre, York; The Comedy Of Errors, Royal Shakespeare Company, York Theatre Royal. Hutchinson. Charles. 30 November 2018. York Press. 29 April 2020.
35. News: Review: Cymbeline, York Shakespeare Project, March 3. Hutchinson. Charles. 6 March 2019. York Press. 29 April 2020.
36. News: York Shakespeare Project in stripped back Antony And Cleopatra. Hutchinson. Charles. 30 October 2019. York Press. 29 April 2020.
37. Web site: Curse of Macbeth strikes again as York Shakespeare Project postpones show. Hutchinson. Charles. 30 March 2020. Charles Hutch Press. 29 April 2020.
38. Web site: British Theatre Guide . 7 July 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090214112119/http://britishtheatreguide.info/ysp/intro.htm . 14 February 2009 .