Yahoo is using AI to generate takeaways from this article. This means the info may not always match what's in the article. Reporting mistakes helps us improve the experience.Generate Key TakeawaysThere’s an extra thrill to an open-air performance. A sense that theatre should always be this way – intimate and less formal, communal; the audience and performers in it together. And all at the complete mercy of the weather.
Nature plays a prominent role in this industry, and will often dictate programming and whether a show goes on, or not. In 2024, National Trust shared that they would be pausing productions on Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour, a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest, after 60 years, due to the impact of the events on the landscape. Positively managing this impact is an ongoing discussion.
Britain has a long history of putting on performances under starlit skies, with the earliest documented during Roman times. Medieval mystery plays and the rise of Shakespeare in the Elizabethan era saw more open-air theatres opened and many are still open today where you can enjoy an outdoor performance – primarily over the summer months – surrounded by the beauty of nature. Here are some of the best.
1. The Roman Theatre of St Albans
Built in the year AD 140, as part of the historic Roman city of Verulamium, the Roman Theatre of St Albans was most extensively excavated in the 1930s by a team that included the pioneering archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon. This atmospheric site in the Hertfordshire countryside now hosts a yearly summer festival of theatre and music, seating 300 in its semi-circular auditorium. Alongside a live performance, history enthusiasts can check out the excellent Roman Verulamium Museum.
Romeo and Juliet at the Roman Theatre of St Albans - Elliott FranksHow to do it
The Roman Theatre Open Air Festival, run by theatre production company OVO, has performances from June to August, with tickets from £15 per person. Sopwell House, less than a 10-minute drive away, has double rooms from £299 per night.
2. The Minack Theatre, Cornwall
Built into the granite cliffs on the south coast of Cornwall in the 1930s, this 550-seat open-air theatre hosts over 200 live performances a year, a wide variety of plays, musicals, opera and children’s events. The story of Rowena Cade, the woman who built the theatre, much of it with her own two hands, is fascinating, and visitors to the theatre can also access an exhibition detailing her life’s work. The view of Porthcurno Bay from the theatre is spectacular. For those keen to try the Cornish surf,Sennen Cove, an open and sandy beach near Land’s End, is a short drive away.
The Minack Theatre in Cornwall certainly has an impressive backdrop - Loop ImagesHow to do it
The Minack Theatre has performances from Easter to October, with tickets from £10 per person. Chapel House Penzance has double rooms from £180 per night. Popular eatery The Cornish Barn is a two-minute walk away.
3. Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London
Also established in the 1930s, in one of London’s landmark parks, this impressive outdoor theatre has a capacity of 1,304. Its summer season is a mix of musicals, contemporary drama, dance and shows for families. Many famous actors have graced the stage including Dame Judi Dench, who is now patron of the theatre.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is one of the largest auditoriums in London - David JensenHow to do it
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has performances from May to September, with tickets from £15 per person. Dorset Square Hotel in nearby Marylebone has double rooms from £336 per night.
4. Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, London
A reconstruction of the original Globe Theatre, built in 1599, the summer programme at Shakespeare’s Globe blends classic productions and contemporary adaptations of the playwright’s work. Get a standing ticket for the yard and you’ll be considered a “groundling” – actors interact with the audience here as they would in Shakespeare’s day, moving through the crowds. Borough Market, Tate Modern and the National Theatre are all nearby.
A performance of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare’s Globe - Marc BrennerAdvertisementAdvertisement#«R2mekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R4mekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe How to do it
Shakespeare’s Globe has performances from March to October, and then a Christmas production runs from December to January, with tickets from £5 per person. The Hoxton, Southwark has rooms from £219 per night.
5. Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, Chester
Chester was once a Roman fortress, and red sandstone Roman walls still surround its perimeter. The 500-seat open-air theatre in the park is a newer development, established in 2010 and now running a summer programme of classics with a twist and family-friendly shows. Storyhouse, Chester’s excellent cultural centre run by the founders of the theatre, is a 10-minute walk away.
The Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre stages classic productions in the round - PicasaHow to do it
Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre has performances from July to September, with tickets from £22.50 per person. Centrally located five-star hotel The Chester Grosvenor has double rooms from £170 per night.
6. Thorington Theatre, Suffolk
This wooden amphitheatre was built in a crater, believed to be the result of bombing during the Second World War. Situated on a Suffolk farm that grows organic chestnuts and walnuts, the rural venue hosts an eclectic mix of theatre, music, comedy and children’s entertainment. If you’ve time to explore, the Suffolk Heritage Coast is close by and home to a series of beautiful beaches.
The auditorium of Thorington Outdoor Theatre nestles amongst the woodland - NearTheCoast.com / AlamyHow to do it
Thorington Theatre has performances from May to August, with tickets from £18 per person. Husk, a five-minute drive from the theatre, is a supper club with accommodation, with rooms in a converted barn from £260 per night.
7. Theatr John Andrews, Pwllheli
This 250-seat, open-air theatre sits in the woodland entrance of Wales’ oldest art gallery, Plas Glyn-y-Weddw. Classic plays, adaptations and concerts are all set to the beautiful backdrop of Cardigan Bay and the mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia). The gallery is well worth a visit, and the popular onsite café is an otherworldly dome-shaped structure created by the sculptor Matt Sanderson. A choice of circular walks can be accessed through the woodland, including part of the Wales Coastal Path.
The Theatr John Andrews offers a varied programme of concerts and theatrical performancesHow to do it
TheatrJohn Andrews has performances from May to August, with tickets from £15 per person. Portofino-inspired Hotel Portmeirion has rooms from £104 per night.
8. Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Set within the hills of the Scottish Highlands, this outdoor venue is in the Explorers Gardens at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. The 120-seat compact amphitheatre hosts a mix of opera, family shows, musicals and drama, surrounded by views of Ben-Y-Vrackie mountain. Walkers looking to experience more of the landscape can check out Loch Faskally where you can hire canoes and boats to admire the panoramic Highlands views from the water.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s light-hearted Sherlock Holmes: A Study in Lipstick, Ketchup and Blood - Fraser BandAdvertisementAdvertisement#«R3bekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe AdvertisementAdvertisement#«R5bekkr8lb2m7nfddbH1» iframe How to do it
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Amphitheatre has performances from July to September, with tickets from £12 per person. Fonab Castle Hotel has rooms from £245 per night. Try the restaurant at nearby Saorsa 1875, known for its plant-based menu.
9. Willow Globe, Powys
The Willow Globe, or Glôb Byw in Welsh, is a scaled-down version of Shakespeare’s 16th-century Globe, planted entirely from willow. This imaginative and intimate outdoor stage hosts Shakespearean plays and events during the summer season, seating around 100 people. Gilfach Nature Reserve is only a few miles away, and Bradleys in Llandrindod Wells is a great place to stop for tapas.
The climax of a production at the Willow Globe - Full MongrelHow to do it
The Willow Globe has performances from April to September, with tickets from £12 per person. Lake Country House Hotel & Spa in Llangammarch Wells has rooms from £125 per night.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
