Productions

Director Lucy Bailey's iconic 2014 production of Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedy transforms the Globe stage into a brutally graphic spectacle, with a cast including Indira Varma (Game of Thrones, HBO; Luther, BBC).

A cast including Eamonn Walker, Tim McInnerny and Zawe Ashton feature in the 2007 production of Shakespeare’s devastating tragedy.

Luke Thompson (Bridgerton, Netflix; A Little Life, Harold Pinter Theatre) plays Mark Antony in Shakespeare’s gripping political thriller.

Samantha Spiro (Sex Education, Netflix) and Simon Paisley Day (This England, Sky) go head to head as Katherina and Petruchio in the ★★★★★ (Daily Mail) production.

Performed in Palestinian Arabic with English subtitles. Ashtar theatre company present Richard II, Shakespeare's great masterpiece of dislocation.

Performed in Lithuanian with English subtitles. Eimuntas Nekrošius' direction places the diversity of human nature at the heart of this production of Hamlet.

Performed in Turkish with English subtitles. The Oyun Atölyesi, the leading light of the Turkish theatre scene, stage a thrilling production of Antony & Cleopatra.

Performed in Japanese with English subtitles. This performance of Coriolanus from the renowned Chiten company is an expressive exploration of words, sound and the human body.

Performed in Hebrew with English subtitles. The Habima present The Merchant of Venice, one of Shakespeare's most controversial, and human plays in their first visit to the UK.

Doctor Faustus is Christopher Marlowe's most renowned and controversial work. Famous for being the first dramatised version of the Faustus tale, the play depicts the sinister aftermath of Faustus's decision to sell his soul to the Devil's henchman in exchange for power and knowledge.

Injustice, hypocrisy and the challenge of inflexible virtue combine in Shakespeare’s most searching exploration of sexual politics and social justice.

Following the death of Caesar, Mark Antony is at the helm of the Roman Empire. But his love for Egyptian Queen Cleopatra causes him to neglect his leadership, torn between duty and desire. Shakespeare’s great love story plays out on the Globe stage in all its brilliance and poetic beauty.

Performed in Bangla with English subtitles. From a land constantly troubled by water, enter Shakespeare's mariners, wet and speaking Bangla. Performed by The Dhaka Theatre, Bangladesh's most prominent theatre group.

Performed in Shona with English subtitles. A two-man Zimbabwean riot of love, friendship and betrayal. From Verona to Milan, via Harare and Bulawayo, two great friends, Valentine and Proteus, vie for the love of the same woman.

Performed in Yoruba with English subtitles. Yoruba folk tales inform The Renegade Theatre's magical production where Leontes becomes Sango, the God of Thunder, and Hermoine is Oya, the Warrior Spirit of the Wind.

Performed in Castilian Spanish with English subtitles. In 1533, the Spanish were enraged by Catherine of Aragon's divorce from Henry VIII. Now four hundred years later, Rakata re-imagine this play from a Spanish perspective.

Performed in French with English subtitles. Clément Poirée's Hypermobile company presents its bittersweet take on Much Ado About Nothing, set amid the hypertensions of an Italian restaurant.

In Shakespeare’s uproarious comedy of mistaken identity, mayhem, and misunderstandings, two twin brothers and their twin servants are separated from each other and embark on a riotous search to find their other halves.

Roger Allam, Jessie Buckley, and Colin Morgan star in this 2013 production of The Tempest, Shakespeare’s exploration of power, liberation, and the complexities of reconciliation.

From historic feud to ill-fated union, Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet found new significance in summer 2021 in the Globe Theatre. Experience Ola Ince's interpretation of Shakespeare's most famous play in this 'bold... clever, energetic' (Guardian) production.

Filled with a cast of unforgettable characters, Twelfth Night combines cruelty with high comedy and the pangs of unrequited love. Catch Mark Rylance as Olivia and Stephen Fry as Malvolio in this award-winning production.

Our colourful, chaotic and 'utterly joyous' (Time Out) production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was praised by critics and audiences alike in both 2019 and 2021. Experience the fiesta once again on Globe Player!

Wild, surprising and funny, this production of Twelfth Night (directed by Globe Associate Artistic Director Sean Holmes) is infused with the mesmeric nostalgia and the soulful music of the world of Americana.

Metamorphoses is a playful new piece of theatre inspired by Ovid’s powerful collection of myths, written bespoke to our candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse by the Globe’s first writers-in-residence in nearly four centuries.

Our colourful, chaotic and 'utterly joyous' (Time Out) production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream was praised by critics and audiences alike in both 2019 and 2021. Experience the fiesta once again on Globe Player!

From historic feud to ill-fated union, Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet found new significance in summer 2021 in the Globe Theatre. Experience Ola Ince's interpretation of Shakespeare's most famous play in this 'bold... clever, energetic' (Guardian) production.

Wild, surprising and funny, production of Twelfth Night directed by
Globe Associate Artistic Director (Sean Holmes) is infused with the mesmeric nostalgia and the soulful music of the world of Americana.

Metamorphoses is a playful new piece of theatre inspired by Ovid’s powerful collection of myths, written bespoke to our candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse by the Globe’s first writers-in-residence in nearly four centuries.

Double-meanings, disguises and dirty laundry abound in this hilarious comedy as Sir John Falstaff sets about improving his financial situation by wooing Mistress Page and Mistress Ford. But the ‘Merry Wives’ cotton on to his tricks and decide to have a bit of fun of their own…

The Winter’s Tale is Shakespeare’s great play of the irrational and inexplicable. Director Blanche McIntyre expertly guides us through the play’s uncontrollable emotions – rage, love, grief and forgiveness – ranging across gender, country, class and age.

Encompassing political intrigue, sexual obsession, philosophical reflection and wild humour, Hamlet is a colossus in the story of the English language, and the fullest expression of Shakespeare's genius.

Inspired by the play’s Morris language and references, The Two Noble Kinsmen is set in pastoral ‘Merrie England’ and brought to life with original music composed by acclaimed folk musician Eliza Carthy.

King Lear's tempestuous poetry is touched with humour and moments of heart-rending simplicity, as the notion of familial love is questioned and torn apart.

When twins Viola and Sebastian are shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria, disguise, hijinks and bittersweet hilarity ensue. This irreverent production of Shakespeare’s soulful and irrepressible comedy was directed by Emma Rice.

Fusing music, dance and rich comedy, Emma Rice’s first production as Artistic Director brings the Dream crashing into the Globe’s magical setting. Naughty, tender, transgressive and surprising, it promises to be a festival of theatre.

Dazzlingly eloquent and ceremonious, Richard II represents Shakespeare’s most searching exploration of the meaning of kingship and the powers that can destroy it. Charles Edwards takes the title role.

This most intimate Jacobean tragedy was the ideal curtain-raiser for our first season in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Gemma Arterton returns to the Globe in the title role of the Duchess.

Shakespeare put some of his most dazzling dramatic poetry at the service of this teasing, glittering, hilarious and amazing inventive play, which teeters on the edge of a dreamlike reality. 

From its mesmerising first moments to the final fulfilment of the witches' prophecy, Macbeth is one of Shakespeare's darkest and most powerful tragedies - a gripping account of one man's determination to secure his ambition and pronounced destiny, the crown of Scotland, by whatever means necessary.

Shakespeare’s epic exploration of the turbulence of war – and the arts of peace – unfolds in Henry V. Much loved for his performance as Prince Hal in Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Jamie Parker returns to Hal’s journey as King Henry.

One of Shakespeare's most popular comedies, Much Ado about Nothing contrasts the happiness of lovers Claudio and Hero, and the cynicism of sparring partners Beatrice and Benedick, who are united in their scorn for love.

The first instalment of what is widely acknowledged to be Shakespeare’s greatest historical saga. Dominic Dromgoole’s production features Jamie Parker as Prince Hal and an Olivier Award-winning performance from Roger Allam as Falstaff.

Dominic Dromgoole's acclaimed production is brought to its conclusion in Part 2 of Shakespeare's historical masterpiece, King Henry IV - a dramatic tale of family, treachery and war that surveys the entire panorama of English life.

A firm favourite among Shakespeare’s comedies, and including some of his best loved characters, As You Like It runs the glorious gamut of pastoral romance: cross-dressing and love-notes; poetry and brilliant conversation; gentle satire, slapstick and passion.

When the King of Navarre and his three courtiers forswear all pleasure – particularly of the female variety – in favour of a life of study, the arrival of the Princess of France and her ladies plays havoc with their intentions.

Dominic Dromgoole's production brings refreshing clarity to one of Shakespeare's most famous and best-loved tragedies, drawing out the contemporary relevance of this passionate teenage love story.

All’s Well That Ends Well grinds the romantic against the realistic at every turn and brilliantly reverses all the usual expectations of Shakespearean comedy.

Featuring many characters from Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, Shakespeare’s brilliantly constructed farce, which gave birth to a tradition that reaches down to the modern TV sitcom, burst onto the Globe Theatre stage in 2010.

Performed in Gujarati with English subtitles. Arpana mix live music, dance and acting to tell the tale of Shakespeare’s bittersweet comedy.

Performed in British Sign Language with English subtitles. Deafinitely Theatre create a new interpretation of Shakespeare’s comedy by translating the rich, pun-riddled text into the physical language of BSL.

Performed in Persian with English subtitles. Rah-e Sabz's adaptation of Shakespeare's comedy is set in the bustling back streets of modern-day Kabul.

Performed in Swahili with English subtitles. Bitter Pill bring their version of Shakespeare’s comedy of failed courtship from Nairobi to London.

In this webinar, Globe Co-Director of Education (Higher Education and Research), Professor Farah Karim-Cooper is joined by performer Aldo Billingslea and scholar Dr Vanessa I. Corredera to discuss language, performance history and culture in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

In this webinar, Globe Teaching and Research Fellow Hanh Bui is joined by performer Kathy Hsieh and scholar Dr Varsha Panjwani to discuss Romeo & Juliet from Asian cultural perspectives.

In this webinar, Globe Head of Research Dr Will Tosh is joined by Associate Professor Arthur Little and actor Natasha Magigi to discuss dark comedy, the use of imagery, queer desire, fate, racial dynamics, and migration in Twelfth Night.

In this webinar, Globe Co-Director of Education (Higher Education and Research) Professor Farah Karim-Cooper is joined by Professor Joyce MacDonald and actor Joseph Marcell for a discussion of leadership, the intersections of race, sexuality and historical biases, and power dynamics in Measure for Measure.

In this webinar, Globe Co-Director of Education (Higher Education and Research) Professor Farah Karim-Cooper is joined by Professor Ian Smith and practitioner Naeem Hayat to discuss humanity, philosophy, and white masculinity in Hamlet.

In this webinar, Globe Teaching and Research Fellow Hanh Bui is joined by Professor Shaul Bassi and actor Tracy-Ann Oberman to discuss tradition, authenticity and antisemitism in The Merchant of Venice.

In this webinar, Globe Teaching and Research Fellow Hanh Bui is joined by Professor and Author Preti Taneja and Associate Professor Urvashi Chakravarty to discuss the intersection of race with identity, politics and economic structures in King Lear.

In this webinar, Globe Teaching and Research Fellow Hanh Bui is joined by Director Diane Page and Associate Professor Katherine Gillen for a discussion on Roman slavery, the power of casting, and political models in Julius Caesar.

In this webinar, scholar Mira Assaf Kafantari and playwright Hannah Khalil discuss trauma, female experience, erasure, queenly power, and immigration in Henry VIII, chaired by Globe Head of Research Dr Will Tosh.

Director Ola Ince’s ‘inspired’ ★★★★ (The Guardian) and 'profound' ★★★★ (Evening Standard) production is an Othello for our times. Our 2024 production of Shakespeare’s blistering tragedy was filmed live in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

Director Abigail Graham’s contemporary take on The Merchant of Venice shows Shakespeare’s disturbing tale in a new light. Shylock (Adrian Schiller) and Jessica (Eleanor Wyld) reclaim their stories in our ‘heart-wrenching’ ★★★★ (The Guardian) 2021 production, played by candlelight and filmed live in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse.

Performed in Serbian with English subtitles. Nikita Milivojević directs the first part of the Balkan Henry VI trilogy, full of political scheming and military heroes.

Performed in Albanian with English subtitles. Adonis Filipi directs the second part of the Balkan Henry VI trilogy, Shakespeare's great meditation on riot and rebellion.

Performed in Macedonian with English subtitles. Shakespeare’s grand drama of civil war comes to a close in this third part of the Balkan Henry VI trilogy.

Performed in Mandarin with English subtitles. Watch the first production ever performed in the UK by the National Theatre of China.

Performed in German with English subtitles. The Bremer Shakespeare Company perform Shakespeare’s satirical tragedy.

Performed in Cantonese with English subtitles. Shakespeare’s grisliest play comes to life on the Globe stage, in this production by Hong Kong’s Tang Shu-wing Theatre Studio.

Performed in Māori with English subtitles. Rawiri Paratene’s production opened the 2012 Globe to Globe Festival, incorporating many aspects of Māori culture.

Part of the 2012 Globe to Globe Festival.

Performed in Italian by I Termini Company Benvenuti / Lungta Production in collaboration with Teatro di Romo, from Rome, Italy.

Shakespeare’s legendary love story unfolds in an epic bilingual production using British Sign Language and Spoken English, captioned throughout. A separate audio-described version is also available.

Join Globe CEO Stella Kanu and award-winning filmmaker Dr Tina Gharavi for The Globe Talks: Antony & Cleopatra. In this enlightening talk from 2024, they are joined by the Globe’s former Director of Higher Education and Research, Professor Farah Karim-Cooper, and Nadia Nadarajah, who played Cleopatra in the Globe’s 2024 production of Antony & Cleopatra.

This video has captions and an on-screen BSL interpreter shown on screen throughout.