Shakespeare comes to Merseyside parks for summer

A local amateur theatre company bringing accessible arts to communities is preparing to stage a Shakespeare comedy across Merseyside parks and green spaces.

Wanderlust Theatre Company will perform the Bard’s Twelfth Night in St James Gardens on 13th July before taking in dates at Sudley House, Birkenhead Arts Palace, Reynold’s Park and Waterloo Marine Gardens.

The company describe Twelfth night as ‘a brightly woven tapestry of disguise and deception; a riotous comedy of mistaken identity, love and revenge.’

Keen to expand the parameters of what’s typically made available to the city’s regions, this summer Wanderlust are teaming up with various Liverpool outdoor venues to stage this classical show performed with a colourful, modern aesthetic.

With a successful performance at Lock & Quay in Bootle already under their belt, the team are excited about this upcoming run of shows.

Lauren Steele, Artistic Director of Wanderlust Theatre Company, said: “Shakespeare is often perceived as a less accessible style of theatre – we want to show people it isn’t. That its genesis is from the people, for the people, even 500 years on! And it’s as relevant today as it was then.”

Wanderlust have taken up the mantle of the recently disbanded Liverpool Network Theatre Group, who staged outdoor summer shows in the city for over 20 years. Their ethos was “accessible theatre for everyone” and the company are focused on carrying on that legacy.

Wanderlust’s Twelfth Night is gender blind, and its setting is out of time and place. It opens itself up to any interpretation and ultimately its message is one of love and acceptance. The play shows audiences that “what’s perceived isn’t always the case, that self acceptance is ok and sometimes, once the scales fall, we’re free to love the person underneath.”

Sandra Tschackert, Co-Director of Twelfth Night said: “We hope that we can share our interpretation of this story with an enthusiastic audience and trust that the fun we’ve had rehearsing will carry over into playful performances in each and every location. I’ve particularly enjoyed the “travelling circus on a shoestring” atmosphere to this summer outdoor show which has created a really tight knit relationship between all involved, and joy in our resourcefulness to pull it all off.”

Tickets for all the upcoming performances can be purchased now via Skiddle.