HAMLET
by William Shakespeare

Open Air Theatre at Reading Abbey Ruins
15-25 July 2026

Tickets will go on sale in the Spring of 2026

Planning your visit . Our open air history

"Though this be madness, yet there is method in't "

Progress is excited to announce we'll be back performing in Reading Abbey Ruins in 2026. Even better, we are bringing you Hamlet, William Shakespeare's most celebrated – and most quoted – play.

Following his father's death, Prince Hamlet of Denmark is plunged into a crisis of grief and existence. His world is a suffocating web of deceit, where his uncle has not only stolen the throne but also married his mother. As madness threatens to consume both him and his beloved Ophelia, Hamlet must navigate a court of spies and betrayals, using wit and humour to outsmart the forces against him. This compelling tragedy – perhaps the greatest play ever written – is a journey into the heart of vengeance.

While Hamlet is famously one of Shakespeare's longest works, our streamlined production zips through the epic story in under two and a half hours, highlighting its essential themes, iconic speeches, and often-overlooked humour.

 

See Planning Your Visit for directions, times, facilities and what to bring.
Wet weather will not stop the show, unless conditions become dangerous.
There are no refunds but if there are tickets available later in the run we can transfer your tickets to another night.
 

Planning your visit . Our open air history