Theatre, Comedy and Dance

John Aubrey, born in 1626, lived through turbulent times: the execution of Charles I, the Civil War, the reign of Charles II and the Glorious Revolution which saw the arrival of William and Mary. 

He was fascinated by everything around him - the lives of famous and ordinary people, new ideas and scientific discoveries and evidence of the ancient history of this country – and he wrote it all down in notes and jottings which were mainly published after his death.

The set, designed by Simon Higlett, gives a taste of what is to come: a huge four poster bed dominates a higgledy-piggledy collection of books, antiquities, stuffed animals, curiosities, candles, mouldy food, dust and cobwebs. 

The show takes us through a day in Aubrey’s life.  He talks to us as he lights the fire, uses the chamber pot and bangs on the wall to shut up his noisy neighbours.  Sounds of London life come through the window and the lighting subtly suggests the passing of the day.

The show takes us through a day in Aubrey’s life

The stories he tells bring all of life onto the stage:  schoolmasters beating their pupils, the foibles of the rich and famous, seductions and strange births and even stranger deaths.  If he’d been alive today John Aubrey would have been writing for The Sun!

What emerges is a great love for the richness and strangeness of human life and a desire to capture this before these ‘brief lives’ are over.  The age (he is 84), fragility and bravery of Roy Dotrice underlines this message and the setting of the sun at the end of the play leaves a feeling of awe and melancholy.

Roy Dotrice’s performance is funny, engaging and well planned.  He gets the audience on his side right away and his timing and sincerity ensure that we stay with him during his voyage through the stranger by-ways of English history.