Romeo & Juliet and Dracula come to Cornwall this July

Three nights, two venues, and a weekend that swings from young love to something with rather sharper teeth. British Touring Shakespeare are heading to Cornwall in late July with a pair of open-air productions, and one of them keeps the crossing of the Demeter as close to Bram Stoker’s original as the company could manage.

What’s on and where

The company, which describes itself as internationally acclaimed, brings the two shows to Cornwall as part of their 2026 summer UK tour. Audiences can catch William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet at Sterts Arts and Environmental Centre on Friday 24 July, followed by Stoker’s Dracula at Enys Gardens on Saturday 25 July, and then Romeo and Juliet returns for a matinee at Enys Gardens on Sunday 26 July.

All three performances are open-air, played beneath the summer sky.

Romeo and Juliet. Friday 24 July 2026, 7:30 PM. Sterts Arts and Environmental Centre, Upton, Liskeard, Cornwall PL14 5AZ. Book tickets.

Dracula. Saturday 25 July 2026, 6:00 PM. Enys Gardens, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9LB. Book tickets.

Romeo and Juliet. Sunday 26 July 2026, 2:00 PM. Enys Gardens, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9LB. Book tickets.

Juliet under a Cornish sky

Lizzie Sharpe, who plays Juliet, said: “Juliet is one of the most iconic roles in theatre, and it is a privilege to bring her story to life in such magical outdoor settings. Romeo and Juliet is full of passion, poetry, humour and heartbreak, and performing beneath the summer sky in Cornwall promises to be a truly unforgettable experience.”

A Dracula that stays true to the book

The company’s adaptation of Dracula puts Mina Harker at the centre of the story. Co-adapter David Hobbs MBE, an award-winning historian and writer who retired from the Royal Navy with the rank of Commander, said: “Our adaptation presents Mina Harker as the driving force behind the hunt for Dracula whilst keeping true to Bram Stoker’s original novel. We have also sought complete authenticity in the novel’s maritime sequences, from the language and dialogue to the staging of the voyage of the Demeter, ensuring audiences experience the story exactly as Victorian readers might have imagined it.”

More than 25 years of open-air theatre

British Touring Shakespeare invite audiences of all ages to an unforgettable weekend of theatre in the open air, drawing on more than 25 years of experience. Since 1999, the company has brought professional open-air theatre to hundreds of thousands of people across the UK. Their signature productions combine authentic verse, traditional staging, rich costumes, striking visuals and period appropriate live music, with the aim of making classic stories accessible to everyone.

Cast and crew

Romeo and Juliet, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Andrew Hobbs, features Lizzie Sharpe as Juliet, Troy Chessman as Romeo, Emma Riches as Mercutio, Will Croft as Tybalt, Cici Clarke as Lady Capulet, Brendan Matthew as Nurse, Paul Winterford as Montague and Andrew Hobbs as Benvolio.

Dracula, written by Bram Stoker and adapted by Andrew Hobbs and David Hobbs MBE, features Emma Riches as Mina Harker, Paul Winterford as Count Dracula, Will Croft as Professor Van Helsing, Lizzie Sharpe as Lucy Westenra, Troy Chessman as Jonathan Harker, Brendan Matthew as Dr John Seward and Cici Clarke as Renfield, with Andrew Hobbs as Arthur Holmwood and Alistair Smith as Quincey P. Morris.

Original music for the production is composed and performed by Alistair Smith. The wider creative team includes company stage manager Mary Anne Coleman, associate director, choreographer and casting Lucyelle Cliffe, costume designer Amanda Beauchamp, fight director Tom Thornhill, and communications and public relations by Anton Shelupanov. More about the company can be found on the British Touring Shakespeare website.

Tickets for all three performances are available now: Romeo and Juliet at Sterts on Friday 24 July, Dracula at Enys Gardens on Saturday 25 July, and Romeo and Juliet at Enys Gardens on Sunday 26 July.