Much Ado for Off the Ground Theatre this summer

Off the Ground Theatre is taking Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing on an open-air tour this summer.

The Wirral-based theatre company, which marks its 30th anniversary this year, will stage the much-loved comedy at outdoor venues in Wirral, Liverpool, Lancashire, Wales and across the Irish sea to Cork, Carlow, Wicklow and County Down.

The tour opens as Maerdy in the Rhondda Valley on July 23 before travelling on to Queen’s Park in Meols on July 24, Birkenhead Priory on July 25, Plas Newydd at Llangollen (July 26), Gawthorpe Hall at Burnley (July 27), Claremont Farm on July 28, Future Yard at Birkenhead on July 30 and Burton Manor on July 31.

It continues at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church on August 1, then heads back to Wirral for two dates at Royden Park on August 2-3 and a performance at Gordale Garden Centre in South Wirral on August 4 before then travelling on to Ireland.

Tickets cost £12 for adults, £10 concessions and £5 for under 21s.

Off the Ground Theatre champion access to drama and theatre for young people, often promoting from within its own youth theatre or seeking local emerging talent from other programmes of excellence, such as Cronton 6th Form College’s Professional Theatre Programme, Young Everyman and Playhouse (YEP), Storyhouse Young Company, LIPA and Liverpool John Moores University.

Much Ado About Nothing is being directed by Ben Newman, an Off The Ground Youth Theatre graduate who is former artistic director of Sheffield’s Belly Up Theatre and in September takes up his new post as resident director at the Oxford Playhouse.

Newman says: “It’s a joy to be able to direct this classic for OTG. Much Ado is such a well-known and well-loved play. I loved being a part of Off the Ground’s Youth Theatre, so to be able to return now in this capacity is fantastic.

“As a director, I like to put a real focus on boundaries; between comedy and tragedy, actor and audience, magic and reality. I try to always keep enthralling storytelling at the heart of what I do and how I work.”

Much Ado About Nothing is touring during July and August with nine performances in Wirral and Liverpool. Full information about dates and tickets HERE