Cymbeline in the Rookery

This year's Shakespeare in the Rookery production will be Cymbeline, which will be performed at 4pm on Sunday 12th July.

A wicked stepmother, the queen of King Cymbeline whose sons have long ago been abducted and whose daughter, Imogen, has secretly married Posthumous, a man he disapproves of; a Roman tricking his way into Imogen's bedroom to win an improper bet; plots to kill Imogen; a brutish Roman army on the threshold; visionary dreams and voices from Heaven, all these make an exciting story whose happy outcome brings many joyous surprises.

Written in the magical Celtic tradition, this action-packed romantic comedy thrills and draws us into the lives of ancient Britons and Romans and the legends surrounding them. Rarely performed because seldom understood, this production is informed by research which lightens and clarifies this wonderful play thus giving audiences the opportunity to enjoy this rich gem of Shakespeare's late career.

The Friends of Streatham Common took up the mantle of ensuring that annual theatre productions continued in The Rookery when Lambeth Council cut all funding for arts in parks back in the early 1990s. It is great that Theatre Set-up continue to include Streatham on their annual tour, alongside venues which have included Elsinore Castle and chateaux of the Loire.

Notes on the plot for those of us who need to "brush up their Shakespeare"