30/04/2026
๐ญ Can Shakespeare bring Romania and Egypt closer? He certainly can!
For all in ๐ฎ๐ถ and theater lovers visiting ๐ท๐ด:
The 2026 announces the official selection programme and launches ticket sales for performances and access to Shakespeare Village
The Craiova International Shakespeare Festival, which will take place from 21 to 31 May 2026, has announced the programme of its official selection, as well as the launch of ticket sales for performances and access to Shakespeare Village, one of the eventโs major attractions. The information is available on the official website:
www.shakespearefestival.online.
Over the course of 11 days, the city will become an open stage, while the theme WILL matters invites audiences to reflect on will as a creative force that sets imagination in motion.
The official selection โ bringing together iconic titles from the work of William Shakespeare, staged by theatres, companies and artists from over 7๏ธโฃ0๏ธโฃ countries โ will be presented across six venues and seven performance spaces in Craiova.
The Marin Sorescu National Theatre Craiova will host some of the most important productions of the 2026 edition, signed by leading international theatre creators, including โTitus Andronicus: Rebornโ, directed by Ryunosuke Kimura (KAKUSHINHAN Company), โKing Learโ, the latest premiere by master director Silviu Purcฤrete, and โThe Tiger Lillies in a Macbeth Songโ, created by The Tiger Lillies and the Spanish company La Perla 29.
Declan Donnellan returns with โTwo Gentlemen of Veronaโ, a co-production by Cheek by Jowl (United Kingdom), Compaรฑรญa Nacional de Teatro Clรกsico (Spain) and LAZONA, in collaboration with Teatro Palacio Valdรฉs. The programme is completed by titles such as โShakespeare and the Alchemy of a Genderโ, a one-woman show created by Lisa Wolpe (USA), and โVenus & Adonisโ, presented by Sir Gregory Doran, a revival of a production originally created by the Royal Shakespeare Company, co-produced by Bewdley Street Productions and the Craiova International Shakespeare Festival, to be performed at Colibri Theatre.
Ramada Plaza Hall will be transformed into a performance venue, and its programme will contribute to shaping a vibrant festival open to innovative stage formats. Renowned French director Irina Brook returns to Craiova with โLear?โ, the Canadian company La Fille Du Laitier presents the non-verbal performance โMacbeth Muetโ, and Masca Theatre from Bucharest is invited with โMacbeth.0โ, directed by Catinca Drฤgฤnescu, nominated for the 2026 UNITER Awards.
On the stage of the Students Cultural House, Japanโs KARAS Company will present the world premiere of โRomeo and Julietโ, directed by Saburo Teshigawara, while Prague Shakespeare Company and Guy Roberts bring the rarely staged โKing Johnโ, alongside other major names from the international stage from Georgia, Italy, Republic of Moldova, Romania and Ukraine.
After welcoming more than 50,000 spectators at the previous edition, Shakespeare Village returns as an essential part of the festivalโs structure: a space conceived as a โjourneyโ through time, a contemporary version of an authentic Elizabethan village.
More information: www.shakespearefestival.online, Facebook / YouTube / TikTok: and Instagram: .
Organisers: The Shakespeare Foundation, Marin Sorescu National Theatre Craiova
Funders: Craiova City Hall, Ministry of Culture, Dolj County Council