One of the truly wonderful things about outdoor theatre is that you never quite know what's going to happen next. There's a definite edge to the whole proceedings, an underlying tension in the audience, as well as on the stage.
I remember, many years ago, watching a production of The Importance of Being Earnest at an outdoor theatre on Brownsea Island, near Poole in Dorset.
During a crucial part of the performance, one of the island's resident peacocks nonchalantly wandered onto the stage, walked up to the actors, and cheekily fanned its feathers, as if to say to everyone watching: "I'm in charge around 'ere."
The actors, professional to the core, chose to ignore this entertaining sideshow, and continued with their lines, though for most of the audience the peacock was the talking point at the end of the show.
If you're looking for an outdoor theatre experience in London,
Regent's Park is the place to go. The theatre there has been running a summer season almost every year since 1932.
The open air theatre, with a capacity of 1200 seats, is situated in Queen Mary's Gardens, towards the south-west corner of the park.
The theatre's steeply tiered seating creates an intimate atmosphere and ensures everyone gets a decent view without any craning of the neck.
The season begins on the 19th of May and runs all the way through to the 10th of September and comprises lavish theatrical shows, music performances, and stand-up comedy.
This year's shows include
Lord of the Flies,
The Beggar's Opera,
Pericles, and
Crazy For You.
Kate Rusby,
I Am Kloot,
Clare Teal and the BBC Big Band, and
The Imagined Village will be providing musical entertainment.
And for laughs you'll have
Jimmy Carr,
Jeremy Hardy and the
Comedy Store Players.
See the official website's
What's On page for detailed information.
Close to the theatre is a picnic lawn (with tables) where you can enjoy
a pre-show feed, and the theatre itself serves up a
hot and cold buffet,
barbecued goodies, and
tea and cakes. It also lays claim to having
the longest bar in the West End.
Of course, shows are weather dependent, which is a little worrying when you're talking about the highly unpredictable nature of the British climate. Best to cross your fingers and hope for the best on that one.
Looking at the official website, it sounds like the weather needs to be extremely rough for them to cancel a show. On a showery night, they might even stop and start depending on the rain. Be sure to check out their
terms and conditions regarding refunds related to the weather.
The last time I looked, there weren't any peacocks wandering around Regent's Park, so this particular outdoor theatre should be free of any impromptu on-stage displays of fanning feathers. London Zoo, however, is but a short distance away....
