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THEATRE SET-UP

Europe and UK's most-established open-air Shakespeare touring theatre company.

LIVELY, ENJOYABLE OUTDOOR SHAKESPEARE THEATRE FOR EVERYONE.

THE MOST ENJOYABLE SUMMER OPEN-AIR SHAKESPEARE THEATRE,

for 35 years promoted by The National Trust, public and private heritage sites and theatres in mainland Europe, the UK and the Isle of Man. Presented with a similar theatre set up as Shakespeare's company The King's Men.

PLEASE NOTE THAT BOX OFFICE FACILITIES AND TICKET PURCHASES ARE NOT AVAILABLE THROUGH THIS SITE OR EMAIL.

General enquiries for the whole season

(07866) 945160

TICKETS ON SALE FROM MID APRIL 2011

Advance E tickets online with credit/debit cards for most venues: www.thebookingshop.com

The play will be costumed in ELIZABETHAN style.
An exciting season of venues from 5th June to 21st August 2011

Romance, treachery and trickery feature in this popular Shakespearean comedy starring the famous lively couple, Beatrice and Benedick, who declare that they hate each other but are cleverly forced to acknowledge their mutual love by their friends. Benedick, along with his commander Don Pedro and his bastard brother Don John, the young Count Claudio and other soldiers, have returned from success in battle to relax in the hospitality of Leonato and his family in Messina. Claudio soon falls in love with Leonato's daughter ,Hero, and their wedding is planned.

However, Don John, jealous of Claudio, plots to ruin his happiness by an evil scheme which causes Claudio to accuse Hero of infidelity at the altar and reject her. She faints, is reported to have died and Don Pedro and Claudio prepare to leave Messina. Beatrice demands of Benedick that he challenge Claudio to a duel in revenge for the unjustified insult to Hero. Fortunately this duel never takes place as the local constable, the bumbling Dogberry and his men chance to uncover the plot, Don John is disgraced and all turns out happily in the end.

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Could there be anything lovelier than a word-perfect, inspired cast performing Shakespeare's classic lines in the style of an eighteenth century Venetian carnival, against the backdrop of the stunning Glastonbury Abbey with a harpist accompanying the ensemble?

My wife and I had the great pleasure of seeing you and the wonderful cast perform 'All's Well That Ends Well' last evening at Ingatestone Hall and were delighted with the performance, Please pass on our thanks and appreciation to the rest of the talented cast for a great evening.
We had a thoroughly enjoyable time and look forward to seeing you all again.
Good luck and best wishes for the rest of your tour.

"One of the loveliest nights of the year."
(The Stage, 1989)

"William Shakespeare would have approved."
(The Guardian,1992)

"As always we acclaim Theatre Set-Up for their elegant and lively way of interpreting and performing Shakespeare."
(Bergens Tidende, Norway 1998)

"The Theatre Set-Up company's Continent-bound production is blessed with clarity and sprinkled with gentle songs... it has magic and much charm."
(The Stage, 2000)

"They pay particular attention to the play's hidden meanings. This makes for clean-cut productions free of imposed directorial concepts, which allow the audience clear contact with the text."
(Bill Stone, The Evening Herald, 2001)

"Standing ovations for the Theatre Set-Up "As You Like It" in Belgium and The Netherlands."
(Brabants Dagblad, The Netherlands, 2002)

"For the Norwegian public it has become an annual dose to which they are addicted and of which they can not get enough."
(Sissel Hamre, Bergens Tidende, Norway 2002)

"The cast managed to bring out the humour in the show brilliantly. All the performances were, as usual, excellent."
(Manx Independent 2004)

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY:

The PLAYS are presented by this TOURING SHAKESPEARE THEATRE COMPANY in full PERIOD COSTUME in many of Europe’s MOST BEAUTIFUL VENUES IN NINE COUNTRIES in the same minimalist style as his company The King’s Men from May - September.

Theatre Set-Up has a unique knowledge of Shakespeare’s plays through Ph.D. Research which discovered the play’s SECRET MEANINGS. Through understanding the ESOTERIC IN SHAKESPEARE the artistic directors can solve the puzzling aspects of the plays and actors can perform with true meaning, giving audiences a vigorous, realistic portrayal of the characters they are playing.

IF IT RAINS most venues have INDOOR alternatives but PERFORMANCES CONTINUE REGARDLESS OF WEATHER.

One-hour long CELEBRATIONS with Elizabethan dances, songs and acted scenes from Shakespeare’s comedies suitable for WEDDINGS and other events are available at weekends throughout the year.

Click here to see photos from
The Royal Opera House in 2006

Click here to see photographs of last season’s production

BETTER NEWS for
THEATRE SET-UP
Theatre Set-Up will continue to operate under different management: with the new title ‘Festival Players 2nd Tour, formerly Theatre Set-Up’; using Theatre Set-Up’s gear, costumes, style and some of its key actors.