On their own, Northern Broadsides might struggle to mount a production on this scale, involving as it does a touring set, 21 actors playing more than 80 separate roles in three plays, and dozens of costumes – some hired, others specially made. The West Yorkshire Playhouse
increasingly engages in co-productions with other regional theatres such as Northern Broadsides. So, when Barrie Rutter was asked by his counterpart, Ian Brown what the plans for future Northern Broadsides productions were, and Rutter mentioned
The Wars of the Roses , he was delighted at Brown’s immediate response: “why not do it here?”
It made sense to combine the resources and experience of these two organisations because, as the West Yorkshire Playhouse producer Henrietta Duckworth put it, “
no one could produce this work on their own”. The production was
provided and built by the staff at the West Yorkshire Playhouse. The set was built and painted in their workshops; most of the costumes were made and/or fitted in their wardrobe; the props department provided the evil-looking array of armoury required by the texts, and also the silicone and expertise to create the
terrifyingly life-like severed heads of those unfortunate victims of medieval summary justice: the Lords York, Hastings, and Suffolk.
One of Sue Andrews invisible but key roles was to book the subsequent tour of
The Wars of the Roses into other regional theatres. To do this successfully and well in advance of the opening night at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Sue needed all her experience in knowing
what touring venues are looking for when they decide whether or not to take a particular production. The
financial arrangements entered into with the touring venues into are also Sue’s responsibility and may
include a guarantee of a minimum financial commitment. The venues all responded positively to Sue and to the reputation Northern Broadsides have built up for producing lively and accessible Shakespeare, and they signed up to receive the production with enthusiasm.
