WHAT A WONDERFUL SUMMER OF RAINBOW SHAKESPEARE - 2 RAINLESS WEEKS AT OUR HIGHDOWN GARDENS HOME, WITH AUDIENCES FOR HAMLET LARGER THAN THE EVER POPULAR ROMEO & JULIET LAST YEAR! THEN TO LONDON, TO FIND THAT AUDIENCES THERE WERE EQUALLY IF NOT MORE ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT RAINBOW SHAKESPEARE THAN IN SUSSEX.

MAGICAL HIGHDOWN GARDENS

WORTHING

HAMLET

Mark Bodicoat as the Ghost photographer: John Baydon-Stroud

Tuesday July 12th -  Sunday July 17th

As You Like It

Tuesday July 19th - Sunday July 24th

SUMMER 2004

HIGHDOWN GARDENS - WORTHING

Tuesday July 13th - Sunday July 18th

ROMEO & JULIET

the world's greatest love story

Tuesday July 20th - Sunday July 25th

THE COMEDY OF ERRORS

 Crazy, fast-moving comedy

WHAT THE PAPERS SAID: " THE BARD'S MAGIC FOR OLD AND YOUNG  -   When Nicolas Young and Alex Croft first had a vision of a professional Shakespeare production that all the family could enjoy, I wonder if they realised just how succesful it would become. "  HERALD

Rainbow Shakespeare is an undisputed highlight of the Worthing Arts Festival. 2003 saw Twelfth Night and The Merry Wives of Windsor, performed in a no-nonsense style. Rainbow's open air Shakespeare, a highlight of the Worthing arts calendar, was founded with a run of Twelfth Night on the beach in 1998. Despite gale force winds and a tide that threatened to sweep away performers and audience alike, the enthusiasm for the way Shakespeare was being performed, meant that the Company was continue a tradition that has lasted ever since. However, they were invited by Worthing Borough Council to perform in the magical Highdown Gardens,which has become the home to their productions ever since, and where audience have been steadily growing year after year.

The first productions at Highdown in 1999 were Romeo and Juliet and As You Like It.

This was followed in 2000 by Macbeth, which was also performed in Lewes Castle, and Much ado About Nothing.

In 2001 Rainbow Shakespeare presented The Tempest, which again toured to Lewes Castle, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

 2002 was the year that Rainbow Shakespeare visited Borde Hill Garden and Les Sables d'Olonne in France for the first time with Richard III and The Taming of the Shrew, as well as their usual performances at Lewes Castle and Highdown Gardens, Worthing.

The following year saw the Company performing The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Twelfth Night, which also toured to the Merriscourt Art Gallery in North Oxfordshire, where Rainbow received a rapturous reception and made many new friends for thier unique style of playing Shakespeare.

This was followed by our second production of ROmeo & Juliet with Comedy of Errors.

In 2005 Rainbow found itself a London date for Hamlet and As You LIke It in the Greenwich Observatory Gardens. This went so well the Company returned in 2006 with Antony & Cleopatra and Much Ado About Nothing.

Rainbow Shakespeare likes to couple a well-known play with slightly less obvious plays. In 2007 The Winter's Tale was enthusiastically received, alongside A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Finally last year the Company's offerings were A Merchant of Venice and The Taming of the Shrew.