The Rose theatre, the Tudor theatre discovered on London's Bankside in 1989, begins another era of its long career this autumn when it hosts a resident company for the first time since the 17th century. TheATRE hE, mMe, mm is to present a season of plays at the venue between 23 October and 15 December. The season includes pieces by and inspired by Tudor playwright Christopher Marlowe alongside more modern work.
The foundations of the Rose were stumbled across in 1989 during an interval between site clearance and the redevelopment of an office block; a discovery of such great historical significance that actors, historians and the general public campaigned to save the site from the planned redevelopment.
Since that time, the Rose Theatre Trust has worked tirelessly to keep the venue, which dates to 1587, both a site of archaeological importance and a working theatre, hosting around 50 performances since 1989.
The TheATRE hE, mMe, mm season opens with Pawnography (23 Oct) a piece by company member Tracy Keeling drawing on the works of Shakespeare, the Marquis de Sade and Greek myth. This is followed by Marlowe's Song (29 Oct), an evening dedicated to Marlowe including a new adaptation of The Massacre At Paris.
Dionysus In Paris (3 & 4 Nov) is a weekend of short Dada and Surrealist plays, followed by a lecture on, and extracts from, Marlowe's Edward II (7 Nov). The season is completed by a short run of Meat, by TheATRE hE, mMe, mm's Matt Harris (29 Nov-15 Dec).
More information about the Rose can be found at www.rosetheatre.org.uk
MA