Arden of Faversham

The lamentable and true tale of Master Arden, his wicked wife, her insatiable lover, and the bumbling ruffians the illicit pair hire to kill him…
Published anonymously and registered in 1592 and based on the true crime of the murder of Thomas Arden by his wife and her lover, Arden was first suggested as the work of Shakespeare (at least in part) in 1770.  Hidden Room presented a staged reading of Arden of Faversham for the Apocrypha Project in 2015, which had audiences crying with laughter and on their feet at every closing bow.  We were told by one viewer that they laughed so hard they peed their seat. We’ve had a lot of years to clean up, so don’t worry.
With a setting somewhere between 1592, 1961, and now, the Hidden Room digs down past the gleaming portrait of an affluent family to see what lurks beneath when greed, conceit, and lust are given room to grow in the provincial town of Faversham.
This production enjoys the dramaturgical guidance of renowned scholars Dr Eric Rasmussen and Dr Ian de Jong, who both plan a trip to Austin to speak on the play and its fascinating history.
Why it Might Be By Shakespeare:  Stylometric tests and the play’s sheer merit have some scholars convinced that a young Shakespeare had at least a collaborative hand in the play, possibly co-writing with Kyd and/or Marlowe.  Vocabulary and style point towards the middle section of the play, specifically Act 3 as potentially young Shakespeare’s work. The Matriarch is convinced, but urges you to join us and decide for yourself.
February 7th – March 1st.

House Band/Chorus The Worry Folk
Directed by Beth Burns
Dramaturgy by Dr Eric Rasmussen and Dr Ian De Jong
Costume Design by Aaron Flynn
Dance Choreography by Kelly Hasandras
Fight Choreography by Toby Minor
Starring Jill Swanson, Rommel Sulit, Toby Minor, Todd Kassens, Zac Carr, Jay Fraley, Jason Newman, Judd Farris, Amber Quick, Michael Ferstenfeld, Austin Hannah, Ryan Wright, and Seth Cleveland.