This compelling show – written and performed by Mark Stratford – tells the story of the great Victorian actor-manager, William Charles Macready – the man to whom Charles Dickens dedicated Nicholas Nickleby. A must for drama fans, this remarkable true tale captures the sheer joy, graft and tribulations of a life lived in theatre. With passion, humour, emotion, and an array of characters, we are taken on a journey through the fascinating world of Victorian theatre and the extraordinary, yet conflicted, life of Macready, from his first tentative steps on stage in a tatty country theatre to his final ever performance at the mighty Drury Lane!

This will be a special occasion for Mark as he performed on the Henrician (then Evesham Arts Centre) stage in 1979, in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Mark’s dear friend and fellow Thespian, John Raphael, who sadly died in 2025, performed with him. This event is dedicated to the memory of John, and a percentage of ticket sales will be donated to Diabetes UK.

The perfect way to end our first ever Autumnfest!