Shakespeare's Globe Announces 2026 Summer Season Lineup
While winter's chill still grips the capital, Shakespeare's Globe has provided a welcome glimpse of summer warmth by revealing its highly anticipated 2026 outdoor season programme. The announcement brings exclusive details of what promises to be another remarkable season at London's iconic open-air theatre, blending beloved classics with intriguing obscurities and a significant theatrical debut.
Season Opens with Traditional Shakespearean Celebration
The season commences on April 23rd, the significant date marking both Shakespeare's birth and death, with Emily Lim's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream running through to August 29th. This staging promises to offer a distinct contrast to the current indoor production at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, with Lim bringing her experience in large-scale community work from the National Theatre to create what's being promoted as an uplifting and communal experience.
Historic Debut and Classic Revivals
In a notable departure from Shakespearean tradition, the Globe will host its first ever production of work by legendary playwright Bertolt Brecht. From May 7th to June 27th, Elle While will direct Globe artistic director Michelle Terry in the title role of Mother Courage and Her Children, Brecht's powerful anti-war masterpiece about survival in a devastated world.
The season continues with Chelsea Walker's direction of the beloved romantic comedy Much Ado About Nothing from June 11th to October 24th, followed by a production of the less familiar Love's Labour's Lost from July 17th to September 13th. This latter production promises innovative interpretation, with Indiana Lown-Collins transforming the traditionally male leads into female characters within what's described as a dance-soaked staging featuring flamenco influences.
Season Finale and Family Programming
Closing the outdoor season from August 14th to October 25th will be As You Like It, co-directed by Globe deputy Sean Holmes and Charlie Josephine, who also makes her acting debut at the venue in the role of Orlando. The production is expected to bring the distinctive, arch style characteristic of Holmes's previous work to Shakespeare's forest-set romance.
Complementing the outdoor programme, the indoor Sam Wanamaker Playhouse will host a family show titled A World Elsewhere from Kerry Frampton and Ben Hales, creators of previous summer successes Rough Magic and Midsummer Mechanicals. The new play explores a boy's changing relationship with Shakespeare's stories through his grandfather's influence.
Accessible Theatre Experiences
True to the Globe's commitment to accessibility, each production will offer £5 standing tickets, while A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It will each feature a special midnight performance. Tickets for the entire 2026 summer season go on general sale from February 10th at 10am, offering theatre enthusiasts ample opportunity to secure their places for what promises to be a diverse and engaging season of theatrical excellence.
