Midsummer's Performance of Shakespeare's 'Lost' Play

"Love! Love! Downright love. I see the foolishness of it."

Otterton Mill recently announced it is to stage an unique open-air performance of Cardenio, Shakespeare's ‘lost' play.   This exciting event will take place in celebration of Midsummer on Saturday 20^th June , and is to be performed by The Alternative Cambridge Theatre Company. 

The origins of Cardenio are shrouded in mystery and have been the subject of heated debate for many years.  This original re-working of the play by Bernard Richards is perhaps as close as we will ever get to the truth of this lost work. The Mill performance is the first date in a new South West touring production of the play, and marks just the second time in the play's history that this version has been staged.

"We are delighted to be hosting such an exciting event at Otterton Mill" said Mill owner Caroline Spiller.  "We established a tradition of open-air theatre at the Mill last Midsummer with a performance by a local amateur dramatic company.  The evening was so well received that we decided to repeat the formula this year.  When we were offered a performance of such an unique play, we jumped at the chance to stage it."

 The script for Cardenio is based on "Double Falsehood", one of two supposedly "true" scripts and tells the story of four lovers:  Henriquez, the libertine; Violante, the abandoned; Julio, the betrayed; and Leonora, the pursued. In spite of its disputed authorship, the play fits snugly into the schema of a Shakespearean tragi-comedy with all the usual plot twists and turns before its final resolution.  As a modern re-working of the original story written ‘in the style of Shakespeare', it raises interesting issues of authorship, appropriation and plagiarism, and provides a multi-layered piece of thought-provoking theatre.

The play will be performed by the University of Cambridge's freshest new theatrical company, The Alternative Cambridge Theatre ( www.tact-theatre.co.uk), who have the exclusive rights to Richards' interpretation of the play.  

The performance is part of an evening of food and theatre, and will take place in the enchanting setting of the Mill's courtyard.  Theatre-goers will enjoy a BBQ'd supper on the sun-terrace prior to the play. Tickets for the evening cost £17.50 (includes food and entertainment) and can be booked by calling Otterton Mill on 01395 568521. 

Later in the summer, on Sunday 26^th July, the Mill will stage a second food and theatre evening with a performance of The Importance of Being Earnest.  The Idle Theme Theatre Company (in association with SACOS) will perform the play in a new open-air performance space in the Mill's wildlife conservation area.  Tickets for the July evening will be £15, and also include a BBQ supper.   

Date added: Wednesday 3rd June 2009
Latest updated: Monday 16th January 2012