ONE of the in-house companies at Workington's Theatre Royal will turn their hands to a Shakespeare classic for their latest production next week.

The Tempest, the bard's final play, shows at the venue from Tuesday July 17 to Saturday 21, performed by the company's Shakespeare Players cast members.

The source of some of Shakespeare's most famous lines – ‘O brave new world’, ‘We are such stuff as dreams are made on’, ‘Be not afeard; the isle is full of noises’, and ‘Full fathom five thy father lies’ - The Tempest is packed with memorable characters: Prospero the magician, the much-abused monster Caliban, the lovers Ferdinand and Miranda, the wicked aristocrats Sebastian and Antonio, sad King Alonso, the drunkards Trinculo and Stefano, and not least the ethereal spirit Ariel.

This modern-dress production will have music and dancing, fun, horror, treachery, love, colour and spectacle, and in the end Shakespeare’s own farewell, the closing speech by Prospero.

The Theatre Royal Shakespeare Players are Cumbrian Shakespeare enthusiasts who believe that Shakespeare belongs to everyone, not just to watch but to perform.

In 2013, the group was selected for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Open Stages project, and have since been invited to perform in Shakespeare's home town, Stratford-Upon-Avon, where they played to enthusiastic audiences at the open-air Dell Theatre.

The Tempest shows at the Theatre Royal from Tuesday 17 to Saturday 21, at 7.30pm each night. Tickets are available in advance from the venue.