Explore a York medieval townhouse through new eyes in this special Pride event.
Barley Hall in York has announced a special Pride-themed tour – hosted by local drag queen Robynne Ryske!
The new tour will explore theatre, costume and performance, followed by drinks in the Great Hall. It will take place on the evening of Friday 31 May, the eve of York Pride.
There will be three tours over the evening, taking place at 7pm, 8pm, and 9pm, which includes a 30 minute tour of Barley Hall and then a performance afterwards.
“There is an urban legend that the term ‘drag’ originates in Shakespeare’s time, when it was used as a direction to actors,” said Barley Hall events manager, Abigail Judge.
“Women were not permitted to perform on stage in Elizabethan England, so male and female characters were portrayed by men, with the latter being ‘dressed as a girl’.
“Whether this is true or not, drag is often pure theatre with make-up and costumes transforming one person into another – which makes it a perfect complement to our Bard At Barley Hall exhibition in this series of special tours, and a fabulous way to start the Pride weekend celebrations.”
Robynne Ryske is well-known to fans of York’s drag scene, with a weekly show on Jorvik Radio with her drag sister, Ginger Slice. She also performs as part of the Family Shambles at venues around the city.
Tickets for Barley Hall Through New Eyes: A Drag Tour cost £35 per person, and are available via the Barley Hall website. Pre-booking is essential.