TWO hundred people in York have started rehearsing the 18th century "Beggar's Opera", and they will perform it in just two days' time.

York Theatre Royal's The Secret Bank Holiday Play is taking place this weekend.

On Friday the play was announced as The Beggar's Opera, written in 1728 by John Gay, and it will be performed for the public on Monday at 7.30pm.

More than 200 volunteers are involved, including actors, wardrobe, lighting, sound, prop-making, a small orchestra and the York Theatre Royal choir. 

Drop-in craft sessions will be held in the York Theatre Royal foyer., for people to make a paper wig that will be used in the production. The sessions are open on Saturday between 11.30am and 4pm and on Sunday between 11am and 3.30pm.

The theatre's associate producer Liam Evans-Ford said:

"Following our major community productions this is a brilliant opportunity to welcome our community theatre-makers back into our new building for a fun-packed chaotic weekend which will lead to an exciting production looking at the last 270 years of theatre making at York Theatre Royal.

"This is all about enjoying the anarchy and enjoying making live theatre together in our newly redeveloped building."

The production will be split into five parts, and will be a whistlestop tour of theatre over the last 300 years.

Act 1: 1728, The Original Beggar’s Opera.

Directed by Paul Burbridge - The Beggar’s Opera as it would first have appeared in York at Bank’s Cockpit Without Bootham Bar: noisy, unruly popular entertainment.

Act 2: 1782, The Beggar’s Opera Reversed in York

Directed by Juliet Forster - A ‘reversed’ production in which women played male characters and vice versa was first staged in London in 1781 and arrived at York Theatre Royal in 1782.

Act 3: 1899, Melodrama & Music Hall Combination

Directed by Katie Posner - Combining the Victorian taste for the sentimental, lurid and extreme, with wickedness and virtue conveyed in the most demonstrative manner.

Act 4: 1975, Agit-prop Theatre with Brechtian Delights

Directed by Julian Ollive - Brecht employed many methods to strip away the reality of theatre, such as actors directly addressing the audience, bright lighting, explanatory placards and stage directions being spoken out loud.

Act 5: 2016, The Beggar’s Opera Now

Directed by Charlotte Bennett - Bringing the production up-to-date with a broad range of styles, a light touch and humour— but with a serious bite too.

Tickets for the performance on Monday cost £18, £14 for under 16s (£1.50 transaction fee per booking) from York Theatre Royal Box Office in person, by phone on 01904 623568 or securely online at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.