Staged amongst the ancient graves of the Norton Priory ruins, imagine If the Two Ronnies were cast as the Gravediggers in Shakespeare’s Hamlet re-written by Samuel Beckett you might have something like Ridiculusmus’s “Alas! Poor Yorick”. Mixing the mundane with the magical; moments of banal idiocy are interspersed with ones of cinematic elegance to an underscore of groans, grunts and the odd Shakespearean aside.

"I swear, you’ll have never seen anything quite like it” The Independent

“They are without doubt, two of the most innovative talents working in British theatre” British Theatre Guide.

'Alas! Poor Yorick' represents the culmination of Ridiculusmus's lifetime obsession with Shakespeare's 'Hamlet.'. The legendary independent theatre double act of Jon Haynes and David Woods pull out every trick in their theatrical playbook to create a fresh take on Shakespeare’s much-loved clowns, re-enacting all the preceding acts of the original and meticulously staging the famous graveyard scene in all its 420 year-old glory. Flipping the Shakespearean original tragedy into an existential clown piece, Ridiculusmus cast aside chaos and mistaken murders to unearth a beautiful and oddly moving meditation on work, faith and existence, with the prevaricating protagonist offered in a refreshingly contemporary light.

Tickets are £12 for Adults, £8 for Children (under 12), with a special price of £10 per person for members of Norton Priory Museum and Gardens. Family Tickets (2 Adults + 2 Children OR 1 Adult + 3 Children) £32

Running time: Approximately 70 minutes with no interval.

Car parking is free and non-alcoholic refreshments will be available to purchase on the evening.

This is an outdoor performance, there is no formal seating. You are encouraged to bring fold up chairs, cushions, rugs or picnic blankets to make your experience more comfortable. We encourage patrons to bring refreshments and toilets are available in the main museum. Each performance can be distinctly different as the weather and light interact with the play. Warm or cool, clear or overcast the point, being outdoors adds a thrilling contribution to our performances and is an integral part of your experience at the Woodland Outdoor Theatre. Imagine the breath taking moment when the sun breaks through the clouds during the show or the electric performance in the wake of rainfall. It's best to come prepared for all types of weather, bringing your own shade in the afternoon is particularly important as is a jumper for the end of evening performances. So, sun hats, sun cream, sunglasses, raincoats and rain hats should all be considered. Although the vast majority of performances will be unaffected, as the seating and stage areas are uncovered we may have to stop and restart the show. We will try to never cancel a show, but in the event of tropical storm, monsoon or hurricane in the words of Robbie Williams, Let Us Entertain You. We will find a way, either on the day or in the future, inside or out, to ensure you have a fabulous Theatre experience at Norton Priory.

Doors open from 15 minutes before each performance. The performance will take place on and amongst the ancient graves on the spectacular Norton Priory ruins.

The Artistic Directors of A Place for Us Theatre are proud to be hosting this amazing production in partnership with Norton Priory Museum & Gardens