Come take your seats as open air theatre opens
estrictions on outdoor theatre performances eased, let the entertainment commence with social distancing in place.
Capacity will be limited with the safety of the public and performers paramount.
Open air Minack Theatre, situated on the cliffs of south-west Cornwall with the Atlantic as its backdrop has reopened.
The summer programme will include monologues and a revival of the Minack’s 2019 production of Marie Jones’s two-hander Stones in His Pockets.
Brighton Open Air Theatre is set to reopen on Saturday July 25.
Summer shows include Mr Dilly’s Treasure Island, Sunday July 26; jazz singer Joe Stilgoe, Friday July 31; Heartbreak Productions’ Alice in Lockdown, Monday August 3; IK Productions’ The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Tuesday August 4 and Wednesday August 5; Abigail’s Party from Wednesday August 12 to Saturday August 22; Immersion Theatre in Wind in the Willows, Monday August 24; Opera Anywhere in The Mikado, Tuesday August 25; The Handlebards in Gnora The Gnome’s Daytime Disco, Thursday August 27 and Romeo and Juliet, Thursday August 27; The Pantaloons in Sherlock Holmes; Folksy Theatre in Taming of the Shrew, Monday August 31.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in London is planning to reopen with an outdoor concert production of Jesus Christ Superstar.
It will run from August 14 to September 27 with 70 performances, Tuesdays to Sundays. To make the most of its reopening, the theatre is putting on comedy nights on the Jesus-free Mondays. Rob Beckett, Russell Brand, Jimmy Carr, Kerry Godliman, Judi Love and Canned Laughter are lined up.
Lytham Hall in Lancashire will be one of the first venues in a six-week nationwide summer tour by Illyria following the government’s lifting of the ban on outdoor performances.
It hosts Wind in the Willows for two performances
Ron Sunday August 16.
The show can also be seen at Oriel Plas Glyn-Y-Weddw Pwllheli on Tuesday August 17; Brantwood, Coniston, Wednesday August 18; Palm House Sefton Park, Saturday August 22; Meridian Park, Cleethorpes. Sunday August 23; Hever Castle, Kent, Wednesday August 26; Quy Mill Hotel, Cambridge, Saturday August 29; Castle Gardens, Sherborne, Sunday August 30; Cockington Court, near Torquay, Monday August 31; Sterts Theatre, near Liskeard, Tuesday September 1; The Elizabethan Evening, Corsley, near Warminster, Sunday September 6.
IK Productions are taking the Wonderful World of Oz to Fordhall Organic Farm, Market Drayton, Friday August 7 and Waterperry Gardens, Oxford, on Saturday August 8.
Pantaloons with Sherlock Holmes are also at Crook Hall and Gardens, Durham, on Tuesday August 11; Sheffield Botanical Gardens, Thursday August 13; Arley Hall and Gardens, Northwich, Cheshire, Friday August 14; Priors Hall Park, Corby, Northamptonshire, Saturday August 15.
Maltings Theatre in St Albans, Hertfordshire has already begun the casting process for their August outdoor Shakespeare festival.
In Scotland performances include Kincardine Castle, where Illyria will present Wind in The Willows on Friday September 11; Logie Steading, Forrres, on Saturday September 12 and Dell Of Abernethy, Nethy Bridge on Sunday August 12.
In Northern Ireland the Riverside Theatre plays host to Alice in Lockdown by Heartbreak Productions on Saturday August 29.