Bard in the Botanics is pushing the boundaries as it enters its third decade entertaining West End audiences.
The outdoor theatre festival will stage its first adaption of a novel for the outdoor stage and bring one of Shakespeare’s plays to the Gardens for the first time.
Announcing details of its 2024 season, Artistic Director Gordon Barr said the programme promised a mix of “riotous comedy and powerful drama”
Shakespeare remains core to the progamme with a first staging of The Merry Wives of Windsor and a new version of Measure for Measure.
Commitment
Meanwhile, continuing Bard’s recent commitment to widening the repertoire, this year also sees versions of two great 19th century works featuring remarkable women: Jane Eyre and Hedda Gabler.
The 2024 season opens on 21 June (previews on 19 and 20 June) with a new mainstage version of the Charlotte Bronte classic novel Jane Eyre.
Written and directed by Jennifer Dick, the production will feature Stephanie McGregor in the title role.
Award-winning
Meanwhile, in the first Kibble Palace production of the season Gordon Barr will direct award-winning actor Nicole Cooper as Hedda Gabler in a new version by Kathy McKean.
This is McKean’s second specially-commissioned play to be staged by the festival following Medea, for which Bard won Best Female Performance (for Nicole Cooper) and Best Production Award in the 2022 Critics’ Awards for Theatre in Scotland.
The second half of the season (12 - 27 July with previews on 11 July) sees Alan Steele reprise the role of Falstaff (following Henry IV last year) in The Merry Wives of Wishaw, a West of Scotland take on The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Directed by Barr, this sparkling comedy, which makes its Bard debut this year, will be performed on the mainstage.
The second show in the Kibble Palace will see Stephanie McGregor in the role of Isabella in a new production of Measure for Measure adapted and directed by Jennifer Dick.
It’s great that in our third decade of work, we can still bring audiences a Shakespeare title that they haven’t seen before - Gordon Barr
“Our 2024 season features a mix of riotous comedy, heartfelt romance, compelling characters and powerful drama, all contributing to a fascinating look at how the world sees women and how they react to that world,” said Gordon Barr.
“I’m delighted to be announcing another season of work that sees Shakespeare sit alongside the best of classical drama and literature.”
“Jane Eyre will be the first adaptation of a novel to be staged on our outdoor stage. After Jennifer Dick did such a brilliant job with Jekyll & Hyde in 2023, I can’t wait to see how she brings Jane Eyre to life for audiences this summer.”
“We are excited to be working with Kathy McKean following her remarkable adaptation of Medea. Once again, the lead in the production will be taken by the award-winning Nicole Cooper.
"Working with Kathy and Nicole on Medea was one of the most rewarding experiences of my entire career. I’m so excited to be reuniting with them both to get to grips with Hedda Gabler.”
“It’s great that in our third decade of work, we can still bring audiences a Shakespeare title that they haven’t seen before.
"This will be the first time that Bard in the Botanics has staged The Merry Wives of Windsor or, as it is in this version, The Merry Wives of Wishaw once again offering a platform to the wonderful comic talent of Alan Steele as the iconic Falstaff.”
