Shakespeare North reveals summer and autumn line-up

The Prescot venue unveiled the programme on Wednesday, April 15, promising a wide-ranging line-up of productions.

The Cockpit Theatre will stage a “bold, immediate and immersive” staging of Macbeth, directed by associate artist Ben Crystal.

The Playhouse describes the new season as a celebration of “creativity in all its forms,” offering something for every taste and age group.

A spokesperson for the Shakespeare North Playhouse said: “The highlight of the season is one of Shakespeare’s darkest tragedies, as Shakespeare North’s Associate Artist Ben Crystal brings Macbeth into the Cockpit Theatre in Autumn 2026.

“Bold, immediate and immersive, this production places audiences at the heart of ambition, intrigue, power and fate.

“A summer-long celebration in the Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden, with open-air Shakespeare, opera and family favourites.

“Across the other spaces of the building, artists and audiences can explore identity, history, humour and imagination.

“With something for everyone, Shakespeare North continues to bring communities together.”

The Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden will again serve as the heart of the summer season, hosting open-air Shakespeare, opera, and family-friendly performances.

Plays scheduled for the outdoor stage include The Comedy of Errors, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, and As You Like It.

The Studio programme will focus on new writing and inventive storytelling.

Scheduled works include Out The Woodwork by Gingerlee Does It and The Story of Edith Smith by Pauline Fleming, alongside comedy performances such as Off Grid, which blends stand-up with theatre to explore themes of generational divide and binary politics.

Highlights include Reynard the Fox, The Almost Complete History of Britain, and a family-friendly version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

For the festive season, Colour the Clouds returns with A Very Messy Christmas and Wrongsemble’s Tinsel.

The comedy and fringe programme will feature Alex Stringer’s Happy Hour and the provocatively titled Women Aren’t Funny.

The Heading North Fringe Festival in May will showcase new work ahead of the Edinburgh Fringe, including Lambslaughter, The Hanged Man’s Bride, One Man Poe, The Perfect Match, and It Happened On A Tuesday.

More details and booking information are available at www.shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk.