Bard in the Yard 2025
Bard in the Yard 2025
An Ilkley Playhouse Fringe Production
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
Directed by Dick Hebbert
After last year’s Richard III, it’s back to tragedy for Bard ’25 with the story of two of history’s greatest lovers, Antony and Cleopatra.
Mark Antony, catapulted to power as part of a triumvirate after having ruthlessly hunted down the murderers of Julius Caesar, has fallen into decadent indolence in Egypt under the spell of the country’s beautiful queen, Cleopatra. But rebellion is fermenting back in Rome and Antony realises that he will have to return home. Once there he is persuaded for diplomatic reasons to marry Octavia, the sister of Octavius Caesar – when she hears this, Cleopatra is devastated.
Meanwhile, peace negotiations fail, and despite his reluctance to go to war, Antony must lead the Romans against Pompey’s rebels – but he just can’t get Cleopatra off his mind…
Ancient history on an epic scale – swords, sandals, power, glory and… asps.
“…age shall not wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety…”
AS YOU LIKE IT
Directed by Andrew Leggott
After torrid love in Egypt, it’s pastoral love in the forest of Arden in this Shakespearian favourite. The play includes one of the Bard’s most famous speeches, commencing “All the world’s a stage…” and detailing the seven ages of man.
It also marks the height of the Bard’s gender-twisting. In his time, the heroine Rosalind would have been played by a boy, who then dresses as a man. In the forest, she, in turn, impersonates herself as a woman. Confused? Consider the actor!
Directed by Andrew Leggott and Dick Hebbert
Ilkley Playhouse and Ilkley Manor House Yard
