The award-winning Barden Party is coming back to the Theatre Royal for a special performance of its hilarious brand of family-friendly musical Shakespeare.

This time around it is a ‘rockabilly retelling’ of Much Ado About Nothing - the Bard’s tale of love, mischief and mistaken identity - featuring music from Dave Dobbyn, Billy Joel and Outkast.

Born in Laura Irish’s Nelson backyard during the Covid traffic light system, as a way to bring entertainment to local audiences, the Barden Party went on to tour Aotearoa, and pick up awards and accolades along the way. Then they embarked on an epic 5-state tour of the United States, building support and audiences as they went. This season, its performance of Much Ado About Nothing expanded with sell-out tours to Auckland, Rotorua, Taranaki, Invercargill and the West Coast.

This is a Nelson success story - giving incredible emerging performers the support to work on their craft while delighting audiences who thought Shakespeare might not be for them. And this is only the beginning, with further plans for international expansion!

So come and celebrate the final show of season two of The Barden Party, with a special showing of Much Ado featuring all company members performing on stage for the first time ever!

This professional production of the Bard's greatest love story, will tour outdoor venues in the Nelson Tasman region in January 2020. This special performance brings the tragic tale of the 'star-crossed lovers' into the comfort of Nelson's Theatre Royal.

Building upon the strengths of previous Summer Shakespeare seasons, highly experienced director Giles Burton has once again taken on this role, and has built a strong and professional ensemble.

What becomes of Romeo and Juliet? Will the long standing family feud between the Montagues and Capulets play out a disastrous end?

Don't miss out on the chance to see this classic love story, presented by eight of Nelson's best actors, retold in the beautiful setting of New Zealand's oldest wooden theatre.

Follow our tour on Facebook: Nelson Summer Shakespeare.

Pop-up Globe presents Shakespeare's wild comedy Measure for Measure

"Show-stopping" - NZ Herald
"Delivered literally in 'delight by delight'" - Broadway World NZ
"A must see" - Jennifer, audience member

Don't miss the extraordinary and joyous comedy Measure for Measure as the critically-acclaimed Pop-up Globe production tours to theatres across New Zealand this winter.

Experience Moulin Rouge, Shakespeare-style with this all-singing, all-dancing cast as they take a wild romp through the seedy streets of 17th century Vienna, meeting larger-than-life characters who will charm you even as they pick your pocket. In a city of brothels, louche lads-about-town and illegitimate children, the mayor and a young nun meet in private. She wants to save her brother's life. He is happy to help - but at what price?

Featuring beautiful bespoke Jacobean costumes, a specially designed touring set that recreates the beautiful scenic design of Pop-up Globe Auckland and the extraordinary lively performances of Shakespeare's masterworks by a highly-experienced cast that have won the company awards across Australasia, including eight theatre awards in Sydney last year.

Enjoy a wild and hilarious night out, directed by Pop-up Globe's Artistic Director Miles Gregory. This production is not to be missed!

Presented by the Pop-up Globe Nottingham's Company
Directed by Dr Miles Gregory
Associate directors: Eddie Bijl and Brigid Costello
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes (includes 15 minute interval)

Pop-up Globe presents Shakespeare's greatest tragedy Hamlet

"Theatrical triumph" - Broadway World NZ
"Staged with energy and wit" - NZ Herald
"Bloody magnificent!", Diane, audience member

Don't miss your chance to see the most famous play in the world, Hamlet as the critically-acclaimed Pop-up Globe production tours to theatres across New Zealand this winter.

Pop-up Globe's Nottingham's Company proudly presents Shakespeare's tragic exploration of revenge, grief, madness and catharsis in this exciting and existential masterpiece.

The most towering achievement in the dramatic canon, Hamlet combines all the swashbuckling action of a revenge tragedy with profound and poetic questions about the nature of life and death. See Shakespeare's most iconic character in his most famous play.

Featuring beautiful bespoke Jacobean costumes, a specially designed touring set that recreates the beautiful scenic design of Pop-up Globe Auckland, and the extraordinary lively performances of Shakespeare's masterworks by a highly-experienced cast that have won the company awards across Australasia, including eight theatre awards in Sydney last year.

This production is not to be missed!

Presented by the Pop-up Globe Nottingham's Company
Directed by David Lawrence
Running time: 2 hours 30 minutes (includes 15 minute interval)

A musical imagining of Shakespeare's great soliloquies.

After a stunning sold-out show at Auckland's Pop-Up Globe, we are thrilled to have Play On in Nelson.

From Tui-nominated songwriter and award-winning composer Paul McLaney, and the producers behind Fly My Pretties, Play On is a celebration of Shakespeare set to contemporary music with an amazing New Zealand cast. McLaney has enlisted the help of high-profile musicians to perform a number of Shakespeare's most well-loved soliloquies as a song cycle.

Play On features performances from McLaney himself, alongside Julia Deans and Mara TK (Electric Wire Hustle), with accompaniment from the EDIN string section, featuring Rachel Wells, Jessica Hindin and Mahuia Bridgeman-Cooper.

The brainchild of McLaney along with actor/directors Ian Mune and Peter Elliot, Play On combines the best in acting and music for an unforgettable experience.

"If music be the food of love, play on." WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

"Stars, hide your fires, Let not light see my black and deep desires."

Following their acclaimed collaboration of Romeo and Juliet, Nelson College creates Shakespeare's supernatural tragedy, set in a futuristic, dystopian tribal environment.

Shakespeare's darkest and most powerful tragedy - the story of Macbeth, the brave general who, returning victorious from battle, witnesses a prophecy from three witches that he will one day become King. He and Lady Macbeth then embark upon a murderous journey of treachery, paranoia, betrayal and suicide.

Shakespeare's Macbeth still reigns supreme after 400 years. See it onstage featuring the talented students from Nelson College. Not to be missed!

PG - Strobe lights and violence.

All 37 Plays in 97 Minutes! An irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard's plays, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) was London's longest-running comedy having clocked a very palpable nine years in London's West End at the Criterion Theatre! Join the madcap men in tights as they weave their wicked way through all of Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories and Tragedies in one wild ride that will leave you breathless and helpless with laughter.

Warning! This show is a high-speed roller-coaster type condensation of all of Shakespeare's plays, and is not recommended for people with heart ailments, bladder problems, inner-ear disorders, outer-ear disorders, Shakespearean scholars, degrees in Elizabethan history and/or people inclined to motion sickness.

"ROLLICKING, FAST-MOVING AND HILARIOUS!" - The Guardian
"IF YOU LIKE SHAKESPEARE, YOU'LL LOVE THIS SHOW. IF YOU HATE SHAKESPEARE YOU'LL LOVE THIS SHOW!" - The Today Show