For 2012, The Bristol Shakespeare Festival is back with an Olympian programme for South West audiences young and old throughout July. The Festival will be invading gardens, squares, pubs and zoos all over the city to with a month of Shakespeare-inspired events and productions bringing Shakespeare’s timeless stories to life.

Get your picnic blanket at the ready and enjoy alfresco re-imaginings of some of Shakespeare’s best-loved productions: see Macbeth on a bowling green, Henry V at Bristol Zoo or Much Ado About Nothing in the stunning gardens of Ashton Court.

The city will host some of the country’s most exciting theatre companies for 2012 including the world-renowned Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Artistic Director, Emma Henry said, “I am delighted by the range and quality of this year’s programme, and there is really something in it for everyone - whether you consider yourself a seasoned ‘Shakespeare fan’ or are coming to it for the first time.

“In an important year for the UK, with the Olympics taking place and the World Shakespeare Festival going on across the country, we wanted to be more ambitious than ever before. We wanted to bring local audiences a flavour of what is going on nationally through hosting quality touring theatre and by engaging with new audiences through our education and outreach projects.’

For the first time this year, The Bristol Shakespeare Festival will also be running a range of events designed to take Shakespeare ‘out of the box’ and challenge audiences, partnering with Colston Hall and We Are: Proud – Bristol’s Gay Pride 2012.

 To find out more about The Bristol Shakespeare Festival 2012 programme and to book tickets please visit www.bristolshakespeare.org.uk or contact Emma Henry, Artistic Director 2012.