Heroes crash down to earth this autumn as Shakespeare’s bold and biting satire Troilus and Cressida comes to the Globe Theatre for five weeks only.

The legends of Greece and Troy are gripped by an epic war, fighting for honour and bravery. As a thrilling, action-packed battle rages around them, Trojan prince Troilus falls deeply in love with Cressida, and they swear their eternal love…

But wait! That’s NOT the play we’re about to see.

Fast forward seven years, and there’s no end in sight to the seemingly pointless, exhausting conflict. In Troy the manufactured glamour of war is losing its sheen, and not even their superstar Helen can restore its shine. The Greek camp is an apocalyptic wasteland. Achilles, their greatest warrior, has withdrawn in defiance, leaving the generals furious and Ulysses scheming with fresh designs. Meanwhile, the sharp-tongued cynic Thersites spares no one from her scorn, railing against the madness that surrounds her.

What happens when the heroes we worship no longer live up to their mythic narratives?

In his Globe debut, Director Owen Horsley (Twelfth Night, Regent’s Park Open Air) explores the cult of celebrity and the egos that propel wars forward in Shakespeare’s rarely performed, one-of-a-kind satire.

‘War and lechery confound all!’

– Act II, scene 3

Join members of the show’s creative team for an exclusive panel discussion and Q&A at The Globe Talks: Troilus and Cressida.

This play contains violence and the use of weapons, scenes of a sexual and misogynistic nature and homophobic references. Please contact the ticketing team on 020 7401 9919 or [email protected] if you would like further details on the play’s content.