A Cultural Homecoming: Bringing the Forest of Arden Back to Soulton

Earlier this week we were at the BBC Radio Shropshire studios, having reached a milestone in a journey that has been years in the making.

For some time now, we have been working with the BBC and other media to share the research that identifies Soulton Hall as the true setting of the Forest of Arden in As You Like It by William Shakespare.

That conversation has shifted from the library to the stage.

We are no longer just discussing the research; we are physically bringing the play back to the soil where it began.

While there is a formal scholarly publication of these matters forthcoming, our priority has always been clear: this work belongs to our local community first.

Before the academic papers are released to the wider world, we wanted the people of Shropshire—and specifically our young people—to be the ones to inhabit and own this history. Heritage is not a static thing to be kept in a vault; it is a living flame that must be passed on.

The Shropshire Youth Theatre are the ones carrying that torch.

Today in the studio, joined by director Lisa Morris and SYT Chair Tilly Boughton, it was clear that these young actors are conducting a cultural reclamation.

By framing Shakespeare’s As You Like It through the rebellious, neon-soaked lens of 1994, they are bridging the gap between the sixteenth-century exiles who found sanctuary in the Soulton woods and the modern search for identity. They are proving that the “Forest of Arden” isn’t a museum piece—it’s a vibrant reality right here in our own countryside.

The work we’ve done with the BBC has set the stage, but the true homecoming happens where the story was born.

We invite you to witness this historic return at the Walker Theatre, Theatre Severn, from the 24th to the 26th of March, followed by the outdoor homecoming performance at Soulton Hall on the 8th of May. When this cast stands on the grass at Soulton this May, they are doing more than acting. They are completing a 400-year circle and ensuring that Shropshire’s greatest cultural legacy is reclaimed by its future.

Shakespeare Quote on a sign in the AS YOU LIKE IT wood at Soulton

Note on Accessibility and Research

The following text is a summary transcript of the broadcast.

It is provided to ensure our digital content remains accessible to all, including those who use assistive technology or prefer reading to listening.

For scholarly and record-keeping purposes, this text captures the core insights, historical connections, and project milestones discussed during the interview while being edited for clarity and conciseness.

BBC Radio Shropshire: Interview Transcript

Host: Mark Elliot

Guests: Tim Ashton (Soulton Hall), Lisa Morris (Artistic Director, SYT), and Tilly Boughton (Chair, SYT)

Mark Elliot: Next week, Shropshire Youth Theatre are putting Shakespeare on. As You Like It—a play with Shropshire connections—is on at the Theatre Severn and then at Soulton Hall near Wem in May. I caught up with Chair Tilly Boughton, Artistic Director Lisa Morris, and Tim Ashton from Soulton Hall. Lisa, explain the theater group’s USP.

Lisa Morris: Shropshire Youth Theatre focuses on the production of classic drama and texts. We work with three groups: Beginners, Juniors, and Seniors. Our seniors do an annual production at the Theatre Severn every year. What makes us special is that we are completely run by a youth committee. They make the decisions on the shows we do, our funding, community efforts, and how we promote ourselves.

Mark Elliot: Tilly, how did you get “lumbered” with the admin as Chair?

Tilly Boughton: Well, we get nominated. Every year we have an AGM and you put forward who you think would be good for the position. I have been a part of SYT for four years—I started when I was thirteen and I am eighteen this year.

Mark Elliot: What has been the most complicated thing to get your head around?

Tilly Boughton: Picking the play. It is fun but difficult because you have to pick something everyone will want to do with a big enough cast. We do not always stick to the text; this year, we are setting it in the ’90s.

Mark Elliot: Tim, what made you want to get involved?

Tim Ashton: I think you broke the connections between As You Like It and Soulton Hall on your program. The play has a birth certificate that says “Shropshire.” It was based on work by Thomas Lodge, who lived at Soulton Hall. Shakespeare is referencing “Harmony,” which was a project they were working on at that house. Bringing this back to the consciousness of the people of Shropshire belongs to the youth first.

Mark Elliot: How do you feel about turning this into a rave?

Tim Ashton: Shakespeare is a genius and his work is timeless. You can infinitely reimagine the text. In the play, he is already time-traveling, talking about Socrates while in the Forest of Arden. It is important that Shropshire reclaims this identity.

Mark Elliot: Lisa, why the 1990s?

Lisa Morris: This stemmed from a committee meeting where the students mentioned that “raves” were interesting—the way parties would spring up and people would have this immense amount of freedom. The more we read As You Like It, the more I saw it as a celebration of youth, love, and all the big feelings young people have. A rave became a moment where we could frame that freedom.

Mark Elliot: Tilly, is there something freeing about the lack of technology in that era?

Tilly Boughton: Yes, because our generation has no idea how that worked. The idea that you would have to wait at a telephone booth in the middle of nowhere for a call to find out where to go is mind-boggling to me.

Mark Elliot: And you are playing Rosalind?

Tilly Boughton: Yes, a lot of lines! It feels like a foreign language, but it is much easier to wear baggy jeans and a jumper than a corset and a dress.

Mark Elliot: It sounds like it is going to be a brilliant production. It is a theater company run by the young people who are in it, and you can buy tickets for the shows on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from the Theatre Severn. And then it is on at Soulton Hall—a fabulous old home near Wem in May which has got links to the play and various other aspects of Shakespearean history. A fascinating place to go, theater or not.

Theatre in Epidaurus Court, Soulton Hall