The Herbal Bed - A compelling tale rooted in Stratford's past
- Dec 29, 2025
- 2 min read
The Herbal Bed by Peter Whelan A Bear Pit Theatre Company production at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 27 - 31 January 2026. Directed by Danny Masewicz.
Preview
This January, discover a story rooted in Stratford's own history.
Set at Hall's Croft, The Herbal Bed tells the true tale of Susanna Hall, daughter of William Shakespeare. whose public reputation was put on trial when she was accused of adultery in1613. What followed was a tense, high-stakes court hearing that exposed the fragile boundaries between morality, reputation and personal truth.
William Shakespeare's daughter, Susanna Hall, finds herself at the heart of a scandal when she is accused of having an adulterous affair with Rafe Smith, a local haberdasher and family friend. Despite the accusation coming from the disreputable Jack Lane, who later recants, Susanna and her husband, Dr. John Hall, decide to sue for slander in the ecclesiastical court of Worcester Cathedral. The stakes are high: not only is Susanna’s reputation on the line, but John’s medical practice and their family’s standing in the community are also at risk.
As the trial unfolds, the play explores the tension between private desire and public morality, and the ways in which truth can be manipulated under the weight of social and religious expectations. Whelan’s script is rich with period detail and emotional nuance, offering a vivid portrait of life in Jacobean England and the personal cost of maintaining honour in a judgmental world.
Written by Peter Whelan and first produced by the RSC, The Herbal Bed is a compelling and deeply human play. It explores how quickly suspicion can take root and how, in the eyes of society, one woman's word was never enough.
Director Danny Masewic is a regular contributor to The Bear Pit, most recently seen in Road and The Cherry Orchard. He has also visited The Bear Pit with his own theatre company, having previously written, directed and performed in the acclaimed Polish trilogy: Under Katyn, Do Not Forget Me and My Child, Oh My Child. His deep connection to Stratford audiences and storytelling experience make him the perfect guide for this compelling piece of Stratford's own history.
The cast features returning favourites and new talent.
Hannah McBride, previously seen in Road and colder That Here.
Tony Homer, a Bear Pit regular, most recently seen in The Cherry Orchard.
Charlotte Ledger, last seen in Road.
Dominic Rose, Suneil Bagri, Jonathan West, Ivy Rule and Naia West all make their Bear Pit debuts. Together, they bring depth and urgency to a story still echoing through the streets of Stratford.
The show's striking poster has been hand-painted by Holly Gorne, a member of the Bear Pit Company and a talented visual artist. Theatre regulars will have seen her on stage in The Welkin. The company think her design for The Herbal Bed perfectly captures the stillness, beauty and tension at the heart of the play.
Comments