Royal Shakespeare Company to perform in the Isles of Scilly for the first time

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) will expand the reach of its touring and perform in the Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight for the first time this autumn, with a new, 80-minute First Encounters take on King Lear.

Signalling the RSC’s continued commitment to widening access to quality arts experiences, King Lear is the second of two, 12-week tours to travel the country in 2025, made possible thanks to a touring grant from Arts Council England. The combined tours mean a total of 24,000 young people and their families will see the RSC perform Shakespeare live in their hometown this year.

Directed by renowned theatre director, Justine Themen, First Encounters: King Lear will reflect young people’s anxiety around leadership and climate justice following extensive consultation with young people. The show uses an edited version of the original script to foreground young voices and highlight the devastating consequences of Lear’s choices on family, society and the environment.

Reimagined as a childlike figure, Lear’s Fool bridges the child and adult worlds, reflecting the waychildren often speak truth to power.

Justine Themen, Director, explains: “There is so much wisdom in the observations of young people, but, as with Lear’s Fool, they are so often dismissed by the adults around them. We chose to put on King Lear to reflect what we were hearing from young people as we went round the country speaking to them - their preoccupation with the inequity of the current system (whether that’s about some adults not treating them with respect, or national and global leaders not heeding the imperatives of climate justice). In preparing for the production, we are back speaking to them to ask them how we need to do things differently to Lear in order to create the more equitable world that they want to live in. Their ideas will be reflected in a new epilogue to be delivered by the Fool. The idea is that the epilogue will bring hope, and also encourage young people to act on their own ideas.”

Aimed at younger and first-time audiences, First Encounters productions are abridged versions of Shakespeare’s original plays designed to travel to school halls, local theatres and community venues up and down the country. The show is being co-created with young people and theatre partners through a series of Research and Development workshops in areas the tour will visit.

Following the success of First Encounters: The Tempest which toured the country in spring, First Encounters: King Lear will be on the road between Wednesday 10 September and Friday 12 December 2025.

As well as The Isles of Scilly and the Isle of Wight, the show will perform in schools and community venues in Birmingham, Northampton, Cornwall, Skegness, Nottingham, The Midlands, Stratford-upon-Avon, Southampton, Portsmouth, Norwich, Peterborough, Suffolk and Kent.

First Encounters: Romeo and Juliet, 2024 / Picture: Joe Bailey, RSC

Joining the creative team are Set and Costume Designer Anisha Fields; Composer Arun Ghosh; Movement Director Martin Hylton; Dramaturg Stewart Pringle; and Casting Directors Matthew Dewsbury CDG and Charlie Metcalf.

Jacqui O’Hanlon, RSC Deputy Executive Director and Director of Creative Learning and Engagement, added: “Access to the arts in schools is at a crossroads after years of erosion which mean thousands of young people are denied the sorts of experiences that we know positively impact on life chances and learning outcomes. Taking our work directly into schools and communities we see the very real difference that expressive arts subjects and experiences make to children’s lives. We believe the very best way for Shakespeare’s work to be experienced by young people is through performance; and we believe that live theatre and an arts-rich education are the right of every child. Our First Encounters with Shakespeare productions contribute to making that a reality.”

First Encounters touring productions are part of the RSC’s work with young people, schools and communities across the country. The Company’s approaches to learning and teaching Shakespeare are proven to positively impact young people’slearning and life outcomes, as demonstrated through the RSC’s recent Time to Act research.