Shakespeare is taking centre stage across Shropshire this summer.
A season of open-air performances of As You Like It is bringing theatre lovers of all ages together in a celebration of culture and storytelling.
The wooded hills and valleys described in As You Like It are thought to be inspired by areas of north Shropshire, referenced in Thomas Lodge Junior’s 1590 narrative Rosalynde.
The season opened with a production by Shropshire Youth Theatre at Soulton Hall, near Wem.
The next performance will take place on Thursday, July 16, when The HandleBards bring their signature bicycle-powered show to Hawkstone Park Follies.
The four-strong troupe travels entirely by bike, transporting their set, props, and costumes on two wheels in a performance model that’s both eco-friendly and full of physical comedy.
Later in the summer, the international touring company Illyria will stage As You Like It at Dudmaston Hall on Thursday, August 6.
Their five-person cast will also perform at Moseley Old Hall in Wolverhampton on Saturday, August 15.
The season closes on Sunday, August 30, with an all-female cast from The Whole Pack Theatre Company.
They will perform a music-filled adaptation at Soulton Hall, reimagining the woodland as a space of creative freedom in contrast to the constraints of court life.
Tickets for Illyria’s performances can be booked online via TicketSource.
Details for The HandleBards and The Whole Pack are available through venue websites and event organisers.
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