Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has recently announced its 2018 season, which will see the return Peter Pan, a musical version of As You Like It and a new production of Little Shop of Horrors. Featuring shows such as these demonstrates the huge versatility of the venue, seeing the return of hit musical J M Barrie’s classic tale Peter Pan, and Max Webster and Charlie Fink’s musical version of As You Like It feature.
The 2018 season will mark the London return of Howard Ashman and Alan Menken’s musical, Little Shop of Horrors, from 3 August to 15 September. Here Maria Aberg (Dr Faustus, RSC, Fantastic Mr Fox) will make her Open Air Theatre directorial debut, with design by Tom Scutt, musical supervision by Tom Deering and lighting design by Howard Hudson. The film, directed by Frank Oz, received two Academy Award nominations when it premiered in 1986.
The new season for the open air venue will in actual fact open with J M Barrie’s Peter Pan (running from 17 May to 15 June). Directed by Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel, the production is a revival of the 2015 Olivier Award-nominated run, and it will mark the final year of First World War Centenary Commemorations. Peter Pan will be followed by The Turn of the Screw (from 22 June to 30 June). This co-production with English National Opera will be conducted by ENO’s Toby Purser, directed by Sheader with design by Soutra Gilmour.
A reimagining of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It (running from 6 July to 28 July) will be directed by Max Webster. Webster directed Twelfth Night at the outdoor venue in 2014 too, where this particular classic was reimagined for children aged six years and over. During the day, Dinosaur World Live – a new interactive show for all the family – will run from 14 August to 9 September, delighting even more audience members.