Performance of As You Like It by Shropshire Youth Theatre at Soulton Hall

That this House celebrates the homecoming performance of As You Like It by the Shropshire Youth Theatre at Soulton Hall on 8 May 2026; notes that this production marks a significant return of the play to the landscape that inspired its origins, with Soulton being both the childhood home of Thomas Lodge, author of the primary source text Rosalynde, and the estate of Sir Rowland Hill, the historical inspiration for the character of Old Sir Rowland; further notes the genealogical links between the Hill family and Mary Arden, mother of William Shakespeare; recognises Soulton Hall for its role as a cultural sanctuary, having hosted the National Youth Theatre during the pandemic and having staged over a quarter of the Shakespearean canon to date; and commends this partnership between the charity and private sectors as a vital engine for rural civic renewal and the celebration of North Shropshire’s international literary heritage.