Guildford Shakespeare Company & Orange Tree Theatre unveil cast for 20th anniversary open-air season
Critically acclaimed theatre company Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) has revealed casting for its highly anticipated 2026 summer season, the centrepiece of its 20th anniversary year.
Running from 1-25 July, the company returns to the idyllic grounds of Braboeuf Manor, bringing together two of Shakespeare’s most delightful romantic comedies, Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing, in co-production with Orange Tree Theatre (OT).
Following its run in Guildford, the productions will head to the gardens of Thomas’s College, for OT on the Hill, from 31 July - 22 August. A distinct open-air theatrical event, the productions are presented as a unique, interconnected experience, with the shows spanning several years and exploring the enduring complexities of love.
Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of the OT, Tom Littler stages these two beloved Shakespeare comedies as a single, sweeping narrative set either side of World War II. In a joyful reimagining, the story unfolds across two summers, 1939 and 1945, allowing audiences to follow the same characters over time. This project sees Littler renew his collaboration with GSC having previously directed Hamlet, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Much Ado About Nothing, The Wind in the Willows, Twelfth Night and As You Like It for the company.
This compelling approach picks up on the long-debated idea that Much Ado About Nothing may, in fact, be the elusive Love’s Labour’s Won, a possible sequel to Love’s Labour’s Lost which explores what might have happened next after one of comedy’s greatest cliffhangers. The two productions will run in repertory throughout July, giving audiences the chance to enjoy each play independently or experience both in a single day. While each story can easily stand alone, together they offer a beautifully satisfying love saga.
The two productions will be performed by a single ensemble cast, enabling audiences to follow the same characters as their stories unfold. The company will feature Phoebe Pryce (The Crucible, Shakespeare’s Globe) and James Sheldon (The Rivals, Orange Tree Theatre) as Beatrice/Rosaline and Benedick Berowne; Joëlle Brabban (Romeo & Juliet, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre) as Hero/Moth; Sally Cheng (My Neighbour Totoro, RSC/West End) as Margaret/Jaquenetta; Jeremy Lloyd (Spike, Watermill Theatre) as Costard/Borachio; Chirag Bendict Lobo (The Circle, Orange Tree Theatre) as Claudio Dumain, and Owen Oakeshott (The Mousetrap, West End) as Prince of Navarre/Don Pedro.
Joining them will be GSC’s co-founders, actor-managers Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches as Leonata, Princess of France and John Longaville/Dull Dogberry.
The production also brings on the internationally acclaimed Matthew Floyd Jones to compose, a celebrated writer and musician known for his precise, expressive approach to storytelling through music. Best recognised as one half of the acclaimed comedy duo Frisky & Mannish, Jones has developed a distinctive compositional voice which blends wit with strong musical craftsmanship.
GSC co-founder Matt Pinches said: “The prospect of staging these two beloved comedies and returning to Braboeuf Manor is incredibly exciting for our 20th Anniversary. As the first show we produced, Much Ado will always hold a special place in our hearts, and to pair it so sensitively as Tom Littler has done with Love’s Labour’s Lost is something very special. Beautifully staged Shakespeare, full of feel-good factor fun in an idyllic setting… what better way to spend a summer evening?”
Director Tom Littler said: “I am delighted to help celebrate the 20th birthday of one of my favourite theatre companies, Guildford Shakespeare Company. I loved directing these two great comedies a decade ago, and I'm excited by the opportunity to return to them and, this time, to tie them together as a rich and sweeping narrative that sees love gained, lost, and, against the odds, won again. It's a treat to be back in Guildford, and to share these plays with audiences in London too - in the Orange Tree's first visit to the gardens of Thomas's College on Richmond Hill.”
For more info on the 20th anniversary open-air season, please click here.