ALL The World's A Stage, and that will come true for theatre fans with two professional open air Shakespeare performances this month.

The towers and walls of Raglan Castle will echo to As You Like It a week on Friday (July 26), while two days later The Merry Wives of Windsor will be blowing in to the Scarr Bandstand near Coleford.

The Forest of Arden serves as the backdrop for Shakespeare’s most famous comedy As You Like It, performed by The Duke’s Theatre Company, back for another summer season visit following tours of Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night.

When Rosalind is banished from Duke Ferdinand’s court, new identities are explored amid music, mayhem and madness.

Robert Shaw Cameron (Coronation Street, Birmingham Rep, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Chester Story House) directs this new production that is visiting 50 of the UK’s most magical venues.

Meanwhile, it's over to The Pantaloons theatre company at the Scarr for The Merry Wives of Windsor, where everyone’s favourite Shakespearean sleazeball Sir John Falstaff has fallen on hard times.

To fix his finances he plans to seduce the wives of two wealthy merchants, but wise to his wily ways, the ladies play a series of hilarious tricks on the nincompoop knight, amid slapstick, abundant anachronisms and memorable music.

Both performances are around two hours long, and you can bring something to sit on and a picnic.

As You Like It starts at 7.30pm (July 26), with tickets £20.05 adults, £17.39 children at www.thedukestheatrecompany.co.uk

The Merry Wives of Windsor starts at 5pm (July 28), with tickets £12 adults, £8 children at thepantaloons.co.uk/merry-wives