This Autumn, to celebrate the 400th Anniversary of one of the literary world’s most treasured artefacts, we are giving you the opportunity to see history brought to life with a real copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio. See dates and times below.
We are thrilled to announce a momentous occasion in celebration of the 400th anniversary of the First Folio. The organisation has secured a loan from The British Library, granting us the opportunity to showcase this invaluable literary artefact in our Exhibition Gallery.
The Folio is a collection of Shakespeare’s plays first published in 1623, seven years after his death. The exhibited copy is one in 50 that still exists in the UK, and contains 36 of his plays.
The Grenville First Folio that will be loaned to Shakespeare North Playhouse, was bequeathed in 1846 as part of the library of Thomas Grenville, a politician and book collector. Unlike so many First Folios today, it contains all pages, including its original title page with the iconic portrait of William Shakespeare.
Chief Executive of Shakespeare North Playhouse, Melanie Lewis, comments: “We are honoured to welcome Shakespeare’s First Folio from the British Library to the Shakespeare North Playhouse as part of their ‘Treasures on Tour’ programme. This historic loan represents not only a profound connection to our theatrical heritage, but also a remarkable opportunity for our audiences to engage directly with the very words that have shaped literary history.”
Booking is preferred for this event, or you can simply turn up and have a look around.
To learn more about the history of the Folio, why not book for one (or two!) of our talks with Ben Crystal and Dr Stephen Lloyd, where they will share their unparalleled knowledge and insight into this incredible book.
Dates:
Thursday 19 Oct – Saturday 11 Nov 2023
Opening hours and activity:
Exhibition Opens:
Thursday 19 – 12pm-5pm
Friday 20 – 12pm-5pm
Saturday 21 – 12pm-5pm
Sunday 22 – CLOSED
Monday 23 – 4pm-5pm
Tuesday 24 – 12pm-5pm (Stephen Lloyd talk @ 5pm)
Wednesday 25 – 12pm-5pm
Thursday 26 – 12pm-5pm
Friday 27 – 12pm-5pm
Saturday 28 – 12pm-5pm
Sunday 29 – CLOSED
Monday 30 – 4pm-5pm
Tuesday 31 – 12pm-5pm
Wednesday 1 – 12pm-5pm (Family Portrait Workshop @ 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm & Ben Crystal Talk @ 5pm)
Thursday 2 – 12pm-5pm
Friday 3 – 12pm-5pm (Decorative Lettering Family Workshop @ 11:30am, 1:30pm, 3:30pm)
Saturday 4 – 12pm-5pm
Sunday 5 – CLOSED
Monday 6 – 12pm-5pm
Tuesday 7 – 12pm-5pm
Wednesday 8 – 12pm-5pm
Thursday 9 – 12pm-5pm
Friday 10 – 12pm-5pm
Saturday 11 – 12pm-5pm (LAST DAY)
Important to note:
- The exhibition will be closed to the public from 14:00 – 16:10 (when there are matinee performances).
- Please do not consume food or drink inside the Exhibition Gallery. Food and Beverages can be found in our Café – Eat & Drink | Shakespeare North Playhouse
- Photography and filming will be permitted for own personal and non-commercial purposes only. However, the use of additional lighting or flash or tripods is not permitted.