What’s on


Join us for talks, play readings, open days, costume demonstrations, guided walks, and more…

Some events are online, some take place on the site of The Rose Playhouse itself.

We are yet to open on a daily basis, but will do so just as soon as we can.

Just by buying a ticket you are helping to support our mission, so do come along!

Coming up next…

Saturday 2 August 2025

1pm & 3pm onsite at The Rose

DISCOVERY DAY : COSTUME

Organised by The Friends of The Rose

Join us to discover how a fashionable middle-class lady dressed in mid-1590s London.

Joan Alleyn was both the step-daughter of Philip Henslowe, the owner of The Rose Playhouse, and the wife of Edward Alleyn, its leading actor.

You’ll be given a demonstration of a replica of the clothing – specially created for The Rose – which she wears in her famous portrait, which now hangs in Dulwich Picture Gallery.

You’ll also have the chance to watch a 20 minute film, narrated by Sir Ian McKellen, about The Rose and the history of Bankside.

Suitable for ages 7 and up

Tickets £7 / £5 Friends and under-12s

Saturday 20 September 2025

12 noon until 8.30pm onsite at The Rose

THE EIGHTH ROSE READATHON

Organised by The Friends of The Rose

Our hugely popular fund-raising Readathon returns for the eighth time!

Whether you want to get up on your feet and participate or prefer to just relax and watch from the audience, this is a chance to enjoy the genius of William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe and Ben Jonson – all of whom wrote plays that were performed here at The Rose Playhouse on Bankside.

You can choose to join us for just one play or as many as you like, as we gallop through six plays in one day.

12.00 The Comedy of Errors

13.30 The Massacre at Paris

15.00 The Alchemist

16.30 Macbeth 

18.00 Much Ado About Nothing

19.30 Twelfth Night

Each play has been cut to last just one hour.

Roles will be drawn from a hat 20 minutes before the start of each play, and scripts will be provided.

There is no entry to the building during the plays, but the site will be open half an hour before each play for drinks and snacks – cake and Tudor bites! – and learning about The Rose.

Tickets per play:

£10 to take part, £5 to watch

Coming to an event onsite at The Rose?

Please go to our Find Us page for more information about your visit.

Past events