Shakespeare’s Globe is set to launch its national and international tour in Kent.

The tour - the first season with Michelle Terry as artistic director - will start at Chilham Castle and the audience will get to pick their favourite.

Directed by Brendan O’Hea, the company will stage The Merchant of Venice, The Taming of the Shrew and Twelfth Night, which will have opened at the Globe, before holding its first tour performance at Chilham over the late May Bank Holiday weekend.

The Merchant of Venice will be the first to be staged in the ground of the castle on Friday, May 25, followed by Twelfth Night as a matinee on Saturday, May 26, and Taming of the Shrew that evening. On Sunday, May 27, the voters' choice will be performed.

The weekend will also include the famous Chilham Chase on Bank Holiday Monday, the country's oldest ‘fun run’.

A spokesman for the castle said: "We are delighted to be welcoming Shakespeare's Globe in the summer. They had highly successful performances of The Two Gentlemen of Verona two years ago and we are so pleased that they have chosen to come to Chilham Castle again.

"We shall be very interested to see which plays are chosen by the audience for the voters' choice performances."

Tickets for the performances go on sale on Monday, January 29 and cost £50 for premium seats with a glass of champagne, a canape reception and entry to the grounds; £30 for tickets with entry to the grounds and £10 for students, including grounds entry.

The way the vote will be carried out will be announced nearer the time.

To book call 020 7401 9919 or visit shakespearesglobe.com