Play

AS YOU LIKE IT

ILLYRIA

Mon 31 Aug 2026, 3pm

Chiddingstone Castle

In this play Shakespeare explores Love in all its guises. Four pairs of soulmates meet in the mysterious Forest of Arden. One pair leap straight into bed. Another pair are instantaneously dumbstruck by each other’s beauty and pledge their undying troth. The third pair torment each other: he showers chaste love upon her which she haughtily rejects – yet secretly she enjoys the flattery.

The fourth pair go further still, playfully blurring their roles and identities to such an extent that flirting becomes more pain than pleasure, and Love itself is pushed to the limit of its endurance – and beyond. Throughout the summer Shakespeare’s iconic comedy will be performed where its action is set – in the great outdoors, by a 5-strong cast of classically trained professional actors. Multi international award-winning Illyria has an unmatched reputation for excellence, forged over three decades, that dominates the outdoor touring theatre sector.

Join them this summer for a memorable night of laughter and romance under the stars.

Running time: 140-minutes (approximately), including a 20-minute interval.

Suitable for all ages.