Open Air Theatre

The Open Air Theatre's Season 2008

Timothy Sheader’s debut season at London’s unique outdoor theatre (June 2nd to September 13th) will see intense passions lead to dramatic transformations in productions of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and Twelfth Night; a new production of the Lerner and Loewe’s classic musical, Gigi; and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, re-imagined for young audiences.

Talking about his first season Timothy said: “Contemporary theatre often sees an audience looking into the illusion of a self-contained world with performer and audience inhabiting different spaces divided by the fourth wall.  At the Open Air Theatre we are able to get closer to a collaborative and participatory experience of storytelling. Weather and climate add a thrilling contribution to our work, making the complicity between performer, text and audience a truly unique event at every performance.  

Built upon a core of excellent dramatic credentials, we will present bold and dynamic productions of these much loved plays to stimulate the senses and challenge expectation.” Romeo and Juliet opens the 2008 season (previews on Monday 2 June, press night 9 June) and will be directed by Timothy Sheader. Edward Dick (Romeo and Juliet Shakespeare’s Globe, A Midsummer Night’s Dream Sydney Theatre Company), in his first production at the venue, will direct Twelfth Night (previews on Wednesday 4 June, press night 13 June).

For the first time, there will be a third Shakespeare production, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (previews Tuesday 8 July, press performance 12 July), which will be completely re-worked for a young audience.  Director and choreographer, Dominic Leclerc will transform this Open Air Theatre favourite by creating a fast-paced 75-minute physical production using Shakespeare’s original language and text, suitable for everyone aged 6 and over.

All three Shakespeare productions will share an ensemble cast and designer Robert Innes Hopkins will create an epic, shared environment upon which each of the three classics will play in rep. Fotini Dimou’s costumes will create individual worlds for each production and the lighting designer for the entire season will be Simon Mills.

The Shakespeare season will finish on 2 August.  Following the critically acclaimed production of The Boy Friend, the musical in 2008 will be Gigi (Wednesday 6 August, press night 14 August). Written by Lerner and Loewe, famed for their widely known musical My Fair Lady, Gigi has not been seen in London for over 20 years. The production will be directed by Timothy Sheader and features the songs “Thank Heaven for Little Girls”, “The Night They Invented Champagne”, and “I Remember It Well”.

The title role of Gigi will be played by Lisa O’Hare (title  roles in Mary Poppins West End, My Fair Lady US tour), Mamita will be played by stage and screen star Millicent Martin (That was the week that was, Side by Side by Sondheim, Frasier, Will & Grace) and Topol, Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee for Fiddler on the Roof, will perform the role of Honore. The production will be choreographed by Olivier Award winner Stephen Mear (Disney’s Little Mermaid, Broadway, Mary Poppins, London and Broadway, On The Town, ENO).

The popular Sunday concerts series will continue in 2008 and includes last year’s sell out acts Daniel Kitson, Lucy Porter and Stephen K Amos, Jimmy Carr and The Comedy Store Players.

Editor's note: Further information is available by following this link.