THE REP 2023 LATE SUMMER PLAY-READING MARATHON
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The surviving plays of the Admiral's/Prince's Men, the principal commercial rivals of the Lord Chamberlain's Men, during the period 1594-1606.
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Mansfield College, Oxford, Monday 4 September to Friday 15 September 2023
ABOUT THE MARATHON
This event is an opportunity to read, in close juxtaposition, the surviving repertory of plays written for the Admiral's Men (later Prince Henry's Men) from the company's inception in 1594 until 1606. They were the principal commercial competitors to Shakespeare's company, and the plays we shall read, in all genres, represent the alternative choices available to London theatregoers in the period from The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Romeo and Juliet through to King Lear and Macbeth. The readings will be more or less in chronological order.
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VENUE
The event will take place over two weeks, Monday to Friday, in The Old Bar at Mansfield College, Oxford. We will read in the mornings and afternoons on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and afternoons and evenings on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesday, 13th September, there will be three readings. There will be an option to watch or participate in all readings online via Zoom, but in-person attendance is recommended if feasible.
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When you first arrive at Mansfield College, please go to the Mansfield Porter's Lodge and ask for directions to The Old Bar for the Reading Early Plays summer marathon.
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REFRESHMENTS
The centre of Oxford is a walkable distance from Mansfield College, and there are plenty of places to buy food in the town. Usually, though, we bring a packed lunch or tea and eat outside under the picnic tent on the grounds of Mansfield. We will provide tea and coffee - please bring your own mug.
ACCOMMODATION
The College is able to offer accommodation to participants at the discounted rate of £78 per night. Please contact the domestic bursar at Mansfield College, Oxford, directly to book or for more information. domesticbursar@mansfield.ox.ac.uk
Oxford can be very busy with tourists in the summer, so please book your accommodation as early as possible.
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PARKING
Unfortunately, there is no parking onsite at Mansfield College. The cheapest option for parking is the Park and Ride bus service run by Oxford City Council. There is on-street parking outside Mansfield College on Mansfield Road, with a maximum stay of 2 hours (Although not enough time to read a play I'm afraid!).
ADMISSION
Admission is free to REP members and current students and staff of Mansfield College.
The most cost-effective way of joining the marathon is to become a member of REP for £25, which allows you free admission to the marathon and all the weekly online play readings for one year. Click here to become a member of REP.
If you don't want to join REP, the admission fee to the marathon is £5 per day or £40 for the whole fortnight (booking fees apply).
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To purchase a Full Marathon ticket for £40, please CLICK HERE
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To purchase Day Tickets:
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Monday 4th September
10:30 Morning: A Knack to Know an Honest Man (1594) - Unknown
14:30 Afternoon: The Blind Beggar of Alexandria (1596) - George Chapman
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Monday 4th September, please CLICK HERE
Tuesday 5th September
14:30 Afternoon: Stukely (1596) - possibly Thomas Heywood
19:30 Evening: The Comedy of Humours (1597) - George Chapman
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Tuesday 5th September, please CLICK HERE
Wednesday 6th September
10:30 Morning: 1 Robin Hood (1598) - Anthony Munday
14:30 Afternoon: 2 Robin Hood (1598) - Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Wednesday 5th September, please CLICK HERE
Thursday 7th September
14:30 Afternoon: A Woman Will Have Her Will (1598) - William Haughton
19:30 Evening: The Two Angry Women of Abingdon (1598) - Henry Porter
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Thursday 7th September, please CLICK HERE
Friday 8th September
10:30 Morning: Look About You (1599) - Unknown
14:30 Afternoon: The Gentle Craft (1599) - Thomas Dekker
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Friday 8th September, please CLICK HERE
Monday 11th September
10:30 Morning: Sir John Oldcastle (1599) - Anthony Munday, Michael Drayton, Robert Wilson, and Richard Hathway
14:30 Afternoon: Fortunatus (1599) - Thomas Dekker
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Monday 11th September, please CLICK HERE
Tuesday 12th September
14:30 Afternoon: Patient Grissil (1600) - Thomas Dekker, Henry Chettle, and William Haughton
19:30 Evening: The Spanish Moor’s Tragedy (1600) - Thomas Dekker, William Haughton, and John Day
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Tuesday 12th September, please CLICK HERE
Wednesday 13th September (There are three readings on this day)
10:30 Morning: The Blind Beggar of Bethnal Green (1600) - Henry Chettle and John Day
14:30 Afternoon: The Devil and His Dame (1600) - William Haughton
19:30 Evening: Hoffman (1603) - Henry Chettle
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Wednesday 13th September, please CLICK HERE
Thursday 14th September
14:30 Afternoon: The Patient Man and the Honest Whore (1604) - Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton
19:30 Evening: When You See Me, You Know Me (1604) - Samuel Rowley
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Thursday 14th September, please CLICK HERE
Friday 15 September
10:30 Morning: 2 The Honest Whore (1605) - Thomas Dekker
14:30 Afternoon: The Whore of Babylon (1606) - Thomas Dekker
To purchase a £5 day ticket for Friday 15th September, please CLICK HERE
If you are coming to a specific session and would like to read, it would be helpful if you could let us know in advance by contacting Polly Sullivan.
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TEXTS
If you own a copy of the play being read, please bring it along with you. Links to PDF copies of the texts will be provided on the day; please bring a laptop that can open PDF documents.
REP Members: Click here for texts.
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CONTACT
If you need to get in contact with us during the marathon, please email readingearlyplays@gmail.com
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