NATIONAL touring theatre company The Three Inch Fools are heading to to Abbotsford next month.

Acclaimed for their fast-paced and musically driven approach to Shakespeare, the company will bring lots of fun and frivolity to the home of Sir Walter Scott, on Friday, July 13.

Five actors, with all manner of musical instruments and plenty of character-swapping, will present an inventive take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream as part of their national summer tour.

Shakespeare’s much-loved play is a comic tale of runaway lovers, beguiling potions and an unfortunate individual who gets turned into a donkey.

When four unfortunate lovers decide to elope into the woods, little do they know things are about to get a lot more complex.

Add to the mix a mischievous sprite and a motley crew of mechanicals attempting to rehearse a play, and anything could happen.

The five-strong company of Fools bring the magical world of the forest vividly to life in this new production, in a way that is certain to delight and surprise those already familiar with the play, and to enchant those who have yet to discover its joys.

Audience members are invited to arrive early, and to bring a picnic, to add to the festival atmosphere of the performance, and to make this a midsummer night’s dream of their own.

“We want to show Shakespeare off to everyone and excite a whole new generation of Shakespeare lovers to get to know his plays in all their vibrancy,” says Three Inch Fools CoFounder and Director James Hyde.

"Through our own high-paced performance style and musical talents we would say we have found our own unique take on Shakespeare.”

The Three Inch Fools specialise in bringing Shakespeare to life in innovative and unexpected ways, through bold choreography and mystical sound-worlds, working with award-winning composer Stephen Hyde.

Original music plays a central role in this production, cleverly helping to elevate Shakespeare’s text from the page, and to recreate the same lively atmosphere that Elizabethan audiences would have experienced.

Over the years, The Three Inch Fools have performed in venues ranging from castles and cathedrals to bookshops and seaside piers – all the world’s a stage!

They are particularly excited to be returning to Abbotsford this year, performing one of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream runs at Abbotsford on Friday, July 13 at 7pm.

Tickets cost £14 (£12 concessions, £12.60 friends) and are available online from www.threeinchfools.com or www.scottsabbotsford.com .

Tickets can also be booked by phone on 01896 752043 or in person at the Abbotsford Visitor Centre.

Booking is essential as spaces are limited. Gates open for picnics from 6pm.