Silver anniversaries can have a habit of looking backwards. Scrapbooks. Greatest hits. Politely dusted‑off monuments rather than momentum. Bard in the Botanics, thankfully, has never been that kind of company.
As the Glasgow‑based company marks its 25th anniversary this summer, the newly announced Lovers and Madmen season doesn’t feel like a victory lap so much as a statement of intent: this is a company still hungry for risk, still committed to fresh interpretations, and still unafraid of asking big questions under open skies and breaking through glass ceilings (figuratively, for the Kibble Palace at least). It’s a reminder of why Bard in the Botanics has endured: clarity over caution, and a continued belief that classical theatre should feel alive, immediate and slightly dangerous.
Running from 24th June to 1st August 2026, the season threads Shakespeare, Renaissance tragedy and classic literary adaptation across the Botanic Gardens’ outdoor stage and the singular space of the Kibble Palace. It’s a programme rich in contrast but united by the company’s long‑standing commitment to actor‑driven storytelling.
The summer opens with a double Shakespeare offering that immediately sets out its tonal range. On the outdoor main stage, Twelfth Night promises summer comedy with muscle behind the mischief. Directed by bard stalwart Jennifer Dick, the production places Viola at the centre of the storm, with Rebecca Robin (Doctor Faustus) returning to the Bard fold in the role. Robin’s recent work with the company has demonstrated an instinct for clarity and emotional agility—qualities essential to a play where identity is both puzzle and power. Opposite, Panto-villain hero Stephen Arden takes on Malvolio, a role that demands precision rather than bluster if its cruelty is to land without collapsing into caricature. Expect colour, mischief, and a sharp eye for how comedy reveals character rather than disguises it.
Just metres away, the season’s darker pulse beats inside the Kibble Palace, where Othello receives a lean reinvention for five actors. Gordon Barr directs, stripping away scale in favour of pressure, proximity and moral suffocation. Making his Bard in the Botanics debut in the title role is Manasa Tagica (Wallace and Saint Joan). Adam Donaldson, a familiar Bard associate, steps into the role of Iago – an actor whose intelligence and restraint are likely to sharpen the production’s psychological edge rather than soften it.
The second half of the season sees Bard turn to literary adaptation—and history. To mark 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen, the company presents a new stage version of Emma, adapted by Dick and directed by Barr. Esme Bayley returns in the title role, a casting choice that suggests a version of Emma Woodhouse driven more by impulsive wit than genteel composure. Alongside her, Bard veterans Alan Steele and James Boal bring institutional memory and warmth to the patriarchal and romantic poles of the story, grounding Austen’s social satire in generational tension rather than ornament.
Running in parallel within the Kibble Palace is the powerful The Duchess of Malfi, a play woven into Bard in the Botanics’ origin story. First staged by the company in its inaugural year, Webster’s brutal tragedy returns in a new adaptation directed by Dick. Robin’s leads the cast in the title role, anchoring the production with a performer deeply attuned to the company’s aesthetic: emotional truth delivered without indulgence. That choice alone signals that this is not nostalgia theatre – it is repertoire revisited with intent.
What becomes increasingly clear through the casting is Bard in the Botanics’ faith in ensemble continuity. This is a season shaped by returning actors trusted with radically different demands across comedy, tragedy and adaptation. It speaks to a repertory ethos that prizes versatility, risk and longevity – qualities increasingly rare in an arts ecology built on short runs and shorter memories.
After launching its anniversary year with a touring Medea, this return to the Botanics feels earned rather than ceremonial. There is ambition here, certainly – but more importantly, there is confidence. Not nostalgia. Not complacency. Just a company, still evolving, still thriving, and still trusting that great stories sound even better when the weather behaves. And if it rains, that’s part of the tradition too.
Be ready for the ticket release here
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Review by Dominic Corr – contact@corrblimey.uk
Editor for Corr Blimey, and a freelance critic for Scottish publications, Dominic has been writing freelance for several established and respected publications such as BBC Radio Scotland, The List, The Scotsman, Edinburgh Festival Magazine, The Reviews Hub, In Their Own League, The Wee Review and Edinburgh Guide. As of 2023, he is a member of the Critic’s Award for Theatre Scotland (CATS) and a member of the UK Film Critics.
