William Shakespeare was born on April 23, 1564, and the Guildford Shakespeare Company will be celebrating the Bard’s 460th birthday with Will’s Birthday Bash.

On April 12 and 13 the Guildford Shakespeare Company Young Company will be performing Web Of Lies, a combination of the stories and characters of Jekyll and Hyde, Richard II and The Canterbury Tales.

At a New Year’s Eve party, the president is suddenly, and fatefully, taken ill. With nobody at the helm, and as corrupt government officials attempt to cover up any incriminating evidence, violent rebellions ensue and family members jostle for power. Can anyone solve the mystery behind his murder and, if they do, will the regime let them speak the truth?

The Young Company is the theatre company’s flagship youth theatre group. Over eight months, working with education manager Rob Cann and playwright Theo Toksvig-Stewart, the Young Company devises, designs and performs a new play based on three shows from the main company’s recent programme. Many members go on to train for a career in the theatre industry.

On April 21 the Guildford Shakespeare Company is hosting The Shakespeare Walks, a treasure hunt where the jewels being sought are actors poised to share a beautiful sonnet or a fabulous speech from Shakespeare - but they are costumed to blend in with their everyday locations and it’s the hunter’s job to work out who's an actor and who is not.

This year the company is performing for the first time in England’s largest village, Cranleigh, which boasts the newly created 60-acre Knowle Park, a country park and nature reserve featuring a lake, outdoor performance spaces and an adventure park.

Previous walks have taken over the rooftops of Guildford, the alleyways of Godalming, the courtyards of Farnham and the historic West Horsley Place. Matt Pinches, co-founder of the Guildford Shakespeare Company and director of The Shakespeare Walks, said of Will’s Birthday Bash: “We love this event in our calendar - two small but perfectly formed events celebrating the timeless uniqueness of Shakespeare’s legacy.

“The Young Company astound us and our audiences every year with their originality and clever devising, while the walks provide a wonderful opportunity to explore new locations and hidden treasures on our doorstep - and there’s always cake too!”

Tickets cost £12 for the Young Company show and £20 for the walks. To book call 01483 304384 or visit https://www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk/wills-birthday-bash/