The English Shakespeare Company –

Some facts and figures

English Shakespeare Company Newsletter 1989

The English Shakespeare Company opened its inaugural productions of ‘The Henrys’ (‘Henry IV Part I, Henry IV Part II and Henry V) at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth in December 1986. A year later at the Theatre Royal, Bath four more productions were added (Richard II, Henry VI: House of Lancaster, Henry VI: House of York and Richard III) and Shakespeare’s complete history cycle performed under the umbrella title of ‘The Wars of the Roses’. Since December 1987 the seven plays have been on a major national and international tour which will end at Swansea Grand Theatre in April 1989.

Between the curtain raising on the first ‘Henrys’ in ’86 and the curtain falling on the final ‘Wars’ in ’89:

• over 450,000 people will have seen the productions

• 376 performances will have been given in 20 UK theatres

• 243 performances will have been given in 22 theatre in nine overseas and four continents

• eight ‘marathon weekends’ (during which 23 hours of Shakespeare are given in a 52-hour period) will have been performed in Tokyo, Chicago, Stamford, York, West Berlin, Melbourne, Hamburg and London

• 66 ‘trilogy days’ (during which three plays are performed in a 13-hour period) will have been performed around the world.

The Company of 28 actors and 20 staff (company and stage management, sound, light, wigs, wardrobes and props) will have:

• travelled three times round the world

• shared and understudied some 500 roles

• worn 600 costumes, 150 pairs of boots and shoes and 100 hats and helmets

• used 2,500 props each performing week, including 100 swords and guns, 100 red and white roses and four severed heads

• fought 35 hand-to-hand fights and six battles each week

• played on three duplicate sets (one built in Hong Kong, one in Tokyo and the original in Plymouth), two of which are freighted around the world to make possible the hectic touring schedule

There must be several World Records among these facts and figures: none as hair-raising as that achieved during the Company’s appearance at the Stamford Center for the Arts in Connecticut, USA, when two actors fell ill at the same time and consequently 31 roles were performed by understudies during one truly ‘marathon’ weekend!

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