C, Chambers Street
5 - 31 Aug, 10:00am (10:55pm)

There'll be no holds Bard in this latest instalment of the annual Stratford-themed knockabout, served - as always - with coffee and croissants at the very start of the Festival day.  And if previous years are a guide, Shakespeare buffs and lay-people alike will find plenty to tickle their humour in a cheerful, great-value show.

As we write, details of 2009's theme are thin on the ground... but previous years have included such silliness as Shakespeare - The Panto and a wife-swap between Romeo and the Macbeths.  It's always a fast and funny romp through Bardic highlights, performed enthusiastically by an upbeat ensemble crew, and while some years' scripts are better than others the show never truly disappoints.

You don't need to be a Shakespeare expert to enjoy it either... though the real aficionados will spot plenty of intellectual in-jokes to secretly enjoy.  The show has new competition for the breakfast slot this year - but still, whether you're a professor of literature or haven't read Shakespeare since school, it makes sense to pencil breakfast with the Bard into the least crowded part of your Festival day.