THE Royal Shakespeare Company is offering amateur and professional theatre groups, schools and colleges the opportunity to perform Shakespeare on the banks of the Avon.

And if Shakespeare isn't to their taste, they can perform a play by one of his contemporaries.

The venue will be The Dell, the RSC's open air performance space on the banks of the River Avon in Stratford-upon-Avon, on Saturdays and Sundays throughout June, July and August 2017.

RSC Events and Exhibitions Officer, Nicola Salmon, said: "The Dell provides a space for groups to perform an established piece of work, or to create a new one inspired by Shakespeare or his contemporaries, and it has already seen over 300 groups perform on its stage since it launched eleven years ago.

“The Dell is a great platform for amateur theatre companies, community groups, schools, universities and professional theatre companies to perform to an audience of all ages right in the heart of Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. Audiences love the free productions that companies bring to The Dell, and enjoy the unique atmosphere that comes from plays being performed outside by the River Avon during the summer months. I can’t wait to see what this year’s crop of shows will be.”

Those interested in mounting a production should fill in an application form, which can be downloaded from the RSC’s website - www.rsc.org.uk/thedell

The closing date for applications is Monday, March 6.