TWO of Shakespeare’s best known plays hit the Ludlow stage next month, with a major production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Romeo and Juliet at Ludlow Assembly Rooms.

Local theatre company, Here To There Productions, have assembled a largely professional cast to present the two plays in repertory fashion, alternating each show every night over the run with many of the actors appearing in both.

Under the headline of ‘Shakespeare 1595’, the year the Bard wrote them, both plays are set in 1955. Andrew Whittle, the Company’s Producer said “I felt the 50s were an ideal setting certainly for Romeo and Juliet, as it was a time of change for young people, with their own fashion and music arriving for the first time, and this works well as a backdrop to their story.”

Both shows are being directed by Carl Walker who added “I’ve loved working with the 50s look, and we’ve taken it a stage further by having our Fairies in Midsummer Night’s Dream dressed in steam-punk costume! This, combined with a huge stage set and original music played by a live band, means audiences are in for a visual and audio treat!”

The Company stress that both plays are presented in a way to make them very accessible for audiences - special ticket packages are available for schools and colleges; please visit www.heretothereproductions.com for details.

Both shows are on from 7-17 September, starting with A Midsummer Night’s Dream on Wednesday, September 7, and Romeo and Juliet on Thursday, September 8. To book, call the box office on 01584 878141 or visit ludlowassemblyrooms.co.uk.