Government Event Research Programme pilots to take place at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
The award-winning Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre has confirmed it has allocated four performances to the latest phase of the UK Government’s Event Research Programme (ERP).
Phase III of the Events Research Programme (ERP) will provide key scientific data to inform the return of fuller audiences to venues and events. The research will be crucial to how venues – from major sport stadiums to theatres can operate in the future.
Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre opened in May and will run until 30 August with performances of The Jungle Book, Merry Wives of Windsor and Pride and Prejudice.
The four ERP events will take place at four performances on 14, 15, 16 and 17 July. All four events will see their potential capacity raised above current legal limits and all customers are being asked to show their Covid vaccination status via the NHS App (the “Covid Pass”) or a negative lateral flow test before the performances.
Chief Executive Andrew Bentley of Storyhouse says that “Our interest is simple: keeping our customers safe, not profit. There’s a real chance that theatres could see restrictions return in some form in the autumn, so it’s really important that we take every opportunity to trial ways of reopening safely. We are asking our customers to come with us on this journey. One of the joys this summer is that we have been able to provide 110 shows in the glorious outdoors in a superbly safe and family friendly environment, it is a little slice of normal and we’re all enjoying every minute. We hope to be releasing some more seats following 19th July but we’ll be doing so in a measured way and we certainly won’t be rushing towards capacity”
Culture Minister Caroline Dinenage said:
“As we get back to doing what we love, it’s still important we keep each other safe. Every test and every ticket holder involved in these performances for our science-led Events Research Programme has an important role to play. Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre’s pilot performances will help theatres welcome back full audiences whilst minimising risks.”
Storyhouse, producers of Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre are working in partnership with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), Cheshire West and Chester and the Director of Public Health to deliver the events.
All existing ticket holders have been contacted .
Tickets for the shows at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre are on sale now.
Find out more and book grosvenorpark.co.uk
ENDS
For more contact
Nancy Davies
Head of marketing
Storyhouse
nancy@storyhouse.com
Storyhouse
Storyhouse is one of the UK’s foremost cultural charities, its home in Chester incorporates a library, theatres, a cinema and restaurant. It is one of the country’s most successful arts buildings, with more than one million customer visits each year. The pioneering new library within Storyhouse, where members of the community work alongside city librarians, boasts the longest opening hours of any UK public library and is open every day until 11pm. It runs over 2,000 sessions a year for marginalised communities. It is also an acclaimed theatre producer and runs the country’s most successful regional open-air theatre, in the city’s Grosvenor Park and Moonlight Flicks open air cinema and Drive-In. Storyhouse currently holds the official title as the UK’s Most Welcoming Theatre and was the overall national winner in the 2018 Guardian Public Service Awards.
Website: www.storyhouse.com
To subscribe, visit https://www.storyhouse.com/subscribe
Twitter: @storyhouselive
Facebook: www.facebook.com/storyhouselive
Address: Hunter Street, Chester, CH1 2AR
Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre
The award-winning Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, located in Chester, is a purpose-built venue with an annual summer repertory season. Founded in 2010 by Storyhouse, it is the only full-time, site-specific professional open-air theatre company outside London.
The company produces all its work in-house under artistic director Alex Clifton.
The open-air theatre designed by the company is built each summer in Grosvenor Park, a public park in Chester. Performances are staged ‘in the round’, with the audience seated on all sides of a central stage. In 2011 the theatre switched from a traditional built stage to a more Shakespearean ‘thrust’ stage, made from woodchip. Covered seating to around 40% of terraces was introduced in 2012. In 2015, the original horseshoe shape was replaced by full ‘in the round’ seating.
Website: www.grosvenorpark.co.uk
Twitter: @storyhouselive
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Grosvenorparkopenairtheatre/
Address: Vicars Lane Chester CH1 1QQ
Schedule
Pride Friday 09 Jul 07:30 PM
Jungle Saturday 10 Jul 02:30 PM
Pride Saturday 10 Jul 07:30 PM
Jungle Sunday 11 Jul 01:00 PM
Pride Sunday 11 Jul 04:30 PM
Pride Sunday 11 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Wednesday 14 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Thursday 15 Jul 07:30 PM
Pride Friday 16 Jul 07:30 PM (press night)
Jungle Saturday 17 Jul 01:00 PM
Pride Saturday 17 Jul 04:30 PM
Pride Saturday 17 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Sunday 18 Jul 01:00 PM
Pride Sunday 18 Jul 04:30 PM
Pride Sunday 18 Jul 07:30 PM
Pride Wednesday 21 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Thursday 22 Jul 02:30 PM
Pride MBNA Thursday 22 Jul 07:30 PM
Jungle Friday 23 Jul 01:00 PM
MWW Friday 23 Jul 04:30 PM
MWW Friday 23 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Saturday 24 Jul 01:00 PM
Pride Saturday 24 Jul 04:30 PM
Pride Saturday 24 Jul 07:30 PM
Jungle Sunday 25 Jul 01:00 PM
Pride Sunday 25 Jul 04:30 PM
Pride Sunday 25 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Tuesday 27 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Wednesday 28 Jul 02:30 PM
MWW Wednesday 28 Jul 07:30 PM
Jungle Thursday 29 Jul 02:30 PM
MWW Thursday 29 Jul 07:30 PM
Pride Friday 30 Jul 07:30 PM
Jungle Saturday 31 Jul 01:00 PM
Jungle Saturday 31 Jul 04:30 PM
Pride Saturday 31 Jul 07:30 PM
MWW Sunday 01 Aug 01:00 PM
Pride Sunday 01 Aug 04:30 PM
Pride Sunday 01 Aug 07:30 PM
MWW Wednesday 04 Aug 07:00 PM
Jungle Thursday 05 Aug 02:30 PM
Pride Thursday 05 Aug 07:00 PM
Pride Friday 06 Aug 02:30 PM
MWW Friday 06 Aug 07:00 PM
Jungle MBNA Saturday 07 Aug 12:30 PM
Pride Saturday 07 Aug 04:00 PM
Pride mbna prop Saturday 07 Aug 07:00 PM
MWW Sunday 08 Aug 12:30 PM
MWW Sunday 08 Aug 04:00 PM
Pride mbna prop Sunday 08 Aug 07:00 PM
Pride Tuesday 10 Aug 07:00 PM
MWW Wednesday 11 Aug 07:00 PM
Jungle Thursday 12 Aug 02:30 PM
Pride Thursday 12 Aug 07:00 PM
MWW Friday 13 Aug 02:30 PM
Pride Friday 13 Aug 07:00 PM
Jungle Saturday 14 Aug 12:30 PM
MWW Saturday 14 Aug 04:00 PM
MWW Saturday 14 Aug 07:00 PM
Jungle Sunday 15 Aug 12:30 PM
Jungle Sunday 15 Aug 03:30 PM
Pride Sunday 15 Aug 07:00 PM
Pride Tuesday 17 Aug 07:00 PM
Pride Wednesday 18 Aug 07:00 PM
Jungle Thursday 19 Aug 02:30 PM
MWW Thursday 19 Aug 07:00 PM
Pride Friday 20 Aug 02:30 PM
MWW Friday 20 Aug 07:00 PM
MWW Saturday 21 Aug 12:00 PM
MWW Saturday 21 Aug 03:00 PM
Pride Saturday 21 Aug 06:30 PM
Jungle Sunday 22 Aug 12:00 PM
Pride Sunday 22 Aug 03:30 PM
Pride Sunday 22 Aug 06:30 PM
Jungle Thursday 26 Aug 02:30 PM
Pride Thursday 26 Aug 06:30 PM
Jungle Friday 27 Aug 02:30 PM
MWW Friday 27 Aug 06:30 PM
Jungle Saturday 28 Aug 12:00 PM
Jungle Saturday 28 Aug 03:00 PM
Pride Saturday 28 Aug 06:00 PM
Jungle Sunday 29 Aug 12:00 PM
MWW Sunday 29 Aug 03:00 PM
MWW Sunday 29 Aug 06:00 PM
Jungle Monday 30 Aug 12:00 PM
MWW Monday 30 Aug 03:00 PM
Pride Monday 30 Aug 06:00 PM