Shakespeare famously wrote ‘all the world’s a stage’ – and this certainly rings true in Gloucestershire this summer, with open air theatre events taking place at some of the most picturesque locations across the county.
Boasting outdoor drama, the bard under the stars and fun family entertainment, SoGlos handpicks 11 of the best places to enjoy an alfresco theatre performance in Gloucestershire.
Outdoor theatre at Painswick Rococo Garden
Providing an idyllic summer setting for alfresco opera, Painswick Rococo Garden welcomes back touring company The Wild Arts on Friday 19 July 2024 with its latest production A Magical Evening of Opera — a love story built around opera classics, sung by the stars of tomorrow and accompanied by a string quartet.
While murder mystery fans won't want
to miss comedy improvisors Pinch Punch with the popular LocoMotive for Murder — an 'outrageous' whodunnit where killing the cast and cracking the case is in
the hands of the audience — on
Friday 5 September 2024.
Outdoor theatre at Longborough Festival Opera in the Cotswolds
Longborough Festival Opera provides an utterly unique setting to experience opera. This year’s programme features Richard Wagner’s epic Ring cycle in its entirety, along with a new production of Giacomo Puccini's ever-popular opera La bohème.
Guests are encouraged to pack a picnic and arrive early to enjoy a glass of Champagne while taking in the glorious Cotswold views — or book a table to enjoy luxury dining in Longborough Festival Opera's very own restaurant.
Outdoor theatre at Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe
Following an acclaimed production of Twelfth Night in 2023, The Duke's Theatre Company is returning to Sudeley Castle this summer with Shakespeare's 'most quoted comedy', As You Like It, on Sunday 18 August 2024.
Audiences are told to expect 'music, mayhem and madness' from the performance, with the Tudor palace’s gardens providing the perfect setting for the open-air show.
Outdoor theatre at Berkeley Castle near Stroud
The imposing Berkley Castle provides a spectacular backdrop for outdoor theatre performances, with The Duke's Theatre Company also bringing As You Like It to the Stroud venue on Wednesday 14 and Thursday 15 August 2024.
Cheltenham-based Jenny Wren Productions keeps the Shakespeare coming with its production of Twelfth Night on Sunday 1 September 2024.
Outdoor theatre at Llanthony Secunda Priory in Gloucester
Touring company Quantum Theatre is back at Gloucester’s historic Llanthony Secunda Priory with an all-new outdoor show on Sunday 11 August 2024.
Following on from previous adaptations of Beatrix Potter's The Tale of Peter Rabbit and The Tale of Benjamin Bunny, The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck sees another classic from the beloved children's author bought to life on stage, in a production that is sure to delight little theatre-lovers and nostalgic grown-ups alike!
Outdoor theatre at Tuckwell Amphitheatre in Cheltenham
The idyllic Tuckwell Amphitheatre in Cheltenham stages the Bacon Theatre’s annual Open Air Theatre Festival every August, with a packed programme of shows lined up for 2024.
The festival features shows based on classic literature including Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women; along with film and theatre like Grease, La La Land and Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest.
Outdoor theatre at Museum in the Park in Stroud
Theatre-goers of all ages can enjoy intimate performances within the walled garden at Stroud's Museum in the Park this summer, with IPK Productions performing its new family production of The Little Mermaid on Sunday 28 July 2024.
Then on Friday 2 August 2024, critically-acclaimed troupe The Festival Players — which boasts Dame Judi Dench as a patron — is bringing its spirited and energetic performance of Shakespeare's The Tempest to the walled garden, promising intrigue, magic and humour as an array of colourful characters 'gain their deserts'.
Outdoor theatre at Newark Park in Wotton-under-Edge
With a contemporary take on Oscar Wilde’s classic comedy of manners, The Pantaloons is bringing its new production of The Importance of Being Earnest to Newark Park on Saturday 3 August 2024.
Then on Saturday 31 August 2024, Robin, Marian and the merry men of Sherwood Forest are banding together for The Pantaloons’ take on Robin Hood, featuring live music and plenty of audience interaction.
Outdoor theatre at Sandford Parks Lido in Cheltenham
Providing a dreamy poolside setting for outdoor theatre, Cheltenham’s Sandford Parks Lido is a great spot to enjoy a show this summer.
Taking place in its luscious grounds, families can enjoy a brand new adaptation of Charles Dickens' atmospheric Great Expectations from touring company Quantum Theatre on Saturday 6 July 2024, with its production promising 'high comedy and dark drama'.
Outdoor theatre at Scarr Bandstand in the Forest of Dean
Set amongst the idyllic woodlands of Sling near Coleford in the Forest of Dean, community-run amphitheatre Scarr Bandstand is a truly unique place to enjoy outdoor theatre this summer.
On Sunday 18 August 2024, theatre-goers can enjoy an evening of 'hilarious confusion', with a performance of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest from Gloucester-based company Rain or Shine.
