Shakespeare will return to the courtyard at Ilkley Manor House later this month as the popular Bard in the Yard performances return for a seventh year.
The annual collaboration between Ilkley Manor House and Ilkley Playhouse has become a popular feature of the town's late summer events calendar.
This year's productions are The Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing.
The performances will take place on Sunday 30th August and Bank Holiday Monday 31st August from 2pm until around 4pm, including a 20-minute interval.
The open-air performances will once again be staged in the historic Manor House courtyard.
If the weather is poor, performances will instead move indoors to Ilkley Playhouse.
The Merchant of Venice is directed by Dick Hebbert.
He described it as one of Shakespeare's most complex works:
"Officially classed as one of Shakespeare’s comedies, the play is often seen today as raising issues that are far from light-hearted.
"What it does offer, however, are two of Shakespeare’s great roles, one male and one female, in Shylock and Portia, along with a wealth of memorable speeches and a full range of emotions, from laughter to anger to pity.
"Often described as a ‘difficult’ play, torn between the issues it raises and the story it tells, the great John Barton called it ‘flawed, contradictory, human.’
"Come and decide for yourself."
Much Ado About Nothing is directed by Andrew Leggott.
He said:
"Much Ado About Nothing is best remembered for the lively and constant sparring between Benedick and Beatrice, Shakespeare’s great ‘will they, won’t they?’ pair of reluctant lovers.
"In contrast, Claudio and Hero fall quickly in love, though their relationship is almost destroyed on their wedding day through the scheming of the villainous Don John, who acts simply for his own amusement.
"Add a bumbling Night Watch, led by the incompetent yet unforgettable Constable Dogberry, and you have all the ingredients for superb entertainment.
"How do we manage it in around 40 minutes?"
Tickets cost £8 for adults and £5 for students with valid ID.
An additional indoor performance will also take place at Ilkley Playhouse's Wildman Studio on Saturday 29th August at 7:30pm.
Organisers say the event regularly sells out and are encouraging people to book in advance via the Ilkley Manor House Website.
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