We closed our 2009 summer tour with a wonderful sell out performance to 800 people at Arundel Castle.

We are already working on booking venues for 2010 and of course working on our exciting Rose Theatre project.

Robert J. Williamson with the Duke & Duchess of Norfolk at Arundel Castle

But first we would like to thank everyone that made this season possible, the fabulous cast, crew, all of the wonderful staff at the venues that made us so welcome, Chris Hopkins at Design Forte, our press agent Helen Maleed at Green Desk, Jill Roca for keeping the books in order and so much more, the Kirkstall Valley Community Association (without whom the Leeds Shakespeare Festival could never have been such a success), Sir Ben Kinglsey and last but not least all of the wonderful people that came to our shows from Dublin to Prague and everywhere between making this our most successful and far reaching tour.

Many thanks,
Robert J. Williamson

Some tickets are still available for our final 2009 shows which take place this week at Arundel Castle. We will perform Much Ado About Nothing on thursday & friday, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream on saturday. You can book online, or telephone 01903 882173 or in person at the Castle’s Mill Road Gate entrance. Please do come - these are our best shows to date!

As our most successful season draws to a close, our thoughts turn to 2010 and we would be delighted to hear from venues around the UK and internationally.

Our three nights at Prague Castle have been a fabulous success with each evening playing to capacity audiences.

Our 2009 cast enjoy a meal out together with courtesy of special guest Sir Ben Kingsley.

Robert J Williamson and Sir Ben Kingsley

As soon as the sunday night show is over the cast, costumes, set, sound and lighting equipment will set off for Cornwall and our opening show at Sterts Theatre on Monday evening. Later in the week we move on to Arundel Castle to complete our 2009 tour. [ more photos ]

The British Shakespeare Company is to build a reconstruction of the Elizabethan Rose Theatre in the North of England and is in talks to find the perfect location. Dame Judi Dench has donated the stunning reconstruction of the Rose Theatre from the Oscar-winning film Shakespeare in Love for this purpose. The original Rose Theatre built in 1587 is where William Shakespeare first performed his plays and also worked as an actor.

A charitable trust is being setup and the Rose Theatre is now in storage waiting to be reborn. A new website is being created and will be updated with full details shortly and should you require further information or wish to offer support, please contact Robert J Williamson: robert@britishshakespeare.com

A beautiful summers evening and a large appreciative audience helped make our first night in Sheffield a huge success! Tickets will be available on the door for the next two nights, so please do come along.

We are delighted to announce we will be working with Sheffield Council to create the 1st Sheffield Shakespeare Festival at the beautiful Sheffield Botanical Gardens on the 17th to 19th August. Although this will only be a 3 day event in the first year we have high hopes that this will be a major venue for a longer festival in our Artistic Directors home county of Yorkshire. Tickets are on sale now - see booking information click here.

We are delighted to be returning to Arundel Castle for 3 nights in 2009. We will perform Much Ado About Nothing on thursday 27th & friday 28th August, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream on saturday 29th August.

UPDATE: Tickets for the shows at Arundel Castle are selling quickly. You can book online, or telephone 01903 882173 or in person at the Mill Road Gate entrance.

See Reviews and show photos. Photo: Darryl Curcher

We are delighted to announce that Sterts Theatre in Cornwall will play host to the British Shakespeare Company on the 24^th and 25^th August 2009. This is a beautiful purpose built and covered open air venue in a very beautiful part of the world. This will be our first visit to Cornwall so this is not to be missed and we will perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream on the 24^th and Much Ado About Nothing on the 25^th. See what’s on for more details. Tickets are now on sale online or telephone 01579 362382 or 01579 362962.

The British Shakespeare Company are proud to be the international guest company for the Prague Shakespeare Festival at the Prague Castle in the Czech Republic - Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd August 2009. For full details - click here.

UPDATE: Today the world saw Prague Castle as it played host to an historic speech by President Obama. This summer it will be Shakespeare’s speeches that will ring out around this stunning building. How wonderful!

UPDATE: Tickets are selling quickly and it is advisable to book now as these shows are going to sell out.

Our first week at Leeds has come to an end, playing to full houses and with both of today’s Much Ado About Nothing shows sold out. Tickets are available for the remaining shows but early booking is advisable.