Chester’s Grosvenor Park set for a summer of live theatre

Open-air theatre returns to Chester’s Grosvenor Park this summer as part of a fantastic festival of fun including a pair of enchanting theatrical treats on the main stage.

The 2025 Grosvenor Park season, presented by Storyhouse, will run from 28 June to 31 August.

Friday, 4 July marks a return to the park for Jane Austen’s beloved classic Pride and Prejudice, celebrating the 250^th anniversary of Austen’s birth.

Adapted for the stage by Deborah McAndrew and directed by Conrad Nelson, the sparkling and witty Regency tale won acclaim from both critics and Grosvenor Park audiences when it was premiered in 2021 and is back by popular demand.

Prepare to be swept away by Austen’s most famous love story as spirited Lizzie Bennet and the brooding Mr Darcy find themselves entangled in a tale of misunderstandings, mismatches and unexpected romance.

The production will be joined by a new live stage version of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, written especially for Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre by Molly Taylor and directed by Ellie Hurt.

Set in modern-day Chester and featuring many well-known names as well as some new larger-than-life characters, the story sees consulting detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner-in-solving-crime Dr Watson thrust into the spotlight as they are drawn into their most intriguing – and personal – mystery yet.

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes opens on Friday, 18 July and both main stage shows then run in repertory until Sunday, 31 August.

Tickets are on sale now priced from £22.50 and concessions are available. All performances are captioned.

Meanwhile primary age youngsters and their families are invited to embark on an enchanting adventure in the park with the Alice in Wonderland walkabout theatre experience.

The show, which runs from Friday, 25 July to Saturday, 30 August, encourages audiences to tumble down a rabbit hole and follow Lewis Carroll’s curious tale through the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre festival site, meeting a cast of unforgettable characters along the way – including the Mad Hatter, Queen of Hearts and Cheshire Cat.

The journey culminates with a joyful finale inside the open-air theatre itself.

The Grosvenor Park festival site includes the ever-popular tepee bar, seating areas, fresh wood-fired pizzas, a barbecue, craft beers and frozen cocktails.

A series of special events will also take place over the two-month open-air season, which is launched with a Street Food weekend on 28-29 June celebrating Chester’s vibrant food and drink community and promising a tantalising selection of tasty treats along with live music. Entry is free.

Comedy in the Park will bring big laughs to Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre on Sundays 29 June, 6 July and 24 August, while there’s a chance to experience not one but two thrilling murder mysteries – The Crown Duels: Gangs of Chester on 8 July and 22 July, and the Witch Hunt era-set The City of Curses on 9 July.

Award-winning children’s theatre company One Tenth Human brings its delightfully disgusting new interactive gameshow, Pipes and Poo, to the park from 10-12 July.

There’s an opportunity to enjoy some relaxing mindfulness with a special Yoga in the Park session on 13 July, and for well-behaved pooches to join the fun in a free Pups in the Park on 20 July promising exciting activities and pup-friendly vendors.

And then heading into August, young visitors are invited to an Alice in Wonderland Mad Hatter tea party featuring a selection of delicious treats and juice and a chance to meet some of their favourite characters from the Alice in Wonderland walkabout experience. Tea partiestake place on 2, 3, 28 and 30 August.

Storyhouse creative director Suzie Henderson said today: 

“Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre is a much-anticipated part of the summer in Chester – not least by the team here at Storyhouse. It’s an opportunity for audiences of all ages to immerse themselves in the magical world of live theatre in the most picturesque of surroundings.

“I’m absolutely delighted to welcome Deborah McAndrew and Conrad Nelson back to the park this year. They’re hugely talented storytellers, and their delightfully witty version of Pride and Prejudice was a huge hit with Grosvenor Park audiences when it was premiered here in 2021. So, the opportunity to stage it again in this special Austen anniversary year seemed like one that was just too good to miss.

“We’re also thrilled to present a brand-new adaptation of Sherlock Holmes created especially for the open-air theatre – this version written by Molly Taylor is bang up to date and sees the famous Sherlock visiting Chester for his greatest mystery yet. Perfect for true crime fans and Sherlock aficionados alike.

“With an enchanting Alice in Wonderland to captivate inquisitive young minds and a great programme of other events planned for the festival site, all we need now is for the sun to continue to shine over Chester this summer.”

Find out what’s on at the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre here.

Find more theatre events across Liverpool here.

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