7 places to enjoy outdoor theatre this summer

Summer’s here, the sun is shining – some of the time – and that means loads of lovely outdoor theatre productions to see across the Liverpool City Region.

It’s a chance to enjoy performances from Shakespeare to The Adventures of Dr Dolittle, and maybe pack a picnic or treat yourself to fabulous food and drink that’s available at some.

So grab your picnic blanket or your folding chair, and take your pick from these 7 fabulous outdoor theatre gems.

The Dell at Port Sunlight

There’s live music and laughs when Folksy Theatre visits The Dell in Port Sunlight on Wednesday, August 14 at 7pm, with As You Like It. One of Shakespearian funniest comedies, it explores life, love and betrayal in one of the village’s most beautiful settings, and includes Folksy’s trademark audience interaction.

Find out more here.

Dr Dolittle at Claremont Farm, Bebington

There’s a feast of outdoor theatre at Claremont this summer, beginning with a great double bill from Illyria Theatre which is also raising money for Shelter.  First off is The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle on Thursday, July 25, followed by Romeo and Juliet on Thursday, August 29 (both at 7pm).

But that’s not all that’s happening at the busy Claremont Farm this summer. Off The Ground Theatre is there with another Shakespearian comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, on Sunday, July 28, at 7pm.

Find out more here.

The Bombed Out Church, Liverpool

Off The Ground Theatre is at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church on Thursday, August 1, with Much Ado About Nothing, and they say: “In a play that is founded on playfulness and teasing, love and manners, let (us) transport you to a world of easy, festive wit, of magical effortlessness and joy.”

OTG are also at Birkenhead Priory with Much Ado on Thursday July 25, and Futureyard on Tuesday, July 30.

Find out more here.

Speke Hall 

Get ready for Oscar Wilde’s comic masterpiece, The Importance of Being Earnest, at Speke Hall on Wednesday, July 24, at 7pm. The Pantaloons offer their own anarchic take on the classic comedy of manners: Everybody loves Ernest. In fact, Cecily and Gwendolen are both engaged to Ernest. The only trouble is, he doesn’t exist. Or does he…?

Saturday, August 3 (7pm) welcomes Shakespeare – and The Pantaloons again – to Speke Hall with The Merry Wives of Windsor. Both performances will take place on the North Lawn.

Find out more here.

The Garden Theatre at Calderstones Park

The Reader charity, based in Liverpool’s Calderstones Park, has announced a season of open-air theatre shows at the Garden Theatre at the Mansion House:

On Sunday, August 4, at 7pm, cycling Shakespearean actors The HandleBards will present their fast and funny new production of The Comedy of Errors (The HandleBards famously carry their set, props and costumes on the back of their bikes, as they tour their environmentally sustainable Shakespeare plays across the UK).

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men will visit with a new production of Hamlet on Tuesday, August 13 (7pm), presenting it with an all-male cast, Elizabethan costumes, music and dance; and on Thursday, August 22 at 7pm, Illyria bring a Sherlock Holmes mystery, The Hound of the Baskervilles, based on the book by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and adapted by Oliver Gray. This cheeky adaptation promises an evening of mystery, intrigue and things that go ‘woof’ in the night.

Find out more here.

Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden, Shakespeare North Playhouse, Prescot

You can see Shakespeare brought to life, and celebrations of laughter and silliness that’ll leave you tickled pink in The Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden including, 

Wednesday, July 24 – Thursday, July 25 (Wed. 6.30pm/ Thursday, 2pm and 6.30pm): A Place for Us Theatre Company returns to Shakespeare North Playhouse with a powerful production of Macbeth.

Friday, July 26, 6.30pm:  Brace yourself for an evening filled with some of the wittiest and most eccentric stand-up acts around, including headliners, FoxDog Studios. The comedy night will also feature David Eagle, and Michael Mannion will host.

Saturday, July 27, 1pm and 6pm: The Cream Faced Loons are here with Shakespeare – But Just The Deaths. The Loons have set themselves a seemingly impossible task to perform every death scene in all of Shakespeare’s Plays … and they only have an hour to do it in. What could possibly go wrong?

Among the productions to look forward to in August are The Merry Wives of Windsor on Friday, August 2; Rumplestiltskin on Saturday, August 3; The Comedy of Errors, Tuesday, August 6-Wednesday, August 7, and Angelica Sprockets Pockets, from Tuesday-Wednesday, August 20-21.

Find out more here.

Grosvenor Park – Chester

Not quite within Liverpool City Region but definitely worth a visit, because Grosvenor Park is set to come alive with seven weeks of amazing theatre plus cinema under the stars, comedy gigs, live music and more – all served with al fresco beers, frozen cocktails, fresh wood-fired pizzas, barbecue, ‘friendly vibes and sunshine’!

It includes:

The Gangs of New York – Thursday, July 25 to Saturday, August 31

The Importance of Being Earnest – Friday, August 9 to Sunday, September 1

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – Saturday, July 27 to Thursday, August 22.

Find out more here.

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