Full Shakespeare’s Globe summer 2019 season announced

Shakespeare's Globe has announced the productions that will make up its summer season on the South Bank later this year.

It will be the second season under the artistic direction of Michelle Terry, who took over the reins of the theatre last year and will star in a production as part of the new season.

The plays set to be staged at the theatre this year are: Henry IV, Henry V, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, As You Like It and Ben Jonson's play Bartholomew Fair.

Henry IV Parts One and Two, and Henry V will be directed by Sarah Bedi and Federay Holmes, and feature the new members of the Globe Ensemble, which Terry introduced last year as part of her first season to echo how Shakespeare's plays would have been first performed.

Henry IV will be presented in two parts and runs from 23 April to 11 October, while Henry V will run from 30^th April to 11 October. Terry will play Hotspur in Henry IV Part One, Helen Schlesinger will play Falstaff and Sarah Amankwah will play Hal in both parts of Henry IV, while Amankwah will play the title role in Henry V.

The Globe ensemble also includes: Tayo Akinbode, Philip Arditti, Sarah Bedi, Nina Bowers, Jonathan Broadbent, Leaphia Darko, Steffan Donnelly, Federay Holmes, John Leader, Sophie Russell, Oliver Ryan, Rob Walker, Siân Williams and Jessica Worrall.

Nicole Charles and Elle While will then direct a production of The Merry Wives of Windsor from 17^th May, which will be broadcast to cinemas on 20^th June. Charles recently directed Emilia in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, which transfers to the West End later this year, and While co-directed Hamlet and As You Like It at the Globe last year.

From 28^th June, Sean Holmes will direct A Midsummer Night's Dream. Holmes recently left his post as artistic director at the Lyric Hammersmith after 10 years, and is an associate artistic director at the Globe.

Ben Jonson's play Bartholomew Fair, the 17^th century comedy about life in London, will open at the theatre on 23^rd August. It will be directed by Blanche McIntyre, whose Globe credits include last year's production of The Winter's Tale, the 2015 production of As You Like It, and The Comedy of Errors in 2014.

Last year's production of As You Like It, directed by Federay Holmes and Elle While and performed by the Globe Ensemble, will be revived as part of the season, running from 7^th August to 21^st September.

Brendan O'Hare will direct Globe on Tour, which sees a company of eight actors touring venues across the country and taking audience votes on whether they perform The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth Night or Pericles.

There will be a number of workshops taking place throughout the season. A day of panels will take place on 9^th March marking 400 years since the death of Richard Burbage, performances celebrating Robin Hood will take place throughout the year, panels on Women and Power will be held in May, and a two-week festival titled Poland is Hamlet begins on 26^th June.