"All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players,” said Anthony Coombes at a night of sonnets, Shakespearean dance and monologues.

Attendees at Surbiton’s St Andrew’s Church went back in time as they enjoyed Shakespeare’s best literary pieces along with lute players at the weekend.

The show was part of Kingston’s Festival of the Voice, which is a five-week long programme put on by Kingston Arts celebrating voices that both speak and sing.

Audiences were also treated to the intense Bas at the Cornerhouse – the story of a Welsh minister and an Irish guard trapped in a dug out following a German raid.

But there is still lots to look forward to as the festival continues next week with a bilingual night of comedy including Italian comedians at the Ram Jam club on Tuesday, March 18 from 8pm and band night at the Grey Horse on Thursday, March 18.

The event will close with Kingston Choral Society’s performance of Monteverdi Vespers of 1610 at St Andrew’s Church on March 29.