Scarborough talents' modern take on bard classics

Shakespeare is being given a contemporary twist in a local project to mark the 400th anniversary of the playwright's death.
A portrait of William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor. Picture: National Portrait GalleryA portrait of William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor. Picture: National Portrait Gallery
A portrait of William Shakespeare, attributed to John Taylor. Picture: National Portrait Gallery

North Yorkshire County Council’s library service secured Arts Council funding to work with Scarborough-based Beach Hut Theatre Company on a project that began by taking extracts of eight scenes from Shakespeare plays.

Local writers then used these scenes as starting points to respond to or reinterpret the Bard’s work with a short contemporary scene.

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The writers have either taken up Shakespeare’s scene where it left off or used it as a prompt to write a parallel contemporary scene.

These eight pairs of scenes will be performed repeatedly under the title Natural Shocks at different locations around the Scarborough library on Saturday, July 16, between 10am and 2pm. Each performance will last 15 to 20 minutes and admission is free.

Alison Watt, artistic director of Beach Hut, said: “There are not many places for emerging writers to get their work in front of an audience and get feedback, so this is a great opportunity.

“The performances will all run concurrently, so the audience can choose where they go next.”