Lytham's Open Air Theatre leads the way

Lytham Hall looks to lead the country again in the summer of 2017 with a popular programme of four open air plays.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company will launch the 2017 season and their own summer tour at Lytham Hall, Lancashire’s best supported venue, on Sunday 11 June at 6.00 pm. The company will present Richard Main’s production of Charles Dickens’ classic novel, Great Expectations, adapted for the stage by Laura Turner.

Fylde coast fans will welcome the return of Illyria to Lytham Hall after three very successful shows last summer. On Sunday 9 July at 6.00 pm artistic director Oliver Gray’s will stage a new production of Arthur Conan Doyle’s adventure story The Lost World – from which the Jurassic Park story developed.

Oliver, who celebrated 25 years of his company last summer, was welcomed on his first visit to Lytham Hall in July by theatre organiser Julian Wilde. Now he is looking forward to Illyria playing at one of their favourite venues once again. “It was a delight to see for myself the enthusiasm of our army of loyal followers on the Lancashire coast. The news of our 2017 programme and the production of The Lost World in particular is meeting with much approval. Dinosaurs seem to have a universal fascination and appeal everywhere for those of every age,” he said.

On Sunday 20 August at 6.00 pm the Hall will play host to Illyria with Gilbert and Sullivan’s most acclaimed comic opera The Mikado. This seventh musical production by the company will play around 50 open air dates at venues throughout the country during their summer tour.

To complete the programme there’s another family summer treat as Illyria are back on the afternoon of Bank Holiday Sunday 27 August at 4.00 pm with their adaptation of one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most popular fairy tales The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Last summer’s family show at Lytham Hall, Danny, the Champion of the World, drew the biggest attendance of Illyria’s nationwide tour to 80 venues.

Julian Wilde who is organising the eighth season of plays is delighted with the variety of the 2017 season. “I think the balance in next summer’s programme will have a strong appeal. In response to many requests we have again chosen weekend dates for all the performances and kept the family show on the Bank Holiday Sunday in August. It’s pleasing too that there is no increase in ticket prices next summer. I am confident that Lytham Hall will again be amongst the very best attended venues in the country for outdoor theatre.”

Further details of ticket availability, prices and sales points for all four shows are expected in mid February.