Shakespeare in the Ruins has announced its 2026 summer season, built around the theme “Love & Legends.”
Credit: Shakespeare In The Ruins
This year’s lineup brings together two very different works, Shakespeare’s As You Like It and An Iliad, a modern adaptation of Homer’s epic, presented side by side to explore how stories of love and conflict continue to resonate.
Both productions will be staged at the Trappist Monastery Provincial Heritage Park, where SIR has been hosting its summer performances for several years. As You Like It is scheduled from June 4 to July 5, while An Iliad will run from June 18 to July 5. This marks the fifth consecutive year the company has adopted a dual-production format at the same outdoor venue.
Shakespeare in the Ruins
The pairing of the two works contrasts different narrative styles and emotional tones. As You Like It unfolds in the Forest of Arden, where characters navigate love, identity, and belonging in a setting shaped by humour and the transformative power of love. An Iliad, on the other hand, turns to the battlefield of Troy, focusing on the brutality of war and its lasting emotional toll. Placed together, the productions offer two perspectives on similar questions—what drives people to conflict, and what draws them back toward connection.
Artistic Director Rodrigo Beilfuss said the pairing allows the company to explore both sides of human experience. While An Iliad reflects on the repeated cycles of violence across history, As You Like It provides a counterbalance through its emphasis on reconciliation and human relationships.
Credit: Travel Manitoba
As with previous seasons, the productions will make use of the monastery ruins as an active part of the staging. Performances unfold outdoors, where changing light and weather conditions become part of the experience rather than a backdrop.
Tickets for the season are now available. SIR is offering a 15 per cent early discount on purchases made before April 12.