Well, what a great start to our summer of live theatre here at The Arches Theatre. We opened our gates on Thursday 21st July to our first audience of 2022 who came to see 'King Arthur' performed by The Last Baguette ...
The Last Baguette theatre company took us on an exciting adventure with King Arthur!
This fun and energetic, professional theatre company took us on an exciting adventure with King Arthur and his troop to Camelot and beyond in this hilarious family tale. We met the magical Merlin and the beautiful Lady of the Lake, plus we saw some brilliant fight scenes and outstanding invisible horse riding.
"With a great set, live music and an excellent cast, this was a fantastic production to kick off our summer season with!"
On Friday 22nd July, our audience was spellbound by The Shakespeare Circus' excellent adaptation of 'The Tempest'. The Berkhamsted-based theatre company gave a vibrant performance of this renowned tragicomedy, with laughs and tears a plenty and it even included some original songs.
This was the first time that both these theatre companies performed on our outdoor stage. We're sure you'll all agree that we hope to see them back with us again next year! We still have lots more live theatre and music to come this summer at our outdoor theatre. Taking to our stage next from 28th - 30th July, we have Etc Theatre with their quirky 'steam punk' adaptation of 'The Importance of Being Earnest'.
From 12th - 14th August we have our music weekend with the sensational ABBA Sensation on Friday 12th, BAFTA nominated musician, Richard Digance, plus local band, The Bolivian Sunshine Dogs, on Saturday 13th and finally we have a classical concert performed by Dan Evans, world-renowned British dulcimer player, guitarist and composer, on Sunday 14th. It's an all-female lineup for The Wet Mariners in their 10th-anniversary performance of Love's Labour's Lost on Saturday 20th August.
The brilliant DOT Productions return with two more shows, The Jungle Book, which is perfect for all the family, and the much-loved classic, Pygmalion, on Sunday 21st August. British Touring Shakespeare also returns with The Merry Wives of Windsor and the chilling gothic horror tale of Dracula. A great one to see at our quirky venue when the sun goes down.
Finishing off our season we have the hilarious Milton Keynes Theatre of Comedy with their last instalment of 'Ripping Yarns'. All monies raised through ticket sales will go to The National Brain Appeal's capital appeal to raise money for The Rare Dementia Support Centre, the world's first centre of excellence for rarer dementias.
Tickets to all performances can be purchased via our online ticket office. For more information on our theatre, what to bring and what to expect when you are with us, please visit the Your Visit page on our website.
We hope to see you all soon at our unique venue for some fantastic live theatre this summer.
Until next time ...
DAVID PIBWORTH
Would you like to know more?
If anything I've written in this blog post resonates with you and you'd like to discover more about the arches theatre summer season 2022, it may be a great idea to give me a call on 01234 241357 and let's see how I can help.
David is the owner and Artistic Director of The Arches Theatre in Clifton Reynes near Milton Keynes. Productions are underneath some flood arches on the disused Midland railway line (Bedford to Northampton). It is equidistant from Bedford, Northampton and Milton Keynes. You bring your food, drink and chairs and enjoy the varied shows that are produced. This year - 2022 - there are 12 productions on throughout the season, from Shakespeare to Ripping Yarns plus a music weekend.
David has been involved in 'Light Ent' for many years, working with Ray Galton and Alan Simpson adapting the scripts of 'Steptoe and Son' and those of Tony Hancock to the stage. He has produced shows for Norman Wisdom (which makes him feel old), Al Murray, and Joe Pasquale amongst others, and also worked in the music business promoting and producing shows with Chas and Dave, Neil Inness, Kenny Ball, Acker Bilk and others of that ilk.
He is also the director of a film school for young people in his home town of Olney as well as supporting many local events.
He recently negotiated permission from Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais to stage a short run of 'Porridge' on stage which proved a success.
This year the annual charity performance at The Arches Theatre will be the last of 'Ripping Yarns' by Michael Palin and Terry Jones, with the profits being donated to The National Brain Appeal' for research into dementia as David's father and uncle died of it, as did Michael Palin's friend and writing partner Terry Jones. Last year they raised an astonishing £10,000 and are hoping to get somewhere close again with the support of audiences and sponsors.
David also has a stage hire company and his wife Julie runs a livery yard, so they are surrounded by horses, dogs, light entertainment and and a 17 year old daughter.
He plays in a comedy jazz band and collects strange props such as the Spitting Image puppets of Denis Thatcher and Alan Bennett, the child catchers bike from the stage show of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and various other 'things' all of which he sells to raise money for the Arches Theatre, although he always finds it hard to part from these props. However as the theatre receives no funding at all, he is always devising ways to keep it going! Sponsors are always welcome!
no unauthorised use, duplication, distribution or modification to any original content contained within this blog is permitted without prior written permission of the author. All other trademarks and registered names are acknowledged.
