SIXPENNY SHAKESPEARE

Evening Star, Issue 20876, 20 August 1931, Page 1

SIXPENNY SHAKESPEARE

SEVEN STROLLING PLAYERS PERFORMANCES IN BARNS. Going through tho old town of Abingdon ;i lew weeks ago, a newspaper correspondent caino upon a queer thing. A crowd cf ragged children were gaping round tho arched gateway of the Crown and Thistle Inn. Another crowd in tho cobbled inn yard that was built in the time of tho first James, and in front of them seven deep-voiced young women in doublet and hose, playing Shakespeare to the-town. Tho visitor watched; tho players played well. Seven young women were playing fourteen characters—eleven of them men, for tho play was ‘ Twelfth Night.’ Seven courageous young women were touring tho country to play in barns, inns, rnd schools ' r whatever small money tho school children and villagers could pay. All this was because they happen to like Shakespeare, and have discovered that among children and in country places ho is loved as well as he was 300 years ago. Tho cobbled yard of the Crown and Thistle • slipped back over those 300 years. . Tho sun was hot, and doves murmured on the roof. Tho audience sat on wooden benches, as they did when ono Will Shakespeare was an actor of plays and declaimed tragedies in inn yards—tho casual theatres of his day. Every non' ai l again a small hoy laughed, a high-pitched, nnself-con-se.ious shout: Si.’ Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguechcek were such capital fools! Shakespeare, coming into that Abingdon yard, would have found his own time; but ono difference would have struck him dumb. In his day all plays were performed by men and boys, but hero—even the boys and men were women! Tho leader of this travelling troupo of young players is Miss Nancy Hewins, Professor W. A. S. Hew ins’s daughter. “I started a group of players when I came down from Oxford,” sho said, pulling on tho bald-headed wig that begins her unbelievable transformation into the twittering Sir Andrew, “and this company, that we call the Osiris Players, grew out of that. “Wo play any piece, anywhere, at fourteen days’ notice, but in tho country and among child audiences Shakespeare is loved best. Wo charge sixpence admission, play in barns or anywhere else, and manage to pay our way. It’s a glorious life!” That same evening, after their show, tho happ„ baud packed their properties, Kjiid good-bye to tho inn, and took the road.