Cast Set For LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST and MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Co-Production at GSC and Orange Tree Theatre
Phoebe Pryce and James Sheldon lead the ensemble at Guildford's Braboeuf Manor, directed by Tom Littler
Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) has revealed its 2026 summer season. Running from 1st to 25th July, the company will return to Braboeuf Manor, bringing together two of Shakespeare's romantic comedies, Love's Labour's Lost and Much Ado About Nothing, in co-production with Orange Tree Theatre (OT).
Following its run in Guildford, the productions will head to the gardens of Thomas's College, for OT on the Hill, from 31st July to 22nd August. A distinct open-air theatrical event, the productions are presented as a unique, interconnected experience, with the shows spanning several years and exploring the enduring complexities of love.
Tom Littler (The Rivals, Orange Tree Theatre; Twelfth Night, Orange Tree Theatre), Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of the OT, which won The Stage's Theatre of the Year Award in 2025, stages these two beloved Shakespeare comedies as a single, sweeping narrative set either side of World War II. In a joyful reimagining, the story unfolds across two summers, 1939 and 1945, allowing audiences to follow the same characters over time. This project sees Littler renew his collaboration with GSC having previously directed Hamlet, Love's Labour's Lost, Much Ado About Nothing, The Wind in the Willows, Twelfth Night and As You Like It for the company.
This approach picks up on the long-debated idea that Much Ado About Nothing may, in fact, be the elusive Love's Labour's Won, a possible sequel to Love's Labour's Lost which explores what might have happened next after one of comedy's greatest cliffhangers. The two productions will run in repertory throughout July, giving audiences the chance to enjoy each play independently or experience both in a single day. While each story can easily stand alone, together they offer a beautifully satisfying love saga.
The two productions will be performed by a single ensemble cast, enabling audiences to follow the same characters as their stories unfold. The company will feature:
- Phoebe Pryce (The Crucible, Shakespeare's Globe; The Importance of Being Earnest, Manchester Royal Exchange) as Beatrice/Rosaline
- James Sheldon (The Rivals, Orange Tree Theatre; Pride & Prejudice, Bolton Octagon) as Benedick Berowne
- Joëlle Brabban (The Rivals, Orange Tree; Romeo & Juliet, Grosvenor Park Open Air) as Hero/Moth
- Sally Cheng (My Neighbour Totoro, RSC/West End; Twelfth Night, Regent's Park) as Margaret/Jaquenetta
- Jeremy Lloyd (Singin' in the Rain, Jonathan Church Prod; Spike, Watermill Theatre) as Costard/Borachio
- Chirag Bendict Lobo (Private Lives, BOV, Rose, Octagon; The Circle, Orange Tree) as Claudio Dumain
- Owen Oakeshott (The Mousetrap, West End; Witness for the Prosecution, Eleanor Lloyd Prod) as Prince of Navarre/Don Pedro
James, Sally, Jeremy and Owen have all appeared in previous GSC productions, and joining them are GSC's co-founders, actor-managers Sarah Gobran and Matt Pinches as Leonata, Princess of France and John Longaville/Dull Dogberry. Between them Sarah and Matt have appeared in 45 of GSC's 69 productions to date. Matt will also be well-known to Guildford audiences from his last 3 years in the Yvonne Arnaud pantomime.
The production also brings on the internationally acclaimed Matthew Floyd Jones (Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder, West End; Nanny, BBC Radio 4; A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad), Fringe First Award; The Elmer Adventure, Tall Stories) to compose, a celebrated writer and musician known for his precise, expressive approach to storytelling through music. Best recognised as one half of the acclaimed comedy duo Frisky & Mannish, Jones has developed a distinctive compositional voice which blends wit with strong musical craftsmanship.
This production marks several important milestones for GSC. Much Ado About Nothing was the company's very first production in 2006, making its revival especially meaningful in this anniversary year. Audiences can expect a quintessential summer theatre experience, with performances staged against the sweeping lawns of the historic 16th-century Braboeuf Manor, complete with picnic-friendly evenings, and the company's trademark inventive use of space.
GSC co-founder, Matt Pinches, comments, “The prospect of staging these two beloved comedies and returning to Braboeuf Manor is incredibly exciting for our 20th Anniversary. As the first show we produced, Much Ado will always hold a special place in our hearts, and to pair it so sensitively as Tom Littler has done with Love's Labour's Lost is something very special. Beautifully staged Shakespeare, full of feel-good factor fun in an idyllic setting… what better way to spend a summer evening?”
Director, Tom Littler, adds, “I am delighted to help celebrate the 20th birthday of one of my favourite theatre companies, Guildford Shakespeare Company. I loved directing these two great comedies a decade ago, and I'm excited by the opportunity to return to them and, this time, to tie them together as a rich and sweeping narrative that sees love gained, lost, and, against the odds, won again. It's a treat to be back in Guildford, and to share these plays with audiences in London too - in the Orange Tree's first visit to the gardens of Thomas's College on Richmond Hill.”
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