With a well-established legacy as pioneers in their hometown, the group celebrates their latest milestone with a special double-bill production delivered in collaboration with the Orange Tree Theatre. Guillermo Nazara chats with the artist to learn more about their work over the last two decades, upcoming projects, and how their newest show connects one of the Bard’s most popular plays with one of his rarest works.
How does it feel to be celebrating 20 years of bringing Shakespeare’s works to life?
It’s unbelievable – the last 20 years have flown by! Shakespeare has taught me so much. His understanding of the human condition is extraordinary, and we’ve discovered time and again that his work can speak to almost any aspect of life. Whether it’s exploring identity, grief and family relationships through drama therapy, using Romeo and Juliet to support knife crime awareness projects, or simply sharing the joy of open-air theatre on a summer’s evening, his plays continue to prove just how timeless and relevant they are.
How would you define the company’s journey and legacy over the past two decades?
We’ve always aimed to remain faithful to Shakespeare’s work while approaching it with creativity, irreverence, and vibrancy. We genuinely love what we do, and I hope that passion shines through in every production.
Alongside our performances, we’re passionate about the social impact of drama and theatre through education and outreach. We firmly believe theatre can change lives, and our outreach projects continue to demonstrate just how powerful it can be.
How did the idea for Guildford Shakespeare Company come about?
We started as a small open-air Shakespeare company with a budget of just £7,000 and a handful of South West Train passes. The idea first came to us while auditioning for other open-air companies around the country. It struck me that Guildford didn’t have its own professional open-air theatre season, and once the idea took hold, we couldn’t let it go.
The first season happened because I knew I’d be furious if someone else did it first. Twenty years later, we’ve staged more than 70 main-house productions, welcomed over 200,000 audience members, and created around 29,000 participation opportunities each year through our education and outreach work. Looking back, it feels almost unbelievable.
What are the biggest challenges of running a theatre company for so long?
Funding, without question. Our industry has no shortage of creativity, but keeping a regional theatre company financially sustainable is a constant challenge.
We’re heavily reliant on ticket sales, which means balancing productions we know audiences will embrace with work that pushes boundaries. We’ve taken artistic risks with productions such as Measure for Measure, which explored gender politics through the lens of the #MeToo movement, and Richard II, whose themes of leadership and accountability felt strikingly contemporary. These are important stories to tell, but they don’t always make commercial sense. Regional theatre is getting increasingly squeezed, and we are forever trying to balance things on a shoestring budget. Not that £120,000 per production ever feels that shoestring!
This season brings back Much Ado About Nothing and Love’s Labour’s Lost. Why these two plays?
Much Ado About Nothing was the very first production GSC staged back in 2006, so it felt like the perfect choice for our 20th anniversary.
When Tom Littler directed Much Ado in 2016 and Love’s Labour’s Lost in 2018, we set them on either side of the Second World War. Over time, it became a natural progression to bring them together in one season and go even further by making one play a sequel to the other. They’re two of my favourite Shakespeare comedies, and I have wonderful memories of working on both.
One of the most interesting aspects is the connection between the two plays. How does that work?
Love’s Labour’s Lost is an earlier play, both for Shakespeare and for the characters themselves. The writing is youthful, playful, poetic, and full of wit, reflecting both Shakespeare’s developing voice and the optimism of his characters.
By the time we reach Much Ado About Nothing, both the playwright and the characters have matured. The writing shifts more towards prose, the comedy becomes richer, and the characters have been fundamentally changed by war. They approach love, friendship, and life with greater caution and emotional depth. One of the joys of Shakespeare is that there’s always something new to discover. His plays offer endless opportunities for fresh interpretations, emotional nuance, and sheer theatrical fun.
Have there been any particular challenges in developing these productions?
The biggest challenge has been ensuring every character’s journey feels authentic across both plays. Tom has done a remarkable job weaving them together into one continuous story.
Take John Longaville, who becomes Don John. In Love’s Labour’s Lost, he’s described as a “merry mocking man”, but by Much Ado, he’s become “a canker in a hedge”. Tom cleverly incorporates imagery from Henry V to help explain how war has transformed him. In truth, every character is shaped by those experiences.
Personally, I’m playing Leonato, a role traditionally written as an older man, which presents its own creative challenge. Rather than simply recreating the original, I’ve explored how the Princess from Love’s Labour’s Lost might have evolved over six years into this role. Experiencing loss, responsibility, and war would naturally bring wisdom and confidence, and I think presenting Leonato as a woman adds a fascinating dynamic to the relationships with Hero and Beatrice, particularly as women left behind by war.
What are the highlights audiences can look forward to?
Watching the relationships develop across the two plays is incredibly rewarding. We see Claudio and Hero, and Beatrice and Benedick, grow from carefree young people into adults shaped by conflict and experience. Their love stories become deeper, more cautious, and ultimately more enduring.
And I defy anyone not to burst out laughing during the Russian dance in Love’s Labour’s Lost. It’s pure joy.
Are there any upcoming projects you’d like to tell us about?
Absolutely. Next we’re launching a brand-new interactive murder mystery at Hogs Back Brewery.
Our previous interactive productions, including Boeing Boeing Gone on a Boeing 747 and The Housetrap at West Horsley Place, sold out within weeks, and we expect this one to do the same. These productions combine theatre with gameplay, giving audiences the chance to become part of the story- and I think adults relish the opportunity to play.
Why should audiences come and see Guildford Shakespeare Company this summer?
There’s simply nothing quite like experiencing Shakespeare outdoors, particularly the comedies. Braboeuf Manor provides a stunning setting for an evening of theatre, complete with a picnic in beautiful surroundings.
What makes this season truly unique is the opportunity to watch these two productions as one continuous story, following the characters from the beginning of Love’s Labour’s Lost in 1939 through to the end of Much Ado About Nothing in 1945. It’s a rare and rewarding theatrical experience.
Most of all, these productions are funny and full of heart, and they’re brought to life by an outstanding cast. I can’t wait to share them with audiences!
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Love’s Labour’s Lost and Much Ado About Nothing plays at Braboeuf Manor, Guilford until 25 July. Tickets are available on the following link.