Features

Five Reasons to See.. Cyrano De Bergerac

Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre is one of Chester Performs’ annual cultural highlights. This year one of the plays on offer is Cyrano De Bergerac. Here’s five reasons why you should go along.

Glenn Meads
1. A classic story, retold by acclaimed writer and Grosvenor Park favourite Glyn Maxwell

The swashbuckling, musketeering, but nasally self-conscious Cyrano is desperately in love with the beautiful Roxane, but is worried his appearance is not quite the equal of his sword, or his wordplay. Roxane is infatuated with the dashing but verbally-challenged Christian, so our hero helps his tongued-tied pal with a poetic seduction. When they are called away to war, Cyrano is torn between loyalty to his comrade and his love of Roxane.

2. Stunning and unique location

Located in the picturesque Grosvenor Park, relax in deck chairs or sit under a canopy surrounded by trees. The only professional outdoor theatre outside London, Grosvenor Park is ‘a cut above picnic theatre’
(The Guardian).

Grosvenor Park Chester Performs
Grosvenor Park Chester Performs
© Mark McNulty

3. A family-friendly show, with sword-swishing adventures for all ages

Fresh from his critically-acclaimed sequel to Twelfth Night at Grosvenor Park’s last summer season, Glyn Maxwell’s sharply witty, but also poignantly moving retelling of this classic story has plenty for children and adults alike. Plus, children aged 12 and under go free!

4. Olivier award-winning director Lucy Pitman-Wallace directs

Lucy is a former Associate Director at the RSC. Her directing credits include Eastward Ho! which was performed as part of the RSC Swan Season, winning the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement of the Year. She directed the revival of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe for the RSC at Sadler’s Wells. Lucy is the artistic director of Three Legged Theatre Company, and freelance director for Uppsala State Theatre in Sweden.

5. A cast including Grosvenor Park favourites

This season sees the return of several much-loved cast members from last years’ season, including Krupa Pattani and Chris Vincent, whose performances as Viola and Feste were praised by critics and loved by audiences. Combining comedy and tragedy with plenty of live music, Cyrano de Bergerac is sure to be a highlight of the summer theatre season.

The season opens on July 5th and three shows run in Rep until August 25th.