The London Globe Shakespeare's Globe Theatre will visit Ireland for the first time as part of the Kilkenny Arts Festival.
The present theatre company, which can trace its origins back to Shakespeare's time, will perform As You Like It in in the open air in the courtyard of the Crafts Council of Ireland opposite Kilkenny Castle.
The Globe Theatre company was set up when the theatre was reconstructed on its original site in London in 1997.
The theatre specialises in recreating Shakespeare as it was in the 16th and 17th centuries - in the open air without amplification and with original costumes.
There will be ten performances of As You Like It from August 10th to 19th. With a capacity of 400 for each performance, the organisers of the festival are hoping that 4,000 tickets will be sold.
Globe artistic director Dominic Dromgoole said it was a "particular pleasure" to bring the theatre to Ireland as he has directed plays by Irish writers Sebastian Barry, Conor McPherson and Billy Roche in his career.
Kilkenny arts festival director Rosemary Collier said patrons should come prepared for whatever weather is present on the day, adding the company was used to playing in any weather.
"We’re thrilled to be bringing Shakespeare’s Globe to Ireland for the first time. The festival is about bringing the most innovative and dynamic cultural events to the city, and the Globe certainly fit the bill,” she said.
