Progress Theatre have been presenting an open-air Shakespeare play in the Abbey Ruins since 1995. It quickly became a cultural highlight in the Thames Valley's calendar with around 4,000 people attending each year. In 2007, with the event growing in popularity and status, a second production was included after the Shakespeare and the Festival was born. For 2008 the Festival includes a week of musical events from swing and jazz to African drumming.

Mounting an event on the scale of the Festival requires the efforts of a large team of people. The Abbey Ruins does not contain any pre-existing equipment: everything from the seating to electrical cabling to the front of house tents and stage has to be ordered and installed on site. Preparations started last year and the production team has been working flat out since January to ensure that everything runs as smoothly as possible.

The Festival is produced by Progress in partnership with Reading Borough Council who generously permit use of the gorgeous grounds of the Abbey Ruins. The Progress production team are all volunteers and none are paid for their time - each person becomes involved because they enjoy the challenges involved in producing the Festival, or in producing theatre in general. If this sounds like you, drop us an email at info@abbeyruins.com to learn more about how you can get involved now and in future years here at the Abbey Ruins or at Progress Theatre.

• 1995 - Henry V
• 1996 - Macbeth
• 1997 - King Lear
• 1998 - Much Ado About Nothing
• 1999 - Richard III
• 2000 - Twelfth Night
• 2001 - As You Like It
• 2002 - Julius Caesar
• 2003 - The Merchant of Venice
• 2005 - Romeo and Juliet
• 2006 - The Winter's Tale
• 2007 - A Midsummer Night's Dream
• 2008 - The Taming of the Shrew
• 2009 - Hamlet (in preparation!)