Selfridges plans to launch a commercial theatre within its flagship London store to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death.

The theatre – dubbed a world-first for a department store by the iconic high street retailer – is part of its Shakespeare Refashioned event, which fuses fashion and drama in tribute to the playwright.

Tickets for a new production of Much Ado About Nothing, set to be staged in the 100-seat in-store theatre, are now on sale.

The idea came about thanks to a collaboration between Selfridges, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (Rada) and theatre company The Faction. The aim is to have shoppers easily access and interact the process of putting together a Shakespeare stage production, from rehearsals through to closing night on September 24.

“This play offers a world in which fashion, appearance and social standing are of paramount importance and rumour, gossip and insinuation can be lethal,” director Mark Leipacher said.

“Everyone at The Faction is delighted to be collaborating with Selfridges to create this new production for the Shakespeare Refashioned project. It’s an ambitious, innovative and wild idea – exactly the way we should be celebrating Shakespeare 400.”

Designer‘s interpretations of Shakespeare‘s plays will also dominate the display windows of Selfridge‘s Oxford Street store.