Stratford-upon-Avon, a town forever entwined with the legacy of William Shakespeare, is about to reclaim a piece of its theatrical glory. After more than three decades away, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Oscar-winning actor and one of the most celebrated interpreters of Shakespeare in the modern era, is set to return to the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) for its spring 2026 season. Branagh's homecoming is not just a personal milestone—it has sparked hope among residents and theatre-lovers that the town might recapture some of its lost vibrancy and cultural cachet.
Branagh's connection to the RSC and Stratford runs deep. According to The Independent, his last major performance with the company was in 1993, when he took on the title role in Hamlet. For locals, his presence was electrifying. "Branagh, who had been in a few popular early 1990s films, including Peter’s Friends, was something of a sex symbol, and we were excited to have him in our town," one resident recalled. The Dirty Duck, a legendary pub just steps from the theatre, was a stomping ground for actors and fans alike, and Branagh's appearances were a highlight for many.
But Stratford-upon-Avon has not been immune to the challenges facing small towns across the UK. The economic blows of the Covid pandemic hit hard, shuttering beloved shops and altering the character of the high street. The closure of Woolworths, replaced by Poundland, and the loss of fixtures like Debenhams, The Body Shop, and the Edward Moon restaurant left a palpable void. Traffic congestion and the rise of big-box developments, such as a sprawling McDonald’s drive-in, have further changed the town’s landscape. As The Independent notes, "Like many small towns, we struggled during Covid with store closures and the Amazon takeover."
Cultural tensions have also surfaced. Earlier in 2025, the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which manages several historic properties and collections in the town, acknowledged that some items in its care may contain "language or depictions that are racist, sexist, homophobic or otherwise harmful." This move followed a 2022 study by the University of Birmingham, which criticized the Trust for presenting Shakespeare as a "universal" genius. The debate around how to interpret and present the Bard’s work in the 21st century has grown more pointed, with some locals fearing that Stratford’s Shakespearean identity is under threat. Yet, as one commentator put it, "His words and language are part of our heritage and should surpass any cultural divides. The only reason they have become clichés is that we still use them so much."
Against this backdrop, Branagh’s return feels almost providential. As reported by The Evening Standard, Branagh will star in two marquee productions: Prospero in Shakespeare’s The Tempest and Lopakhin in Laura Wade’s new adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard. Both plays are scheduled for the RSC’s 2026 spring season, with The Tempest running from May 13 to June 20 at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and The Cherry Orchard from July 10 to August 29 at the Swan Theatre. Notably, Branagh will share the stage with Academy Award-winner Helen Hunt, who makes her RSC debut as Madame Ranyevskaya in Chekhov’s classic.
Branagh’s excitement is palpable. "Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans, and the RSC, have gone out to grab people, they know the debate is live and they know the reality of device versus diversion is real. They understand there is a necessity to engage the audience," he told The Evening Standard. He added, "We have to work harder to earn the audience’s attention. But the thrill and the surprise when people share and Shakespeare invites – the completion of the experience is the arrival of the audience. And there’s nowhere with a greater sense of event than the Royal Shakespeare Theatre at Stratford-upon-Avon."
Branagh’s reflections on his own theatrical awakening are just as vivid. He recounted watching Romeo and Juliet as a teenager: "We were bussed up from our comprehensive school in Reading and then this incredible thing happened, which began with a sword fight...for a bunch of 13-year-olds, a very beautiful woman came on and then a very handsome young man, and suddenly hormones and testosterone were absolutely flying around the place, just as noisy and thrilling as the swordplay. Then suddenly that story came and grabbed us by the throat, and for me it was a life-changer."
Branagh’s career has spanned both stage and screen, with acclaimed roles in Henry V (his RSC debut at age 23), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Thor, and A Haunting in Venice. His return to Stratford is seen by many as a potential catalyst for renewed interest in the town’s cultural offerings. As The Independent suggests, “Could Branagh...help save Stratford? At the RSC next year, Branagh will be playing Prospero in The Tempest...and Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard...This alone will bring people from all over the world to our town.”
The RSC’s 2026 season is shaping up to be one of its most ambitious yet. In addition to the Branagh-led productions, the company will stage Bertolt Brecht’s The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui—a political satire on Hitler’s ascent to power, marking its first appearance at the RSC. The season will also feature Driftwood by Martina Laird and a co-production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Unicorn, a leading children’s theatre. Co-artistic directors Tamara Harvey and Daniel Evans explained their vision: “When we set out as the co-artistic directors of the Royal Shakespeare Company, we were united by a belief in the RSC as a home for radical and resonant theatre – inspired by Shakespeare and made by the most exciting artists from across the globe. Two years after our arrival, that commitment remains at the heart of everything we do.”
They added, “From Shakespeare’s late meditation on freedom and forgiveness to Anton Chekhov’s prescient final play, by way of Bertolt Brecht’s searing satire on the rise of fascism, our relationship to family, community and state is brought sharply into focus on stage in 2026. We know that the stories we choose to tell as artists play a vital role in bringing people together, building connections and deepen our understanding of one another. In an increasingly volatile world, this matters to us more than ever.”
For Stratford-upon-Avon, the hope is that this star-studded season will not only draw audiences from around the globe but also inject fresh energy into a town wrestling with its identity. As the curtain rises on Branagh’s return, the stage is set for Stratford to rediscover the sense of event and excitement that once made it a cultural beacon.
With Branagh, Hunt, and a daring slate of productions, the RSC is betting that the magic of live theatre—rooted in centuries of tradition yet unafraid to confront the present—can once again put Stratford-upon-Avon at the heart of the world’s cultural conversation.
