English Touring Theatre, Northampton Royal and Derngate and Rose Theatre Kingston have announced venues and dates for their national tour of Peter Whelan’s The Herbal Bed.
The tour opens at Royal and Derngate in February before it moves to Cambridge Arts Theatre, Liverpool Playhouse, Exeter Northcott Theatre, Brighton Theatre Royal, The Lowry, New Theatre Royal Portsmouth, Theatre Royal Bath, Oxford Playhouse and the Rose Theatre Kingston.
Based on real events from Stratford in the summer of 1613, The Herbal Bed recounts the public trial of Shakespeare’s daughter Susanna. Accused of adultery with her neighbour, Susanna and her husband fall under the glare of intense public scrutiny as they sue her accuser for slander.
English Touring Theatre’s director Rachel Tackley said, “when I first read The Herbal Bed, I thought it was the perfect project for English Touring Theatre to produce.
“I had seen (Royal and Derngate artistic director) James Dacre's masterful production of Peter Whelan's Accrington Pals and thought he would be perfect to direct it. I’m really excited to collaborate with Royal and Derngate and the Rose and to take this beautiful play to audiences across the UK on its first tour.”
James Dacre said, “in the 400th anniversary year of Shakespeare’s death, Royal and Derngate are thrilled to be partnering with ETT and the Rose to produce a play about his family, set during the final chapter of his life.
“This production also celebrates the legacy of another great playwright, Peter Whelan. I was lucky enough to work with Peter and to benefit from his great wisdom and warmth shortly before he died last year.
“This revival of The Herbal Bed, his most influential play, is a tribute to his enduring relevance as a playwright. The Herbal Bed offers a penetrating insight into the clash between human desire and social convention. A moving and uplifting story, it’s a gripping thriller, a prescient social commentary and an extraordinary romance.”
The tour of The Herbal Bed starts at Royal and Derngate from 5 until 27 February. It then goes to Cambridge Arts Theatre (29 February to 5 March), Liverpool Playhouse (7 to 12 March), Exeter Northcott Theatre (14 to 19 March), Brighton Theatre Royal (21 to 26 March), The Lowry, Salford (28 March to 2 April), Theatre Royal Bath (11 to 16 April), Oxford Playhouse (18 to 23 April) and Rose Theatre Kingston (26 April to 7 May).