THE CANTERBURY TALES

14 - 29 JULY 2023

GSC HQ, Astolat Pavilion, Stoke Park, Guildford

Written by Geoffrey Chaucer | Adapted  and Devised by GSC*
Directed by Abigail Anderson | Original Music Composed by Mary McAdam
Designed by Neil Irish | Sound Design by Matt Eaton

Suitable for ages 8+ click for more

ABOUT

★★★★★ - Essential Surrey

★★★★★ - LondonTheatre1

"Unadulterated enjoyment" - Guildford Dragon

"Bold, brazen and brave" - Surrey Advertiser

"Revel in the silliness!" - British Theatre Guide

For 700 years tales of chivalry, romance and farting have sat side-by-side in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, delighting, surprising and bamboozling readers and audiences alike.

Our show includes seven of Chaucer's tales including the Knight’s, Miller’s and Wife of Bath’s. Featuring live music, puppetry, and captivating storytelling, GSC invite you to enjoy these deliciously colourful stories in an anarchic, fun-filled show.

Revised and reworked for the open air*, we're thrilled to be revisiting our ★★★★★ production created especially for Guildford audiences in 2014. Every show promises to be different because you'll also be voting for your favourite tale of the night!

ABIGAIL ANDERSON returns to direct: “This is the perfect time to be bringing back our version of The Canterbury Tales because it brings people together for a joyful, live event which will leave everyone smiling and feeling like they've made a load of new friends.  Our show celebrates the fact that performances, and audiences, are different every night.  Join us to find out what will happen when YOU'RE in the audience!”

So, gather your friends, grab a picnic, and join us for "Fabulous fun, beautiful music and most of all great timing... And farting." (audience member 2014)

For more info on picnics click here

*Script and lyrics originally devised and co-created in 2014 by Abigail Anderson, Philip Benjamin, Sarah Gobran, Bea Holland, Matt Pinches, Lauren Silver, and Ben Tolley. Original design by Dora Schweitzer. Composition by Mary McAdam. Sound by Matt Eaton. Puppet Maker Elaine Harvey. Photos from original production by Mike Eddowes. View more in the Archive

COMPANY

This summer our fabulous open-air company boast a wealth of experience from stage and screen, including the RSC, Welsh National Opera, Les Enfants Terribles, BBC ONE, Sky Atlantic, and Amazon Prime… and we’re honoured to bring them to Guildford.

ROSALIND BLESSED returns to GSC following last summer’s open-air season playing Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Ariel in The Tempest. Amongst other GSC credits, she famously played Goneril opposite her real-life father in King Lear. Previous credits include work with the BBC, RSC and The Mil at Sonning. WILL ARUNDELL joins GSC for the first time, credits including Kinky Boots, Sweeney Todd, and A Christmas Carol in the West End. NIKITA JOHAL is another new fabulous face with GSC. Her credits include Chess (In Concert) at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Spring Awakening at The Hope Mill Theatre, and a recent UK Tour with the Welsh National Opera. Joining them are GSC’s original co-founders SARAH GOBRAN and MATT PINCHES.

Read their full biographies in the programme, available to order when you book your tickets!

CAST (in order of Tale-telling) 

WILL ARUNDELL - The Knight 

ROSALIND BLESSED - The Miller 

SARAH GOBRAN - The Wife of Bath 

NIKITA JOHAL - The Franklin 

MATT PINCHES - The Pardoner 

…and some 50 other characters played by the company! 

ARTISTIC TEAM

Director - Abigail Anderson
Designer - Neil Irish
Original Music Composer - Mary McAdam
Sound Designer - Matt Eaton
Assistant Designer & Costumer Supervisor - Anett Black
Fight Director – Philip D’Orléans
Director of Puppetry – Phoebe Hyder
GSC Company Stage Manager - Hannah Walker
Deputy Stage Manager - El Waldock
Assistant Stage Manager - Martin Underwood
Work Placement Stage Management - Izzy Cox

TALES SUPERSTAR SUPPORTERS

DON'T BE STRANGERS!