Open-air Shakespeare performance

03/07/08 Open-air Shakespeare performance - CCCU

The work of William Shakespeare will be performed at Salomons, part of Canterbury Christ Church University, from Thursday 17th July to Sunday 20th July for the summer open-air theatre season.

Amateur dramatic group, The Pantiles Players, will present Shakespeare’s ‘The Two Gentlemen of Verona’ in the charming walled courtyard of Runcie Court at Salomons.
The play is believed by many scholars to be Shakespeare’s first play and expresses themes that are revisited in his later plays. The over-riding theme of the play is love and focuses on the relationship of two childhood friends, Valentine and Proteus (the two gentlemen of the title) and that between Valentine and Silvia and Proteus and Julia.

The Pantiles Players is an amateur dramatic group originally formed in 1942 to provide local wartime entertainment. They were first invited to play on the Pantiles bandstand in 1983 and have performed a play, usually Shakespeare, there every year since.

Sales and Marketing manager at Salomons, Dawn Ellingham-Lord, said: “The courtyard at Runcie Court is the perfect setting for an outdoor performance and provides a magical evening ambiance with excellent acoustics. We are delighted that the Pantiles Players are returning to us again this year for their annual Shakespeare event.”

Salomons is located on the David Salomons Estate, Broomhill Road, Southborough, Tunbridge Wells. Performances take place daily at 7.45pm, except Sunday which is at 3pm. Tickets are £9 per person (£8 concessions). Please contact the Box Office between 10am and 4pm on 01892 534341 or email thepantilesplayers@yahoo.co.uk

Picnic boxes are available for all performances and cost £6.95 per person. On Thursday 17th July, a two-course carvery menu is available at 6pm for £15 per person. On Sunday 20th July, a three-course carvery lunch is available from 12.15pm for £17.95 per person. For pre-show refreshments contact Salomons direct on 01892 515152.

More Kent news here. Kent news updates free to your mailbox with the Kent Review.