Open air theatre returns to Chester this summer with an unmissable pair of theatre productions staged in an atmospheric theatre-in-the-round in the middle of Grosvenor Park.
The outdoor season will run from Saturday 1st July until Sunday 27th August. Tickets are on sale now, starting at £23 for Storyhouse members.
Shakespeare’s magical A Midsummer Night’s Dream will open the programme at the beginning of July.
The enchanting new production of this fairy-filled favourite is being directed by Elvi Piper and is suitable for children aged six and upwards.
This will be followed by F Scott Fitzgerald’s classic The Great Gatsby, brought to the stage in a new adaptation by writer Deborah McAndrew and directed by Conrad Nelson – who both previously worked on Grosvenor Park’s production of Pride and Prejudice in 2021.
The play, which opens on 21st July, is appropriate for ages 14 and over – and promises to plunge audiences into the glamorous and decadent world of New York high society in the roaring 20s.
As well as these – following the success of Alice in Wonderland last year – there will also be a new promenade show, The Wind in the Willows, for children aged five and under and their grown-ups.
The Grosvenor Park theatre village will also return with the tepee bar, seating areas, games, wood fired pizzas, cocktails and plenty more.
The Other Stage (located inside the festival tepee) will host additional events and activities as part of the two-month residency of the park – including live acoustic music, comedy and storytelling.
Storyhouse producer Helen Redcliffe said: “We’re thrilled to be working with Deborah McAndrew and Conrad Nelson again.
“Their version of The Great Gatsby will be a raucous, sparkling, sensational show bringing the hedonistic jazz era to the open-air theatre.
“Meanwhile, A Midsummer Night’s Dream is Shakespeare’s most playful comedy and is perfect for audiences from the ages of 6 to 96.
“Director Elvi Piper is a brilliant talent and I know she’s going to create an unmissable Shakespearean treat for our theatregoers this summer.
‘Plus, our pizza oven is back on site alongside a bigger and better food and drink offer – including a BBQ and delicious liege waffles!
“So, this year you’re invited to the park – whether for Shakespeare, Gatsby, a pizza or a beer!”
For more details and to book visit www.grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk
Listings
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1st July – 27th August 2023)
The Great Gatsby (21st July – 27th August 2023)
Prices
Picnic Terraces: £25.30 – £36.10 (members £23 – £32.80)
Covered Picnic Terraces: £30.80 – £42.80 (members £28 – £38.90)
Premium Covered Picnic Terraces: £47.50 – £48.50 (members £43 – £45)
Picnic Chairs: £28.60 – £40.10 (members £26 – £36.45)
Premium Picnic Chairs: £46 – £48.50 (members £42 – £45)
(Children aged 12 and under go free when accompanied by a full paying adult – A Midsummer Night’s Dream only)
About Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
The award-winning Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre is a purpose-built venue with an annual summer repertory season.
Founded in 2010 by Storyhouse, it is the only full-time, site-specific professional open-air theatre company outside London.
The theatre – designed by the company – is built each summer in Grosvenor Park, a public park in Chester.
Performances are staged in the round, with the audience seated on all sides of a central stage.
In 2011 the theatre switched from a traditional built stage to a more Shakespearean thrust stage, made from woodchip.
Covered seating to around 40% of the terraces was introduced in 2012.
Then, in 2015, the original horseshoe shape was replaced by full in the round seating.
The company produces all its work in-house under artistic director Alex Clifton.
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