

“Your work is the most sustained attempt to re-imagine what we think boy companies could do – and it will really rewrite the academic theatre history books.”
Emma Smith Professor of Shakespeare Studies, University of Oxford
Since 2005 Edward’s Boys (of King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, a state grammar school, also known as K.E.S. and “Shakespeare’s School”) have been performing rarely-seen plays from the repertoire of the early modern boys’ companies.
Perry Mills was, until July 2023, Deputy Headmaster at King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon (generally known as “Shakespeare’s School”). For most of his career he has been a Head of English and Drama, and is a very experienced leader of workshops for teachers and students on a variety of related topics.
Edward’s Boys are proud to be part of King Edward VI School, a state school which tries to offer extra-curricular opportunities that are not only comparable to, but often surpass, those that are available in the independent sector. Unfortunately, we do not receive funding for these activities. The company survives primarily on ticket sales.
We have made the decision to make our film archive available online free of charge for the simple reason that we believe passionately in education. If you take advantage of this unique opportunity, please consider supporting the company’s work by making a donation via this website. Thank you, in advance.
Perry Mills
(On behalf of Edward’s Boys)
Anyone interested in early modern theatre should see an Edward’s Boys’ production. Their exploration of the repertory written for the Boys’ Companies may not be for the faint-hearted. The closed-minded will side with the anti-theatrical pamphleteers and declare that disguise is indeed a wickedness. The open-hearted will relish their performances as a revelation.
Patrick Spottiswoode, Director, Globe EducationShakespeare’s Globe
Edward’s Boys must be the bravest company in the world of early modern theatre. They fearlessly take on dramatists who have been ignored by other theatre companies, demonstrating how much early modern creativity and excitement we all overlook. Their work is a peculiar fusion of scholarly breakthrough and theatrical joy: miss them if you dare!
Dr Andy KessonUniversity of Roehampton
Perry Mills and his boys are fast becoming the stuff of legend. A cut above your average drama society, Edward’s Boys are currently ploughing their way through the dramatic canon of the early modern childrens’ companies… we were given a consummately professional and finely-realised production of a very rarely-performed play. It’ll be fascinating to see where the boys take us next.
Professor Peter KirwanUniversity of Nottingham
Edward’s Boys is a remarkable theatrical experiment that has become required viewing for anyone interested in early modern drama. Voyaging far beyond Shakespeare, the Boys’ productions are rare gems that are somehow both a rich resource for scholars of gender, performance and theatre history, and a great night at the theatre. The company gives us an expansive early modern stage world, full of insights about how theatre depicted gender through the boy.
Professor Clare McManus Northumbria University, Newcastle
Edward’s Boys show us what boys’ companies can do — which is to say, anything. Their productions are not excellent ‘for children’ or ‘for amateurs’ – they are excellent by any standards. They draw energy from two vital sources: first, painstaking attention to the text, which enables each actor to understand his lines and communicate clearly with the audience; second, the ensemble ethos of the boys and their director, Perry Mills. Mills has created a culture in which the boys teach and learn from each other, releasing the exuberant will to perform in each one to great creative effect. Edward’s Boys audiences learn something about boys’ companies and early modern drama, but they also relish pure theatrical gold.
Professor Elisabeth DuttonUniversity of Fribourg