Rabble Theatre Awarded Arts Council Funding for Tour
The company received £132,940 to stage a national tour of the play William the Conqueror in 2027.
Updated on Oct. 3, 2026 in Cultural
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Arts Council England has awarded £132,940 to Rabble Theatre to support the production and national tour of the play William the Conqueror. Written by Beth Flintoff, the play serves as the first installment of the theatre company’s Conquerors Trilogy.
Why it matters
The funding allows Rabble Theatre to produce a major new historical play that explores the life and legacy of the Norman king. The production also features international backing from the Région Normandie to coincide with the Millennium: 2027 European Year of the Normans program.
The production follows Rabble Theatre's 2026 tour of Glitch - The True Story of the Post Office Scandal, which visited 17 UK cities. This new work is part of the larger Millennium 2027 program, which spans eight European countries.
The players
Rabble Theatre
Based in Reading, this theatre company creates original productions and national tours.
Arts Council England
This is a non-departmental public body that distributes government funding to support the arts across England.
Beth Flintoff
She is the playwright responsible for writing the Conquerors Trilogy.
Région Normandie
This is the French administrative region supporting the production as part of the Millennium: 2027 European Year of the Normans program.
The details
The play is the opening entry in a three-part series titled the Conquerors Trilogy, which will eventually feature productions about Henry I and Matilda the Empress. The project is being developed as a cross-channel collaboration between England and France to celebrate shared Norman history.
Timeline
Rabble Theatre toured the play Glitch during 2026.
The national tour of William the Conqueror is scheduled for 2027.
Industry Dynamics
This production aligns with the Millennium: 2027 European Year of the Normans program, which coordinates cross-border cultural commemorations. It highlights a growing trend of international institutional support for plays that leverage shared historical heritage across European borders.
Theatregoers across England will have the opportunity to attend the production during its national tour in 2027. The project signifies a broader effort to bring historically themed, internationally supported dramatic works to diverse urban centers.
The takeaway
This grant highlights how cultural institutions are increasingly using historical anniversaries to drive original theatrical commissions. Audiences can expect to see more collaborative European artistic projects leading up to the 2027 anniversary cycle.
Further reading
Learn more about the intersection of arts and heritage in the Cultural section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Reading Chronicle.
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