A set of exciting, high-energy Shakespeare shows will play at this year's Glastonbury Festival.  1623 theatre company, which specialises in performing Shakespeare in unusual places, returns to the legendary festival after performing in the mud last year.

The blitz-spirit effort of the performers and crew last year prompted the festival stage manager to write in her post-festival report: "This is extreme theatre!  What troopers!  Let's do it again!"

Ben Spiller, artistic director of 1623, explains: "Our mission is to take Shakespeare to all sorts of weird and wonderful places, in order to make his work as fun and accessible as possible.  After all, he wrote for everyone.

"At Glastonbury we're performing The Course of True Love, Sinful ShaXXXpeare and Stand-Up Shakespeare, which are collections of Shakespeare scenes.  Each show has a presenter, who breaks down the barriers between Shakespeare and the audience."

If you're going to the festival, look out for the 1623 Shakespeare Tent in Glebeland, Theatre & Circus Field.  Performances are 60 minutes long and start at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm on each day of the festival.

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Notes for editors

• Glastonbury takes places from Friday 27 to Sunday 29 June 2008
• 1623 performs Shakespeare at 2pm, 5pm and 8pm on each day of the festival
• Past 1623 events have included the Royal Shakespeare Company Fringe and BBC Gardeners' World Live
• For more details on 1623, call Ben Spiller on 07867 996959 or visit www.1623theatre.co.uk
• For more information on Glastonbury, visit www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk