The Long-Lost First Play explores young William’s meandering teenage mind. We found a confusion of ideas, a plethora of characters jostling to become heroes and heroines within a pile of plots, all whirling around his brain, waiting to be cast down on paper into some kind of order. Over four centuries later, we picked our way through the maelstrom to create delight and intrigue. This August, you’ll need his wits about you – hang on to your mop caps!

Charly Armstrong is director Shakespeare’s Long-Lost First Play and said,

“I haven’t had the chance to do any live theatre since late last year (thanks to Covid!), and the opportunity of getting back into it to direct something so comical and entertaining was too good to pass up. I love Shakespeare too - he’s always featured quite heavily in my life, so this play really appealed to me.

“Rehearsing has been great fun - mainly because of my fellow cast-members. They’ve had me in hysterics every rehearsal with their portrayal of the various roles. The play itself has actually been quite hard to learn, but it’s been very enjoyable getting to explore about twelve of Shakespeare’s characters at once (each!). 

“I hope that our patrons will love the sheer comedy of it. I think we all need a bit of silly humour after the two years we have had. I love this play because it doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is - it’s not really there to make a statement, or to be ‘edgy’, it’s just good old-fashioned silly entertainment and I really hope that is what the audience love about it too.”

Titchfield Festival Theatre’s production of Shakespeare’s Long-Lost First Play opens at the Great Barn, Titchfield PO15 5RB on 24th August running until 2nd September 2021. Evening shows start at 7.30pm. A matinée productions is on Sunday 29^th August 2021, at 2.30pm.

To book tickets click on the link or contact our Box Office on 0333 666 3366. Shakespeare’s Long-Lost First Play will be also streamed live on Wednesday 1st & Thursday 2nd September 2021.