End of open air theatre season

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The four outdoor plays at Lytham Hall this summer are set to raise around £3500 for the Lytham Hall Appeal Fund. Despite rain on Sunday afternoon a crowd of 350 watched Illyria’s performance of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice which featured illusions created by internationally renowned magician Paul Daniels.

Illyria’s company manager David Martin who played The Sorcerer Dr. Dee was full of praise for the enthusiasm of the children who made up nearly half the audience.

“It’s always a treat for the cast to play at Lytham Hall, he said”, and this year the children really made it an excellent occasion. They liked the animated broomsticks particularly and we were delighted to deal with autographs and requests for selfies at the end.”

Playgoers donated £200 to Lytham Lifeboats and the St. Luke’s Leprosy Hospital in India by means of a charity raffle with Bertie the Big Bear, tickets for international cricket at Old Trafford and lunch for two at Lytham’s Spago restaurant proving attractive prizes.

Julia Munro, 16, from Lytham St. Annes High School, led the team of young raffle helpers. She felt that the audience was very willing to support two good causes amidst a strong family atmosphere.

“The children were very keen to take Bertie the Bear home with them. The family show is always an exciting occasion and I thought that the purple-coloured set, with lots of doors and cupboards, really caught the imagination of the little ones sitting at the front straightaway. The weather was poor, but the entertainment was rich.”

Julian Wilde, organiser of the outdoor season, praised all the help he received from the professional staff at Lytham Hall and the efforts of dozens of volunteers.

“It’s been a very pleasing season, starting with a record attendance for Jane Eyre back in June. All the plays have gone very smoothly as the results of the efforts of an army of volunteer helpers and Marianne Blaauboer, activities organiser at the Hall, has been a tower of strength.

I think that the Lytham Hall plays complement all the other superb open air summer events in Lytham and I am already looking forward to the first of the 2016 plays, Wuthering Heights, next June."

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