By Grace Hatchell, wink, wink.
When a theatre company reaches twenty years, you expect a gala, a speech and maybe a polite round of applause. Guildford Shakespeare Company have instead done something much more fitting. They’ve built a whole spring season around the very thing that’s kept them going this long: people.
Running from 9 to 23 April 2026, the company’s Spring Season coincides with the birthday of William Shakespeare and turns Guildford itself into part of the performance. GSC have made a reputation for staging theatre in places you don’t expect, and this year’s programme continues that tradition with young performers, walking adventures and a rare chance to hear directly from the people who started it all.
The season opens on 10 and 11 April with An Anatomy of (T)Errors, marking the 10th anniversary of the GSC Young Company. Devised and performed by theatre makers aged 13 to 18 and written by Theo-Toksvig Stewart, the piece draws on Frankenstein, The Comedy of Errors and Pride & Prejudice. It explores what happens when ambition runs ahead of responsibility and asks who really pays the price when ideas go too far. The Young Company has long been one of GSC’s proudest achievements, with many former members moving on into professional training and careers across the industry.
On 19 April, the famous Shakespeare Walks return home to Guildford after touring nearby towns in recent years. Part treasure hunt, part theatre trail, audiences follow a secret route revealed only on the day. Along the way actors appear in courtyards, pathways and hidden corners, turning the town into a living stage. Devised and directed by co-founder Matt Pinches, the walks last around an hour and depart every 15 minutes, so no two groups ever quite share the same experience.
The celebrations culminate on 23 April, Shakespeare’s birthday, with What’s Past Is Prologue: An Evening with GSC’s Co-Founders. Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches look back over two decades of theatre-making, including finding real skulls during Hamlet, unexpected interruptions during The Tempest, performing internationally and creating outreach projects that have taken theatre far beyond traditional venues. The evening is chaired by local radio favourite Peter Gordon and, appropriately for a birthday gathering, every ticket comes with a slice of cake.
Matt Pinches said reaching 20 years of theatre-making was an honour and that sharing the journey with audiences felt especially important. He added that seeing young performers grow and watching audiences rediscover both Shakespeare and their own town never loses its magic.
And I think that’s the heart of it. I’ve always believed theatre works best when it spills out into everyday life a bit. Not just a seat and a programme, but a shared moment. I’d happily wander along those Shakespeare Walks with my satchel, chatting to strangers, asking where they’ve travelled from and pointing out my favourite costumes before the actors have even finished their lines.
Because nights like this aren’t only performances. They’re gatherings. They’re neighbours meeting neighbours. They’re the sort of evenings where you leave feeling like you were part of something rather than just watching it. And if you do spot me along the route, come and say hello. I’ll be the one already planning your next theatre trip before you’ve even made it back to the car park.
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