Beyond Shakespeare-logo

Beyond Shakespeare

Radio Drama Podcasts

From the earliest drama in English, to the closing of the theatres in 1642, there was a hell of a lot of drama produced - and a lot of it wasn't by Shakespeare. Apart from a few noble exceptions these plays are often passed over, ignored or simply...

Location:

United Kingdom

Description:

From the earliest drama in English, to the closing of the theatres in 1642, there was a hell of a lot of drama produced - and a lot of it wasn't by Shakespeare. Apart from a few noble exceptions these plays are often passed over, ignored or simply unknown. This podcast presents full audio productions of the plays, fragmentary and extant, that shaped the theatrical world that shaped our dramatic history.

Language:

English

Contact:

07946652196


Episodes
Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

429: The World and the Child (LIVE Archive Recording)

4/24/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts Welcome to our live stage recording of The World and the Child, or Mundus et Infans by the Unknown. It's not designed as an audio adaptation, this is simply recorded from a distance on stage. However, it is a fairly complete recording and hopefully of some use. It was recorded as part of our Entertaining Henry season on Friday 20th June 2025 at the Quay Theatre, Sudbury. With Robert Crighton as the World, Roel Fox as the Child, Alexandra Kataigida as Conscience, Liza Graham as Folly, and Simon Nader Mirza as Perseverance. The Backstage Technical Manager was Valentina Vinci. Additional Music by Roel Fox Many thanks to Joe Fawcett, Tom Lagden, and everyone behind the scenes at the Quay. The entire Entertaining Henry season was recorded, including most of the rehearsal period - all of this material can be found on our patreon feed. Our patrons received a mix of this episode in November 2025 - 5 months in advance. The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:49:21

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

421: Doctor John Faustus (Chapter 25)

4/21/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts The History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus, is the book that is the source for Christopher Marlowe's play. Chapter by chapter we will wander through the twists and turns of this story. Chapter Twenty-Five: A question put forth to Doctor Faustus concerning the stars. Our patrons also get an exploring session looking in detail at the text - join our chat here. Thunder sfx thanks to zapsplat.com Our patrons received this episode in October 2024 - approx. 18 months early. They have also already received the next 19 chapters and exploring sessions! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:02:52

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

428: Unattached Fragments | Part 1 (Fragments)

4/17/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts It's the first of an epic (yet dinky) 18 part series looking at some fragments found in The English Treasury of Wit and Language by John Cotgrave. This is a fairly chunky opening gambit, with the preface to the book, before our usual drive by at a short bit of text. You can find a version of the text at archive.org. It's found under the section "Of Atheism, Blasphemy, Impiety, Prophaxes etc." on page 18/19. The text is performed by Aliki Chapple, the host is Robert Crighton. Our patrons received this episode in January 2025 - well over a year early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:13:49

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

427: Arden of Faversham (Full Cast Audio Adaptation)

4/10/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts This is a simpler live mix of the show, with a few edits and some additional sound effects, but without the addition of too much soundscaping. This was partly a response to the recording I had in play, but also it meant I could clear it a bit sooner. Content warnings below. Recorded live at the White Bear Theatre on Thursday 14th December 2023. Alexandra Kataigida - Alice Arden Keith Hill - Thomas Arden Simon Nader Mirza - Mosbie Lynsey Beauchamp – Franklin Pamela Flanagan - Shakebag Kit McGuire - Black Will Sojourner Hazelwood-Connell - Greene / Sailor Liza Graham – Bradshaw Roel Fox – Michael Emma Kemp - Susan / Prentice / A Ferryman Sarah Blake - Adam / Lord Cheiny Robert Crighton - Clarke / Mayor of Faversham Valentina Vinci – Live Show Technical Operator Music by Roel Fox Directed by Sarah Blake Content warning: murder, violence, threats of murder and violence, misogyny, racialised language, injustice, judicial violence. A full playlist of all our Winter Revels 2023 season, including all the rehearsals and BTS material, can be accessed via our patreon for £10. Our patrons received a rough mix of this play in August 2024 - over 18 months early, and this edit in February, 2 months early. The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:02:23:18

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

Discussing: Pre-Modern Drama on the Radio

4/3/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts Welcome to this chat with Dr Andrea Smith, author of Sh********e on the Radio: A Century of BBC Plays, where we discuss elements of her book and dance more generally about the challenges in producing audio drama, radio drama, and adapting the early modern stage for sound. We had a lot of fun chatting, and I hope you have the same listening. (The book is rather good btw, and gives an excellent overview of the way drama was produced on BBC radio.) Dr Andrea Smith - https://www.uos.ac.uk/people/dr-andrea-smith/ After nearly thirty years in journalism, a long-held love of literature and a desire to help young people pursue their dreams led Andrea to change career and move into university teaching. Her research focuses on radio drama, specifically Shakespeare and his contemporaries, and how texts intended for the stage can be translated into an audio-only medium. She’s based at the University of Suffolk – before that she worked for two local newspapers and the BBC, as well as setting exams for the National Council for the Training of Journalists. She is an occasional contributor to programmes on BBC Radio and a passionate advocate for access to Higher Education. The book - https://edinburghuniversitypress.com/book-shakespeare-on-the-radio.html - use the code: EVENT30 to get 30% off Our patrons received this episode in early October 2025 - over 5 months early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:55:44

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

425: Discussing: Edward II by Christopher Marlowe (Production Preview)

3/27/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts This is hot off the press this week, as it's a quick chat about an upcoming production of Edward II by Christopher Marlowe, performing at the Brockley Jack and produced by Alex Pearson Productions in association with Glass Splinters. This chat is with Natalie Harper and Alex Pearson. Tickets can be bought here! https://brockleyjack.co.uk/jackstudio-entry/edward-ii/ Show info: "After the death of the King’s father, Gaveston is hastily summoned back from exile on the whim of the reckless new monarch, Edward II, to a claustrophobic court filled with increasing unrest, intrigue and perpetual distrust. Edward and Gaveston’s love is the catalyst that threatens not just to destroy Court life – but the very foundations of England itself. When you have no choice but to live under the relentless glare of the public eye, is it possible to keep any piece of yourself intact? Is love truly worth the risk? As royalty clashes with the nobility, all seems set to disintegrate, Edward II explores the conflict between personal desire, political duty and legacy. Alex Pearson Productions, in association with Glass Splinters, is thrilled to be bringing a fresh take on this classic tale of love, violence, and what it means to live a life under the spotlight. Alex Pearson Productions focuses on telling established stories in contemporary and intuitive ways; bringing classic tales to a modern-day audience that emphasises clear story-telling and making it accessible and enjoyable for all. APP is a company that strives for inclusivity and shredding new light on stories that have been forgotten, ignored or misrepresented." The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:23:09

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

420: Doctor John Faustus (Chapter 24)

3/24/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts The History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus, is the book that is the source for Christopher Marlowe's play. Chapter by chapter we will wander through the twists and turns of this story. Chapter Twenty-Four: Of a certain comet that appeared in Germany, and how Doctor Faustus was desired by certain friends of his to know the meaning thereof. Our patrons also get an exploring session looking in detail at the text - join our chat here. Thunder sfx thanks to zapsplat.com Our patrons received this episode in October 2024 - approx. 17 months early. They have also already received the next 19 chapters and exploring sessions! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:02:56

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

425: A Scene from James the Fourth by Robert Greene (And... Scene!)

3/20/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts And Scene! This is random scene from James the Fourth by Robert Greene, recorded live at our Revels season on Thursday 14th December 2023. Enter a Lawyer, a Merchant, and a Divine, to ask questions of current affairs – current affairs of the world of the play, and presumably of around 1590, when Greene wrote the play. With Roel Fox as the Lawyer, Emma Kemp as the Merchant, and Sojourner Hazelwood-Connell as the Divine. For more from Robert Greene. For more from the play, go to our Exploring Sessions! Our patrons received the scene within this episode in early 2024 - over 2 years early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:07:00

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

425: The Interlude of Youth (LIVE Archive Recording)

3/13/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts Welcome to our live stage recording of The Interlude of Youth by the Unknown. It's not designed as an audio adaptation, this is simply recorded from a distance on stage. However, it is a fairly complete recording and hopefully of some use. It was recorded as part of our Entertaining Henry season on Friday 20th June 2025 at the Quay Theatre, Sudbury. With Alexandra Kataigida as Youth, Roel Fox as Charity, Simon Nader as Riot, Robert Crighton as Pride, and Liza Graham as Lady Lechery and Humility. The Backstage Technical Manager was Valentina Vinci. Many thanks to Joe Fawcett, Tom Lagden, and everyone behind the scenes at the Quay. The entire Entertaining Henry season was recorded, including most of the rehearsal period - all of this material can be found on our patreon feed. Our patrons received a mix of this episode in November 2025 - 4 months in advance. The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:41:23

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

418: Discussing: The Interlude of Youth with Dr Jeff S. Dailey

3/6/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts This is a chat with Dr Jeff S. Dailey who produced the play The Interlude of Youth (1513) in New York in August 2025. As we also produced the play in the summer of 2025, we had a good natter about the challenges of making this play work. We're in the middle of archiving our work on the play and the rest of the Entertaining Henry season from June on our patreon feed - rehearsal audio for £5 tier, and both audio and video for £10 tiers. But free to all are our exploring session videos. And there is also a video of the discussed production of The Interlude of Youth from the John Cullum Theatre at the American Theatre of Actors, New York in August 2025, directed Dr. Jeff S. Dailey. There's information about the production, and a video of it online. Our patrons received a rough mix of this episode in September 2025 - 5 months in advance. The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:41:36

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

410: 'Play of the Saxons' (Fragment)

2/27/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts Play of the Saxons by the Unknown - a fragment of probably not dialogue from a probably lost play. It is perhaps more accurately described as an heckling incident. This fragment can be found in the REED Bristol volume, and on the Lost Plays Database. If you’d like more on the Wine Street Theatre there is Callan Davies book What is a Playhouse. Additional material sourced from volume seven of Wiggin's British Drama catalogue. The fragment was performed by Ailbhe Casey as Kendal, and Aliki Chapple as John Brittan. The host was Robert Crighton Our patrons received the scene within this episode in July 2024 - 6 months early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:05:04

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

419: Doctor John Faustus (Chapter 23)

2/24/2026
The History of the Damnable Life and Deserved Death of Doctor John Faustus, is the book that is the source for Christopher Marlowe's play. Chapter by chapter we will wander through the twists and turns of this story. This was a tricky episode to record, as I had made a decision to use a specific version of the text with very odd versions of place names - I lost all ability to say these places in any comprehensible way, but hopefully it isn't too weird. CW: Early modern racial language Chapter Twenty-Three: How Faustus had a sight of Paradise Our patrons also get an exploring session looking in detail at the text - join our chat here. Thunder sfx thanks to zapsplat.com Our patrons received this episode in September 2024 - approx. 17 months early. They have also already received the next 19 chapters and exploring sessions! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.

Duration:00:05:31

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

415: A Scene from Fair Em (And... Scene!)

2/20/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts And Scene! This is random scene from Fair Em, the Miller’s Daughter of Manchester by the Unknown, though recently attributed to Thomas Kyd – make of that what you will. It was recorded live at our Winter Revels season on Thursday 14th December 2023. It is a dialogue between the Miller, with his daughter Fair Em, about this cruel and unforgiving world. With Roel Fox as the Miller, and Emma Kemp as Fair Em. For more from the play, go to our Exploring Sessions! Our patrons received the scene within this episode in January 2024 - over 2 years early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:04:45

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

414: Dido, Queen of Carthage by Christopher Marlowe (Full Cast Audio Adaptation)

2/13/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts It's finally here, the full cast audio adaptation of Dido, Queen of Carthage by Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Nashe* It was recorded live, so there are some technical issues, but otherwise it has mixed reasonably well. There are some minor cuts, but we have endeavoured to retain most of the text. Sojourner Hazelwood-Connell – Dido Kit McGuire – Aeneas Karim Kronfli - Iarbus Alex Kapila - Anna Pamela Flanagan - Ascanius Lynsey Beauchamp - Ilioneus Sarah Blake - Venus / Nurse Keith Hill - Jupiter / Achates Alexandra Kataigida - Cloanthus Emma Kemp - Cupid Liza Graham - Juno / Hermes Simon Nader - Sergestus / Lord Ganymede - Robert Crighton Music by Roel Fox Technical operator for the live show was Valentina Vinci Produced by Robert Crighton The play was recorded live at The White Bear Theatre on Tuesday 12th December 2023. If you’d like more on this play, there are exploring sessions galore on the YouTube. All our rehearsals, dress run, and rough live mix are on the patreon feed from £5 tier or above. CW: Discussion of war trauma, deaths, and graphic descriptions of injury detail, issues of consent, racialised language, multiple suicides, fire. *That's what it says on the title page, discuss in your own time. Our patrons received this episode in January 2025 - 1 month early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:01:38:30

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

413: Discussing: A Game at Chess by Thomas Middleton

2/6/2026
Beyond is sponsored by The Malone Society: The permanent utility of original texts Because we thought you just didn't have enough on A Game at Chess from this podcast, here's a chat about a staged reading of A Game at Chess with Annie Charlton and Elizabeth Elsworth of York S********** Project. You can find out more about their work at https://www.yorkshakespeareproject.org/ For anyone interested in forthcoming events, but also in opportunities for acting, directing or backstaging, sign up to their mailing list: http://eepurl.com/DrIJ For any general enquiries: info@yorkshakespeareproject.org and can be found on Facebook and Instagram A Game at Chess - additional materials from us... YouTube playlist of readings of the play. Podcast playlist on the play. Patreon box set of this show. The Legacy of Thomas Middleton discussing episode. Webpage covering the play. Our patrons received a rough mix of this episode in January 2025 - a month in advance. The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton. About our sponsors - the Malone Society. The Society was founded in 1906 at the initiative of A.W. Pollard, and for over a century they have published (almost) every year edited volumes of early printed and manuscript texts of both well-known and neglected plays. They also publish collections of documentary material relating to the performance and reception of early drama. Their best-known publications include W.W. Greg’s edition of Sir Thomas More, a collaborative history play, and A.C. Dunstan’s edition of the earliest surviving original play in English to have been written by a woman, Elizabeth Cary’s The Tragedy of Mariam. Their membership is international and open to anyone interested in early drama. Members receive their annual volumes and are able to buy books from their backlist at low prices. In addition to their publications, they support scholarship of early drama through fellowships and research grants, an annual prize for graduate students, and performances and symposia. The Society is named after Edmond Malone, born in Dublin in 1741, a great editor, textual scholar and theatre historian, whose work continues to shape studies in early drama.

Duration:00:47:21

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

417: Announcement: Our New Sponsor + Sir Thomas More

2/3/2026
Two announcements today, our new sponsor, and a little bit more detail about our Sir Thomas More event - tickets for which are now on general sale! Beyond Shakespeare is proud to announce our sponsor for the coming year is the Malone Society, whose works help keep alive the plays we work on. The Malone Society regularly publishes volumes of early plays which otherwise might not be available, and so aligns with our core belief that no play should be left behind and should have an outlet – from the manuscript or printed page, to performance and beyond. Over the course of their generous sponsorship we will be giving away a volume each month, as well as producing a special event assisted by one of their most celebrated publications, W.W. Greg’s edition of The Book of Sir Thomas More. For more on the sponsorship and giveaway, go to our sponsorship webpage. Go to malonesociety.com for more information about the society. For more information about the Sir Thomas More event go to: https://beyondshakespeare.org/the-book-of-sir-thomas-more-piece-by-piece/ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on various social media @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.

Duration:00:11:19

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

412: A Scene from Clyomon and Clymades (And... Scene!)

1/30/2026
And Scene! This is random scene from Clyomon and Clymades by the Unknown. It was recorded live at our Winter Revels season on Saturday 16th December 2023. It is a dialogue between Clymades and Juliana – the play is a fun pastiche of romance literature, so is full of pompous adventurers looking to save damsels in rhyming 14ers. With Kit McGuire as Clymades, and Alexandra Katiagida as Julianna. For more from the play, go to our Exploring Sessions! Our patrons received the scene within this episode in January 2024 - 2 years early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.

Duration:00:08:22

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

411: 1570 and All This - Part 3 (Hamlet to Hamilton Crossover)

1/23/2026
Here's the last of our two mini seasons of crossover episodes with Emily C A Synder and Colin Kovarik of the Hamlet to Hamilton podcast. It's actually the final episode of five, following on from the two part 1560 and All That which came as a mini set. We have been dancing through texts from the medieval up to the reign of Elizabeth on their podcast, and now we're doing the same over on ours - and we have finally completed the 1570's. Which didn't even have that many plays in it! As ever, this is a case of thinking aloud, and seeing what comes up. Hamlet to Hamilton: Exploring Verse Drama is an educational podcast from TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS Audio Network. Teaching how to write and perform new verse drama. Hosted by Emily C. A. Snyder. Edited by Colin Kovarik. SEASON ONE: Writing Verse Drama SEASON TWO: Arthur Through the Ages SEASON THREE: Soliloquy SEASON FOUR: The Origins of English Verse Drama - which is with us! Hamlet to Hamilton website - http://www.hamlettohamilton.com/ Support H2H at their patreon - https://www.patreon.com/hamlettohamilton Our patrons received the scene within this episode in May 2024 - 20 months early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.

Duration:02:36:49

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

416: Discussing: Sejanus by Ben Jonson

1/16/2026
Today we're having a chat with Nathan Winkelstein of Red Bull Theater about their upcoming Revelation Reading of Sejanus by Ben Jonson. Performing in New York, but also live streaming around the world on 26th January 2026 - the recording accessible for the week following. Do support this show, or the following production (in person) of The Roaring Girl, if you can. From their mission statement: "RED BULL THEATER brings rarely seen classic plays to dynamic new life for contemporary audiences. Our work unites a respect for tradition with a modern sensibility." And we can't support that sentiment more highly. Tickets available here! Our patrons received this episode a few days ago - most episodes are a month or twelve in advance, some are time sensitive like this one! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.

Duration:00:27:15

Ask host to enable sharing for playback control

409: 1570 and All This - Part 2 (Hamlet to Hamilton Crossover)

1/9/2026
Here's the second of two mini seasons of crossover episodes with Emily C A Synder and Colin Kovarik of the Hamlet to Hamilton podcast. It's actually the third episode of five, following on from the two part 1560 and All That which came as a mini set. We have been dancing through texts from the medieval up to the reign of Elizabeth on their podcast, and now we're doing the same over on ours - we might have finally made it into actual plays from the 1570's. Possibly. There aren't that many to play with. As ever, this is a case of thinking aloud, and seeing what comes up. Hamlet to Hamilton: Exploring Verse Drama is an educational podcast from TURN TO FLESH PRODUCTIONS Audio Network. Teaching how to write and perform new verse drama. Hosted by Emily C. A. Snyder. Edited by Colin Kovarik. SEASON ONE: Writing Verse Drama SEASON TWO: Arthur Through the Ages SEASON THREE: Soliloquy SEASON FOUR: The Origins of English Verse Drama - which is with us! Hamlet to Hamilton website - http://www.hamlettohamilton.com/ Support H2H at their patreon - https://www.patreon.com/hamlettohamilton Our patrons received the scene within this episode in May 2024 - 20 months early! The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare - or if you want to give us some feedback, email us at admin@beyondshakespeare.org, follow us on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram @BeyondShakes or go to our website: https://beyondshakespeare.org You can also subscribe to our YouTube channel where (most of) our exploring sessions live - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLa4pXxGZFwTX4QSaB5XNdQ The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is hosted and produced by Robert Crighton.

Duration:02:32:34