News: Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Announces Its 2024 Summer Season

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is a must do summer theatre-based activity, and today they have announced their 2024 season.

Opening the season is William Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ (3rd May – 8th June). Set against the heat of the Mediterranean sun, Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities is a glorious celebration of love. Directed by Owen Horsley, in a marriage of happiness, nostalgia and riotous partying.

At a moonlit cafe surrounded by the sea, Olivia sings a lament to her lost brother, watched on by faded crowd.

When a shipwreck catapults Viola into their world of abandoned festivities, a web of disguise and deception begins. This new injection of life rocks this melancholic community to the core, but can she finally shake them from their languor and get the party started again? 

This is followed by the stage adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic story, The Secret Garden (15 June – 20 July 2024) in a new version, commissioned by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.

‘Mary would always say that what happened at that moment was almost magic.’

Spoilt and abandoned, 10-year-old Mary Lennox is sent from India to Yorkshire, and put into the care of an uncle she has never met.

At Misselthwaite Manor, a broken-hearted house full of secrets and strange noises, Mary discovers a garden as lost and neglected as she is. If she can learn to make friends with robins, grumpy gardeners, and a boy who speaks to animals, Mary might be able to bring more than just the garden back to life. 

Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved and radical story about the magic of nature and the nature of magic is adapted in a new version by Holly Robinson and Anna Himali Howard.

The season concludes with Fiddler on the Roof (27 July – 21 September 2024), with book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. In a new production directed by Jordan Fein, this classic musical of joy, revolution and tradition features the glorious songs ‘If I Were A Rich Man’, ‘Tradition’ and ‘Matchmaker’.

‘It’s a new world, a new world. Love.’

It’s 1905 in the tiny village of Anatevka where Tevye, a Jewish milkman, lives his life by their proud traditions. For his five daughters, that means a visit from the matchmaker… But as each daughter challenges his beliefs, against the backdrop of a changing world, can Tevye hold on to his roots, or must he bend to the will of his children and learn to embrace the unfamiliar?

Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.

Playing during the daytime for those aged 4+ and their families is the new musical version of Roald Dahl’s picture book, The Enormous Crocodile (17 May – 8 June 2024), with book & lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, music by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab and additional music and lyrics from Tom Brady. Developed and directed by Emily Lim, with co-direction and puppetry design by Toby Olié, the production comes to Regent’s Park following its successful 2023 Christmas season at Leeds Playhouse.

‘For my lunch today I would like… a nice juicy little child!’

The ENORMOUS crocodile is weaving his way through the jungle in search of delicious little fingers and squidgy podgy knees.  

Only the other jungle creatures can foil his secret plans and clever tricks, but they’re going to have to find a large amount of courage to stop this greedy brute. 

Alongside the 2024 summer season, Regent’s Park also present the previously announced world premiere stage adaptation of Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman’s Bear Snores On (23 March – 21 April 2024), with book by Cush Jumbo and Katy Sechiari, and music & lyrics by Harry Blake. The production, directed by Jumbo and Sechiari, marks Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s first ever show at the venue outside of its summer season, inviting audiences of 4+ and their families to travel from the theatre lawn to a new and specially created indoor pop-up space within the theatre grounds.

Full creative teams and casting for all productions to be announced.

New for the 2024 Summer Season, there are over 33,000 tickets available at £15! Along with this, all Monday tickets will be priced at £15, £25 and £35.