Open-air theatre in London

What is it? As is now traditional at Shakespeare’s Globe, its outdoor programming gets underway with a truncated pre-season ‘Playing Shakespeare’ play aimed at schoolkids, but very much open to the public. This year it’s Romeo and Juliet, directed by the Globe’s director of education Lucy Cuthbertson, in a return of the 2024 production that relocates the tale of the feuding Montagues and Capulets to contemporary gang culture.

What is it? Following an exceptionally bleak indoor production this winter, this sounds like a more traditional Midsummer Night’s Dreamto open the Globe’s summer season. It’s billed as ‘a joyful, family-friendly night of mischief, wonder and transformation under starry, summer skies’. It’s being directed by Emily Lim, whose work tends to revolve around large scale community theatre projects.

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

What is it? This looks like a fun way to start the new Open Air Theatre season, with a new stage adventure for Arthur Conan Doyle’s immortal detective. Joel Horwood straight up detective thriller follows Sherlock and Watson as they hit a slump following their first big case, only to have things turned around by the arrival of a woman with a mysterious jewel. Joshua James plays the title role, in a production directed by Sean Holmes. 

Where is it? Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

What is it? Artistic director Michelle Terry’s new thing for Globe summer seasons seem to be giving one slot over to a classic twentieth century play and let them have fun in the Elizabethan playhouse’s big, uncoventional space. This year it’ll be young Bertold Brecht’s turn, as Elle While directs his 1939 anti-war classic Mother Courage and Her Children. Terry herself will take on the eponymous role of war profiteer Mother Courage, whose children are gradually killed off by the conflicts she herself profits from. 

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

What is it? Chelsea Walker directed an extremely fun version of Shakespeare’s little loved All’s Well That Ends Well, dragging a dated and misogynist text into contemporary funnyness by force of will alone. So she should have a ball with established crowdpleaser Much Ado About Nothing, the immortal comedy about bickering lovers Benedick and Beatrice (that also has a fair few problematic elements for her to get her teeth into). 

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

What is it? Starting its run just in time for actual Midsummer, here comes Shakespeare’s ultimate crow-pleaser, as directed by Atri Bannerjee. We’ve no massive steer for how this one will play out, but it’s described as ‘blissful’, indicating it’s proabbly not going to do anything too outre, and it’ll have an original folk-infused score from Maimuna Memon.

Where is it? Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

What is it? Love’s Labour’s Lost belongs to that club of rarely peformed Shakespeare plays where the name is more famous than the actual story. This summer, though, it gets its biggest Globe – and indeed, London – production in over 20 years, with a lavish revival headed up by director Indiana Lown-Collins. We don’t know a lot about casting, but we do know that the cast is being put through a flamenco bootcamp, the better to take on this Spain-set drama about four lords who forswear women in order to better focus on their studies and general manliness.

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

What is it? It’s finally happened: human civilization has finally lasted long enough that there is a second British production of Cats. Audaciously bagged by the Open Air Theatre as its big 2026 summer musical, it’ll be directed and chreographed by OAT boss Drew McOnie. He’s a slick, commercial director with something of a dance focus, but he’s unlikely to do a Jamie Lloyd-style deconstruction of it, but any new take will probably feel inherently radical purely by dint of trying something different in any way.

Where is it? Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

What is it? A return for this much loved children’s show based on the the legends of Anansi the trickster spider from West African folklore.

Where is it? Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

What is it? The Globe’s 2026 summer season is pretty heavy on rowd pleasers, but we’d put a small amount of money on this production of the beloved As You Like It being something a little weirder than the usual. Clue one: it’s not on for that long. Clue two: it’s directed by Globe deputy Sean Holmes and playwright Charlie Joseph, who also stars in the role of Orlando. Maybe not screeching avant-garde, but expect and arch and probably somewhat queer version from the long-term collaborators. Lola Shalam will co-star as Rosalind.

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.