Forced Entertainment
What: Performances
When: 10th-12th November 7pm
Where: Sheffield Theatres
Who: Age 14+
A salt and pepper pot for the king and queen. A ruler for the prince. A spoon for the servant. Lighter fluid for the Innkeeper. A water bottle for the messenger.
In Selected Works two performers create condensed versions of six of Shakespeare iconic plays, creating lovingly made miniatures played out on a one metre table-top using a collection of ordinary everyday objects.
Each work re-tells the story of a Shakespeare play. A performer sits at a table and using a collection of household objects as stand-ins for the characters explores the dynamic force of storytelling in a simple, unique and highly accessible way.
For young people, these retellings - using common household objects - make it easy to connect with Shakespeare’s characters and stories. With straightforward language and direct storytelling, they are an ideal entry-point into Shakespeare’s world for people who might otherwise think that Shakespeare’s not for them.
“It’s a reminder that one person – armed with a story and some bric-a-brac – can create colossal worlds.” THE STAGE
Programme of Work SHEFFIELD THEATRES
Tuesday 10th November
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Macbeth
Wednesday 11th November
Much Ado About Nothing
Richard III
Thursday 12th November
The Merchant of Venice
The Tempest
Further information
These performances form part of a larger presentation of Selected Works: Table Top Shakespeare taking place in South Yorkshire over two weeks:
CAST, Doncaster: 13 & 14 November 2026
The Comedy of Errors, King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Loves Labour Lost, Hamlet.
Barnsley Civic: 17, 18, 19 November 2026
Corialanus, Measure for Measure, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Winter’s Tale, Twelfth Night, Othello.
