Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall is synonymous with the story of William Shakespeare, but the historic building also played an important role in the early development of professional theatre. As the site of Stratford-upon-Avon’s grammar school, it was a place where education and entertainment could collide. Two fascinating talks taking place in October by historian Dr. Will Green (School of Advanced Study, University of London) are set to uncover the building’s rich theatrical heritage.
Audiences will first be taken back to the years before Stratford-upon-Avon’s most famous playwright rose to prominence, when touring players transformed the Guildhall into a local playhouse. Their presence was not without controversy, with local debates questioning the appropriateness of theatre in the town. Against a backdrop of power, patronage and plague, Dr. Green will explore the theatrical world of Shakespeare’s Stratford-upon-Avon and consider how these performances may have helped ignite the young writer’s imagination as he embarked on the creation of his early work.
With so much varied activity taking place under one roof, this was a world of contrasts and contradictions. In the Schoolroom, the classical drama being taught collided with the arrival of travelling players within the same building. The tension between classroom discipline and theatrical freedom would have unfolded around young William, as his own school masters navigated the competing demands of education and entertainment. Dr. Green’s second talk will explore this intriguing scenario, and consider how events played out.
“The Forgotten Playhouse: Travelling Players, Renaissance Stratford, and the Making of Shakespeare” takes place on Sunday 11th October and is followed on Sunday 25th October by “Schoolboys and Stage-Plays: Education, Authority, and Drama in Stratford-upon-Avon’s Guildhall”. Tickets for both talks are priced at £10, and take place in the conference room at King Edward VI School (with entry through the main entrance desk at Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall). Attendees will also have the opportunity to purchase discounted entry to Shakespeare’s Schoolroom & Guildhall with a talk ticket on the day for £10 (usually £15).
