Bardcore Wrestling:

Midsummer Mayhem

Step into a world of Shakespearean drama and professional wrestling, as the award winning 1623 Theatre Company and Wrestling Resurgence join forces for a ground-breaking collaboration.

In a first-of-it's-kind production, join us on Saturday 10th May for a brand new retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream, using the medium of Professional Wrestling.

With BSL and audio descriptions integrated into the performance, Bardcore Wrestling is an inclusive show that shouldn’t be missed.

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“We’re taking Shakespeare back to its rowdy, visceral roots. This is theatre as sport and sport as theatre – Shakespeare meets suplex in a live experiment where anything can happen.”

What is Bardcore Wrestling?

Bardcore Wrestling is a work-in-progress show combining Shakespearean theatre and professional wrestling, hosted at Lakeside Arts, Nottingham on May 10th 2025.

Written and produced by Wrestling Resurgence and 1623 Theatre Company, see performers from cinema, television, stage, and independent wrestling in this first-ever wrestling retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

Inclusivity

Midsummer Mayhem has inclusivity at the heart of the performance, featuring deaf and BSL signing cast members. Both BSL interpretation and audio description are creatively integrated into the fabric of the show.

Work-In-Progress

Midsummer Mayhem is a scratch presentation – a unique opportunity to witness a bold theatrical experiment as it takes shape. Audience feedback will help shape future development. all begins with an idea.

Who are 1623 & Wrestling Resurgence?

Wrestling Resurgence is where art meets armlocks. They're a genre-bending, elbow-dropping collective of pro wrestlers who believe wrestling is more than just sport—it's performance art, theatre, and riotous rebellion all rolled into one. Running shows from Leicester and Nottingham, Resurgence challenges stereotypes with diverse shows that mix storytelling, athleticism, and punk-rock defiance.

1623 Theatre Company is no ordinary Shakespeare troupe. Named after the year the First Folio was published, they're dedicated to breaking the Bard wide open—smashing down elitism, decoding dusty scripts, and making Shakespeare accessible to everyone. From immersive performances to community projects, they fuse classical theatre with modern ideas, social commentary, and inclusive practice.

Together, Resurgence and 1623 are smashing through the fourth wall—and maybe a few tables—bringing the worlds of wrestling and Shakespeare into an explosive, poetic collision. Welcome to Bardcore.

Get Tickets Here

See Press Release