The Oxford Shakespeare Festival 2026

The Oxford Shakespeare Festival 2026

About The Oxford Shakespeare Festival 2026

One summer, three incredible live performances in the heart of Oxford The Oxford Shakespeare Festival is back for its 16th year with three outstanding productions, live in the Castleyard throughout the summer.

The Oxford Shakespeare Festival is an outdoor theatre experience that takes place in the courtyard of Oxford Castle & Prison.

What’s on this year

Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar

By BMH Productions

22 June – 04 July

Join BMH in celebrating 20 years of theatre-making in Oxford and 11 years at Oxford Castle & Prison, as they bring their trademark fast-paced, accessible production to Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar.

As the Roman Republic falters and Julius Caesar consolidates power, assassination sparks a struggle over Rome’s future: can ideals survive ambition, or is dictatorship inevitable?

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Macbeth at Oxford Castle

By Wild Goose Theatre

06 July – 01 August

Wild Goose Theatre returns for its 15th successive year, transforming Oxford Castle & Prison into a world of ambition, prophecy, and bloody consequence. Beneath summer skies and ancient stone, Macbeth draws audiences into a gripping tale of power and guilt, where fate is whispered by witches and crowns are won at a terrible cost, placing you at the heart of the action in a truly unforgettable setting.

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Romeo & Juliet 2026

By Siege Theatre

03 August – 15 August

For their landmark 10th season, Siege Theatre return with a bold reimagining of the world’s greatest love story, set during the American War of Independence.

In a time of explosive conflict and divided loyalties, honour still matters, and two star-crossed lovers are forced to choose between duty to family and country or their devotion to each other.

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Yorick or the Skull

By Greensleeved

21 August – 22 August

Greensleeved Productions joins Oxford Shakespeare Festival for the first time, with Yorick or the Skull.

The story begins on the night Hamlet is born. We meet court jester Yorick and his closest friend, Hamlet, who has just become king but remains unskilled in navigating state matters. At the same time, a serious land dispute with King Fortinbras of Norway looms over the kingdom.

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Tickets

Please see important booking information below.

Booking information

Ticket prices:

Adult – £20.00Concessions – £18.00

Dates & times:

Monday 22 June to Saturday 22 August 2026

Please note that performances do not run on Sundays

Running time:

2 hours, including an interval

Dress code:

This is an outdoor theatre performance, in the courtyard of Oxford Castle, so please be prepared for whatever the weather may bring!

Good to know:

Concession tickets are available for children, students with valid ID and seniors.

Free tickets for carers are available to book by emailing us at [redacted]. Please see our list of accepted carer IDs here.

For group rates we allocate one free adult ticket for every 15 students.