OPEN AIR SHAKESPEARE COMING TO PETERBOROUGH CATHEDRAL

We’ve all missed live theatre but you’ll be able to catch some Shakespeare this summer at Peterborough Cathedral.

The iconic Peterborough landmark is turning theatre venue for a special outdoor touring performance of Macbeth. It’s hoped it’ll prove as popular as previous performances at the Cathedral have in the past prior to the pandemic.

A theatre company with its history rooted in the days of Shakespeare himself, will perform Macbeth in the atmospheric setting of Peterborough Cathedral’s Cloisters on Wednesday June 16 at 7.30pm.

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, the UK’s leading all-male acting troupe, will perform the bard’s tragedy which will be the first theatrical production to be staged at the cathedral once the latest lockdown restrictions come to an end.

The company, whose alumni include the legendary Elizabethan actor Richard Burbage, are currently in rehearsals for the play.

The play focusses on the eponymous character who, overcome by ambition and driven on by his powerful wife, murders the king and sets in motion a terrible sequence of events from which there is no turning back.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for people to be entertained by watching a play exactly as William Shakespeare himself would’ve seen it performed,” said the company’s Artistic Director Peter Stickney. “After all, it’s in the open-air, acted by an all-male cast and it’s complete with Elizabethan costumes, music and dance,” he added.

The present company, in its 16th year, is involved in a 14-week tour including more than sixty performances and takes place in all weather conditions.

“At a time when we’re emerging from the shadows of Covid, this is a very safe way of inviting the public back to enjoy a theatre experience against the backdrop of our marvellous building,” commented the Cathedral’s Commercial Director, Dave Cramp. “We’re delighted to welcome a company of this calibre to the Cathedral for what we’re certain will be a memorable experience for the audience.”

The performance will be carried out in a Covid safe way and you’ll be encouraged to stand if able or bring a low-backed deckchair.

Tickets are £16 for adults and £10 for children. Booking fees apply. They are available now via https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/tlcm/macbeth/2021-06-16/19:30/t-xkjaey

Peterborough Cathedral Cloisters will be the venue for other outdoor performances this summer. Check the website for more details www.peterborough-cathedral.org.uk/events.aspx