Canterbury Tales is a bawdy classic written 700 years ago, it centres on a group of pilgrims who entertain one another with stories as they ride to Canterbury Cathedral. But despite the apparently holy purpose of their journey these travellers reveal themselves as sinners rather than saints. The pilgrims contrasting and colourful backgrounds offer many different stories, from the serious and moral to the farcical and bawdy, proving that like Shakespeare after him, Chaucer was 'not for an age but for all time' . An explosion of live music, story-telling and general mischief, Southwark Playhouse s Main House will be transformed into a fully functioning tavern for a new adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer s medieval masterpiece this Christmas. The Canterbury Tales is an immersive production that puts the audience at the heart of the action as patrons of the Tabard Inn, which - as the starting point of the pilgrims journey to Canterbury - once stood a five minute walk away from Southwark Playhouse on what is now Borough High Street. At turns enchanting, scandalous and disgusting the tales unfold in a mixture of story and song as a collection of rogues, wenches and travelers tell stories to entertain each other on their prilgrimage. From the antics of adulterous lovers to the revenge of cuckolded husbands, the characters remain as engaging and recognisable today as they were in the 14th century. Featuring live folk music, local ale and stories that are not for the faint-hearted, this is an evening of story-telling theatre like no other. Suitable for ages 15+| 7 Dec 11 to 7 Jan 12 | Southwark Playhouse Borough Inner London, Greater London Performance Details => Venue archive |
