Shakespeare's Globe announces 2026 summer season

The season kicks off with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and is followed by Mother Courage and Her Children, Much Ado About Nothing, Love’s Labour’s Lost, and more.

Summary

• The Globe has revealed its 2026 summer season
• Alongside Shakespeare plays like As You Like It and A Midsummer Night's Dream the venue will also stage Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children
• Artistic Director Michelle Terry will star as Mother Courage

Shakespeare's Globe has announced its summer season for 2026, with Michelle Terry set to star as Mother Courage in Brecht's play.

The season kicks off with A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which runs from 23 April to 29 August. Directed by Emily Lim, Shakespeare's comedy follows four Athenian lovers as they become confused by love potion in a magical forest. The play will be designed by Aldo Vazquez, with costumes by Fly Davis.

Bertolt Brecht's Mother Courage and Her Children, translated by Anna Jordan, runs from 7 May to 27 June, and is directed by Globe Associate Artist Elle While. Globe Artistic Director Michelle Terry will star as Mother Courage. The production has music by James Maloney. Brecht's revolutionary anti-war masterpiece is staged at the Globe for the first time. Mother Courage and Her Children is designed by takis.

Much Ado About Nothing runs from 11 June to 24 October, directed by Chelsea Walker. The comedy is focused on the war of wits between Beatrice and Benedick, and the young love of Hero and Claudio.

Love’s Labour’s Lost runs from 17 July to 13 September, directed by Globe Associate Artist Indiana Lown-Collins. The rarely staged comedy of love, desire and wit is reimagined in a flamenco-inspired production. Design is by Katie Lias.

As You Like It runs from 14 August to 25 October. The show will be directed by Associate Artistic Director Sean Holmes and Globe Associate Artist Charlie Josephine, who will also play Orlando, alongside Lola Shalam (Romeo and Juliet, 2025) as Rosalind. The Globe Theatre transforms into the wild and magical Forest of Arden for Holmes and Josephine's production. The directors' previous collaborations include Cowbois (RSC / Royal Court). As You Like It is designed by Paul Wills.

A World Elsewhere runs from 25 July to 30 August in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, directed by Globe Director of Education Lucy Cuthbertson. The family show follows Cass, a boy whose imagination has taken him and his imaginary friends on magical adventures inspired by his Grandma’s love of Shakespeare. The Olivier-nominated team behind Rough Magic and Midsummer Mechanicals returns: the show is written by Kerry Frampton and Ben Hales, and has designed by Rose Revitt.

Artistic Director Terry said: “All the plays this season were born out of a world in chaos whether that was the chaos of Shakespeare’s 1599 or Brecht’s 1939. The questions these plays ask are an attempt to make sense of that world: what is love? What is evil? What is power? What is tyranny? What is this life? Neither Shakespeare nor Brecht give us an answer, but they do demand we ask the questions, and as importantly, ask them in a Theatre, where at the very least we are asking them together. Our beautiful wooden 'O' stands proudly on the banks of the Thames, connecting 1,600 people at every performance. This human connection is profound: profoundly exciting, profoundly real, and in a world of increasing division, profoundly necessary.

"If you’ve been before, come again! If you’ve never been, try it! Come and experience for yourself the visceral impact of being together, in these magical spaces with these powerful plays, the huge questions they ask, and the hope, courage and comfort that comes from trying to answer them together. And all of that for a fiver.”

Check back for plays in the Globe's summer season.

Photo credit: Globe Theatre. (Photo by David Jensen)