The company
More about our vision, our values & our mission
Our vision
Shakespeare is a popular form of entertainment. We have made people fall in love with Shakespeare again & brought it back to its roots. One of people’s favourite activities is to go hear a play, while holding a pint, a loved one & some snacks. We’ve put theatre back at the frontier, competitive and reactive to the world.
Reviews for our work
‘A grassroots revolution… the new national theatre’
The Telegraph
‘You don’t need to be a Shakespeare fanatic to get it all [...] irresistible, everyone watching in hysterics.’
The Guardian
‘Funny and moving, not to mention immersive’
The Independent
‘Strangely fascinating work’
The Stage
‘This funny, moving, immersive and interactive experience, with ravishing attention to the smallest detail, will definitely enchant the audience [...] bringing Shakespeare safely to everyone, even the ones at the back who think that Shakespeare is not for them’
West End Best Friend
‘The nearest we can get to time travel… An engrossing play which does what Lord Reith declared ought to be the mission of the BBC: to inform, educate and entertain’
London Theatre 1
Our mission
We bring you closer to Shakespeare. We make theatre in unexpected & popular places, surprising you while never compromising on quality. We work with committed professional actors & artists to deliver exciting, bold, & poignant projects. We bring our work to audiences who would not otherwise have access to it through economic, academic or cultural barriers, re-establishing an intimate connection between audience and performer in terribly fun ways.
Audience Reviews
'The conspiratorial vibe that brings the audience and the cast together in a working bookshop is a real buzz’
Audience Member, Bard in the Bookshop
‘This vibrant, glorious company delivers yet another bodacious offering. Bravo!’
Audience Member, Bard in the Bookshop
‘Such a fabulous way to experience Shakespeare! Just wonderful entertainment’
Audience Member, Bard in the Bookshop
‘If you're in Edinburgh, go see it!! If you're not in Edinburgh, come to Edinburgh and go see it. Hugely talented cast and crew. It has everything; emotion, action, excitement, laughter, tears, love and tenderness.’
Sarah, audience member, Will
‘This is nothing less than a spectacular treat. The cast are phenomenal - such energy and passion. It is beautifully written, directed and performed. It takes you on a roller coaster journey. You laugh, cry and are moved. It is absolutely the best theatre we've seen at the fringe - and one to look out for in the future too.’
Eileen, audience member, Will
Our values
We bring you closer to Shakespeare. We make Shakespeare feel easy, fun, relevant & relatable to audiences by creating a safe space in which actors & artists can take risks, find precision, connection & fully embody Shakespeare’s words.
We invent new theatre models. We enjoy creating off-beat, expansive, surprising & bold theatre productions, models & projects by playing with the form of what theatre is, where it should appear & how it should be woven into the fabric of society.
We put heart & soul into the work. Our methods are holistic & we lead with heart, respecting & encouraging each individual’s artistry & leading them to express it fully in a held space.
Actor testimonies
‘It’s revolutionary theatre at its core, precisely because of its simplicity and the parameters of time and resources. It’s theatre for everyone: theatre that speaks to everyone, seeks to engage everyone, and reminds us that powerful theatre doesn’t need to be complicated to have an impact.’
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‘There is often a divide between performers and audiences, and outside of massively overpriced and overproduced immersive experiences it’s rare we get so close to each other. By the end of the night everyone is part of the story. The audience has completely bought into the work and experienced a more democratic form of theatre.’
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‘It's been great to be a part of such a fantastic group of creative people. I've made firm friends and seen actors who maybe weren't so confident with Shakespeare walk away from the process knowing what they're capable of. It's a bit of a cliche to say it's good to be 'back in the room', but when the industry is as tough as it is in the moment, I think all of us really benefit from working with this company.’