FOR the first time, The Courtyard is taking a show out into the community.

The Royal National Theatre's hugely popular and successful 'Shakespeare Unplugged' tour of 'As You Like It' is coming to the John Masefield School, Ledbury, for performances on March 30-31

The tour will be seen by Herefordshire audiences in advance of its London performances at the National's Cottesloe Theatre in early May.

The performance is combined with a special interactive workshop to offer an accessible and fun introduction for those who are new to the theatre, as well as a fresh perspective to even the most experienced of theatre-goers. The audience will also be able to question the actors afterwards and give feedback on what they thought of the play.

"We're delighted that such a high-profile tour is coming to the John Masefield High School, especially as it's the first time we have arranged a show outside our own building," said Jonathan Stone, the Courtyard's artistic director.

"The 'As You Like It' tour is designed to be intimate and interactive. There are only 150 seats per performance, so I would urge people to book early to avoid disappointment."

'As You Like It' will have two performances aimed at schools: Thursday, March 30 and Friday, March 31 at 1.30pm; and a public performance at 7.30pm on Thursday, March 30. Tickets are available from The Courtyard box office on 01432 359252.