Outdoor theatre is now a well-established part of the British summer but back in the mid-1980s it was almost unheard of. It was a meeting at a Lancaster pub which changed the face of theatre in that city, and across the country.
After a few post-show pints at the Golden Lion on Moor Lane, Jonathan Petherbridge who was then artistic director at the Dukes Theatre, came up with a radical solution to the problem of attracting audiences indoors during the summer: take the theatre outdoors.
Around that time Williamson Park was in a sorry state, with the iconic Ashton Memorial almost derelict. Funding secured by Lancaster City Council was enough to transform the park into one of the area’s major visitor attractions and the introduction of innovative walkabout theatre gave it a new lease of life.
Now, 36 years after that first production, audiences are still following the action around the park which remains on the of the jewels in the city’s crown.
Each scene takes place in a different part of the park: on, or sometimes in the lake, at a shady dell, in the enchanted forest or beside the park's crowning glory, the 150ft Ashton Memorial.
This month audiences can join Phileas Fogg, as he races against the clock by trains, boats, elephants and balloons to travel around the world in 80 days.
The current artistic director is Sarah Punshon and this summer’s production will be the fourth promenade show she has directed for the Dukes.
‘Working on the play in the park is much more exciting than a traditional theatre show,’ she says. ‘It presents all kinds of practical challenges and opportunities – the park is an extra character in the show and it really adds to the atmosphere and thrill of it all. On our first day of rehearsals in the park we could feel the excitement building.’
The script for the show was written by Andy Pollard, who played Phileas Fogg in a touring production a few years ago. In the early stages of planning the Dukes' production he and Sarah took a walk around the park to select locations that could work and to consider which scenes would take place where.
‘We just have a cast of six and we do some doubling up on characters, so we needed to walk through the park and work out who we would meet in each location. We’ve also found our own take on the characters – they are not quite as Jules Verne wrote them.’
One of the characters the original author might not recognise is Princess Aouda who is reinvented here as a rather tough woman than Verne wrote.
Aleeza Humranwala, who plays the princess in this production, says: ‘I’ve enjoyed turning her into what she has always wanted to be and I’m excited to see how the audience respond to her and to this version of the story.
‘I have never done outdoor theatre before and Lancaster is a beautiful place to do it. Initially, I didn’t know we weren’t going to be in a theatre but on our first read through in the park it all started to come together.’
Sam Jones is the only member of the cast with previous Williamson Park experience; he played Peter Pan in the 2010 play in the park and this time he plays Phileas Fogg – and, in something of a twist, Passepartout. He says: ‘This is a job unlike many others. You get to really engage with the audience and I love that.
‘It’s a chance to work with them out in the elements, to share that experience with them, and to see the impact of what we do and how the story affects them. That’s not something you can usually do in a traditional theatre space. Those interactions mean every show is different and that’s really exciting for us as actors.’
* Around the World in 80 Days runs on Tuesdays-Sundays until August 27 at 7.15pm. Tickets must be booked in advance from the box office on 01524 598500 or tickets@dukeslancaster.org.
Three things to remember
* You will be on the move between scenes, so travel light and wear sensible shoes. Waterproofs are essential, too – if the weather’s fine, fold them up and sit on them, some of that outdoor seating is less than comfy.
* Get there early and take a picnic. Drink in the views over the city and out across Morecambe Bay before the action begins.
* Take the whole family. The Dukes outdoor shows are great entertainment for all ages.
