The world celebrates Shakespeare in York

To be or not to be is the question on everyone’s lips this April as York hosts over 40 events celebrating the work of William Shakespeare.  

As part of the eighth edition of the York International Shakespeare Festival, York St John University is hosting an array of performances, including three unique Hamlet-inspired productions.  

This year, York International Shakespeare Festival has also been acknowledged with a Sanctuary in the Arts award. The award celebrates the Festival’s work to offer welcome, support and opportunities of displaced people in the city, including those from Ukraine and people included with Refugee Action York.  

Since 2015, the festival has welcomed artists and scholars from across the world. The relationship with Ukrainian artists began in 2023 and continues into 2026 with performers from the Ivano-Frankivsk Theater performing Codename Othello, hosted at York St John University.  

Other events happening at the University include: 

• With Love’s Light Wings, an experimental interpretation of Romeo and Juliet by Georgian company, Shota Rustaveli Theatre  

• Lisa Wolpe, Festival Artist in Residence, joins Anne-Marie Evans, Head of School: Humanities, in conversation about her work, Shakespeare and the festival to come.  

• Hamlet, presented by University of Arts Tragu Mures, Romania. 

• Hamlet is like a sponge – a full day of exploring the documentation of performance, adaptation and translation. The programme features talks and presentations, including David Gothard, Michelle Drascek, the director of the archive, and Armond Morina, leading actor from Kosovo. 

• Hags, hauntings, hobgoblins and more emerge from Lady Macbeth’s suitcase in Spooky Shakespeare Suitcase Theatre. 

• Codename: Othello, a contemporary wartime drama set against the reality of ongoing war, exploring how love infiltrates love, memory and identity.  

York St John’s Creative Centre will also host the ‘Hamlet is like a sponge’ David Gothard Archive Exhibition from 28 April to 3 May. The exhibition displays materials from David Gothard’s archive, exploring his relationship with Hamlet throughout his archive.  

York International Shakespeare Festival will take place from Tuesday 21 April to Sunday 3 May. For more details and to access the full programme of events, visit the Festival’s website.