Theatres - Still Showing - July 28 onwards

Jul 24 2011 by Michael Green, Chester Chronicle

STILL SHOWING

THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON (New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, June 17-July 30)

A HUGE hit on the Edwardian stage, this rare revival of JM Barrie’s superb comic fantasy finds the upstairs-downstairs world of an aristocratic family turned upside down when disaster strikes, a holiday goes wrong and everyone ends up shipwrecked on a desert island. Call 01782 717962 or visit www.newvictheatre.org.uk.

AS YOU LIKE IT (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, Chester, July 7-August 21)

THE second year of this Chester Performs-led outdoor theatre project gets under way with one of the Bard’s best-loved works. When Rosalind is banished by Duke Frederick, his daughter Celia runs away with her to the Forest of Arden where Rosalind’s father Duke Senior is in hiding. Orlando also escapes there from his dangerous brother Oliver. Rosalind and Orlando are already in love but in the forest Rosalind is disguised as a man. Full of great characters, beautiful words, singing, dancing and jokes, Shakespeare’s As You Like It shows a fragmented, bitter and broken world being remade into something completely different. Ring 0845 241 7876 or visit www.grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk.

AS YOU LIKE IT (Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, June 29-August 6)

WHEN Rosalind is banished by Duke Frederick, his daughter Celia runs away with her to the Forest of Arden where Rosalind’s father Duke Senior is in hiding. Orlando also escapes there from his dangerous brother Oliver. Rosalind and Orlando are already in love but in the forest Rosalind is disguised as a man. Full of great characters, beautiful words, singing, dancing and jokes, Shakespeare’s As You Like It shows a fragmented, bitter and broken world being remade into something completely different. Ring 0161 833 9833 or visit www.royalexchange.co.uk.

MERLIN AND THE WOODS OF TIME (Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, Chester, July 14-August 19)

THE second production of this year’s Chester Performs-led outdoor theatre project is a specially commissioned work by Glyn Maxwell based on the famous Arthurian legends. It’s a perfect day in Camelot. Knights joust and the ladies show favour. Blood is spilt, love is declared and medieval pundits talk us through the action. But then a humble water carrier falls head over heels for an arrogant beauty and in his passion, stumbles on the secret of controlling time. Now the survival of the world is in his hands and only the wisdom of Merlin can save Old England from catastrophe. Ring 0845 241 7876 or visit www.grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk.

THE RIVALS (New Vic Theatre, Etruria Road, Newcastle-under-Lyme, until July 28)

SHERIDAN’S wildly funny masterpiece is possibly the original rom com. Director Thersa Haskins plots our way through the love affairs, the secrets and the schemes of a group of men and women behaving badly in Bath, the 18th century’s hottest holiday destination. Call 01782 717962 or visit www.newvictheatre.org.uk.

VERDICT (Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent, July 25-30)

STAGE and screen actress Susan Penhaligon leads an all-star cast in the Agatha Christie Theatre Company’s production of the compelling drama. Written and first performed in 1958, Verdict is one of Christie’s few original plays which is not based on a novel or short story. The cast also features Robert Duncan, who played Gus Hedges in multi-award-winning comedy Drop the Dead Donkey. Visit www.ambassadortickets.com or ring 0844 871 7649.