All the world’s a stage, as the old Shakespearean quote reminds us – and the casts of this year’s local open-air theatre productions have certainly taken the notion to heart. Jane McGowan presents a round-up of the open-air productions gracing parks, pubs and pitches this summer.
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440 Theatre
Painshill Park, Portsmouth Road, Cobham, KT11 1JERomeo and Juliet, Hamlet | Tickets £20 (£14 children) | Book tickets
Performing a Shakespeare play in 40 minutes is no mean feat – to do it twice in one evening is bordering on a theatrical miracle. Yet that is exactly what audiences at Painshill Park, Cobham can expect this month, with a daring double bill of Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet.
Adding a feelgood twist to two of the Bard’s most celebrated works, 440 Theatre – four actors, 40 minutes – presents his tempestuous tale of star-crossed lovers as a comedy, followed by an ‘even more outrageous’ offering in the shape of an all-female Hamlet.
Audience members are advised to wrap up warm.
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CHAPTERHOUSE
Savill Garden Wick Lane, Egham, TW20 0UURomeo and Juliet | Tickets £18 (£11 children) | Book tickets
Bedecked in doublet and hose, this wonderful theatre company heads to Windsor in August with a faithful production of Romeo and Juliet, as part of its extensive 28-venue tour of the UK and Ireland.
Created in 1999 specifically to stage Shakespeare, it has now branched out to embrace other classic works – invariably performed in the most spectacular settings.
“I’d done open-air theatre myself as an actor, and once you’ve had that opportunity it tends to become a bit of a bug,” says company founder Richard Main. “I don’t think there’s anything like it. On a hot August night, when the stars come up and all you can hear are the voices of the actors, it’s an incredible experience. Pure magic, in fact.”
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GUILDFORD SHAKESPEARE COMPANY
Quarry Street, Surrey, GU1 3XZThe Tempest; July 15 - 30 | Tickets from £24.50 | Book tickets
With venues including Guildford Castle Gardens and Racks Close – an enchanting green space just a short fairy flight from High Street – the GSC has been a champion of outdoor theatre since it was founded in 2006.
This year’s offerings include A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Racks Close, June 16 – July 2) and The Tempest, a promenade production with Stoke Park transformed into Prospero’s island and the company’s HQ – a former bowls pavilion in Lido Road – doubling up as the wreck of a huge ship.
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RICHMOND SHAKESPEARE SOCIETY
SurreyPride and Prejudice | Tickets £17 | Book tickets
Taking a break from the Bard this summer, RSS has also turned to Pride and Prejudice, bringing the Regency tale to the gardens of York House in Twickenham. And what better backdrop could there be for Jane Austen’s famous love story than this elegant 17th century stately home?
The play runs from July 4-9. Visitors should bring their own chairs or rugs.
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ROGUE OPERA
Opera in the Garden returns to a string of Fullers pub gardens throughout July. Expect all the operatic hits, as well as lesser-known pieces, while meeting some of the most renowned heroes, villains, lovers, jokers, martyrs and losers of the genre.
With all pieces sung in their original language and English dialogue woven throughout, these offerings bridge the gap between concert and full-blown show. “We’re delighted to be back,” said Bronwen White, founder of Rogue Opera, the creator of the production. “Bringing opera to new audiences, outside of a traditional theatre space, is so important in keeping this fantastic art form alive and thriving."
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SCOOT THEATRE
A Midsummer Night's Dream | Tickets £15 (£11 children) | Book tickets
Based in Walton-on Thames, this talented cast of actor-musicians brings family-friendly theatre to unexpected spaces – mainly cricket clubs in the South-East.
This year the men and women in white perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream in 60 minutes – just 20 minutes longer than it takes the mischievous Puck to put a girdle round about the earth.
Venues include Dorking Halls (July 16, part of the Plays in the Park season), Farnham Cricket Club (July 28), Walton-on-Thames Cricket Club (July 29) and Hampton Pool (July 30).
“Shakespeare was the box set of its time,” says Scoot founder Max Hutchinson. “That’s why we believe that theatre, especially outdoor theatre, should be accessible. We go for big and bold and embrace the slapstick and humour.
“Touring these venues is wonderful – it’s often people’s first taste of Shakespeare, so we make it as lively as possible. Our musicians play a range of modern songs as the audience arrives and there is music throughout.”
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THE HANDLEBARDS
Twelfth Night | Tickets priced from free (!) to £18 | Book tickets
Saddle up for more Shakespeare with the HandleBards: a travelling troupe of men and women who, as the name would suggest, choose to harness the power of the pedal between performance venues.
This year it’s Twelfth Night, and although audiences in this area will have to wait until September, it is well worth booking up now for what should be the perfect finale to your open-air season.
Locations include Strawberry Hill House (Sept 11) and The Church Field at Witley, near Godalming (Sept 16 and 17).
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THIS IS MY THEATRE
2 High St, Surrey, RH2 9PUPride and Prejudice | Tickets: £15 (£12 children) | Book tickets
Jane Austen is centre stage in Reigate, where the Castle Grounds provide the backdrop for a production of Pride and Prejudice.
“We tour to such a variety of venues that our audiences will never see the same show twice,” says Sarah Slator, Artistic Director of Sussex-based This is my Theatre.”I love that about the work we create.”
The company is back at the castle on Sept 4 (2pm) with The Railway Children.
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