Soak up some culture with a trip to the theatre in Chester

A night out at the theatre is something everyone can enjoy, whether it’s seeing an open-air Shakespeare play or an original one-of-a-kind Chester performance.

As a gateway to picturesque North Wales, Chester is well worth a visit. It’s a beautiful, historic and cultural city, particularly known for its shopping and large open spaces running along the River Dee. Today, there are several Chester theatres both in town and the surrounding areas where you can enjoy a performance of your favourite play.

Tip Top Productions

Tip Top Productions is a community theatre company based at the old Chester Gateway Theatre right in the heart of town. Their season usually features 10 amateur productions of plays, musicals and pantomime, as well as playing host to professional tours and other community groups who come to take to the Chester stage. This year will see productions of Frank Sinatra, Oklahoma!, Grease and other classics, as well as their own original work. You can actually be a part of a Tip Top production, even if you’ve never acted a day in your life! They are always looking for new talent, whether it’s being in the spotlight or working behind the scenes on props, direction or music. Performances are held at the Forum Studio Theatre, located behind the Chester Town Hall and Indoor Market.

Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

Chester’s outdoor theatre is a summer event held in the beautiful green Grosvenor Park on the banks of the river. This award-winning open-air theatre experience is one of the finest outside of London and features productions by Storyhouse. The 2016 season will stage productions of Shakespeare’s As You Like It and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, as well as an adaptation of Stig of the Dump. Previous years have seen performances of The Wind in the Willows, Romeo and Juliet, The Secret Garden and Macbeth. It’s an intimate venue with a capacity for just 500 people, however it’s well equipped with both covered and outdoor seating options. Performances continue rain, hail or shine and guests are invited to pack a picnic to enjoy on the terraces before and during the show. There is also a licensed marquee bar where you can buy wine, snacks and tea and coffee.

Tatton Park

Tatton Park is an historical estate with a 19th century neo-classical mansion, 50 acres of landscaped gardens, 1000 acres of deer park and an authentic 1930s working farm. It welcomes over 800,000 visitors a year and hosts a varied programme of over 100 events, including outdoor theatre and concerts. This year’s big event is Roald Dahl’s Tremendous Adventures and features an exhibition of Roald Dahl book jackets from around the world, Matilda in the Mansion, and Cheshire’s Amazed by Science festival. Make a day out of a trip to Tatton Park with high tea in the Stableyard, an organised deer feed in the parklands, or take a guided tour of the 15th century Tudor Old Hall.

Venue Cymru

Just an hour away from Chester city centre is the charming town Llandudno, one of North Wales’ most popular resorts. Boasting an ideal position on the long crescent promenade, Venue Cymru is a modern entertainment complex with a 1500 seat theatre, restaurant, conference centre and arena. This season will see several different productions including Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the Bowie Experience, The Sound of Music and the Wales Final Festival of One-Act Plays. The venue also has several restaurants and bars; Caitlin’s Café Bar with fresh sandwiches and cakes, Y Review which serves traditional Welsh delicacies for a pre-show dinner, and two bars so you can enjoy a glass of champagne while you sit back and watch the performance. Venue Cymru is the perfect excuse to take a lovely day trip out to Llandudno and explore the wonderful Welsh countryside.