The Knight of the Burning Pestle by Beaumont and Fletcher
14th-16th November 1968

It is the earliest whole parody (or pastiche) play in English. The play is a satire on chivalric romances in general, similar to Don Quixote, and a parody of Thomas Heywood’s The Four Prentices of London and Thomas Dekker’s The Shoemaker’s Holiday. It breaks the fourth wall from its outset.

Cast

Speaker of the Prologue : John Elson

A Citizen : James Ellis

His Wife : Winnie Stubbs

Ralph, their apprentice: Russell Strong

Venturewell, a merchant : Jim Harvey

Jasper Merrythought, his apprentice : Roger Newman-Turner

Humphrey : John Moore

Luce, daughter of Venturewell : Lesley May

Mistress Merrythought : Frances Cave

Michael Merrythought : Jonathan Budd

Merrythought : Donald Griggs

First boy : Valerie Coles

Second boy : Hazel Utting

Third boy : Mandy Lawrence

Singer : Dai Jones

Maid : Norene Price

Attendants : Elizabeth Hard and Roy Doherty

Gentlemen of the audience : Ken Spinks , John Cruse, John Cockerell

 Crew

Director : Noel Ripley and Ena Cohen

Stage Manager : Percy Simmonds

Lighting and Sound : Chris Makepeace

Costumes : The Settlement Players

Set Design : Noel Ripley

Prompt : Sandra Woollett

Music arranged by : Elsie Redstone