British Library to loan First Folio to Shakespeare North Playhouse

The British Library’s Treasures on Tour programme resumes this autumn with the loan of Shakespeare’s First Folio (1623) to Shakespeare North Playhouse, coinciding with the European premiere production of The Book of Will.

Supported by the Dorset Foundation, in memory of Harry M Weinrebe, the second iteration of Treasures on Tour will run for a period of three years, during which the British Library will collaborate with twelve venues across the country.

Beginning in autumn 2023 with the loan of a First Folio to Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, Merseyside (19 October – 11 November 2023), the programme seeks to forge partnerships with libraries, museums and galleries and engage new audiences across the UK through a range of spotlight loans.

The Library cares for five of the 235 First Folios that are known to survive worldwide and one will be lent to Shakespeare North Playhouse to coincide with the European premiere production of The Book of Will (19 October – 11 November 2023) presented in collaboration with Octagon Theatre Bolton and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch.

This year marks the 400th anniversary of the First Folio, which is the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, containing 36 out of some 38 Shakespeare plays. Collated and published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare’s death, only 18 of the plays had previously been printed during his lifetime.

Conrad Bodman, Head of Culture Programmes at the British Library, said: ‘We want to share the cultural riches of the national collection as widely as possible across the UK and are really pleased to continue Treasures on Tour, with thanks to the Dorset Foundation, in memory of Harry M Weinrebe.

This year marks two anniversaries; 400 years since Shakespeare’s First Folio was first published and, more recently, 50 years since the British Library began operations. This is a fantastic opportunity for everyone to see one of the most influential books ever published alongside a contemporary production it has inspired.’

Melanie Lewis, Chief Executive of Shakespeare North Playhouse, comments: ‘We are honoured to welcome Shakespeare’s First Folio from the British Library to the Shakespeare North Playhouse as part of their Treasures on Tour programme. This historic loan represents not only a profound connection to our theatrical heritage, but also a remarkable opportunity for our audiences to engage directly with the very words that have shaped literary history.

As we host this priceless artefact, we are equally thrilled to stage Lauren Gunderson’s production, The Book of Will, a play that beautifully captures the spirit of collaboration, dedication and friendship that led to the creation of the First Folio. This confluence of history and artistry promises to be an unforgettable journey into the heart of Shakespearean storytelling.’

The Library will also be hosting a free display of early Shakespeare editions in the Treasures Gallery and publishing a First Folio facsimile edition as part of the Folio400 celebrations.

The first iteration of Treasures on Tour, supported by the Helen Hamlyn Trust, facilitated the lending of over ten iconic items from the Library’s collection to a variety of venues in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This included George Elliot’s Middlemarch manuscript (1871-72), John Hardyng’s mid-15th century map of Scotland and William Wordsworth’s handwritten poem of I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud (1804). More information about the Treasures on Tour programme can be found on the Library’s website.