Plans for William The Conqueror, a prequel to a play about Henry I, have been so exciting that Arts Council England is prepared to get behind it.
RABBLE Theatre wants stage the work and as part of the development process will be offering a preview event later this year.
And a vote of confidence has been given by the Arts Council, who are investing £30,000 in the venture.
RABBLE says the play will be a major project, and complement its 2023 production of Henry I. This was originally performed in Reading Abbey before being transferred to Covent Garden in London, and then to Winchester’s Great Hall.
It was named as one of The Telegraph’s Top 5 UK Shows, received an OffComm Commendation, won SITS Regional Production of the Year, and given 11 five-star reviews.
To keep the continuity, RABBLE has asked its associate playwright, Beth Flintoff, to write William The Conqueror, while many of the creative team from Henry I will return.
Work started with a week of research and development from Monday, June 23, with a special Come and See preview event on Saturday, June 28.
This will include performances of work-in-progress scenes, demonstrations of how the music is created, talks from project partners and presentations from the core team.
Ticket information for this will be released in due course.
What do people say about the Arts Council funding for William The Conqueror?
Hazel Edwards, south east area director for Arts Council England, said the grant-making body was delighted to offer their support to RABBLE, with funding coming from the National Lottery.
“This inspiring project combines bold creative collaboration with a focus on reaching young people in challenging circumstances,” she said.
“It exemplifies our shared commitment to fostering inclusive, high-quality cultural experiences that engage and uplift communities.”
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And the team at RABBLE are equally excited.
Toby Davies, RABBLE’s co-artistic director, said: “In a time when 82% of applications to Arts Council England are rejected and wonderful organisations across the country are fighting for existence, we are delighted, humbled and honoured to have received this investment from ACE. The potential is significant. This is without doubt our most ambitious and exciting creative adventure and we’re very grateful to ACE and everyone who plays the lottery.”
Who was William The Conqueror?
Two years’ time – 2027 – will be the 1,000th birthday of William, marked with significant events across England and Normandy and the year that RABBLE aim to produce the play.
William The Conqueror was, as his name implies, a king who conquered include.
The Norman royal came to Hastings in 1066, where the famous battle took place.
In it, his forces beat the Anglo-Saxons led by Harold Godwinson.
Afterwards, he was crowned king of England in Winchester on Christmas Day that year, and has become the stuff of legend.
The story of the Battle of Hastings is recorded in the Bayeux Tapestry, an embroidered cloth nearly 70 metres (230 feet) long and 50 centimetres (20 inches) tall.
A replica of this is on display in Reading Museum and tours usually take place on Saturday afternoons.
More on RABBLE’s plans for William The Conqueror
More details, such as tickets, job opportunities, work experience, volunteer opportunities and other ways to get involved with the production of William The Conqueror will be released by RABBLE soon.
For more, log on to: www.rabbletheatre.com or email admin@rabbletheatre.com.
Who are RABBLE Theatre?
Since 2012, RABBLE has been a key part of Reading’s cultural scene.
They have performed a range of original plays in unique locations, including the Abbey ruins and Reading Minster Church.
In addition to their performances, which have attracted rave reviews from national newspapers, they hold classes for people wanting to get on stage or learn more about the behind the scenes life of a theatre company. These are for all ages, as it runs a youth group for ages eight upwards.
More details are on its website, https://rabbletheatre.com/young-company-musical-theatre/
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