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SUMMARY:Lecture: Shakespearean History and Local Heritage at Weston under Redcastle
DESCRIPTION:There is a remarkable cultural phenomenon happening across Shropshire and its borders this summer. \nWilliam Shakespeare’s pastoral comedy\, As You Like It\, is being performed an exceptional number of times by different theatrical troupes. \nThe Dance in AS You Like It at Soulton Hall \nWhat is driving this sudden explosion of regional interest in this specific play? \nTo answer that question\, Tim Ashton will deliver a vital lecture on Saturday 11th July 2026 at 7:00 PM in the Weston under Redcastle Village Hall. \n[Ticket Link]\nAll funds raised will assist Weston Church with its local fundraising\, care\, and community presence. \nTheatre in Epidaurus Court\, Soulton Hall \nEvent Details & Tickets\n\n\nWhen: Saturday\, 11th July 2026 | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM \n\n\nWhere: Weston under Redcastle Village Hall\, Weston\, Shropshire \n\n\nAdmission: £5.00 (Includes a complimentary glass of wine and nibbles) \n\n\n\nBooking Information: Tickets are priced at a flat £5.00 with all booking fees absorbed by the event\, ensuring every penny goes directly to the cause. Space is limited inside the main hall to approximately 60 seats. \n[ Link to Eventbrite Ticket Page Here ] \n\nWhat to Expect\nThe momentum behind this summer’s theatrical explosion reached a historic milestone earlier this year: on May 8th\, 2026\, the Shropshire Youth Theatre (SYT) staged a landmark production of As You Like It right here at Soulton Hall. \nFollowing years of careful research and preparation\, this presentation was a momentous event: the first-ever recorded performance of the play on the actual ground that breathes life into its history. \nThe Signatures of Old Sir Rowland Hill and Sir Thomas Lodge on the 1500s Soulton Papers \nThe core of this upcoming lecture reveals a profound historical reality: the parish we inhabit—and the specific geographical corridor running from Soulton Hall to Hawkstone—is the true birthplace of As You Like It. \nWhile traditional narratives confine the “Forest of Arden” to a small pocket of Warwickshire\, archival and architectural evidence tells a much deeper story. \nThe famous Soulton Dancing Pavement – linked to the dance of harmony for 8 that closes the play \nThe Real History: Where Land and Poetry Meet\nAttendees will discover how specific natural and historical features visible across the parish today are written directly into the dialogue of the play: \n\n\nThe Source Material: The primary source text for the play\, Rosalynde\, was written by Thomas Lodge. A crucial archival document known as the Soulton Rental bears the side-by-side signatures of Sir Roland Hill and Thomas Lodge’s father\, proving that the author spent his youth interacting with this exact Shropshire landscape—which he explicitly described as a “fair valley\, compassed with mountains.” \n\n\nThe Family Connection: Sir Roland Hill (c. 1492–1561)\, the Tudor polymath who held the Soulton and Hawkstone estates\, was a relative by marriage to Mary Arden\, Shakespeare’s mother. \n\n\nThe Fictional Tribute: The moral anchor of the play is a deceased patriarch named Old Sir Rowland. This character is a direct\, affectionate tribute to Sir Roland Hill\, honoring his legacy as a protector of culture\, literature\, and social harmony during the dangerous years of the Tudor era. \n\n\nThe Terrain & Dialogue: Shakespeare marks the local topography by describing an oak whose “antique root peeps out upon the brook that brawls along this wood.” The text carefully places Rosalind’s cottage as being “West of this place\, down in the neighbour bottom.” \n\n\nThe Pavement Patterns: The ancient\, geometric paving stones at Soulton Hall record a “Dance of Eight” that mirrors the climax of the comedy\, where characters celebrate a return to harmony: “Here’s eight that must take hands / To join in [wedding] bands.” \n\n\n2026 Summer Performance Calendar\nThe exceptional volume of regional performances this summer serves as a widespread celebration of this local heritage. \nThe landscape that inspired the play is transforming into the very stage where it comes alive. \n\n\n\nVenue\nDate & Time\nPerformance Details\n\n\n\n\n\nHawkstone Park Follies \n \n(SY4 5JY) \n\n\nThursday\, 16th July 2026 \n \n7:00 PM \n\nPerformed by The HandleBards. A bicycle-powered\, outdoor production set against the dramatic cliffs and grottoes that mimic the “abandoned caves” of the text.\n\n\n\nDudmaston Hall \n \n(WV15 6QN) \n\n\nThursday\, 6th August 2026 \n \n7:00 PM \n\nAn outdoor evening performance in the beautiful grounds of the National Trust estate.\n\n\n\nMoseley Old Hall \n \n(WV10 7HY) \n\n\nSaturday\, 15th August 2026 \n \n7:00 PM \n\nLocated just over the county border\, perfect for a weekend open-air theatre outing.\n\n\n\nSoulton Hall \n \n(SY4 5FB) \n\n\nSunday\, 30th August 2026 \n \n3:00 PM – 5:00 PM \n\nPerformed by The Whole Pack Theatre in the Epidaurus Court\, offering a direct homecoming where the characters face the actual Soulton Wood on the horizon.\n\n\n\nSupporting Weston-Under-Redcastle Church\nFirst and foremost\, this upcoming lecture is a charitable endeavor. Both the church and village hall are looking for events to bridge vital fundraising gaps this year. By gathering at the Village Hall\, attendees will not only uncover the hidden history linking William Shakespeare to our immediate landscape\, but will also provide meaningful support to the ongoing preservation\, fabric care\, and local community presence provided by the parish church.
URL:https://soultonhall.co.uk/event/lecture-shakespearean-history-and-local-heritage-at-weston-under-redcastle/
CATEGORIES:Arts and Culture,Civic Event
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