MALVERNBARD, in association with Malvern Theatres, presents To Build a Wooden O, a new play from Nick Wilkes, writer in residence at Malvern Theatres, appearing from Wednesday 9th to Saturday 12th September.

“It’s the perfect time to set a play, with Shakespeare at a huge crossroads in his life and career. Many of his great playwriting contemporaries including George Peele, Christopher Marlowe and Thomas Kyd are all dead, and the next generation, Ben Jonson, Thomas Dekker, Thomas Heywood are starting to find success. Poor old Will Shakespeare stands alone as a bit of an elder statesman, part of an ageing company in an older theatre. Should he retire to Stratford? Should he return to being a hired-quill at £6 a play? Should he concentrate on the publication of his poetry? Right now, at this point, his career could have moved in any number of directions,” says Nick Wilkes.

Against this backdrop we witness an audacious plan with the highest of stakes, literally make or break, life or death. All whilst Shakespeare is writing his new play, a little history piece called Henry V.

“2015 is the 600th anniversary of the battle of Agincourt, so it’s the perfect moment for us to look backstage at the very first time that Shakespeare’s Henry V was performed."

Told in flashback by Shakespeare’s eldest daughter Susanna Hall, who looks back through the eyes of her younger self to see how history unfolded, To Build a Wooden O is comedy, tragedy and history all rolled into one.

To Build a Wooden O is at Malvern Theatres from Wednesday, September 9 to Saturday, September 12. To book, call the box officeon 01684 892277 or visit malvern-theatres.co.uk