New productions of Othello, The Bear and the Piano, and a tour of The Merry Wives of Windsor are among the announcements made by the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Three new productions have been announced in addition to the Royal Shakespeare Theatre’s previously confirmed line up, including a Shakespearian tragedy and a heartwarming children’s story performed by puppets.
The RSC’s 2026-27 season will now include a radical reimagining of Othello, starring three-time Olivier Award-winning actress Sharon D Clarke in the titular role, and two world premieres at The Other Place which includes the RSC’s first commission for early years audiences.
Looking ahead to 2028, a tour of Blanche McIntyre’s production of The Merry Wives of Windsor will form part of a major UK tour that is expected to run for four years.
Something for all ages this season
The Bear and the Piano is a charming story in which a bear’s chance encounter with a piano deep in the forest takes him on an incredible journey to the big city to share his musical gifts with the world. David Litchfield’s beloved book has been adapted for the stage by Toby Olié and Tom Brady and developed for children aged three and over.
Co-produced with Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, the story will come to life through a wordless fusion of puppetry and music. This will be the first production for early-years audiences to be commissioned by new co-artistic directors, Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey. The world premiere will take place at The Other Place theatre in London on 11th December where it will run until 10th January 2027.
Making her RSC debut, Sharon D Clarke will be taking up the title role in Othello, Shakespeare’s classic tragedy of shattered passion, revenge and psychological warfare. The daring new interpretation, directed by Monique Touko and opening at Stratford-upon-Avon’s Swan Theatre on 13th February 2027, takes place in a climate threatened future in which a black lesbian holds a seat of power.
The spring sees the world premiere of Brock’s Mill by RSC writer-in-residence Stewart Pringle. The family drama follows Bernard, a retired stop-motion animator who finds himself confronted with the reality of a past far removed from what he imagined. Featuring animation by award-winning stop-motion animator Astrid Goldsmith, the show will play at The Other Place from 26th March - 8th May 2027.
As well as these new announcements, an exciting line-up has already been confirmed at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. This includes a production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It, with co-artistic director Daniel Evans directing an all-male cast led by Jonathan Groff, as well as the RSC and Told By an Idiot’s uproarious take on Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers directed by Paul Hunter.
A major tour begins in 2028
Blanche McIntyre’s “immaculate” and “utterly joyous” production of Shakespeare’s comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor will visit the RSC’s Associate Regional Theatres across England in the spring of 2028, following its premiere at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre. The tour will head to venues including Blackpool, York, Nottingham, Canterbury and Truro.
It forms part of a major four-year national touring programme developed in collaboration with 280 Associate Schools and 16 Associate Regional Theatres (ARTs) across England and made possible through funding from Arts Council England, using money from the National Lottery.
Browse the full season calendar and learn more about group bookings with the RSC here.
