The Shakespeare Delusion - Press Release

The Shakespeare Delusion – Press Release

 

New comedy drama by the Quay Theatre’s Artist in Residence Competing in London

Live Streaming Across the World

 

As part of Milk Bottle’s Shakespeare Trilogy – three plays on a theme of Shakespeare to celebrate Shakespeare’s 450^th birthday – Robert Crighton presents his mock lecture, The Shakespeare Delusion.  Not only is it premiering at the Quay Theatre on Monday 26^th May, it is also competing for the prestigious LOST One-Act Festival in London, as part of their 30^th anniversary season.  Robert is the only competitor for the festival in its history to have won three awards in three successive years – he only stopped entering when he was no longer eligible to pass the age restrictions.  The age limit has been dropped this year, so Robert is eager to win a fourth award if he can.

The play is about the so called 'Shakespeare authorship question' which is ruthlessly satirised throughout.  "It's the worst of all conspiracy theories because there is literally no evidence at all to suggest Shakespeare didn't write the plays and vast amounts of evidence to say that he did.  Some of the theories are so absurd it's almost impossible to satirise because anything you try to make up has to be crazier than that which has already been suggested."  Robert Crighton

 

Robert is also appealing for help in writing the play – looking for the worst line from all of Shakespeare.

“I need the worst line I can find – either incomprehensible, weird or just awful.  It isn’t an easy thing to find - he was generally speaking, a brilliant writer.  The winner of my favourite quote will see it featured in the play, and will also get a free copy of the published script with a thank you inside!”

Entries can be sent via tweet @RobertCrighton or email contact@milkbottleproductions.co.uk

 

The play is being live streamed as well – the last play Robert streamed, Hang, was listened to around the world.

“With the advent of the world wide web, theatre need not be tied down to one location.  Now, even a small arts centre can produce, not only world class drama, but show it to anyone around the world.  We are no longer bound but the traditional ideas of what is rural theatre or cosmopolitan theatre – there is only theatre, drama, comedy – the excitement of the new.  We are just as important as any other broadcaster and can be judged, not on our location, but on our content.  That is an exciting change in the world.”  Robert Crighton

 

Milk Bottle Productions Presents...

The Shakespeare Delusion

Written and Performed by Robert Crighton

Professor Ashborn invites you to share in his latest discoveries and lead you through the terrible secrets behind the man people call Shakespeare.  Did he really write the plays?  Was he really bald?  Did he like cheese?  Using recently uncovered documentation Professor Ashborn can finally tell the true and completely true, truly true, utterly true, true story of the Shakespeare delusion!

 

To listen to the Live Stream on the night go to

www.ustream.tv/channel/robert-crighton-storyteller

Performing Live and Online on Monday 26^th May at 7.30pm at the Quay Theatre, Sudbury

Tickets: Pay-What-You-Want

Box Office: 01787 374 745

www.quaytheatre.org.uk

 

Press Release - Quay Theatre Artist In Residence

The Quay Theatre has just announced the arrival of its first ever Artist in Residence - award-winning writer and performer Robert Crighton.  At a packed launch event this Sunday lunchtime, live streamed on the internet, Robert was finally allowed to let everyone know all about this latest and most exciting of projects.
His programme of events involves an online project recording the early British drama Before Shakespeare, a season of Shakespeare's poetry and street theatre, as well as the centre piece of his residency Project 10/52 - ten shows in fifty-two weeks - one man, one year.  All ten shows are new works, to be written and produced by Robert over 2014, starting with a weekly audio broadcast of a new work on January 1st and ending with a big production at the end of the year.
"A theatre isn't truly alive unless there is an internally driven artistic agenda," says Robert Crighton.  "This is about bringing art - theatre, poetry, images - to the people of Suffolk as well as to anyone with an internet connection.  All the productions will be ticketed as Pay-What-You-Want, so anyone who is hard hit by the current economic climate can still come and see great theatre.  Also, to make this happen I'm looking for alternative ways to fundraise."
Fundraising is being done online with a crowd-source funder wefund.com, as well as with special live events over the next couple of months - including a special one-to-one storytelling show, The Storyteller Will See You Now - where he will be performing the story Problem Tree on Saturday Lunchtimes on the 12th and 19th October and his acclaimed production of The Summoning of Everyman on Monday 11th November at 7.30pm - booking can be made by calling 07704 704 469 or contacting Robert online.
"I can't expect to find any large subsidy to make this happen," says Robert, "so crowd source funding is a brilliant tool, because it connects you directly with your audience before the show has even happened.  And it means I don't have to look for big sums from people, just ten pounds from many is enough to make a real difference."

The residency has already started, with the first recording work for Before Shakespeare underway.  Robert hopes to involve as many people as possible in his work, so expect also to see some random pop-up events and street theatre over the next few months - if you want to be part of them, or be there to catch them, then follow Robert on Twitter @RobertCrighton where he will be posting regular updates as to what's going on.

For the full launch speech for the first ever Artist in Residence at the Quay Theatre, click here.

Main Milk Bottle Website: www.milkbottleproductions.co.uk
New microsites for Before Shakespeare and Project 10/52: www.beforeshakespeare.moonfruit.com & http://robertcrightonstoryteller.moonfruit.com/
Additional photos are available.
Press Contact: Robert Crighton
Tel: 07704 704 469
Email: contact@milkbottleproductions.co.uk