Glastonbury Abbey unveils summer theatre spectacular

By Laura Linham 18th Mar 2026

Local News by Laura Linham 1 hour ago

Glastonbury Abbey has unveiled its 2026 outdoor theatre season, with four open-air performances set to bring Shakespeare, comedy and family favourites to the ruins this summer.

Audiences are being urged to pack a picnic, bring a chair and book ahead to save on tickets.

Opening the season on Friday, 5 June is Othello, as The Lord Chamberlain's Men return with Shakespeare's tale of revenge and deception. The production is billed as a traditional open-air staging with an all-male cast, Elizabethan costume, music and dance.

Hot on its heels comes King Arthur & The Holy Fail on Wednesday, 10 June, with The Three Inch Fools bringing a comic take on Arthurian legend to Glastonbury. It promises daring quests, plenty of farce and a less-than-smooth path for the king.

The summer line-up continues on Thursday, 23 July with The (Almost) Complete History of Britain, as The Pantaloons Theatre Company takes on the nation's past in a fast, funny and gloriously inaccurate two-hour romp through the centuries.

The final performance of the season is Pinocchio on Thursday, 13 August, with Illyria bringing the classic children's story to the Abbey in musical form. It rounds off a varied programme that mixes tragedy, comedy, history and family theatre in one of Glastonbury's most striking settings.

Advance ticket prices are set at £18 for adults and £12 for children for Othello, King Arthur & The Holy Fail and The (Almost) Complete History of Britain, with PLUS members paying £16. For Pinocchio, child tickets are £10, while adult and PLUS member prices remain £18 and £16.

The full programme is set out in Glastonbury Abbey's theatre season launch. For Glastonbury, it means another summer of outdoor performance against the backdrop of the Abbey ruins.