A spectacular weekend of events is promised with the opening of Merseyside's new £38m playhouse.
The Shakespeare North theatre in Prescot is officially opening its doors to the public from today (Friday), and a free outdoor performance to celebrate the heritage of the town takes place this evening to mark the start of a weekend of celebrations.
The event, "All the Joy You Can Wish," is described as "a glorious ceremony to celebrate with all of the noise, glamour and silliness we can muster." The performance will begin on Prospero Place (directly outside Shakespeare North Playhouse) at 6pm and last approximately an hour.
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The ceremony will pay tribute to "local heroes" including the builders who helped construct the venue, and Prescot Cables FC players. Those attending the event are advised to arrive from 5pm ready for a 6pm start.
Both Saturday and Sunday will see an all-day programme of events taking place inside the playhouse itself. These will include free workshops, activities and opportunities for the public to explore the theatre, which features the only 17th-century style, timber-built "Cockpit" theatre outside London, able to seat a maximum of 450 spectators.
On Saturday there will be drumming in the outdoor Sir Ken Dodd Performance Garden, while on Sunday there is a candle burning ceremony in the Cockpit theatre, which marks the culmination of the opening weekend. This involves the replica theatre being lit up with candles created across the weekend. Although the candle burning event is free, tickets will need to be booked beforehand due to the limited space inside the theatre.
Shakespeare North Playhouse is inspired by Prescot's historic connections to William Shakespeare and a love of storytelling. In the 1590s, a remarkable theatre stood in the town and hosted performances made possible by the Earl of Derby, resident at Knowsley Hall. It is thought that it was the only purpose-built indoor playhouse outside of London, and players brought with them new shows from Shakespeare himself.
For full details on the theatre and the opening events, please visit here.
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