This year’s centrepiece production of As You Like It is directed by last year’s dream team of Jake Smith and Chris Cuming. A firm favourite among Shakespeare’s comedies, and featuring some of his best-loved characters, as well as four weddings and no funeral, As You Like It runs the glorious gamut of pastoral romance. Audiences will be captivated by brilliant conversation, gentle satire and reflections on how bewildering yet utterly pleasurable life can be - all presented by a large cast of talented professional and local actors.

A Double Bill of short plays derived from Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s Lost Women charmingly tells, through song and dialogue, the stories of some of the Bard’s forgotten female characters. Shakespearean actress Deirdre Compton has made a career playing victims and luscious milk maids, fools and clowns. Meanwhile, her mother plays Desdemona, Titania and Lady Macbeth. They do not get on.

A PSF world premiere, Shakespeare’s Lost Women has words by Greg Mosse and on-stage music by John Gleadall, and is performed by the wonderful Harriet Benson.

The Buried Moon is a reimagining and exploration of the Miranda/Caliban dynamic set in the Lincolnshire fen communities of today. A young woman who is struggling to relate to her father after her mother's death, goes out onto the marshes one night to take her own life. She is saved by a mysterious young man - Caliban - and a friendship is born between them. Miranda is never sure if Caliban is a malignant spirit of the marshes or a lost soul looking for home. Contains scenes of an adult nature. 

This year Illyria’s rumbustious production of The Comedy of Errors is re-located to the town of Ephesus, Mexico, and is performed by their very own 5-piece Mariachi band, resplendent in ponchos and sombreros. Ay caramba! 

Award winning Illyria is an intrepid band of 5 actors who perform Shakespeare’s plays, entirely uncut with unparalleled verve and energy. It’s fast, it’s polished and it’s spoken beautifully. 

“Illyria’s five actors are the direct heirs of Shakespeare’s wandering players.”

Recommended for adults and children aged 5+ Running time: 2 hours including 20 minute interval

Merely Theatre presents a fascinating production of Romeo and Juliet.  Filled with emotion and action, it delivers both sweeping drama and intimate insights. This is love in all its raw and savage beauty. Using the same five actors for Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night, each actor is twinned with another actor of the opposite gender, and they rehearse their parts together. The result is men and women playing every role in any and all potential combinations, creating Shakespeare plays with immense energy, humour and clarity. Known for a stripped back style that puts the focus on the text, Merely aim to make theatre as accessible, entertaining and vital as possible. 

Running time 90 minutes plus interval

Unlikely lovers come crashing together in a riotous and deeply tender production of Twelfth Night.  Using the same five actors for Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night, Merely Theatre use imagination and innovation to present identical twins, multiple disguises and mistaken identity. Each actor is twinned with another actor of the opposite gender, and they rehearse their parts together. The result is men and women playing every role in any and all potential combinations, creating Shakespeare plays with immense energy, pace and clarity. Known for a stripped back style that puts the focus on the text, Merely aim to make theatre as accessible, entertaining and vital as possible. 

Running time 90 minutes plus interval

Author of PSF world premiere, Shakespeare's Lost Women, Greg Mosse is a brilliant creative writing teacher, specialising in story development and plot. He will lead this 90 minute workshop, sharing his appreciation of clever Shakespearean narrative twists and turns – and showing how you too can write like the Bard. No previous experience required - all welcome.