RSC Summer Season 2026

The Royal Shakespeare Company's summer season in Stratford-upon-Avon is one of the great theatrical experiences in the world. Multiple Shakespeare productions run simultaneously in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (a stunning thrust-stage auditorium on the banks of the Avon) and the smaller Swan Theatre, with world-class actors performing the plays in the town where Shakespeare was born. The RST was redesigned in 2010 with a one-room auditorium where the furthest seat is only 15 metres from the stage — the intimacy is extraordinary for a 1,000-seat theatre. The Swan, a galleried Jacobean-style playhouse, is one of the best theatre spaces in England. Between them, the summer season typically offers 4-6 productions running in repertoire. Book in advance for popular productions — some performances sell out months ahead. Day seats and returns are sometimes available. Combine with a visit to Shakespeare's Birthplace and a riverside walk. The pre-show and interval views across the Avon from the theatre terraces are lovely. If you've never seen Shakespeare performed by the RSC in Stratford, it's a bucket-list experience.