The Two Noble Kinsmen, The Globe Theatre

Innovative director Barry Rutter revives a lesser-known, rarely performed Shakespeare play at The Globe Theatre this summer.

As former Artistic Director and the founder of Northern Broadsides touring theatre company, Rutter drew on his own successful acting career to challenge staid traditions and snobbery by giving the spotlight to 'northern voices, doing classical work in non-velvet spaces'. Over 25 years, the company broadened the scope of performance, opening up traditional texts to a more diverse spectrum of actors and audiences.

In his first project since stepping down from Northern Broadsides, Rutter will direct The Two Noble Kinsmen as part of Michelle Terry's first season as artistic director of Shakespeare's Globe.

The Jacobean romance was co-written by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher. It's one of the bard's final works and still relatively overlooked in the Shakespeare canon. Drawing on 'The Knight's Tale' from Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, it's a beguiling combination of romance, epic, Medieval verse and Greek tragedy.

In a pastoral 'Merrie England' a pair of prisoners vow to be friends forever. But then the sight of the beautiful Emilia beyond the cell window threatens to come between them.

‘The invitation to direct a play with so little stage history comes with great dollops of intrigue, relish and excitement,' says Rutter, promising words, original folk melodies and plenty of 'merry May Day capers'.

Culture Whisper is offering Gold Whisper members free tickets to attend a performance of The Two Noble Kinsmen on Friday 25 May, or Saturday 26 May (evening performance).