A Jig into History

There’s no fly on the wall account to tell us exactly why Will Kemp left Shakespeare’s acting Company The Lord Chamberlain’s men at the turn of the 16th and 17th century. The persuasive theory is that the playwright had had enough of Kemp’s larger than life clowning and extemporising. Whatever the case, we know that his personality and fame were enough to attract large crowds as he set out in 1599 on a wagered Morris dance, or jig, to Norwich.

With a copy of Kemp’s recollection of his feat ‘Kemps Nine Daies Wonder’ under her arm, Professor Nandini Das takes to the streets of London to examine the impact of Kemp’s endeavour and explain why it had as much to do with merchant venturing as it did street and theatrical entertainment.

She’s joined by scholars Tracey Hill, Daisy Black and the former Olympian Peter Radford, all of whom believe that while Shakespeare’s legacy endures through a clear line of English theatrical tradition, Kemp’s journey should also be seen as an early example of the enduring tradition of ordinary folk making sporting endeavour and entertainment pay.

Producer Tom Alban