Shakespeare's ANARCHIC and MAGICAL comedy

"I see two husbands, or mine eyes deceive me..."

Many years ago, Egeon, his wife Aemilia, their twin sons and twin servants were shipwrecked.  Egeon, one son and one servant were separated from the rest and have travelled the world in search of their other halves ever since.  Now, with the most chaotic of consequences, fate is finally about to bring them all together - and with no-one sure who's who and what's what, confusion is sure to threaten the reunion in Shakespeare's ANARCHIC and MAGICAL comedy.

Press Night Performance
Tuesday 6 April
 
After Show Discussion
Thursday 6 May
 
Audio-Described Performance
Saturday 8 May at 4pm
 
BSL Interpreted Performance
Friday 7 May at 7.30pm
  
Suitable for ages 12+

World Premiere
 
A celebration of a great English heroine, Anne Boleyn dramatises the life and legacy of Henry VIII’s notorious second wife. Anne Boleyn is traditionally seen either as a pawn manipulated by an ambitious father and his friends into the King’s bed, or as a sexually licentious predator, even a witch.
 
But Brenton puts a very different Anne – and her ghost – on the Globe stage. Witty and confident in her sexuality, she takes on the vicious world of Tudor Court politics. She is in love with Henry but also in love with the most dangerous ideas of her day. Conspiring with the exiled William Tyndale, the great translator of the Bible who was to be burnt as a heretic, Anne plots to make England Protestant, forever.
 
Award-winning playwright Howard Brenton’s previous work includes In Extremis at Shakespeare's Globe (2006 and 2007).

World Premiere
 
What is madness? What is sanity? It is 18th-century London, noisy and chaotic. The city’s ancient hospital for the insane is under the supervision of the prejudiced Dr Sidney Carew and his imbecile son, whose interests lie in containing rather than curing their patients. But with the arrival of the lovely country girl, May, and the appointment of a more enlightened and sympathetic governor, this inhuman regime starts to crumble, along with the sanity of the asylum keepers themselves.
 
Employing a cast that includes doctors (some mad), patients (some sane), a homicidal painter and a hypochondriac poet, and set against an anarchic backdrop of binge drinkers, gin sellers and ballad singers, Bedlam combines dance and song with scenes of lust, violence, absurd comedy and unexpected romance.

A revival of the 2008 hit
 
’Christopher Luscombe’s production brims with humanity, ingenuity and irresistible charm… not just theatre but the capital at its very best.’ Sunday Telegraph
 
‘A wonderfully warming comedy, stuffed to bursting with belly laughs.’ The Times
 
’The feel-good hit of the summer.’ Daily Telegraph
 
Imagining that Mistress Ford and Mistress Page have each fallen for him, the fat knight Sir John Falstaff decides to seduce them both, as much for their husbands’ money as for their personal charms. Wise to the old rogue’s tricks, the women turn the tables on him with a series of humiliating assignations and a very damp, extremely smelly laundry basket.
 
Featuring many characters from Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Shakespeare’s brilliantly constructed farce, which gave birth to a tradition that reaches down to the modern TV sitcom, returns to the Globe after delighting audiences in 2008.
 

Hotspur is dead and Prince Hal has proved his mettle on the battlefield, but Henry IV lies dying and the rebels, though scattered, show no sign of declaring their allegiance to the Crown. Even Falstaff is forced out of the taverns to raise a scratch militia in the country. But will his attachment to the rising Hal be rewarded with promotion and the life of ease he feels sure he deserves?
 
At least the equal of Part 1, Henry IV Part 2 includes some of the greatest moments in Shakespeare: the deathbed scene of the old King, when Hal contemplates the crown; the reunion of Falstaff with his old boon companion, Justice Shallow; and Hal's devastating rejection of Falstaff himself.
 
This production will employ Renaissance staging and costume.

Prince Hal, son of Henry IV, seems to be squandering his life among the whores, boozers and petty rogues of Eastcheap. And the greatest of these rogues is the fat knight, Sir John Falstaff, a liar, glutton, lecher, cheat, braggart, fool and sponger who also possesses wit, warmth, intelligence and a gigantic sense of fun. But beside these scenes of glorious misrule gathers a nationwide rebellion led by the Duke of Northumberland and his charismatic son, Hotspur.
The first instalment of Shakespeare's gripping account of the rise of Hal from idle barfly to monarch-in-waiting combines compelling power politics with the hilarious antics of Falstaff, Shakespeare's greatest comic creation.
This production will employ Renaissance staging and costume.

The Tudor Court is locked in a power struggle between its nobles and the Machiavellian Cardinal Wolsey, the King's first minister and the most conspicuous symbol of Catholic power in the land. Wolsey's ambition knows no bounds and when his chief ally, Queen Katherine, interferes in the King's romance with Ann Bullen, he brings gigantic ruin upon himself, the Queen and centuries of English obedience to Rome.
 
Famous in its own day as Shakespeare's most sumptuous and spectacular play, Henry VIII is a gorgeous pageant of masques and royal ceremony; a blaze of fireworks, cannonfire, red satin and cloth-of-gold. But within the passages of grandeur works the mind of the mature Shakespeare: psychological and political insight, language of great depth and power and, in the figures of Wolsey and Katherine, two of his most vivid and memorable characters.
 

When three witches tell the general Macbeth that he is destined to occupy the throne of Scotland, he and his wife choose to become the instruments of their fate and to kill the first man to stand in their path, the virtuous King Duncan. But to maintain his position, Macbeth must keep on killing - at first Banquo, his old comrade-in-arms; and later, as the atmosphere of guilt and paranoia thickens, anyone who seems a threat to the tyrant and his fear.
 
From its first moments to the last fulfilment of the witches' prophecy, Shakespeare's gripping account of the psychological experience of murder enthralls the imagination. In scenes of nightmarish vividness and language of haunting power, Macbeth represents the profoundest engagement with the forces of evil in all drama.

Romeo and Juliet directed by Rupert Goold.

In the instant of a chance meeting two young people fall in love. Impulsively they marry in secret, but in a divided city their innocent union is threatened by a bloody family feud. Shakespeare vividly captures the beauty, intimacy and ultimate fragility of young love in a hostile world.
Rupert Goold returns to the Company to direct his first production as an Associate Director following his acclaimed 2006 production of The Tempest. Rupert's recent credits include Oliver! and Enron. Sam Troughton and Mariah Gale play Romeo and Juliet.

King Lear directed by David Farr.

Toppled by pride and stripped of all status, King Lear heads into the wilderness with a fool and a madman for company.
Shakespeare's great tragedy peels away the trappings of society to reveal the unforgiving truth of the human condition.
After their acclaimed collaboration on The Winter's Tale, David Farr once again directs the ensemble. Greg Hicks takes the title role with Kathryn Hunter playing the Fool.

Access performances
Assisted performances on 4 June, Sat 5 June, 19 June.

Additional information
Public understudy performance on 4 May.

Antony and Cleopatra directed by Michael Boyd

Two charismatic and powerful leaders find in each other an irresistible and yet unattainable equal.

Caught between desire and duty their affair will shake the foundations of the known world. Power politics and passion collide in Shakespeare's captivating tragedy.

RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd directs Darrell D'Silva and Kathryn Hunter in the title roles.

Antony and Cleopatra runs at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 10 April to 28 August 2010.

Access performances
Assisted performances on 11 May, 26 June, 25 August.

Additional information
Public understudy performance on 18 May.

As You Like It directed by Michael Boyd.

'Michael Boyd's actors go for the heart of this serious, beautiful comedy' - Sunday Times

When two young people fall in love they are unable to act on their impulse. Uncertain of their standing in court and fearing for their lives, Rosalind and Orlando are forced into exile in the Forest of Arden only to become entangled in a beguiling game of love, lust and mistaken identity.

One of Shakespeare's great comedies, As You Like It subverts the traditional rules of romance, confusing gender roles, nature and politics in a play that reflects on how bewildering yet utterly pleasurable life can be.

The role of Rosalind will be played by Katy Stephens, who recently won the What's On Stage Theatregoers' Choice Best Actress Award for her performances as Joan of Arc and Margaret of Anjou as part of the Histories Ensemble.

Jonjo O'Neill also returns to the Company to play Orlando following his roles in the acclaimed 2005 Gunpowder Season. Joining them to play Celia is Mariah Gale, who recently took the roles of Ophelia in Hamlet and the Princess of France in Love's Labour's Lost as part of the Summer 2008 season.

RSC Artistic Director Michael Boyd directs the new RSC Ensemble in As You Like It following the critically acclaimed 2006 - 2008 Histories Cycle.

As You Like It plays in repertoire at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 21 July - 4 September 2010.

Running time
The running time for As You Like It is 3 hours and 5 minutes including an interval of 20 minutes.

Access performances
Assisted performances on 5 August, 11 August.  

Additional information
One of the productions from year one of the Ensemble returning for a limited number of performances.

Julius Caesar directed by Lucy Bailey

'Lucy Bailey's innovative take on the classic is a breath of fresh air' - Independent

As Julius Caesar's strength and popularity look set to propel him to the imperial throne, those closest to him act to prevent what they fear will become a dictatorship. But the brutal assassination of one man unleashes a tide of violence that will drag thousands into a bloody civil war.

A masterpiece of political powerplay and manipulation, Julius Caesar examines the conflict between one man's ambition and the good of the state.

Greg Hicks takes the role of Julius Caesar, alongside John Mackay as Cassius and Sam Troughton as Brutus. John rejoins the Company following his appearances as the Dauphin and Jack Cade as part of the acclaimed Histories Ensemble. Sam, best known for his role as Much in the BBC series Robin Hood, returns to the RSC having performed in Michael Boyd's 2000 productions of Henry VI Parts I, II & III, whilst his other credits include the role of Orlando in Sheffield Crucible Theatre's 2007 production of As You Like It. Joining them to play Mark Antony is Darrell D'Silva, whose previous credits include numerous RSC productions including Hecuba, Camino Real and Dr Faustus.

Director Lucy Bailey joins the RSC for the first time. Lucy's recent credits include Private Lives at Hampstead Theatre and Timon of Athens and Titus Andronicus for Shakespeare's Globe as well as work with Chichester Festival Theatre and the National Theatre, where her acclaimed production of Baby Doll played before transferring to the West End.

Julius Caesar plays in repertoire at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 28 July - 4 September 2010.

Access performances
Assisted performances on 31 July, 4 September.

Additional information
One of the productions from year one of the Ensemble returning for a limited number of performances.

Morte D'Arthur directed by Gregory Doran

Thomas Malory's Morte D'Arthur tells 'of the matter of England'. Written during the violent years of the Wars of the Roses, it reflects its time. The story of King Arthur's attempt to unite his country, blends myth and magic, from the sword in the stone to the establishment of the Round Table and the quest for the Holy Grail. It traces the adultery of Lancelot and Guinevere, and ultimately the death of the 'once and future king'. It is an often surprising and unexpected version of the familiar story, and the first great telling of the cycle in the English language.

Mike Poulton's new version workshopped and developed by the ensemble under the direction of Chief Associate Director Gregory Doran, brings the story to the RSC stage for the first time. Gregory's most recent productions include Love's Labour's Lost and Hamlet, which he has also directed for film to be broadcast on the BBC. His production of Twelfth Night transfers to London in December having opened at The Courtyard Theatre in October 2009. Mike Poulton's last work for the RSC was his hugely popular 2005 adaptation of The Canterbury Tales.

Morte D'Arthur runs at The Courtyard Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 11 June to 28 August 2010.

Access performances
Assisted performances on 9 July, 10 July.

The Winter's Tale directed by David Farr.

'David Farr's magical production...magnificent ensemble acting' - Guardian

Leontes is the man with the perfect life. Powerful, wealthy and surrounded by a loving family he should be content, but instead he is ill at ease with the world around him. Isolated by a destructive jealousy, he lashes out at those closest to him, losing his wife and son and abandoning his daughter in distant Bohemia.

Sixteen years later, having grown up in a pastoral idyll, Leontes' daughter falls in love with a young visitor, setting in motion a chain of events that could eventually reunite their scattered family.

Greg Hicks rejoins the RSC to play Leontes following his appearance as Coriolanus, directed by David Farr, for which he won the Critics' Circle Best Actor Award. Most recently seen on stage in Small Craft Warnings and An Enemy of the People for the Arcola Theatre, Greg's other credits include Don Quixote for West Yorkshire Playhouse, Angels In America at the Lyric Hammersmith and Tamburlaine the Great for Bristol Old Vic.

The role of Hermione will be played by Kelly Hunter, who last appeared with the RSC in the 2001 production of King John and whose other recent credits include Metamorphosis at the Lyric Hammersmith.

Newly appointed RSC Associate Director David Farr returns to the RSC following his productions of Julius Caesar (2004) and Coriolanus (2003). Formerly Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith, where his work included The Odyssey, Angels in America and The Bacchae, David also adapted and directed The UN Inspector for the National Theatre.

The Winter's Tale plays in repertoire at The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 14 July - 2 September 2010.

Running time
The running time for The Winter's Tale is 3 hours and 15 minutes including an interval of 20 minutes.

Access performances
Assisted performances on 13 August, 2 September.

Shakespeare's Globe Exhibition is the world's largest exhibition devoted to Shakespeare and the London in which he lived and worked. Housed beneath the reconstructed Globe Theatre on London's Bankside, the exhibition explores the remarkable story of the Globe, and brings Shakespeare's world to life using a range of interactive displays and live demonstrations.

Visit the exciting and often dangerous world of Elizabethan London where in 1599, Bankside was the entertainment center of the capital packed with gambling dens, brothels, bear-baiting pits and theaters. Ordinary people flocked to see Shakespeare's plays and they laughed, cried, shouted abuse at the actors, ate and drank during the performances.

As a visitor to the Exhibition you'll discover how shows were produced in the theaters of Shakespeare's time, from writing and rehearsals to music, dance and performance. Learn about the traditional crafts and techniques used during the process of rebuilding the Globe and find out how special effects were produced in Shakespeare's time - from thunder and lightning to flying on stage and realistic blood and gore. Listen to recordings from some of the most Shakespearean performances ever or join the cast and add your own voice to a scene recorded by Globe actors. Create your own Shakespearean phrases in the word jungle, watch a sword-fighting display and browse the costume collection, where you can find out about the extraordinary methods used in creating clothes 400 years ago.

A visit to the Exhibition includes a guided tour of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre where storytellers take you on a fascinating half-hour tour of the auditorium. Journey through time to Elizabethan London with their colourful tales of the 1599 theater experience as well as the reconstruction process of the 1990's and how the wooden 'o' works today as an imaginative and experimental theatrical space.

Tour Info

From 23rd April until 10th October 2009

Exhibition

Open 9am 6pm

Globe Theatre Tours

Monday all day from 9am 5pm

Tuesday to Saturday 9am 12.30pm

Sunday 9am 11.30pm

Out of Theatre Season, from 11th October 2009

Exhibition

Open 10am - 6pm

Globe Theatre Tours

Every day, all day from 9am - 5pm

2009-2010 Schedule

Oct 09 - March 2010* - 10.00-17.00 - Globe tours run all day

* According to the 2010 Theatre Season dates. To be announced in November 2009

April 10-Sept 10*: 09.00 -17.00 - Mon-Tours run all day - Tues-Sat: Last tour at 12.30pm - Sunday: Last tour at 11.30am.

During our Theatre Season, Tours to the Globe Theatre will be restricted to the above schedule as matinees and evening performances take place inside the auditorium.

Visitors coming outside of these hours will be offered an alternative tour to the archaeological site of the Rose Theatre, built in 1587 on Bankside. It is the only Elizabethan Theatre that has been excavated on a large scale in 1989.

Important note: rehearsals will also take place throughout the year. Please note that access to the Globe Theatre may be restricted. Times and availability of the exhibition is occasionally subject to change without prior notice.Please contact us for the latest updates on +44 (0)20 7902 1500.

The Globe Theatre is a faithful reconstruction of the Elizabethan playhouse. Experience today's working theatre and visit the world of Bankside, the Soho of Elizabethan London.

Groups of 15+ must be pre-booked & receive 1 free ticket in every 16.

Adult: 18+

Child: 5 - 15

Concession: Senior 60+, Student: 16+ with valid ID

Shakespeares Globe 2009 Theatre Season Young Hearts includes Shakespeares Romeo & Juliet, As You Like It, Troilus & Cressida and Loves Labours Lost as well as three new plays The Frontline, Helen and A New World. The Season also includes two UK tours of The Comedy of Errors and A Midsummer Nights Dream.

Now approaching its 25th year in London, Les Misérables is the world's longest running musical, surpassing the record created by Cats in the West End. This international award-winning musical sweeps its audience through an epic tale of passion and destruction, against the backdrop of a nation in the grip of revolution. Seen by more than 55 million people worldwide in 40 countries and in 21 languages, this spectacular adaptation of Victor Hugo's masterpiece continues to thrill audiences night after night. 

Highlights:

- Lunch in the oldest inn in Britain
- In depth look at the Cotswolds
- Stroll through picturesque Burford built by the River Windrush
- Visit Stow-on-the-wold and Moreton-in-marsh
- Cream tea and walking tour in Stratford-Upon-Avon

THE COTSWOLDS:
The Cotswolds represent an area that is forever England, remaining seemingly unchanged with the passing of time. Rolling landscapes, dry stone walls, perpendicular churches and sparkling clear streams fuse with tiny villages and hamlets with their charming limestone houses, tea shops and inns. Our full day tour of the Cotswolds begins in Burford, where the magnificent High Street, which slopes down to the River Windrush, holds every variety of Cotswold stone. There will be time to visit the small tea houses before heading north to Stow-on-the-wold.

LUNCH IN THE OLDEST PUB IN BRITAIN:
Lunch beckons and what better way to satisfy your hunger than with a fabulous two course lunch in the Royalist Hotel, the oldest inn in Britain, built in 947 AD, over 1,000 years ago! The restaurant boasts a spectacular oak beamed ceiling, a huge stone fireplace bearing witches marks and a fabulous range of traditional cooking including mouth-watering apple and raspberry crumble.

STRATFORD UPON AVON:
The afternoon is spent exploring Moreton-in-marsh which has a unique buzz and is also home to the Cotswolds falconry centre before heading north west and out of the Cotswolds to the delightful Stratford-Upon-Avon. Here we enjoy a small walk through the city centre passing Shakespeares Birthplace before we enjoy cream tea in the charming Garrick Inn built in the 14th Century.

Tour Info

Summer Season: Tuesday, Thursday & Sunday @ 8:15am
Winter Season: Tuesday's & Sunday's @ 8:15am

Running Time: 10 hours