Guildford Shakespeare Company Expands Knife Crime Programme for 20th Anniversary

Critically acclaimed theatre company Guildford Shakespeare Company (GSC) has unveiled its full autumn programme, continuing the company's landmark twentieth anniversary year. GSC’s pioneering knife crime awareness initiative, Put Up Your Swords, will expand into more Surrey schools after reaching around 2,000 young people in its inaugural year.  The season will also see GSC bring free Shakespeare performances to thousands of secondary school pupils through the return of The Play’s The Thing, alongside announcing the cast for a new immersive murder mystery A Brew To A Kill.

Returning from 21st September, Put Up Your Swords will provide an eight-week programme supporting Year 9 pupils to explore the realities and consequences of knife crime.  It is developed in partnership with the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Surrey, the University of Surrey, Fearless, the youth service of Crimestoppers UK, and a number of specialist charities.

Using Romeo and Juliet as a framework, Put Up Your Swords supports Year 9 pupils to explore the realities and consequences of knife crime. Taking place in a creative and supportive environment, the programme moves beyond simply telling young people about its dangers, instead encouraging them to actively consider the choices available to them and explore safer outcomes through the context of key scenes from Shakespeare’s play. 

Throughout the programme, students take part in drama workshops and professional stage combat sessions, hear from guest speakers with lived experience and participate in a simulated court case at the University of Surrey, where Romeo is put on trial.

The programme was developed following a stabbing near GSC’s Guildford offices in 2023, which prompted the company to consider what responsibility it could have as a storyteller working with young people in its community. Put Up Your Swords was subsequently developed alongside GSC’s 2024 production of Romeo and Juliet, using Shakespeare’s story of violence, conflict and consequences as the starting point for meaningful conversations with young people.

Continuing GSC’s long-standing commitment to making theatre accessible to young audiences also continues this autumn as The Play’s The Thing, its much-loved secondary schools tour, returns for its ninth year. Featuring Romeo & Juliet and Macbeth, the 10-week tour will bring free performances to Year 10 and 11 pupils in less advantaged schools across Surrey and beyond, including visits to Reading in partnership with Reading Rep, Richmond in co-production with the Orange Tree Theatre, and the British School in The Hague, as well as touring in the half-term to local community venues for adult audiences.

With schools facing increasing financial pressure, the Surrey-leg of the tour aims to ensure cost is not a barrier to experiencing live theatre. Last year’s funded tour created more than 8,000 free engagement opportunities for Surrey pupils. This year Ben Harvey (The History of Boys, Old Red Lion Theatre; Reformed, Bread and Roses Theatre) will star as Romeo and Cameron Quinn Chaver (The Duchess of Malfi , LAMDA; A Wild Night in Toledo, LAMDA) as Juliet, while the cast of Macbeth features Finn O’Riordain (Troilus and Cressida, The Globe; Sectioned, Cam) as Macbeth and Consuella Rolle (Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Piccadilly Circus; Snow White and the Happy Ever After Beauty Salon, Salisbury Playhouse) as Lady Macbeth. 

Later in the season, GSC swaps Shakespearean bloodshed for a rather different kind of murder as it heads back to Hogs Back Brewery for its previously announced immersive murder mystery A Brew To A Kill, running from 24th October to 15th November, with the company today announcing the production’s cast.

Following the sell-out success of Boeing, Boeing, Gone!, staged on a real 747, and The Housetrap, set at BBC Ghosts’ West Horsley Place, GSC once again transforms an unusual location into an immersive theatrical experience, inviting audiences inside the brewery to uncover the truth behind a mysterious death discovered on the very night of the brewery’s big relaunch.

The production introduces audiences to the Gloucester family and the colourful characters caught up in the chaos, with Jack Whitam (A Christmas Carol, London Limelight; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bolton Octogan) as Richard, Emma Fenney (EastEnders, BBC; Fawlty Towers: The Play, Phil Mcintyre Entertainment) as Edwina, Robert Maskell (The Rivals, Orange Tree Theatre; The Importance of Being Earnest, The Storyhouse) as local gangster Tommy Tyrell and Laura Smithers (Macbeth, Guildford Shakespeare Company; Wicked, Sky) as rival brewer Anne Prior.

On the season ahead, Co-founder Matt Pinches comments, The final season of work for 20th Anniversary Year really typifies what GSC is all about: harnessing the power of drama to change and challenge perceptions; giving young people their first unforgettable taste of professional Shakespeare; inviting audiences to a great night out exploring a treasured landmark through a unique live theatre experience. These are huge projects and their ambition is testament to the passion and belief that our teams share. I can‘t wait to get started!