Events
18 December 2024 / Events
Audacious Mr Astley (IN-PERSON BOOKINGS)
THE MAGGIE COLLINS LECTURE: AUDACIOUS MR. ASTLEY
Wednesday 18th December at 7.30pm (GMT)
PERFORMED BY WRITER AND ACTOR CHRIS BARLTROP
Meet the man who invented English circus! With his wife (and bee-wrangler) at his side, war hero and trick-rider, Phillip Astley roped off a ring in an open field in Lambeth (London) and on Easter Monday in 1768 wowed crowds with astounding displays of equestrian expertise. Building on this early success, the couple added a clown, rope-walkers and acrobats to their presentation, and the circus was born. Premiered on the 250th anniversary of the first circus, on the very spot where that event took place, Barltrop’s play has toured the UK to much acclaim, including a coveted five-star rating at the 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. His one-man play, Audacious Mr. Astley, pulls from his own experiences in the ring, and shares Astley’s story as the forefather of circus.
THE PERFORMER:
Writer and actor Chris Barltrop became involved with circus by chance and fell in love with the art-form. Chris trained for the stage at East 15 Acting School. In the early 70s he took ‘temporary’ work with a travelling circus and stayed on to become one of Britain’s most respected ringmasters. High-spots of his career include seven years of touring with the Moscow State Circus, many TV appearances, ringmastering abroad in French and in German, and taking part in two Royal Variety Performances. Between circus engagements, Chris has worked as a stage and TV actor and has also directed many plays.
BOOKINGS:
STR lectures are free and open to the public. You don’t have to be a member, but it is essential to book to let us know if you wish to attend in person.
Join us for mulled wine and mince pies post-performance.
Venue & Transport Information:
The Art Workers’ Guild
6 Queen Square
London
WC1N 3AT
Nearest tube: Holborn or Russell Square. Buses: 59, 68, 168
From Holborn: Turn right out of the station along Southampton Row, then right down Cosmo Place into Queen Square. Turn left and the Art Workers’ Guild is a few doors down on the left.
From Russell Square: Turn left out of the station, then left down Herbrand Street and left down Guilford Street. Take the first right down the short passage just after the entrance to the car park, and then right around Queen Square. The Art Workers’ Guild is on the right.
Parking: Available in Queen Square – payable by meter until 6.30, free in the evening.