Merseyside's newest theatre is set to hold its grand opening this week, the ground-breaking new venue becoming home to the only 17th-century style, timber-built "Cockpit" theatre outside London.
Coinciding with Knowsley's year as Liverpool City Region Borough of Culture, Prescot's Shakespeare North Playhouse opens this Friday, July 15. And we were recently given a first look inside the new £38m theatre.
But some may be unaware of Shakespeare's links to the town that goes back generations. Dating back to the 1500s, The Earls of Derby and Prescot had unique ties to Elizabethan drama and legendary playwright William Shakespeare, the ECHO previously reported.
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Creating the Shakespearian triangle of London, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Prescot, it is estimated the theatre on Mill Street will attract more than 100,000 new visitors to the Liverpool City Region each year. The buzz around the Bard has been building for some time, so ahead of the theatre's opening, we take a look at a few fascinating links between Shakespeare, and the Earls of Derby, and Prescot.
This list isn't intended to be comprehensive. But if you have any facts about Prescot and its ties to Shakespeare you think we should have included, let us know in the comments section.
Strange's Men
With a long history spanning back across key historical events, the Stanley family, the Earls of Derby, have links to the Battle of Bosworth, British politics and even Shakespeare. In the late 1500s, the Fifth Earl of Derby Ferdinando Stanley, also known as Lord Strange, sponsored a talented troupe of professional players named 'Strange's Men.'
In the last decade of the 16th century, Shakespeare - a then young poet, began writing plays for the playing company and Strange's Men are said to have staged Henry VI, Shakespeare's first drama, in 1590-92 at the Rose Theatre in London. Strange's Men included Thomas Pope, Will Kemp and John Hemmings, who alongside Shakespeare later formed the core of the Lord Chamberlain's Men at the Globe in London.
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Knowsley Hall
One of Merseyside's most exquisite stately homes, Knowsley Hall, is the ancestral home of the Stanley family. Known for being a patron of drama, Lord Strange lived in Knowsley Hall - where Strange's Men are also believed to have performed.
It has been suggested that Shakespeare would have visited Lancashire and the Earl of Derby's residences, including the exquisite Georgian building, and that some of his earliest plays that contain tributes to the Stanley's could have been first staged there. It is also believed he may have written A Midsummer Night's Dream for the 6th Earl's wedding.
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Prescot's former playhouse
During Elizabethan times, Prescot was home to the first freestanding, purpose-built indoor playhouse outside of London. Built by Richard Harrington, Strange's Men are also believed to have performed in the first Elizabethan indoor theatre in Britain outside of the capital.
Opening this week, the location of the Shakespeare North Playhouse has been carefully considered. Located on Mill Street and near to the former museum - now called Cockpit House and part of the campus for Shakespeare North - the 350-seat theatre will be close to the site of the original Elizabethan playhouse.
Will you be visiting the Shakespeare North Playhouse? Let us know in the comments section below.
Shakespeare North Playhouse
The Shakespeare North Playhouse will be a major visitor attraction for people across the UK and beyond and the theatre and education space will boast an outdoor performance garden and an exhibition space. The ground-breaking new venue, Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, is home to the only 17th-century style, timber-built "Cockpit" theatre outside London, able to seat 450 spectators.
Built entirely during the pandemic with public funds and donations, the new venue is anticipated to attract over 140,000 visitors a year. The venue is also home to a fully-accessible outdoor performance garden funded by the Ken Dodd Charitable Foundation, exhibition gallery, 60-seater studio theatre, learning centre, events spaces, and a café and bar with outdoor piazza.
The latest series of Memory Lane is in major retailers including Asda, Tesco, Home Bargains and selected newsagents now. This series of the bumper picture special looks at fun in the sun - with stunning photographs and treasured memories of family holidays from years gone by. You can also buy Memory Lane online here.
Local businesses
Ahead of the new playhouse opening, Prescot has already been inspired by the town's history and its links to the Bard. From bars to barbershops, some owners have already been incorporating Shakespearean themes into their businesses.
In recent years, Prescot town centre has welcomed new bar and kitchen The Lord Strange, inspired by the Fifth Earl and Harrington's, named after the owner of the original Prescot playhouse. The Bard Micropub and Rogues & Rascals Barbershop are also among the businesses with a link to Shakespeare, as well as Little Mary's Cafe on Market Place who rebranded as Hamlet's Kitchen in 2017.
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