Shakespeare Festival Neuss

A Globe Theatre on the Lower Rhine

The Globe Theatre Neuss is an architectural homage to the Elizabethan original from London. Three storeys of wood and steel, an open courtyard, over 500 seats around the round stage – the only faithfully reconstructed Globe Theatre in the Rhineland is located in the Neusser Rennbahnpark, the site of the 2026 State Garden Show. Since 1991, the Neuss City Cultural Office has organized one of Europe's most renowned Shakespeare festivals here every year from early May to early June.

Three Weeks, One Globe, One World

From May 14 to June 6, 2026, the festival will bring around 15 productions to the stage, with a total of over 35 performances. The international scope is part of the program: companies from Germany, England, Spain, the Netherlands, Austria, and France will present their own interpretations of Shakespeare's works. From traditional spoken theatre to experimental performance and musical adaptations – the range is extraordinary.

Opening with The Tiger Lillies

The opening on May 14, 2026, features an international coup: The Tiger Lillies & La Perla 29 from Barcelona will present A Macbeth Song – a dark, cabaret-style take on the Scottish play featuring the characteristic falsetto voice of Martyn Jacques. The Tiger Lillies have been a cult act in British underground theatre since the 1990s; they have a long-standing collaboration with La Perla 29.

The 2026 Productions – An International Showcase

The 2026 season offers a first-class program. The Rheinische Landestheater Neuss will perform Romeo and Juliet, as will the bremer shakespeare company with their own version (including school performances). Rufus Beck & Tango Transit will combine A Midsummer Night's Dream with Argentine tangos. Schaper+Richter will present Henry the Fifth, Buzz Studios from England will show Petty Men, and the HandleBards will tour their bicycle-powered As You Like It. From France, Cie Minuit44 will bring Richard III, and the Landestheater Linz will perform Measure for Measure. Greensleeved will present the solo performance Yorick, or the Skull, and Compania Sincara will explore the role of the fool in (N)o Midsummer Night's Dream.

Finale with Woods of Birnam

The festival finale on June 6, 2026, will be presented by the Dresden band Woods of Birnam with Searching for William – a musical theatre project based on Shakespearean sonnets and verses, sung by Christian Friedel (also known from The White Lotus). A genre-bending, highly musical closing production.

Globe Atmosphere: Close, Intense, Participatory

What makes the Globe Neuss special is the proximity to the stage. No one sits more than 15 metres away from the actors. The stage is open, and performances sometimes take place among the audience seating. The open courtyard brings daylight and weather into play – a significant part of the Elizabethan experience. Additionally, there will be garden performances by Stefan Schneckenburger between the main shows.

Independent of the State Garden Show

In 2026, the Shakespeare Festival will take place on the grounds of the Neuss State Garden Show, but it is independently accessible: theatregoers do not need a LAGA ticket, and vice versa. Those who wish to combine both can purchase a day ticket and stroll through the gardens to the performance – an extraordinary constellation in the festival landscape.

Neuss as a Theatre City on the Rhine

Neuss, in the Rhein-Kreis Neuss district, with a population of good 150,000, is the second-largest city in the district after the district capital Grevenbroich. The Globe Theatre represents the city's cultural profile: a permanent theatre of international renown that attracts international companies every year. With the Rheinische Landestheater in the city centre and the Stadthalle, Neuss boasts an exceptional density of theatres for a city of its size.