AS soon as Ilkley Playhouse was able, its doors were opened to enable actors and directors to get to work. As early as last Monday, one member reported that he had ‘Walked across the stage to turn on the working lights, and there ‘she’ was, all lit up and waiting, as if we’d never been away’.

And so, this summer there will be a full programme of entertainment, starting on June 24 with a very special series of playlets. During lockdown, artistic director, Jay Cundell Walker initiated a playwriting competition. The remit was to write a play lasting no more than eight minutes, for a maximum three players. This elicited over 80 entries from all over the UK and Europe, which were read by a panel of celebrity judges. The eight winning entries will be performed in the Wildman theatre between June 24 and 26 and will be a wonderful celebration of new writing.

This will be followed swiftly by ‘Tuesday’, a production by the Greenroom students – a National Theatre connections piece to be performed on July 2 and 3. According to the National Theatre website, this play centres on an ordinary Tuesday that turns very weird when a tear rips across the sky over a school yard, sucking up pupils and staff whilst at the same time raining down a whole new set of people. Exciting stuff indeed!

Also in July will be two other productions. First, between July 6 and 10, will be Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay and The Children by Lucy Kirkwood. ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ is the strange and mysterious story about school girls, who on Valentine’s Day in 1900, go missing in the Australian bush. The play focuses on the effects of the disappearance on the school and the local community. Thought by many to be a true story, this play has become part of Australia’s pseudo-history and has led to much talk and intrigue.

There is nothing childish about ‘The Children’. Performed from July 20 to 24, the play concerns two retired nuclear physicists living isolated in a remote coastal cottage, whilst the world outside is dealing with a major disaster at a nuclear power station. Although set in Britain, the piece was inspired by the 2011 disaster at the Fukushima power station in Japan. With the gripping and compelling tv drama ‘Chernobyl’ still fresh in minds, this is bound to be a compelling night in the theatre.

Finally, over the August bank holiday weekend, the playhouse is delighted again to be bringing to Ilkley ‘Bard in the Yard’ outside the Manor House. Following the success of the Shakespearian monologues last year, this time two half hour productions will be performed. There’s the iconic “Macbeth” directed by Dick Hebbert, full of murder, mayhem, ghosts and witches, and also that work of comic genius “Twelfth Night” complete with cross-dressing identity confusions and cross-gartered yellow stockings, directed by Andrew Leggott.

The playhouse cannot wait to invite audiences back to the theatre and again to offer great variety and entertainment. All the guidelines for audience safety and comfort are being closely adhered to, including reduced seating capacity, so please book early to avoid disappointment. You can be assured of a very warm welcome!

by Becky Carter