Cunard has partnered with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) to bring tailored theatre performances exclusively to its Queen Mary 2 ship.
Performances include a new piece called Boundless as the Sea and musical Miss Littlewood. Performances will alternate depending on the voyage.
The onboard cast will also lead a series of workshops that passengers can attend.
Actors will perform personal favourite sonnets, speeches and answer questions from the audience at ‘Shakespeare Tales’ events.
Queen Mary 2 will also host a touring exhibition – Digital Diorama: An Augmented Journey Through Shakespeare’s Stratford’ – where passengers can use devices to experience scenes from Shakespeare’s plays.
Hamlet, Henry V, The Merry Wives of Windsor and As You Like it will be screened at Queen Mary 2’s cinema during sailings.
The partnership will begin on May 29, 2022, and initially run until August 12, 2022 before returning from September 15. It will finish for the year on November 13. The partnership will run for an initial three years.
Dates for future years will be announced at a later date, the line said.
Lee Powell, Cunard’s vice president, brand and product, said: “To be able to offer our guests access to unique performances by world leaders in both contemporary theatre and Shakespeare’s finest work is an extraordinary opportunity which I know our guests will fully immerse themselves in.”
Erica Whyman, RSC acting artistic director, said passengers would have opportunities to “get close to working theatre artists”.
She added: “The RSC ignites imaginations and expands horizons, and Shakespeare’s plays allow us to imagine new and remarkable worlds, so this partnership has a perfect synergy.
“This is an exciting new venture for us, and we look forward very much to meeting new audiences on board.”