Reading Open Air
HAMLET
by William Shakespeare
Open Air Theatre at Reading Abbey Ruins
15-25 July 2026
Our open air history . Planning your visit
"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.
Aged just 20, Prince Hamlet is clever yet tormented. His father has died in suspicious circumstances, his widowed mother has remarried his uncle, who has seized the Danish throne, and the woman he loves, Ophelia, is heading towards a tragedy of her own. Their two families are bound together in a relentless descent from which no one will escape unscathed. Dark humour intermingles with grief, betrayal and madness, culminating in a conclusion as devastating as any in theatre.
New to Hamlet? We’ve kept the great speeches, the famous lines and the sharp wit, and stripped away everything that isn’t essential. It’s the perfect introduction. Seen it before? We think you’ll find this one sticks with you.
Reading Abbey Ruins. Open air. Bring layers.
Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes, including a 20 minute interval.
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.