Cute sheep are touring Britain and putting on Shakespeare's plays

 By 
Sam Haysom
 on 
Original image replaced with Mashable logo
Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

LONDON -– If you're growing tired of watching boring human actors when you go to the theatre, you'll be happy to hear that farm animals are now treading the boards too.

Sheep, specifically. A whole cast of them. A production, simply titled King Lear With Sheep, has been touring the UK –- from Surrey to Sussex -– in all its wooly glory. And now it's coming to London.

We interupt #DuckWeek to bring you this ruminant-related message. Go see King Lear with Sheep. http://t.co/hps6eeSDUk pic.twitter.com/rDjJhj83WJ— Modern Farmer (@ModFarm) June 16, 2015

The play features one human actor (who plays the director of the play), and a cast of eight sheep (who play the, er, cast).

'King Lear with Sheep': a play that delivers exactly what it promises. Funny, sad and a little bit smelly. Brilliant. pic.twitter.com/85anZFuY9h— Mark Bridge (@markbridge) August 16, 2014

King Lear With Sheep is written and directed by Missouri Williams, and stars actor Alasdair Saksena.

Here's Alasdair with a sheep.

Missin cordelia A photo posted by @saksenal on Jul 2, 2014 at 3:01pm PDT

The play is described as "an experimental re-evaluation of its famous predecessor that overturns theatrical conventions through the startling and revolutionary device of costumed sheep."

King Lear With Sheep will be on at The Courtyard from 12-16 August, and tickets cost £10.

"A stubborn director is trying to put on a production of King Lear with a cast composed solely of sheep," reads the blurb. "As expected, his actors are both silent and mutinous. Much chaos ensues."

The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!