College hosts inaugural garden play

Green Templeton welcomed audiences to its inaugural Garden Play on Sunday 7 and Monday 8 June, with a series of sold-out performances of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

Set against the backdrop of the college’s historic grounds, the open-air production transformed the gardens into the Forest of Arden, offering a unique theatrical experience for students, staff, alumni and members of the wider Oxford community.

The performances attracted enthusiastic audiences across the weekend, with all shows selling out in advance. Attendees enjoyed Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy in a relaxed outdoor setting, bringing together culture, community and the beauty of the college environment.

The production has also received glowing reviews from Oxford’s student press, with critics praising both the quality of the performances and the unique setting provided by the college gardens:

‘If As You Like It was not enough to set up a tradition of annual garden plays in GTC, I don’t know what is.’

‘Overall, Shakespeare’s As You Like It was an evening well-spent in the beautiful GTC gardens, with beautiful weather, costumes, music and acting.’ – The Oxford Student 

‘Overall, Green Templeton’s garden play production of As You Like It is a very impressively produced piece – the cast and crew are clearly all very talented.’ – The Oxford Blue 

The production marks the launch of what Green Templeton hopes will become a regular fixture in the college calendar.

The college extends its thanks to the cast, crew, organisers and volunteers whose hard work made the event possible, as well as to everyone who attended and helped make the first Garden Play such a memorable success.