Cunard will be taking Shakespeare and new works to the high seas in 2022 as it joins forces in a first-of-its-kind partnership with Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) to bring world class theatre to its transatlantic stage.

Available exclusively on board the flagship Queen Mary 2, guests will be able to see tailored theatrical performances by the RSC, known for its performances of Shakespeare and his contemporaries, plus other literary legends past and present. The performances will be available for all guests on board, including a unique blend of Shakespeare’s iconic love scenes in a new piece called “Boundless as the Sea,” created by Owen Horsley.

Guests will also have the opportunity to see critically acclaimed new work from the RSC with the Sam Kenyon musical “Miss Littlewood,” which explores the life of one of theatre’s most playful and radical figures, making its transatlantic debut.

For guests interested in learning what it takes to be an RSC actor, the onboard cast will lead a series of workshops that explore their craft. Guests will also be able to access “Shakespeare Tales,” intimate, informal events where the actors will perform their personal favourite sonnets and speeches, and answer questions from the audience.

“Our Transatlantic voyages are known to feature dazzling onboard experiences, and our new partnership with the RSC continues, and elevates this tradition,” said Jamie Paiko, VP, Sales, Cunard, North America. “To offer our guests unique access to exclusive contemporary performances and of Shakespeare’s finest work is something special, an unforgettable experience that our guests will fully immerse themselves in.”

RSC Acting artistic director Erica Whyman said: “The RSC ignites imaginations and expands horizons, and Shakespeare’s plays allow us to imagine new and remarkable worlds, so this partnership (with Cunard) has a perfect synergy.”

Productions will include “Boundless as the Sea,” which Whyman says will be “a heartwarming taster of all the ways Shakespeare explores love and romance,” while “Miss Littlewood” is a “quirky and toe-tapping” new venture for RSC.

In addition, Queen Mary 2 will host a touring exhibition, “Digital Diorama: An Augmented Journey Through Shakespeare’s Stratford,” in which guests will use devices to experience scenes from his plays coming to life before their eyes.

Some of the RSC’s most popular productions in recent years, including “Hamlet,” “Henry V,” “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” and “As You Like It,” will also be screened in Cunard’s onboard cinema.

The three-year partnership will begin on May 29 through Aug. 12, and then again from Sept. 15 to Nov. 13. Guests will experience either “Boundless as the Sea” or “Miss Littlewood” on each featured voyage. Dates for future years to be announced at a later date.