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Documents show that throughout the 16th and 17th centuries many troupes of travelling actors, musicians and entertainers were employed at Ludlow Castle. 'The Lord of Sussex' Players' and the famous 'King's Men' both performed for the residents and officials at the castle, but we can only speculate at what plays, masques and revels they presented. Undoubtedly, the popular plays of William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, John Webster would have been in the repertoire.

Sir Phillip Sidney, who became famous for his courtly poetry during the Elizabethan age, was son of the Lord President of Wales, based at Ludlow Castle. The playwright Phillip Massinger and the poet Thomas Carew, were both relatives of Ludlow Council officials. Lord Herbert of Chirbury, one of the metaphysical poets, was a member of the locally powerful Herbert family.

John Milton wrote his masque, Comus, a fictional, stylised account of the Bridgewater family, to be presented before John, Earl of Bridgewater, Lord President of Wales at Ludlow Castle. There was a celebratory performance at the castle of Comus in 1984, to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Milton's premiere.

The tradition of literary performances continues at Ludlow Castle today, when Ludlow Festival stages a Shakespeare play each summer in the Inner Bailey.

Fairs and feast days were highlights for both the peasants and the nobles. On holy days (holidays) such as Christmas and Easter, everyone attended mass and then enjoyed feasting and festivities. Trade fairs and special market days, often held on the feast days of saints were also occasions for fun and frolics. Merchants came from distant lands to buy and sell goods, and alongside the trading came the many and varied entertainments - drama, music, acrobats, minstrels and balladeers.

May day, midsummer's eve and harvest were also celebrated with special events.

Yuletide Fools - At Christmas time the Festival of Fools (jesters) was very popular entertainment. A fool was elected to be a mock bishop. He was dressed up in fake vestments and led people to church, where he delivered a mocking service in gibberish nonsense and sang rude songs!

Ludlow Castle and Ludlow Festival have enjoyed a long and successful relationship For many years now, the Castle has been the venue for a major production of a Shakespeare play throughout the three weeks of this highly acclaimed annual arts Festival. The Inner Bailey provides a stunning backdrop to the outdoor drama, and some directors choose to incorporate the fabric of the castle into the action of the play. The 60ft wall of the North Range provided unique battlements for the actors in Hamlet a few years ago!

Some recent successes have included Macbeth, Pericles, Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, A Midsumer Night's Dream and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Directors have included James Roose-Evans and Michael Bogdanov.

The Castle also acts as host to rock and pop concerts - tributes to Queen, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones have appeared in the Ludlow Festival programme in recent years. These events are always sell outs - audiences come to enjoy the lovely atmosphere of the castle, a picnic with friends and family and then a great concert to follow!