Wednesday 2nd July 2026 at York Theatre Royal
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, King Lear – all pretty high profile creations of one Mr William Shakespeare, but this production brings a lesser-known gem to the stage in Venus and Adonis – the “great erotic poem” of the bard which combines cheeky, lyrical comedy with lyrical tragedy in a tale of unrequited love and lust.
It’s almost a tale as old as time: Venus falls for Adonis and Adonis isn’t interested – being far more focused on a hunt he’s got lined up. But as the Goddess of Love, Beauty and – ahem – Victory, the slight and loss is deeply felt, and there’s some fabulous fire thrown forth for lovers ever after. This production, directed by Greg Doran, puts the tale forward via puppetry that is often funny, frequently sensual and also gentle – with plenty of scope to appreciate Shakespeare as wordsmith.
Narrator Simon Russell Beale brings the characters to life beautifully and is well-supported by the talents of puppeteers Bartolomeo Bartolini, Edie Edmundson, Lee Maeda, Rachael Leonard and Sarah Wright (with puppetry direction by Steve Tiplady), who bring layers of meaning to inanimate forms in that magical way that only skillful puppetry can do. The Puppets are the creation of Lyndie Wright with Jan Zalud, John Roberts, Stefan Fichert, Simon Auton and Jungmin Song and they are wonderfully designed to be expressive and versatile, with faces crafted to seemingly shift with the developing story.
The story is set against Rob Jones’ scenic design, harking back to the classic, simple platforms of traditional puppet shows, and the story is prettily underscored by Musician Nick Lee (musical arrangement: John Woolf and Stevon Russell), who adds music that keeps the piece suspended in a world of its own.
A short and sweet tale at 60 minutes, this show is one for Shakespeare and puppetry fans alike.
Venus and Adonis is touring for the Summer of 2026.
Always Time For Theatre 
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