As You Like It Shakespeare in Cirencester, Gloucestershire for sale

The Riverside Players present ‘As You Like It’ by William Shakespeare Rendcomb College Open Air Theatre, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 7HA Thursday 18th August 2016 – Saturday 20th August 2016 at 7.45pm Matinee Saturday 20th August 2016 at 3.00pm. Tickets £12 Adults (£10 in advance via the website), £5 Children, £10 Concessions Tickets available from riversideplayers dot org dot uk Information line We encourage you to bring picnics & blankets but we'll provide seating Gates open 6.30 pm for picnics Refreshments Available In the event of inclement weather we have an indoor alternative As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s most thoughtful comedies. It contrasts the coldness and cruelty of the court of Duke Frederick with the world of nature in the Forest of Arden, to which he has banished his brother, the former Duke. The fugitive Duke’s daughter Rosalind is also exiled from court and, with her cousin Celia and the court jester Touchstone, goes to find her father in the forest, and there she – and everyone else - finds love and fulfilment.   Among the highlights of the play are the songs, such as Blow, blow, thou winter wind and It was a lover and his lass, and the philosopher Jaques’ musing about the mystery of Time, All the world’s a stage ...   In August 2016, in the beautiful setting of the grounds of Rendcomb College, near Cirencester, the Riverside Players, a company now in its 65th year, will perform this wonderful play to mark the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death. The Riverside Players is a unique amateur theatre company.  It was formed in 1951 by former students of the Central School of Speech and Drama in order to perform a play, touring the villages of the Home Counties, during the summer holidays.  The idea became an annual fixture, incorporating the friends and families of those originally involved, and it soon grew to the point where moving about the country became impractical and we now perform our production in one location.  In the past, we have performed at venues which have included Culham, Stamford, Bognor Regis, Bloxham, Pangbourne, Chipping Norton and Windsor. This year we are delighted to be returning for our third year to Rendcomb College, which is set in the beautiful countryside near Cirencester.  Following a lot of preparatory work throughout the previous 12 months by the whole company, we arrive on the first day ready to create the production.  While the actors are fine-tuning rehearsals, other departments are building the set, making costumes, rigging lights and making props.  Anyone with a few hours "spare" gets on the road, or the telephone, to assist the publicity team in selling tickets. This leads up to a technical, and then dress rehearsal, followed by a run of 4 shows including a matinee performance.  On the final day, we pack up, say our farewells and return to our normal lives, looking forward to returning again in a year's time.  The whole experience is exhilarating, stimulating, satisfying, exhausting and thoroughly enjoyable.  The Riverside Players has grown as a company, as a result of members bringing their families along, and have introduced people whom we believe would enjoy the experience, and contribute to the company.  Many of us return year after year and lifelong friendships have been formed.  We come from all walks of life; from school teachers to engineers, surgeons and nurses, and IT specialists & Company Directors.  It is not uncommon for three generations of the same family to be participating in a show in a variety of different guises and this year will be no exception to that rule.  Why not come and have a picnic in the beautiful grounds of Rendcomb College before the performance and join us for a fabulous evening of entertainment afterwards.