Murder, superstition and madness continues with Macbeth in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre this month, while in the Swan Theatre we have three plays set in Britain in three very different time periods.
While Reuben Joseph and Valene Kane terrorise as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, the Swan Theatre shows Britain at three very different times periods: The Empress in 19th century England, The Merchant of Venice 1936 and Falkland Sound in the 1980s.
September also brings events, tours, a one-off chance for a free day out at a museum with a display of our costumes, and you can catch Hamnet and Matilda The Musical in the West End.
Macbeth and his wife seize power in the most brutal of ways. Award-winning director Wils Wilson directs Reuben Joseph, straight from London’s West End as the title role of the multi award-winning musical Hamilton, and Valene Kane as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in this gripping, terrifying tale of our times.
"It's key to the play": find out how comedian Stewart Lee has rewritten Macbeth's Porter's speech for this production.
Valene Kane and Reuben Joseph as Lady Macbeth and Macbeth
The Swan Theatre continues this month with two plays focusing on historical events that offer insights into other parts and cultures of the world and their intersection with Britain. They are succeeded by a third show that is a powerful reminder of a key moment in British history.
1982, The Falkland Islands are caught in the grip of a military power struggle after Argentinian forces invade. While the world watches on, the lives of those in the small community there are turned upside down and changed forever.
Nineteenth-century Britain, in the so-called "Golden Era" of Empire. Rani, a young ayah, arrives in England off a boat from India and is immediately rendered jobless and homeless. Ahead of its transfer to the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, The Empress tells a sweeping epic story of the fate of Rani and others who took the same voyage.
The Battle of Cable Street comes to Stratford-upon-Avon as Shylock (Tracy-Ann Oberman) a widow, single mother and survivor of attacks on Jewish people in Russia, runs a small business from her home in Cable Street. The Merchant of Venice 1936 is sold out for the autumn 2023 run, but the show returns in February next year, with some tickets still available (get them fast!).
The Empress plays in the Swan Theatre until 15 September, then transfers to the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, before returning to the Swan for November.
Dig deeper
Discover more about the journey of making our productions with these talks and demonstrations from the creative teams who make our shows.
Join our actors and members of the creative team as they unwrap our plays and demonstrate some of the skills that go into making them. Unwrapped: Macbeth takes place in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre on 16 September, from 10.15 to 11.15am.
The creative team talk about some of the influences and decisions that have created the production. From rehearsal room processes and design choices, to characterisation and relationships this is a fascinating insight into the creative process. The talk for The Merchant of Venice 1936 takes place in the Swan Theatre on 28 September, from 5.15pm.
Madeleine Mantock as Agnes in Hamnet.
Hamnet and Matilda in London
At the end of the month, our production of Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet, adapted
by Lolita Chakrabarti and directed by Erica Whyman, begins playing at the Garrick Theatre in London. See it there from 30 September.
The new cast of Matilda The Musical begin performances at the Cambridge Theatre in London from 13 September. Estella Evans, Selena Karir and Arabella Stanton will join Sophia Goodman in the title role, alongside Kieran Hill as Miss Trunchbull and Lydia White as Miss Honey.
Tickets start from just £20*, and we've just released extra TikTok £10 Tickets for 16-25 year olds throughout September.
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The Play's The Thing is open everyday at our Stratford-upon-Avon home
Explore theatre history
Free museum day out with costume display
Enjoy a free day out to Forge Mill Needle Museum Redditch (map), with the chance to see a display of our beautiful costumes and try out some crafts, as as part of Heritage Open Days.
The museum illustrates the rich heritage of the needle and the stunning costumes we're displaying, made just a few miles away in Stratford-upon-Avon, show just what you can make with a needle.
Sunday 17 September from 10am to 4pm. Free admission (no booking required).
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at the Forest's Edge
Your last chance to enjoy six beautiful willow sculptures celebrating nature and community in Stratford-upon-Avon. Discover the human stories of the people who live here now and those who have gone before, on the banks of the River Avon, at the edge of the ancient Forest of Arden. Until 24 September
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The Play's The Thing
Discover more than 100 years of theatre-making magic. Containing items from the RSC Collection, one of the most significant Shakespeare and theatre collections in the world, our free The Play's The Thing exhibition offers a unique insights into the history of theatre-making in Stratford-upon-Avon.
The Play's the Thing is free to visit and open every day from 12 midday, closing at 7.15pm (5pm on Sundays).
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Guided tours
Our guided tour is a 60-minute journey that runs daily, led by our experienced tour guides, and because no day at the RSC is the same, every tour will be truly unique.
You can top off your tour with a (free) visit to the top of the Theatre Tower, looking out at Stratford's historic buildings and the countryside beyond.
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