Chester Storyhouse reveals extended summer in the open air

Chester Storyhouse is planning an extended summer season of open-air performances and events described as “a barn-raising, together-again party with the roof off.”

The season of shows at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre is scheduled to open on May 22 – around six weeks earlier than usual – although the final confirmation is down to current Covid restrictions.

Meanwhile it’s hoped the popular Moonlight Flicks open air cinema will be screened at Chester Cathedral’s Dean’s Field, Claremont Farm in Wirral and other venues from May half-term.

Storyhouse had to postpone its planned Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre programme last summer and instead ran a socially distanced performance of The Comedy of Errors.

Full details of this summer of events are yet to be revealed.

Storyhouse artistic director Alex Clifton said: “We're launching a summer of festivity, joy and healing - together in the sunshine - a real summer of love.

Above: Moonlight Flicks. Photo by Mark Carline. Top: Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre. Photo by Mark McNulty.

“We’re planning a barn-raising, together-again party with the roof off. Plays and movies and family activities: all of us together in the city’s parks and open spaces, loving our city, and reconnecting with each other, in the summer sunshine."

Chief executive Andrew Bentley added: “Spring is finally here and looking back we’ve had about as good a year as we could manage. The difference has been the incredible help from our community, including more than 5,000 who have joined as members and as regular donors.

“We’ve raised more than £2.5m in this last year to keep us afloat. This support is still crucial to our survival and we are so thankful. We brought some joy at Christmas and now we are about to embark on our longest summer ever.”