York Summer Sonnets comedy show where four doubles teams compete, sharing Shakespeare's sonnets.
2026 Summer Sonnets: What the Deuce! comes to Holy Trinity, Goodramgate on Friday 7 August, the latest in the Summer Sonnets series here in York. It's a comedy show built around Shakespeare's sonnets, and the format is a competitive one: four doubles teams go head-to-head, each pair sharing the sonnets between them. If you've ever wondered how a poem written in the 1600s holds up when two people have to work it out together on stage, this is where you'll find out.
The setup is straightforward. Four pairs of performers take on the sonnets, splitting the lines and the delivery. Because it's a comedy show, the focus is on the performance and the chemistry between the partners rather than a straight reading. The competitive element adds another layer to it, as the teams go up against each other throughout the night. It's a bit of a twist on the usual way we encounter Shakespeare—taking the sonnets out of the book and putting them into a live, competitive setting.
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It's taking place at Holy Trinity, Goodramgate, right in the heart of the city, so it's an easy one to get to. If you're into comedy or have a soft spot for the Bard, it's a good way to spend a Friday night in August. The show runs on 7 August, with the sonnets shared across the four teams.
