If you are looking to enjoy both the summer weather and some high-quality English-language theatre, you're in luck! Award-winning theatre-group Illyria is bringing their open-air production of Shakespearean classic Romeo and Juliet to the Netherlands.

English language theatre

For two nights in Wassenaar and one night in Putten, you can lay out your picnic blanket, take a seat and nibble your cheese and crackers as the love- and revenge-filled tragedy plays out before you. 

Illyria Theatre has been creating incredible open-air theatre for more than 30 years and is still going strong. As well as performing up and down the UK every summer, they have also brought their shows to audiences in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, France, the US and Canada. The performances from Illyria are bold and physical, and have the aim of entertaining family members of all ages.

They have been invited over by STET, the English-language theatre group based in Den Haag.

Where to see Romeo and Juliet in the Netherlands

The play is being staged in two locations:

Raadhuis de Paauw

Raadhuislaan 22, 2242 CP, Wassenaar

• Thursday, September 5
• Friday, September 6

Schovenhorst Estate

Garderenseweg 93, 3881 GK, Putten

• Saturday, September 7

All performances are scheduled to start at 7.30pm, and the doors open at 5.30pm so you can enjoy a wander around the grounds and perhaps get stuck into your picnic before the play starts. Estimated running time is 2 hours 20 minutes, including an interval.

Attending Romeo and Juliet

Both performances are accessible by public transport. Buses 43 and 44 from The Hague stop at Wassenaar Jonker bus stop, about a 5-minute walk from the Raddhuis de Paauw. Bus 43 also runs from Leiden if you are coming from the other direction. Bus 107 which runs between Ede-Wageningen train station and Putten stops right outside the Schovenhorst Estate.

Tickets can be bought on the Romeo and Juliet event page, and you can find out more information about the production there.