THE COMPANY OF PLAYERS

Genre: Folk

Band members: Said The Maiden, Sam Kelly, Kelly Oliver, Lukas Drinkwater, Chris Cleverley, Kim Lowings, Minnie Birch and Daria Kulesh

Location: UK

Website: http://www.saidthemaiden.co.uk/p/the-company-of-players.html

The Company of Players is a crazy idea Jess had about a year ago. Inspired by the likes of The Full English, The Elizabethan Sessions and Songs for the Voiceless, Jess set about creating her own folk 'supergroup' project made up of some of the best emerging folk artists on the UK scene.

The aim of the group is to write, record and perform a body of brand new material based on the works of William Shakespeare, to commemorate him on the 400th anniversary of his death. The Company of Players spent a week together (April 2nd-9th, 2016) in a house in Belper, writing and rehearsing, creating new, exciting works and collaborations together, then recording it and taking it on the road.

A Pledge Music campaign has successfully completed to help the group raise funds for the first part of the project.  The Company of Players is being sponsored by Looe Music Festival and the project was official launched at Bristol Folk Festival on April 30th.

2017 is set to be another exciting year for the project, with the release of a new album and a supporting tour.

More details on the band, and regular updates on their activities can be found on Facebook and Twitter (@shakespearefolk)