[Zoom-in] All the world is a (festival) stage
You probably have already heard or seen the movie "Hamnet" by Chloé Zhao. A William Shakespeare-inspired film narrates the tragic story of his son Hamnet and has managed to move audiences emotionally across the world.
If you have seen the movie and it left you wanting to explore more of Shakespeare’s world, we invite you to discover a selection of upcoming Shakespeare-themed festivals taking place in the next few months in the United Kingdom, Türkiye, Romania and Poland.
YorkShakes 2026
21 April 2026 - 3 May 2026 - York, United Kingdom
The annual celebration of Shakespeare showcases a wide range of arts and cultural offerings from around the world. YorkShakes 2026 highlights why Shakespeare is truly ‘the world’s playwright’ and how his work continues to inspire people to express their own thoughts, feelings and aspirations.
A sneak peek of their programme has already been released and features works by Lisa Wolpe, Emily Carding, Morag Galloway and many more.
More information here.
Photo: Liviu Cheloiu in Richard III Omul, available on Facebook.
The Sixth International Shakespeare Festival in Türkiye 2026
04 - 17 May 2026 - Isparta, Türkiye
Get ready for a vibrant celebration of William Shakespeare’s timeless works. Türkiye's International Shakespeare Festival has just announced the dates for its sixth edition, taking place in May 2026. For another year, the festival will present contemporary world productions of the Bard’s plays in venues that evoke the spirit of the playwright’s own era.
The programme and all the information will soon be available through this link.
Photo: via Instagram.
Will Matters 2026
21 - 31 May 2026 - Craiova, Romania
Every year, the Craiova International Shakespeare Festival allows theatre professionals and audiences to compare, discuss, comment, and debate. This year's edition has the title WILL MATTERS. The festival offers seminars and conferences for the audiences; workshops on acting, directing, design and criticism; film projections of famous performances; symphonic concerts; theatre design, painting, photographic and philatelic exhibitions, as well as theatre books and DVD launches.
More information about the festival here.
The Craiova International Shakespeare Festival is a member of the European Shakespeare Festivals Network.
Photo: By Florin Chinea through esfn.eu.
30th International Gdansk Shakespeare Festival
24 July - 2 August 2026 - Gdansk, Poland
Over the past years, the International Gdansk Shakespeare Festival, an EFA Member, has welcomed more than 250 different theatre ensembles from over 40 countries. It became a platform to exchange experiences, theatrical practices and discussions among circles related to the works of William Shakespeare.
Now, they are celebrating their 30th edition as a symbolic conclusion of thirty years of artistic search and a return to the sources of the vision that started the whole project.
More information and details here.
Photo by festiwalszekspirowski.pl.
