York International Shakespeare Festival at York St John: Remembering there is a world elsewhere.

A black background with 7 Shakespeare festival and play posters strewn across it at left and right angles.
The posters are all the same size but all vary in language and colours and design. — Shakespeare Festival Posters

We are delighted that our wonderful LLS team have put together a library display for the York International Shakespeare Festival (@YorkShakes), which is running from 21^st April to 1^st May (Week 9). York St John University is one of the festival’s main venue partners and we have an amazing offering of award-winning Shakespeare productions, plus free workshops, public lectures, seminars and discussions to offer you.

As we became a University of Sanctuary in 2018, many of these events are themed around the idea of Shakespeare as sanctuary in these often-divisive times. Engaging with global crises, such as the war in Ukraine, and the migration of peoples as a consequence of war, we have the Kyiv Molodyy Academic Theatre coming to our Auditorium in the Creative Centre on Friday 28^th April at 8pm. Relocated to a Ukrainian forest, this hour-long production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream will showcase Ukrainian culture and celebrate how Shakespeare belongs not just to all time but also to all places. See here for further details and booking links to the three productions coming to York St John – The Tragedy of Macbeth by Flabbergast Theatre, A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Molodyy Theatre and Tim Crouch’s 4- star Guardian reviewed one man show Truth’s A Dog Must To Kennel, a post-pandemic take inspired by King Lear. Student concessions are just £5!

Also, you can buy a Pass It On ticket for one of the many Ukrainian and other refugees or asylum seekers now finding sanctuary in Yorkshire. The Pass It On tickets are being distributed for us via organisations such as Refugee Action York and York City of Sanctuary. See here for details on how to Pass It On.

Here is an overview of the free events taking place at York St John and other venues in York that we would love you to come along to. Please book your free ticket via the links.

At York St John University

Wednesday 26^th April

Let Us Recount Our Dreams: A Midsummer Night’s Dream in many performances, a public lecture by the York International Shakespeare Festival’s Artistic Director Philip Parr. 12 noon in the Skell building, SK/128. Also streamed.

A scene from a rendition of the Midsummer Nights Dream play.

A dark green background with a green light. There are 4 people viable two in the background on the left hand side, a young Caucasian man and a young Caucasian woman both are wearing plain white bagging clothes have their hands resting on their faces looking shocked/scared. to the right in the foreground is another Caucasian male wearing the same clothes but with a crown an expression of intent and fists held either side of his body like he is going to fight.
Finally on the right hand side partiall hidden in shadow is another figure wearing the same clothes, their face and upper body hidden by shadows, but they appear to be looking up ards and praying. — Photo by Oleksii Tovpyha

An Introduction to Cousin Shakespeare and Romanian Theatre, followed by a staged reading of Marin Sorecu’s play Cousin Shakespeare, translated from Romanian into English.

Part of the festival’s European Reading in Performance Series. 4.30 and 6pm in the Creative Centre. Information and free booking here.

An Old Map of North Yorkshire with the words: Cousin Shakespeare by Marin Sorescu in a bold black font

above this writing is a zoomed in picture of the face of young Caucasian man with a mustache leaning on his hand and smiling.

Below this picture on the left hand side and adjacent to the title text is a zoomed in portrait in a yellowed colour of the playwright William Shakespeare.

Thursday 27^th April

Everything to Everybody: An Introduction to the Birmingham Shakespeare Memorial Library. Did you know that Birmingham is home to one of the largest (and the first!) great Shakespeare libraries in the world? Opened in 1868, this collection holds over 100,000 items in 95 languages, documenting and celebrating how people across the globe have experienced, produced and been inspired by Shakespeare for over 400 years.

12:00 noon and repeated at 2:00 pm in the Creative Centre Auditorium. Also streamed. Information and free booking here.

Saturday 29^th April:

Molodyy Theatre Open Workshop for Actors and Theatre Makers (you can be an audience member for this) The company share insights into their unique theatre making methods.

10 am in the Creative Centre. Pay what you can/free. Information and booking here.

A wooden floor and black curtain in the background. The top half of a bald Caucasian, middle-aged man is shown. The man is facing the left side and is wearing a VR headset and he has his right arm reaching forwards and his left in the air. — Tim Crouch Truth’s A Dog credit Stuart Armitt

Making Theatre In Ukraine Today Q&A. A chance for you to find out what it is like to make theatre in Ukraine today for artists living and working in a war zone. 12 noon in the Creative Centre. Pay what you can/free. Information and ticket booking here.

A birds eye view of a large industiral T shaped builsing with a larger block on the top of the T shape. The T shape is laying on its side, the top is on the left. On top of the body of the T shape are people in bright clothing laying to form a word in Ukrainian, across the body of the T shape. — GTS for Ukraine

Shakespeare (and) Sanctuary curated by Dr Saffron Vickers Walkling and Prof Nicoleta Cinpoes. An afternoon of free talks, presentations and discussion with staff, students and local theatre makers exploring elements of Shakespeare and Social Justice, presented by York St John University, the European Shakespeare Research Association and the York International Shakespeare Festival.

2-4pm in the Creative Centre Recital Room. Information and free booking here.

Other free events throughout the city include:

York Loves Shakespeare book launch at Friargate Theatre, Sunday 23^rd April 23 at 5:00 pm

What is a European Shakespeare Festival at York Explore Central Library on Monday April 24 at 2:00 pm, exploring the dynamic role Shakespeare and his work play in intercultural celebration, mobility and mediation.

In the European Reading in Performance Series

In the Cauldron Boil and Bake an Owlet’s Wing (Poland) by Jakub Snochowski, plus post-show Q&A at StreetLife Hub on Tuesday 25^th April at 6pm.

Old Stan or A Fool Fooled by Marin Drzic (Croatia), plus an to the playwright’s work and to his life in Dubrovnik on Thursday 27^th April at 5pm for the talk and 6pm for the staged reading at the Berrick Saul Building, University of York.

All are free to attend, but with limited space available – so book now via the festival programme here!

*Tickets for participants and auditors for the workshop, and for those attending the Q&A are on a Pay What You Like basis and we’ll be donating all the takings to support the Ukrainian Shakespeare Community.

**Quote in title is from Coriolanus, Act 3 Scene 3

By Dr Saffron Vickers Walking, York International Shakespeare Festival Advisor and Senior Lecturer in English Literature at York St John University.

York International Shakespeare Festival at York St John: Remembering there is a world elsewhere.

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