A couple of months ago saw the city of Bristol give itself over to the fantastic festival of contemporary theatre - Mayfest, and this summer, Bristol theatre fans are being treated to another festival but of a very different kind.

The Bristol Shakespeare Festival has been going and growing since 2004, showcasing performances across Bristol every summer between May and August and it has now become the largest open-air Shakespeare festival found anywhere in the UK. 2008 sees the festival’s largest and most ambitions schedule yet with 10 shows in various, exciting venues across the city. What better way to spend a sunny, summer afternoon then down in Queen’s Square or in Ashton Court with a picnic, drinks and friends watching a superb retellings of our favourite bards work?

We can look forward to performances of Henry V, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Much Ado About Nothing but pick of the bunch this year sees the old bowling green on Brandon Hill being converted into a venue to host the world famous Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and their performances of Romeo and Juliet and The Winter’s Tale.

The festival organisers are very passionate about open-air theatre, loving the relaxed atmosphere, spectacular settings that you could never recreate inside a theatre and simply the fact that outdoor shows are so much more fun. They are quick to point out too that all Elizabethan playwrights, including Shakespeare, wrote their work to be performed in the open air.

The Bristol Shakespeare Festival Director, Miles Gregory, comments; “The Old Bowling Green is tailor-made for open-air performance; it’s a beautiful space, overlooked by the stunning Cabot Tower. Open-air summer theatre is an outstanding experience and a magical way to spend an evening with a picnic and friends. Whether you are an old-hand or you haven’t yet found out just how great it is, there are no excuses for missing out this summer.”

For full listings of the festival visit: www.brisollistings.co.uk

www.bristolshakespeare.org.uk