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“The perfect way to enjoy a summer’s evening”
The Sunday Herald
Welcome to Bard in the Botanics, Scotland’s biggest and best-loved annual festival of Shakespeare, all set in the beautiful and historic surroundings of Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens.
2011 sees us celebrate our 10th Anniversary with an exciting programme of productions, including the winner of the People’s Shakespeare Public Vote. From comedy to tragedy and history to romance; from the Bard’s best-loved plays to rarely-seen titles, this year’s season offers something for everyone.
For full details of all this year’s productions, visit our 2011 page here.
We look forward to welcoming you to this year’s shows to help us celebrate 10 years of Bard in the Botanics.
If you would like to be kept up to date with plans for future festivals and all our other projects, please join the Bard in the Botanics mailing list. We'll keep you informed with regular updates on all our exciting plans, including advance information on all shows and projects and special offers on tickets. Just click on the link below to be taken to the mailing list form which will open in a new window.
Alternatively, you can keep in touch through Facebook or Twitter.
Outdoor festivals of Shakespeare are a tried and tested formula which has proven successful in almost every major cultural capital in Europe and North America – New York, London, Chicago, Vancouver, Paris, Helsinki, San Francisco – even Bozeman, Montana! Bard in the Botanics is proud to have added the name of Glasgow to this list.
Since our first festival, we have staged more than 40 productions of Shakespeare's work to audiences totalling over 50,000. Details of these can be found on the Past Projects page.
Bard in the Botanics has performed in conjunction with Perth International Festival of the Arts, Big in Falkirk, the Merchant City Festival, Cumbernauld Theatre, North Lanarkshire Youth Arts Festival, Gilmorehill G12, the West End Festival and the macroberts arts centre, Stirling.
Bard in the Botanics is committed to bringing high-quality, imaginative and accessible productions of Shakespeare's to audiences from across Scotland and beyond. In order to fulfil our ambitions, we need the help and support of individuals and companies.
Information on how you or your company can help to support this unique festival can be found on the Friends and Patronage page. Alternatively, e-mail us at admin@bardinthebotanics.org or telephone 0141 334 9016
Friends and patrons are at the heart of the Bard in the Botanics Festival.
As a friend of the company, you will enjoy unique benefits and will have the opportunity to support a wide range of performances and Creative_Learning projects.
There are a number of membership otions available, all of which give individuals and companies a unique chance to become involved with the Bard in the Botanics Festival.
Click on the links to find out more about the various options.
Friend (Single or Joint)
Patron (Single or Joint)
“Rose” Corporate Patron
“Globe” Corporate Patron
To subscribe to any of these options, click here, fill out the form and return it to Bard in the Botanics with the required payment.)
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“Friends” enjoy:
All the benefits enjoyed by “Friends”, plus:
To thank you for your generous support of Bard in the Botanics, “Rose” Corporate Patrons enjoy:
“Globe” Corporate Patrons receive all the benefits enjoyed by “Rose” Corporate Patrons plus:
To subscribe to any of these options, e-mail admin@bardinthebotanics.org or telephone 0141 334 9016.
“The course of true love never did run smooth”
Winner of the People’s Shakespeare public vote, the Bard’s funniest comedy returns to Bard in the Botanics in a spectacular new 10th Anniversary Production.
In a 1920s nightclub, cool jazz and hot passions collide one very steamy night. As Puck and his fairies weave their magic spell, it seems no one is immune – young lovers, a troupe of amateur actors, even the King and Queen of the Fairies all find themselves tangled in a web of love and desire.
This musical version of Shakespeare’s perennial comedy takes place inside our brand new Performance Pod, sheltering audiences from the perils of the Scottish summer and transporting them to a magical world where anything can happen!
Previews: Wed 22nd and Thurs 23rd June
7.45 p.m.
(Preview tickets: £12 / £8)
Performances: Fri 24th June – Sat 9th July
(no performances on Sundays or Mondays)
7.45 p.m.
Venue: Main Botanic Gardens, inside our Performance Pod Tent
Tickets: £15 / £10 (conc.)
Box Office: 0141 429 0022
To book online: Click for "A Midsummer Night’s Dream” online booking
“Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.”
The King is dead. Long live the King! Prince Hamlet’s melancholy grief seeps into the very bones of the crumbling Danish court. The ghostly apparition of his father appears to confirm his worst fears; his duplicitous uncle has murdered his brother and taken both crown and queen for himself. Who is there that Hamlet can trust? What can a man do in the face of such terrible treachery?
Revenge his foul and most unnatural murder…?
A thrilling and tragic story, “Hamlet” is one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Don’t miss this exciting new outdoors production, presented for the first time by Bard in the Botanics, as part of our tenth anniversary celebrations.
Previews: Wed 13th and Thurs 14th July
7.45 p.m.
(Preview tickets: £12 / £8)
Performances: Fri 15th July – Sat 30th July
(no performances on Sundays or Mondays)
7.45 p.m.
Venue: Main Botanic Gardens
Tickets: £15 / £10 (conc.)
Box Office: 0141 429 0022
To book online: Click for “Hamlet” online booking
“A man whom both the waters and the wind,
In that vast tennis-court, have made the ball
For them to play upon”
When Pericles, the young Prince of Tyre, discovers the King of Antioch’s deadly secret, he must flee for his life. And so begins an adventure that will span his entire lifetime, as he experiences love and loss, danger and excitement. Part fairy tale, part road movie, “Pericles” is truly the “journey of a lifetime”.
“The Lesser-spotted Shakespeare” is Bard in the Botanics’ opportunity to introduce audiences to plays and stories that are rarely seen in Scotland. Previous titles in this series have included “Richard III”, “Queen Margaret” and “Titus Andronicus”. Don’t miss this rare opportunity to enjoy one of Shakespeare’s most beautiful stories.
Using just 4 actors, the highs and lows of Pericles’ story is brought to life in a production that weaves together laughter and heartache, high drama and touching emotion, all set against the stunning backdrop of the Kibble Palace glasshouse.
Previews: Tues 19th July
8.00 p.m.
(Preview tickets: £12 / £8)
Performances: Wed 20th July – Sat 30th July
(no performances on Sundays or Mondays)
8.00 p.m.
Venue: Kibble Palace Glasshouse
Tickets: £15 / £10 (conc.)
Box Office: 0141 429 0022
To book online: Click for “Pericles” online booking
Students from the RSAMD’s MA Classical and Contemporary Text course join forces with Bard in the Botanics to produce an epic performance of Shakespeare’s history cycle.
Henry V is dead. His son, young and unprepared, is crowned Henry VI. In the ensuing chaos, England faces threats from within as discord erupts among the nobility and without as a new power rises in France...
The Duke of York marches on England, determined to wrench the crown from the House of Lancaster, and Henry VI is powerless to prevent the country from descending into civil war. It is left to his wife, Margaret, to turn warrior queen and lead her army into a battle for the throne and the soul of England…
Civil war has ended, Edward IV is ensconced on the throne and the future looks promising but from the shadows a new threat emerges - Richard, Duke of Gloucester. Deformed, brilliant and ruthless, he will stop at nothing to gain the crown for himself…
Performances: Part One – Wed 6th July @ 8 p.m.
Part Two – Thurs 7th July @ 8 p.m.
Part Three – Fri 8th July @ 8 p.m.
Venue: Main Botanic Gardens
Tickets: This is a free performance. Tickets are only available on
the night of performance from 6.30 p.m. at our box office
in the Botanic Gardens.
Booking for Bard in the Botanics 2011 is now open. You can book tickets in advance from the Citizens Theatre Box Office. The box office is open Mon – Sat from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Please note that only tickets for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Hamlet” and “Pericles” can be booked in advance. “The Wars of the Roses” is a free event and tickets are only available from our box office in the Botanic Gardens on the night of performance.
Tickets can be booked:
Please note that all tickets booked through the Citizens Theatre or the Tourist Information Centre are subject to a booking fee.
Bard in the Botanics is committed to offering opportunities to experience, enjoy and participate in Shakespeare. We aim to involve a wide range of communities directly with our work and with the work of the Bard.
To that end, our 10th Anniversary celebrations in 2011 sees us launch an ambitious and exciting Creative Learning programme, designed to introduce participants of all ages and backgrounds to Shakespeare and his plays.
Our Creative Learning programme will include:
A series of weekly classes for those interested in acting and performing Shakespeare, starting in September 2011.
Professional Classes: For professional actors who want to brush up on their skills in performing Shakespeare, including verse technique, audition speeches and scene studies.
Adult Classes: For anyone over 21 who has ever fancied learning about how to perform Shakespeare, these classes are a fun introduction to acting the Bard’s work
Youth Classes: For anyone aged between 14 and 21 who has interest in performance and would like the opportunity to learn about acting Shakespeare from professional directors and tutors
5 actors, a handful of props and the text of “Romeo and Juliet”. This production will be touring secondary schools in Autumn 2011, bringing Shakespeare’s text to life for students and teachers, including a live performance that can be performed anywhere from a classroom to the playground and workshop support, exploring this timeless classic.
Fairies, swordfights, love and even the occasional grisly murder – Shakespeare’s stories are full of memorable characters and action-packed plots. Touring primary schools in Spring 2012, “Silly Shakespeares” bring his stories to life in the classroom and are an ideal introduction to his work for anyone aged 11 and under.
A major youth project centred on Romeo and Juliet, “Star-Crossed” gives young people aged between 14 and 21 the opportunity to engage with the Bard’s most popular play. Weekly performances classes throughout the year build towards a summer project in 2012 which will see young people join together with professional actors in both a major new production of Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy and a contemporary response to the world’s most famous “star-crossed” lovers.
If you would like to register your interest in any of our Creative Learning programmes or would like to sign up to hear more details as they’re released, please e-mail admin@bardinthebotanics.org and we’ll keep you up to date with all the exciting developments.
Queen Margaret, directed by Jennifer Dick
“beautiful and infinitely watchable” The Scotsman
Twelfth Night, directed by Gordon Barr
“one of the finest interpretations of this beautiful play I have ever seen” The Scotsman
Emerging Artists Production: Titus Andronicus, directed by Marc Silberschatz
The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Gordon Barr
“an interpretation that’s both funny and thought-provoking” The Scotsman
Macbeth, directed by Jennifer Dick
“quietly menacing…and earthily realised” The Herald
Richard III, directed by Gordon Barr
“harrowing theatre at its best…an excellent production” Onstage Scotland
The Merchant of Venice, directed by Gordon Barr
“****…as strong and satisfying as I have ever seen” The Scotsman
Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Gordon Barr
“inspired…jaw-achingly hilarious” The Daily Telegraph
B in the Park: Love’s Labours Lost,
directed by Jennifer Dick and Sarah Chalcroft
B in the Park Stirling: A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
directed by Kirsten McLean and Lisa Gregan
A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Gordon Barr.
“**** . ....a fun, lively and incredibly economical Midsummer Night’s Dream…excellent.” The Herald
Othello, directed by Gordon Barr
“an engrossing performance…very much recommended”
The Metro
B in the Park: Twelfth Night,
directed by Jennifer Dick and Sarah Chalcroft
The Winter's Tale, directed by Gordon Barr
"as intelligent, thoughtful and heartfelt a version of this great play as any audience could hope to see" Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
The Comedy of Errors, directed by Gordon Barr
"You would have to search far and wide to find a bolder, brasher, funnier Shakespeare comedy this summer" Mark Brown, Daily Telegraph
David Leddy's Sussurus
"a magical blend of sorrow, anger, compassion, excellent writing and magnificent music" Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
Romeo and Juliet, directed by Gordon Barr
"electrifying and a ferocious command of the text, and a pulsing sense, often completely absent on the British stage, of the link between words and action in Shakespeare's text" Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
Twelfth Night, directed by Gordon Barr
"a delightful production and has an indefinable something that makes watching it unfold a joyous experience" Ken Speirs, The Mail on Sunday
Lear, adapted from King Lear, directed by Scott Palmer
"It's rare in Scotland to see a production that engages so thoroughly and creatively with the substance of a great Shakespeare text - a 21st century Lear to cherish" Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Gordon Barr
"keeps the audience bubbling with appreciation throughout and boasts performances to die for" Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
Richard III, directed by Scott Palmer
"they bring the Bard to life, playing with conviction, understanding and increasing skill" Edinburgh Guide
The Taming of the Shrew, directed by Gordon Barr
"full of sharp acting; genuine wit and that sense of joie de vivre that can make outdoor Shakespeare such a memorable experience" Joyce McMillan, The Scotsman
Macbeth, directed by Andrew McKinnon
"genuinely moving and creates much of the freedom that is exciting in outdoor theatre" The Independent
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed by Gordon Barr
Measure for Measure, directed by Kate Varney
Henry, based on Henry V, directed by Scott Palmer
Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Kate Varney
Antony and Cleopatra, directed by Scott Palmer
Other productions include: The Tempest, As You Like It, Shakespeare’s R & J, Infinite Variety: Shakespeare’s Women, Kabuki-Titus and many more.
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“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” this year takes place inside our new Performance Pod and should not be subject to cancellation because of bad weather.
“Hamlet” takes place outdoors but, in the event of bad weather, will be performed under cover of the Performance Pod. Audiences on these occasions will have the option of watching “Hamlet” in the Performance Pod, or will be entitled to use their ticket again on an alternative evening.
“Pericles” takes place inside the Kibble Palace Glasshouse and so is not subject to cancellation because of bad weather.
“The Wars of the Roses” is an outdoor performance. Should any single performance be cancelled because of bad weather, that performance will be rescheduled for Saturday 9th July at 8 p.m.
Bard in the Botanics is working very hard this year to ensure that we don’t have to cancel any performances because of bad weather but we cannot provide a 100% guarantee that this will be the case. So please see below for details of our refund policy.
Should Bard in the Botanics be forced to cancel any performance due to inclement weather, audiences may refund their ticket at the box office from which it was originally purchased.
This refund policy only applies if performances are cancelled before the advertised starting time or within the first hour of the performance.
Refunds for tickets booked at the Citizens Theatre will only be made on return of the original tickets (which can be posted or returned in person).
All requests for ticket refunds must be made before Monday 1st August.
Please note that seating is not provided for A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet or The Wars of the Roses, although a number of stools will be available for hire on the night of performance.
Seating will be provided for performances of Pericles.
Scottish weather can be unpredictable so bring appropriate clothing for an outdoor performance (even the warmest day cools down as evening progresses) and remember that midges can be a pain so come prepared.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hamlet and The Wars of the Roses each take place in one area of the Botanic Gardens so please feel free to bring a picnic along to enjoy - just please remember to dispose of any rubbish safely.
All this year’s productions take place within the main Botanic Gardens. The Botanic Gardens are situated at the corner of Great Western Road and Queen Margaret Drive, at the top of Byres Road.
To get to the gardens:
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Bard in the Botanics,
Glasgow Botanic Gardens, 730 Great Western Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 0UE
++44 (141) 334 9016 info@bardinthebotanics.org
Bard in the Botanics, registered company number: SC226366.
A company with charitable status (Scottish charity number: SCO32541) and limited by guarantee
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