12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour 20 minutes

“For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo.”
The Montague and Capulet families are at war. When Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet meet by chance, the two lovers defy their entire world to be together. See this captivating production complete with live, original music.

About the Company
Established in 1990, Arclight Drama Studio is one of Ireland’s leading drama schools. We incorporate classes for young people alongside a thriving adult theatre company, many of whom are past pupils of the school.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour 30 minutes

Encapsulating the mythical nature of the forest and the trials and tribulation characters go through, Partners Rapt perform this timeless this story with live music. This performance will give audiences a chaotic, fast paced and personality filled production, full of the joys of summer!

About the Company
Born out of a newly written play of the same name performed at The University of Warwick, Partners Rapt began life as a company in 2015, drawn together by a common desire to adapt, re-imagine and create exciting theatre based on the works of William Shakespeare.

12 noon, 1 hour 20 mins

This version of Julius Caesar investigates the rise to power and death of Lenin and the beginning of Stalin’s regime. We will investigate Lenin and Stalin’s parallels between Julius Caesar and Octavius Caesar. They performance is set in a 1930’s gulag in which the inmates use the text of the play to explore their circumstances.

Free, no booking required.

3pm, 1 hour 20 mins

A dark and nightmarish interpretation of A Midsummer Night's Dream: the world is turned on its head, the people who mean most to you suddenly appear to have turned against you while you were asleep, nature itself is in rebellion, and strange things happen that are more easily explained by fairies than by human behaviour.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon, 1 hour 20 mins

A gritty, sweaty retelling of The Taming of the Shrew, set in an all-female boxing gym. The women gather every week to box, but today they discover a speech about being submissive and they decide to stage the play to find the sense in this world of power and the patriarchy written by Shakespeare. This is a tale of the battle of the sexes, and it’s sure to end in a knockout.

Free, no booking required.

3pm, 1 hour 20 mins

The Trojan War, the defining legend of western literature, is stripped to its raw heart in Shakespeare’s scathing satire on glory, chivalry and doomed love. After seven years of fighting, the Greeks and the Trojans have reached a stalemate. As each side seeks a new thirst for bloodshed, they also discover that heroes and heroines do not only fall on the field of battle.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour

The King’s Troupe return for their 8th time to the Dell with their performance of ‘Henry VI Part 1’. They present a comedic and visual interpretation of this play. There are lots of opportunities to explore different personalities of the messengers who keep on coming in quick-fire succession throughout the play., while several actors take up the mantle of Joan of Arc, directing the battles.

About the Company
The King’s Troupe were founded in 2010 and are based in Hebden Bridge. They are an amateur inter-generational company with no audition process - all are welcome. Their work is about widening participation and for the last 3 years they have worked on the theme ‘Shakespeare without Borders’, involving those in the immigration system and exploring new multi-cultural ways to present the stories.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 45 mins

This show focuses on the story of the fairies and the mechanicals. Filled with some modern humerous twists and colourful costumes.

About the Company
Shakespearia is a project initiated by a language school International House Voronezh-Linguist in Russia together with a leading local actor Kamil Tukaev in an aim to unite theatre, language learning and cross-cultural communication. What unites all of our amateur casts (none of whom are native speakers of English) is the love of English language and Drama expressed through Shakespeare's plays and plots.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 55 mins

Rendered Retina will show you why King John should be considered one of Shakespeare’s best plays, if not his greatest. Marriage. War. Betrayal. Someone running too fast and falling off a roof. A character with a rude name. What’s not to love? A highly energetic, playfully chaotic and gloriously silly adaptation containing original songs, a large wooden box and way too many hats!

About the Company
Rendered Retina are a company creating hilariously playful and highly physical pieces of theatre that explore working with strict limitations. Since forming in 2015, the company have produced two shows that have gone on to tour nationally and internationally to critical acclaim.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon, 1 hour 30 mins

Passionate tales of young and mature love, battling wits and two explosive sub-plots takes place in a compelling and witty drama suitable for all the family. A no nonsense performance with nine experienced performers.

About the Company
Drama Impact delivers powerful public theatre performances and high impact workshops in secondary and further education. The Company was set up in 2014 by Artistic Director and Actor David Houston. The Company also works closely with ‘The Prince’s Teaching Institute’ in London providing training for secondary teachers to engage students with drama texts.

Free, no booking required.

Twelfth Night is one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies. People in disguise, complex love triangles, mistaken identities – it is a recipe for success. This is a colourful and bold production with gorgeous hand-made costumes, minimal staging and a particular focus on the plight of Malvolio, bullied into madness, and his ability to forgive those who do him wrong.

About the Company
Encompass Theatre Collective is a transnational, transdisciplinary company formed in 2017 through the company members' shared training at the Guildford School of Acting. Their artistic focus is on devising and producing work that challenges normal performer/spectator boundaries through immersive work that engages with the audience. In this production Italian theatre director Mariagiovanna Rosati Hansen has worked with Encompass Theatre Collective to create a unique version of Shakespeare’s classic play.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour

Shakespeare hasn’t written anything new for an age, so Shake It Up Theatre thought they would give him a hand. Using his language, your audience suggestions and our overactive imaginations they create a brand-new Shakespeare play live on stage! Complete with live music, songs and plenty of laughs, they weave together the themes, characters and language of Shakespeare to create some unforgettable Bard-based Bedlam.

About the Company
ShakeItUp was formed in 2017 by a group of actors from the Guildford School of Acting. Unable to learn lines they instead opted for improv hoping it would be easier. Sadly, it wasn’t. They have now improvised over 40 Shakespeare plays, which is more than Shakespeare wrote himself!

Free, no booking required.

12 noon, 1 hour 30 mins

This production combines music, dance and lovely costumes to make you feel like you are really back in Shakespeare’s day- and in the very town where he was born. The production is fun, suitable for all ages and there are some exciting surprises in store for the audience!

About the Company
The Stratford Shakespeare Company is a local company with a focus on family friendly, historical performance. They are committed to making sure that their shows are accessible to everyone.

Performance is captioned by the The Difference Engine, a free app that enables audiences to receive captions on their own mobile devices

Free, no booking required.

3pm, 1 hour 20 mins

Everyman Youth Theatre explore the dark and mischievous use, and misuse, of magic. This young company are looking forward to enchanting their audience once more, as the ‘otherworldly’ realm of the fairies, the trials of the lovers and the rehearsals of the mechanicals beguile, give chase and entertain within the cosmos of this magical play.

About the Company
Everyman Youth Theatre provides a variety of quality performances for young people passionate about acting and theatre, in a variety of performance spaces. They work collaboratively with young people aged 7 to 19, to broaden knowledge and create work through improvisation, script writing and text, exploring theatre for one, immersive theatre, musical comedies and Shakespeare.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour

This production is a rollercoaster ride through Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night suitable for the whole family. Romance, late night parties and mischievous schemes unfold accompanied by beautiful renaissance music; love songs, drinking songs and slightly scary ghostly songs! Full of life and vitality, this chamber production remains faithful to Shakespeare’s text and explores timeless themes for a 21st century audience. The inclusion of contemporary music and songs is a fresh look for seasoned theatre-goers and a great introduction for newcomers.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour 30 mins

In this version of The Tempest Eleven fisherman in yellow oilskins and jumpers are preparing for a storm. To while away the time, the crew tell a story of revenge and redemption. With a lively acoustic folk band, playing more sea shanties than you can shake a magical staff at, and a diverse cast, with a mix of both professional and community actors, The Tempest promises to be an exuberant and joyous show.

About the Company
Stroud Shakespeare Festival was founded in 2018 in the heart of the Five Valleys. The in-house company are supported by director Kate Raw (Foot in the Door Theatre, Wise + Wayward Theatre), who is known for her fun, energetic, colourful productions.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour 10 mins

This production combines a condensed version of Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost with a devised imagining of ‘lost’ sequel Love’s Labour’s Won. Six young people live in a topsy-turvy world of romantic freedom, slipping selves on and off at will as they slip in and out of love. However, their playful coming-of age is cut brutally short, and games of misplaced identity turn into a much darker journey of upheaval as war intrudes and they are forced to leave their home

About the Company
Naked Will is committed to making joyfully theatrical work that responds interrogatively to wider social conversations. They are particularly interested in devised and new plays for non-traditional theatre spaces, and any work that makes us think by making us feel. Love’s Labour’s Won is their debut production.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour 10 mins

In a Post-Apocalyptic future, messengers find Dr Leonato - a visionary scientist - at his gated and guarded residence; the hospital he once directed before the world as everyone knew it ended. Don Pedro and his men are returning from a salvage mission following the war that ended the world. Against a backdrop in which it seems there is no hope at all, love and passion thrive. Wit and humour find a way of weaving the most unlikely of couples together.

About the Company
Established in 2010 and formally based at National Waterways Museum, The Boaty Theatre Company comprises a dedicated youth theatre and a core mix of community-based and professional Actors, Directors and Writers. They offer free theatre-making opportunities to local young people and vulnerable adults.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon, 1 hour

. Richard III is a dark struggle for power in one deeply unhappy family, with bodies left strewn across the floor. A gripping thriller shot through with black humour, Shakespeare’s greatest anti-hero comes to life.

*Performance on the 25 August will be captioned using the Difference Engine Mobile Captioning Technology, this will allow audience member to view captions on their mobile phone or personal device.

About the Company
BMH Productions are dedicated to bringing original, inspiring theatre to the UK. They offer the opportunity for our members to cover every role, from directing to marketing, producing to stage managing.

Free, no booking required.

3pm, 1 hour

The romance of Romeo and Juliet looks like it could bring peace to two warring families –until events intervene and tragedy strikes. Romantic, sweeping, action packed it’s the ultimate feel-good story – until it all goes horribly wrong.

*Performance on the 25 August will be captioned using the Difference Engine Mobile Captioning Technology, this will allow audience member to view captions on their mobile phone or personal device.

About the Company
BMH Productions are dedicated to bringing original, inspiring theatre to the UK. They offer the opportunity for our members to cover every role, from directing to marketing, producing to stage managing.

Free, no booking required.

11.15am, 1 hour 15 mins

A Midsummer Night’s Dream has been re-imagined for modern times. There’s a festival field, love- struck young couples, fairies and some hilarious shenanigans from everyone involved.

About the Company
Wigan Little Theatre is a voluntary organisation which began over 70 years ago. Over those years, many people have been given the opportunity to act on stage and take on back stage and front of house duties. The Theatre believes that the youth of today is the future and passing on skills is taken very seriously. Many of the leaders were previously youth members.

Free, no booking required.

12 noon and 3pm, 1 hour 30 mins

This uproarious tale of marriage, mischief, jealousy, lies, and laundry, is set in and around George Page’s Steamie, in 1950’s Edinburgh. The irrepressible “Fat Knight,” Falstaff, finding himself in financial peril, woos two women of Holyrood in an attempt to swindle their husbands to regain his squandered wealth. The wily wives are on to him from the start, however, and they plot their revenge with hilarious results.

About the Company
EGTG was founded in 1954 by Edinburgh University alumni who were former members of the University Dramatic Society. Since then, the original members have been joined or replaced by fresh generations of talent. It has established itself as one of the city’s most respected amateur companies, with a reputation for tackling challenging contemporary work,

Free, no booking required.