Chatsworth Players will present Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in authentic outdoor locations

One of theatre’s original rom-coms, Twelfth Night is full of unrequited love, mistaken identities, swordfights, and general tomfoolery.

The company normally performs in the theatre at Chatsworth House, which only seats 100 people. With only six performances for each show, tickets usually sell out weeks in advance.

Lindsay Jackson, who chairs Chatsworth Players, said: “Performing out of doors at seven venues across Derbyshire means more people will have the

opportunity to see the show. Shakespeare’s plays were all originally performed outdoors so it will aim to be a very authentic production.”

The Players’ production of A Midsummer Nights’ Dream (also directed by Lindsay Jackson) won the NODA East Midlands Representative’s special award for 2023, so expectations are high for another excellent production.

Twelfth Night will be performed at the following venues: July 11 – Whirlow Brook Hall, Sheffield at 7pm; July 12 – Cromford Mills at 7pm; July 13 – The Whitworth, Darley Dale at 7pm; July 14 – Eyam Hall at 2pm; July 18 – Wildhive, Callow Hall, Ashbourne at 7pm; July 19 – Over Haddon Village Hall at 7pm; July 20 – Park Rangers House, Chatsworth at 7pm; July 21 – Park Rangers House at 2pm

Tickets cost £12.50 and are available from the Chatsworth Players website, www.chatsworthplayers.com

The Chatsworth Players began in 2008 under the direction of Sylvia Jackson, a retired professional actress and director who had recently moved to Bakewell. She was approached by Chatsworth House to consult on the feasibility of making the theatre usable, and from there she decided to form a group to perform at the house. In the spring of that year the Players took Arthur Miller’s The Crucible to many surrounding village halls and culminated the tour with a performance at the theatre at Chatsworth House. They have been going strong ever since.