The Alehouse Sessions

The Alehouse Sessions transports audiences to a 17th-century English tavern, recreating the vibrant musical underground that flourished when Puritan authorities closed theatres and restricted public music-making during Cromwell's Commonwealth. Displaced musicians—once employed in churches and playhouses—found refuge in alehouses, where they performed a spirited blend of Baroque compositions, folk ballads, sea shanties, and improvised entertainment. This immersive theatrical experience eschews traditional narrative in favor of historical authenticity and direct audience engagement, evoking the spontaneous energy of a Shakespeare-era pub gathering. The ensemble weaves together works by Henry Purcell, traditional English and Scandinavian folk songs, and period instruments to create an atmosphere that is simultaneously raucous and reflective, bawdy and poignant. Through music, storytelling, and theatrical interaction, the performance celebrates how art endures under censorship and how timeless melodies continue to unite communities across centuries.