Theatre

GLOUCESTERSHIRE

BACON THEATRE/ TUCKWELL AMPHITHEATRE

Dean Close School, Hatherley Rd, Cheltenham GL51 6EP (Sat Nav GL51 6HE). 01242 258002, www.bacontheatre.co.uk Listed here are the child-friendly productions in the Tuckwell Open Air Theatre Festival, Tue 3-Sun 15 Aug. Importance of Being Earnest Thu 5 Aug, 7pm £16 • Slapstick Picnic present this knockabout version of the Oscar Wilde classic, aimed at ages 9+. Songs of Purple Summer Wed 11 Aug, 7pm, £16 • Emerging and talented ensemble Stagedoor Learning play songs from the shows including ‘Sweeney Todd’ and ‘South Pacific’. The Great Gatsby Thu 12 Aug, 7pm, £16 • Heartbreak Productions present a jazzy version of one of the great American stories, set in the prohibition era. Ages 9+ The Railway Children Fri 13 Aug, 7pm, £16/£14 • Jenny Wren Productions bring Edith Nesbit’s tale of childhood separation and reunion to the stage. The children are now grown up and revisit their childhood adventures to help stimulate Peter’s ailing memory. Suitable for all ages. Mr Stink Sun 15 Aug, 5.30pm, £16/£14 • Heartbreak Productions return with David Walliams’s yarn about 10-year-old Annabelle’s particularly smelly new friend. Age 7+.

BARN THEATRE

5 Beeches Rd, Cirencester GL7 1BN. 01285 648255, barntheatre. org.uk An Elephant in the Garden Wed 1-Sat 11 Sep, 7.30pm, 2.30pm (Sat), 2pm & 5.30pm (Sun), £11.50-£36.50 • Michael Morpurgo’s tale of an extraordinary animal caught up in war, adapted by Simon Reade and performed by Alison Reid.

BARRINGTON

Off A40 nr. Great Barrington, between Cheltenham & Oxford. www.everymantheatre.org.uk The Hooley Thu 5-Mon 16 Aug, two to four shows daily, 11am9.15pm, £15-£30 • Delayed by a year, Giffords Circus’s latest production finally sees the light of day for its – now – 21st anniversary tour. Directed by leading comedy director Cal McCrystal, the performance promises plenty of horses, fairies, music and dancing – as well as the reappearance of circus favourites like Nancy Trotter Landry, Lil Rice and Tweedy The Clown.

Tuckwell Open Air Theatre Festival, Tue 3-Sun 15 Aug

BATSFORD ARBORETUM

Moreton in Marsh GL56 9AT, www.batsarb.co.uk Little Red Riding Hood & The Three Funky Pigs! Sun 18 July, 3-4pm • Join Little Red Riding Hood and her Karate Granny on their adventures with the Three Funky Little Pigs … but watch out for the cantankerous Mr Wolf who is always on the lookout for his next meal. Performed in the open air. See website for ticket info.

CHELTENHAM RACECOURSE

Evesham Rd, Cheltenham GL50 4SH. www.thejockeyclub.co.uk/ cheltenham/events-tickets/ Paw Patrol Live: Race to the Rescue Sat 14 Aug • POSTPONED TO 2022

CIRENCESTER

Off A417, half a mile from Cirencester town centre, towards Gloucester. www.everymantheatre.org.uk The Hooley Thu 9-Mon 13 Sep, two to four shows daily, 11am9.15pm, £15-£30 • The next stop on the Giffords Circus tour. See also Barrington.

DEAN HERITAGE CENTRE

Camp Mill, Soudley, Forest of Dean GL14 2UB HMS Pinafore Sun 1 Aug, 4pm, £14 (adult)/£5 (child) • Opera Anywhere present Gilbert & Sullivan’s operatic naval comedy.

EVERYMAN THEATRE

Regent St, Cheltenham GL50 1HQ. 01242 572573, www. everymantheatre.org.uk Horrible Histories Live on Stage: Barmy Britain 2021 Thu 19-Sun 22 Aug, 11am (Sat & Sun), 2.30pm (Fri, Sat & Sun) & 6.30pm (Thu, Fri & Sat), £16-£18 • The “Horrible” team gets back into action with this lightning round-up of the comically nastiest bits of British history from Boudicca to Burke and Hare (in the Victorian era). Tweedy’s Lost Property Wed 27-Sat 30 Oct, 1.30pm (Wed, Thu & Fri), 10am & 12noon (Sat), £14-£19 • Gloucestershire’s favourite clown and slapstick legend Tweedy has to get a “proper” job. What are the chances he nails it from day one, with no mix ups, misunderstandings or confusion? What the Ladybird Heard Wed 3-Sat 6 Nov, 1.30pm (Wed, Thu & Fri), 10.30am (Thu & Fri), 10am & 12noon (Sat), £15 • Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks’s children’s classic about the sleuthing ladybird and two crafty robbers comes to life. Hansel and Gretel Fri 26 NovFri 31 Dec, 10am & 11.30am (see website for details), £8.50 • Production company Box Tale Soup with their take on the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale.

FENNELLS FARM

Opp. Lypiatt Park, 2.5 miles from Stroud along Bisley Rd. www. everymantheatre.org.uk The Hooley Thu 16-Sun 26 Sep, two to four shows daily, 11am9.15pm, £15-£30 • The next stop on the Giffords Circus tour. See also Barrington.

LLANTHONY SECUNDA PRIORY

Gloucester GL2 5FA, llanthonysecunda.org/events Pride and Prejudice Wed 7 Jul, 7pm • Pantaloons present a “delightfully innovative” adaptation of Jane Austen’s much-loved tale about the Bennett family and the will-they-won’t-they relationship between Lizzy and Mr Darcy. An outdoor theatre show suitable for all ages. Bring a picnic and something to sit on. The Wind in the Willows Wed 25 Aug, 6.30pm • Pantaloons bring their high-octane style to Kenneth Grahame’s classic riverbank tale of Mole, Ratty and the infamous Mr Toad.

MINCHINHAMPTON

The Common, opp. Holy Trinity Church, Minchinhampton, off A419 between Cirencester & Stroud. www.everymantheatre. org.uk The Hooley Thu 19-Tue 31 Aug, two to four shows daily, 11am9.15pm, £15-£30 • The next stop on the Giffords Circus tour. See also Barrington.

ROSES THEATRE

The Roses, Sun St, Tewkesbury GL20 5NX. 01684 295074, www. rosestheatre.org Woman Like Me: The Little Pantaloons present Wind in the Willows, Llanthony Secunda Priory, Wed 25 Aug

Mix Show Thu 26 Aug, 7-9pm (approx), £15-£17 • Promises to be a thrilling tribute to “everyone’s favourite girlband”.

SANDFORD PARKS LIDO

Keynsham Rd, Cheltenham GL53 7PU. www.sandfordparkslido.org.uk Much Ado About Nothing Sat 7 Jul, 7.30pm, £14 (adult)/£12 (concs.)/£8 (child) • Illyria Productions return with the ever-popular Shakespeare comedy.

THE SCARR BANDSTAND

B4228 nr. Coleford, Forest of Dean (Sat Nav GL16 8JA). everymantheatre.org.uk The Railway Children Fri 1 Aug, 6pm, £12 (adult)/£8 (child) • Jenny Wren Productions bring Edith Nesbit’s tale of childhood separation and reunion to the stage. The children are now grown up and revisit their childhood adventures to help stimulate Peter’s ailing memory. Suitable for all ages. Booking via Everyman Theatre box office.

SUNDIAL THEATRE

Stroud Rd, Cirencester GL7 1XA. www.ccda.co.uk/ CCDA Musical Theatre Bootcamp Mon 26-Fri 30 Jul, 9am • Musical theatre bootcamp for 8-18yrs. Perfect your singing, dancing and acting skills and perform a show on the final day. Email danceline@ccda.co.uk for full details. Hannah Mills Dance Collective Wed 18 Aug, 7.30pm, £12 (adult)/£10 (child) • An evening of dance and performance from the students and dancers of the H Dance Collective.

WESTONBIRT ARBORETUM

The National Arboretum, Tetbury GL8 8QS. forestryengland.uk/ westonbirt The Grimm Sisters Sat 7 Aug, 12.30 & 3pm, £16 (adult)/£11 (ages 5-18) • Scratchworks Theatre Company bring you Brunhilde and Mitzi, who want to set the record straight about the stories traditionally attributed to the Brothers Grimm. Treachery, curses and bad luck loom large in their story.