The Shaftesbury Tales

Interactive family theatre show; age guide 4+

It’s Dorset in the Dark Ages.
Join us in ‘The Pilgrims Inn’ as our merry company rests for the evening on their journey to Edwards shrine in Shaftesbury, entertaining each other – and everyone else – with Tales of murder and miracles, music and mayhem.

Inspired by Chaucer, and the terrible fate of teenage King Edward the Martyr in Corfe, Treehouse Theatre take a mischievous peek into life 1000 years ago. ‘The Shaftesbury Tales’ is walking from Corfe to Shaftesbury , village to village, stopping to perform hilarious and interactive family shows along the way.

The Shaftesbury Tales have arisen from the collective creativity of the people of Dorset!
Woven through the central Tale of Edward the Martyr, are Tales written by local people and entered in our short story writing competition held this spring. What happened when? Who saw what? Who lived to tell the Tale…and who didn’t?! All of the winning stories can be read in the booklet-programme which accompanies the show (also called ‘The Shaftesbury Tales’, of course!). Some of the stories have been adapted for this performance by Treehouse Theatre and local theatre groups.

Every show is different, with its own unique cast and Tales.
This performance will feature Tales by Double Act Theatre Group, and children from Corfe Castle Primary School.
There’s always room for a couple more on stage….come a bit early if you’d like to play a small part in the show!

Age guide 4+
Doors open – 6.30pm
Show starts – 7pm
Running time – approx 75 minutes (no interval)

Supported by public funding from Arts Council England and Dorset Council.
With thanks to Artsreach, The Shaftesbury Fringe Festival, and Doppelganger Productions.

The Venue
St Edwards Church stands on the spot where – as the story goes – a blind woman lived in a humble shack. Her encounter with the dead body of Edward the Martyr shortly after his murder, led to her sight being restored – the first miracle attributed to Edward. We are very grateful to St Edwards Church for letting us perform here, in the very spot is where our story begins!

Seating
This is an outdoor performance. Do arrive early to pick your spot, bring a chair/cushion/blanket/whatever you need to be comfortable and prepared for the weather! In the event of very wet weather, this performance will be held inside the Church.

Accessibility
All performances contain embedded sign language throughout the parts performed by Treehouse Theatre. We have widget signs for non-verbal audience response, and a tactile bag for visually impaired audience members to better connect with the action. If you would like to reserve a space suitable for a wheelchair, or for any other questions about accessibility, please email info@treehousetheatre.com

Parking
There is limited parking in the historic centre of Corfe Castle by the church entrance, and 3 public car parks a short walk away.