OUTDOOR SHAKESPEARE PERFORMANCES HELD IN FULLER’S PUB GARDENS
Theatre company Open Bar perform plays in the gardens of pubs around London and the south of England. Pubs, as the natural hubs of our communities, are the perfect setting in which to recapture the raucous, accessible and inherently social spirit of a Shakespearean troupe performance.
In a unique partnership, the company is fully supported by Fuller’s who invest as full executive producers of the tours. In the current environment where performing artists are desperately struggling to find a way to make performances financially viable, Open Bar and Fuller’s have developed a relationship in which the theatre company are not reliant on ticket sales in order to perform their shows. The benefit for Fuller’s is the added value of being able to offer fresh food, including gourmet bar snacks and bespoke pre-performance pub menus alongside their selection of beers, wines and spirits – and to reach out to new customers.
2020 was such a rollercoaster, and nowhere has that been felt more keenly than in the pub and restaurant trade, and in the performing arts. Fuller’s is in a position to invest in high quality performances and essentially act like an executive producer. The company pays for the package of everything from writing the script to casting, to production, to transportation. But it’s far from an altruistic venture – it’s an investment. We host the performances in our pub gardens and Fuller’s takes the ticket sales and any food and drink sales. We wanted to put in every effort to showcase the amazing work Open Bar does and provide our customers with an amazing experience. We really hope other brands consider following in our footsteps, as it’s genuinely a win-win situation.” FULLER’S BRAND MANAGER MICHAEL TREVENA
“We’re used to making innovative theatre in unusual spaces, – our shows are designed to work with the elements and surroundings, not against them. As the audience gets more enthusiastic (and often drunk, we are in a pub garden after all) we use it to our advantage. We feed off their energy. They don’t have to understand every word but it’s important that we take them with us – that they leave humming the tunes and still laughing at the gags. With Fuller’s, we are in the extraordinary position of being able to produce full-scale professional shows regardless of COVID-19 capacity restrictions, maintaining high production values, employing artists and dreaming bigger and better.” NICKY DISS & VICKY GASKIN – OPEN BAR THEATRE
After last year, we all need a “Summer of Love”, and the two plays Open Bar are bringing to the stage are full of comedy, romance and adventure. Open Bar also compose original songs so that those less familiar with Shakespeare can easily follow the plot – because Open Bar perform for everyone – reconnecting to the travelling-troubadour-outdoor-everyman essence of an original Shakespeare performance.
DATES
LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST
THE PLOUGH, EALING 13/14/15 JULY (15TH JULY – PRESS NIGHT)
THE GUN, DOCKLANDS 17/24 JULY
THE PRINCE ALBERT, TWICKENHAM 19 JULY
THE WHITE BUCK INN, BURLEY 20/21 JULY
THE MAYFLY, HAMPSHIRE 22/23 JULY
THE CASTLE, HARROW 26/27/28 JULY
THE SHIP INN, LANGSTONE 29 JULY
THE HAMPSHIRE HOG, CLANFIELD 30 JULY
THE GEORGE IV, CHISWICK 1/2 AUGUST
THE WINDMILL INN, PORTISHEAD 4/5 AUGUST
THE CROMWELL ARMS, ROMSEY 6/7 AUGUST
THE BEAR OF BURTON 9 AUGUST
THE CHINEHAM ARMS 10 AUGUST
THE TURK’S HEAD, TWICKENHAM 11/12 AUGUST
THE BEL & THE DRAGON, READING 13 AUGUST
THE TALKHOUSE, STANTON 15 AUGUST
THE BOAT, BERKHAMSTED 16 AUGUST
THE FOX & HOUNDS, LYNDHURST 18 AUGUST
AS YOU LIKE IT
THE PILOT, GREENWICH 26 / 27 JULY
THE ROSE & CROWN, EALING 28 / 29 JULY (29TH JULY – PRESS NIGHT)
THE FROG & WICKET, EVERSLEY CROSS 3 AUGUST
THE DRAYTON COURT, EALING 5 AUGUST
THE KING & QUEEN, CATERHAM ON THE HILL 7 / 8 AUGUST
THE CHEQUERS, BICESTER 10 AUGUST
THE CALLEVA ARMS, SILCHESTER 11 AUGUST
THE TURK’S HEAD, TWICKENHAM 13 AUGUST
THE FOX & PELICAN, HINDHEAD 15 AUGUST
THE OAK, ASTON CLINTON 16 AUGUST
THE LINKS TAVERN, LIPHOOK 18 AUGUST
THE MILL, ELSTEAD 19 / 20 AUGUST
THE WHITE BUCK INN, BURLEY 23 / 24 AUGUST
THE RED LION, CHALTON 25 AUGUST
THE FIVE BELLS, LEIGHTON BUZZARD 26 AUGUST
THE CAMBRIDGE ARMS, BRISTOL 27 / 28 AUGUST
THE JOLLY FARMER, ALTON 31 AUGUST
THE ALICE LISLE, RINGWOOD 1 SEPTEMBER
THE NEW FOREST, ASHURST 2 SEPTEMBER
THE ANGLERS, TEDDINGTON 6 / 7 / 13 / 14 SEPTEMBER
THE KINGSWOOD ARMS, BANSTEAD 8 SEPTEMBER
THE RED LION, BARNES 9 / 10 / 11 SEPTEMBER
THE DUKE OF KENT, EALING 15 / 16 SEPTEMBER
The company truly manage to evoke something quite magical…laid-back, immersive and thoroughly entertaining.”
Broadway World ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“It’s easy to abandon reality and immerse yourself in this enormously enjoyable production”
The Upcoming ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“So many highlights in a single evening!” Sadie Takes the Stage ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“The standing ovation the cast received at the end was well and truly deserved”
West End Wilma ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“This version is for anyone who ever said “Romeo and Juliet, oh, no, that’s not for me” because one thing is guaranteed, you will smile and you will laugh. It’s sheer entertainment”.
London Pub Theatres ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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