Open Air Theatre
Open Air Theatre,Regent's Park. Often regarded as a tourist attraction, this playing area on the greensward of a royal park has afforded pleasure to many (some seeing their first play by Shakespeare) as well as giving young players like Ralph Fiennes their first work. The champion of such pastoral playing was Ben Greet, a founding father in 1932–3; its longest serving exemplar was the stentorian Robert Atkins who frequently directed and acted in the park, 1933–61. Stars like Gladys Cooper and Anna Neagle were happy to don Rosalind's doublet and hose for a short summer season; admired regulars included Leslie French as Ariel and Puck. The repertoire has never been restricted to Shakespeare's pastoral comedies. In 1975 a more permanent theatre with up-to-date technology was constructed, further modernized in 1999–2000. Under David Conville and Ian Talbot production values became more sophisticated than was possible within Atkins's limited budget.
Michael...
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