Theatre in the Forest returns with Twelfth Night at Sutton Hoo

Award-winning theatre company Red Rose Chain has announced that this summer’s Theatre in the Forest production at Sutton Hoo will be Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’.

Running from July 22 to August 22, their performance of the Bard’s much-loved mistaken-identity comedy will feature puppetry, Red Rose Chain’s core cast and the group’s distinctive style, which makes the experience fun for audiences of all ages while staying true to Shakespeare’s text.

The story…

Viola survives a shipwreck and disguises herself as a man, Cesario, to serve Duke Orsino. Orsino loves Olivia, but Olivia falls for Cesario, unaware of Viola’s true identity. Meanwhile, Viola secretly loves Orsino. A comic subplot involves Olivia’s steward, Malvolio, being tricked into believing Olivia loves him, leading to his humiliation. Confusion deepens when Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian, arrives, and Olivia marries him, mistaking him for Cesario. Ofcourse, ultimately, misunderstandings are resolved and harmony returns.

Darren Latham in Macbeth 2022. Photo by Bernie Totten.

Co-directed by David Newborn and Katy Latham, ‘Twelfth Night’ will be in memory of Jo Carrick, Artistic Director and Founder of Red Rose Chain, who died in January following a short illness.

The company continues to deliver Jo’s legacy of theatre-making and celebrate her passion for the arts, local heritage and inclusivity, and this year’s production will be performed using both her adaptation from 2011 and her unique Theatre in the Forest style.

David Newborn, Red Rose Chain Executive Producer and co-director of Twelfth Night, says: “Jo’s amazing creativity made Theatre in the Forest a key feature of summer in Suffolk. Our audiences of all ages and backgrounds have always made it clear how much it means to them. It is a real honour to be leading Jo’s team of actors, creatives and volunteers to celebrate her life. One of the themes of Twelfth Night is love and joy emerging from the pain of loss, so there really couldn’t be a more appropriate choice this year. We are all very excited to come together and bring to life Shakespeare’s words with the usual dose of Red Rose Chain magic, comedy, puppetry and songs.”

Joshua Ward, Senior Visitor Experience Officer at National Trust Sutton Hoo, says: "We're delighted to be hosting Theatre in the Forest for another year with Red Rose Chain's production of Twelfth Night. We can't think of a better way to celebrate Jo Carrick's incredible legacy than with another great summer of outdoor theatre - and it’s also a great way to experience an evening at Sutton Hoo."

The announcement of this year’s play follows Red Rose Chain’s recent win of the ‘Empty Space… Peter Brook Award’ (in memory of Blanche Marvin) at the Critics Circle Theatre Awards, for its work presented in 2025. You can read our own review of last year’s production of ‘Hamlet’ HERE.

Twelfth Night is at Sutton Hoo from 22 July to 22 August 2026.

FOR SHOW DETAILS AND BOOKING LINK, CLICK HERE