Think Shakespeare is all about high-brow literature and stuffy thespians treading the boards? Well, think again. This summer, the East London Shakespeare Festival (ELSF) are welcoming you to 1980s Illyria as they bring their rip-roaring take on Twelfth Night to outdoor spaces.
Combining the Bard’s wonderful storytelling with a flavour of East London culture, this new production brings you some pure, unadulterated escapism — complete with live ’80s classics.
The production will be transforming areas across Hackney, Waltham Forest and Redbridge into the world of Illyria. Locations include Fellowship Square in Walthamstow, giving local residents a memorable and unique experience of Shakespeare’s much-loved classic tale.
Twelfth Night also features a community ensemble of local residents at the Waltham Forest venues, with Pay-What-You-Can performances and heavily reduced school matinees.
Head along to seek out a good time, to celebrate identity and self-discovery, or simply get that festival vibe. Gates open an hour before the show, so you can enjoy a picnic or a pre-show workshop such as party headband-making.
This new production follows on from the success of last year’s sold-out production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which earned ELSF an Off West End Award Nomination for Best Company.
Don’t forget to check out more theatre and festival shenanigans on Contrary Life!
When: 16th June – 7th August 2022
Where: At outdoor locations across East London
£: Tickets cost £6.50 – £14
More info: www.elsf.uk