A theatre company is bringing its modern adaptation of a Shakespeare play, set during the War on Terror in the 2000s and 2010s, to venues around the North East.

The Elysium Theatre Company has reimagined "Othello" as part of its mission to address the "cultural levelling-up" in the UK.

The show is set to visit a variety of venues around County Durham, Tyne and Wear, and North Yorkshire.

Founder and artistic director Jake Murray said: "We hear a lot about the economic levelling-up between the North and South, but much less about the cultural gap that exists between parts of the UK.

"All the feedback we have had from audiences both young and old is that people in our part of the world are finding it harder and harder to see Shakespeare.

"To do so usually involves a trip to London or Stratford which, after you've paid for travel, accommodation, food, and tickets, can cost hundreds of pounds. We don't think this is fair.

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"Why should people of the North be denied what people elsewhere find easy to access?"

The play, inspired by the TV series "Homeland," is set during the Obama/Bush War on Terror.

Mr Murray said: "Setting the play during the Obama years will capture the sweep of the play, with 16th century Venice merging with the modern West: sophisticated, technologically advanced, ethnically-mixed societies at war with a hostile external force.

"The parallels are perfect."

The production will tour 19 venues with a total of 27 performances across September and October.

As part of its tour, Elysium is embarking on a schools and community engagement campaign, "Shakespeare For All," funded by the Arts Council, North East BIC, and the John Thaw Foundation.

(Image: Elysium Theatre Company)

Mr Murray encouraged more schools to see Elysium's production of Othello, after research from the University of Warwick showed that watching Shakespeare's plays, rather than just reading them, helped improve GCSE results in English.

The company also plans to work with prisoners, refugees, and other groups with limited access to the arts.

For more information on Elysium and its productions, find them on social media at @ElysiumTC or head to elysiumtc.co.uk.

The show's dates in the North East are:

  • September 18: Queen’s Hall Arts, Hexham
  • September 19: Queen’s Hall Arts, Hexham
  • September 24: Alnwick Playhouse, Alnwick
  • September 26: Civic Theatre, Gosforth
  • September 27: John Marley Centre, Newcastle
  • September 28: John Marley Centre, Newcastle
  • October 1: Blackhall Community Centre, Hartlepool
  • October 2: The Witham, Barnard Castle
  • October 3: Washington Arts Centre
  • October 4: Bishop Auckland Town Hall
  • October 5: Ushaw House, Ushaw Moor
  • October 8: Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Yarm
  • October 10: Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond
  • October 12: Empire Theatre, Consett
  • October 15: Seventeen Nineteen Theatre, Sunderland
  • October 16: Assembly Rooms, Durham (DURHAM SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL)
  • October 17: Assembly Rooms, Durham (DURHAM SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL)
  • October 18: Assembly Rooms, Durham (DURHAM SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL)
  • October 19: Assembly Rooms, Durham (DURHAM SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL)