Outdoor theatre is returning to the Castle Grounds this summer!

Families are being invited to enjoy three outdoor theatre classic show’s taking place in Tamworth’s picturesque Castle Grounds this summer, plus an outdoor performance at Dosthill Park.

Join Heartbreak Productions for David Walliams’ best-seller Awful Auntie in May; Oddsocks Productions for Hamlet The Comedy in June; and Quantum Theatre for Peter Rabbit, on the outdoor stage this August.

Bring your own picnic, or grab refreshments from the onsite facilities and be ready to sit back, relax and enjoy the show! Packed with fun, humour and a heart-warming message, these touching tales provides the perfect family entertainment.

Three shows will take place on the lower lawn of the Castle Grounds near the bandstand, with the stunning Tamworth Castle as the backdrop; plus an additional performance of Peter Rabbit will be performed at Dosthill Park. Both settings provide a beautiful space to enable families to bring picnic blankets or chairs and settle themselves in their own areas for the performance.

People can bring their own food, although refreshments will be available to buy on site. Audiences are asked not to bring glass or gazebos.

Awful Auntie is adapted for the outdoor stage by Heartbreak Productions, on Sunday, May 15, showcasing a truly thrilling tale of Stella’s days as she evades her menacing Aunt and saves the family home.

Aunt Alberta and her best friend Wagner, a vicious Bavarian owl, try everything they can to torment Stella into signing over the deed to Saxby Hall, but Stella, with the help of her friend Soot fight off Aunt Alberta, save Saxby Hall, and gift the beautiful Saxby Hall to be used as an orphanage.

Oddsocks Productions take classic texts and create bold, challenging innovative and interactive theatre to be enjoyed by all on Sunday, June 19. Hamlet The Comedy describes the well-known Shakespeare character as a royal student returning home for the summer holidays to find something rotten in the state of Denmark and it’s more than just the bag of dirty washing!

Hamlet’s mom has married Uncle Claudius and his dad is dishing the dirt from his grave – it’s enough to make a teenager mad! Things will never be the same again in the Hamlet household.

Shakespeare’s famous tragedy is performed as you’ve never seen before with lots of laughs, music and memorable moments.

Quantum Theatre are back with an enchanting new adaptation of Beatrix Potter’s best-loved stories of The Tales of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny.

Performances are taking place at Dosthill Park on Sunday, August 28 and Tamworth Castle Grounds on Tuesday, August 30.

Peter and his naughty cousin Benjamin know very well that they are not to go into Mr McGregor’s garden, but they cannot resist and soon they find themselves in all sorts of scrapes, caught in a net, trapped by a snarling cat and face to face with Mr McGregor himself.

How will they ever escape?  Can Old Mr Bunny come to the rescue in time?  And whatever will Mr McGregor make of all those footprints in the flower beds?

Michael Whitmore’s charming adaptation will have audiences spellbound as they join Peter and Benjamin on their hair-raising adventures. A magical afternoon of fun for all the family.

Adey Ramsel, Theatre, Artistic and Events Manager for Tamworth Arts and Events and Assembly Rooms, said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring not one, but three amazing outdoor theatre performances to Tamworth this summer.

“Awful Auntie and Hamlet The Comedy, are suitable for children over the age of 7 years and Peter Rabbit is a popular children’s story that all ages enjoy.

“We are eager to showcase these productions from our beautiful Castle Grounds and feel really lucky to have our large and picturesque Castle Grounds which enables people to come and enjoy an afternoon of entertainment with their families.

“Tickets are on sale, so get booking now!”

Tickets are priced at £12 for adults and £8 for under 16s and concessions. A Family ticket is for up to five people, priced at £30. Book online at www.tamworthartsandevents.co.uk or by calling the Box Office on 01827 709618.