Open air theatre at its best

We are in the process of updating the press releases but in the meantime, feel free to use the copy below. If you require anything else, do get in touch nicci@heartbreakproductions.co.uk

Last year we ran a photographic competion that was open to all our audiences - entries have now closed and the finalists can be found on the link below.

• Photo Competition - Competition Finalists

• As You Like It
• Emma (open air - summer 2009)
• The Wind in the Willows

If you would like to download any of the images - "right click" and "save target as"...

by William Shakespeare

Open-air tour (see dates)

Heartbreak Productions storm into the summer season and take you back in time…

… a psychedelic trip through the Forest of Arden – dig out your threads, get in the groove and return to a time when life was mellow, things were cool and love was free.

Renowned for their unique and innovative blend of versatile actors, live music, inventive sets and comic interaction, Heartbreak’s production of As You Like It is no exception – after a winter of discontent, be prepared for a summer of love.

It’s back to the sixties – Heartbreak-style!

Join up with the students of love and freedom as they embark on Freshers’ Week and enrol people to their cause, and watch as two worlds collide.

“There are two very distinct worlds in As You Like It,” explains the Artistic Director Peter Mimmack. “We’ll be creating an environment where The Avengers meet Woodstock, or Scandal meets Hair, to define the iconic imagery of the 60s and really bring home the oppressive nature of the court against the spirited freedom of the forest.”

With design by Ellan Parry and movement devised by David Bennett, this incomparable production promises to conjure up those vibrant and exciting times and capture the contrasts about romance, politics, gender, personal identity and love. If you missed (or even just forgot) the sixties, take the opportunity now – don’t just see it - live it, breathe it, feel it – as Heartbreak present this unique take on a timeless comedy.

This exciting production promises a dynamic new take on Shakespeare’s enduring work with some fascinating characters, ingenious use of props and a sublime, soundtrack infused with memories from the sixties.

Flower-power-packed, this quirky, nostalgic, hippy-trippy inspired entertainment will be swinging in to a venue near you.

Written by William Shakespeare - Directed by Peter Mimmack

Designed by Ellan Parry - Movement by David Bennett

For further information, contact Nicci Selby – 01926 430307 or email: nicci@heartbreakproductions.co.uk

Written by Jane Austen

Open-air tour (see dates)

Waltz your way through picnics, parties and posh frocks in this exceptional Regency rom-com.

After a winter tour throughout UK theatres, this brilliantly conceived rom-com classic bursts vibrantly in to the open air. Dip into the gossip and squabbles, grapple with the riddles, blunders and misunderstandings and finally, revel in the glorious romance of this delightful and charming story from the masters of classic adaptations.

With an outstanding reputation for their unique and distinctive performances over the past 18 years, Heartbreak Productions are delighted to be touring with Emma: a brand-new, specially commissioned adaptation of the heart-warming, engaging and charming Jane Austen classic.

Having presented audiences with Romeo & Juliet performed by opposing Italian football teams and Henry V set within the confines of a boys’ boarding school, to name but a few of Heartbreak’s impressive list of productions, it will be no surprise that this latest offering breaks the boundaries of the everyday adaptation.

Peter Mimmack, Artistic Director and responsible for the adaptation of Emma explains, “ As I researched the book, I began to realise what was so special about Jane Austen: the beautifully drawn characters are unparalleled in literature, it really is no wonder that they are loved the world over.”

He continues, “It was a specific scene from the novel where Emma draws her friend Harriet that led to my idea of creating a device to frame and tell the story from the perception of artists of the day.”

The familiar, world-renowned story is still there: Emma, a clever, rich, bored and "slightly" spoiled young woman, throws herself in to the perils of mis-matchmaking getting it hopelessly wrong. The gossip and squabbles, the riddles, blunders and misunderstandings and the glorious romance all abound but there is more to this inventive and unique adaptation: the creation of a new perspective offers a refreshing insight to a classic we think we know.

Peter explains again, “ There is something about how art relates to society; it appears to have a leisurely nature and although rather elegant in execution, it can provoke debate about all points of society and in this case, a society at the heart of the novel. By adding the artist characters, we are able to look anew at the world Austen created.”

As expected from a Heartbreak production, live music, dance and audience interaction abound as - from the engaging yet exasperating Emma to the sympathetic yet quintessential bore, Miss Bates - the multi-talented cast recreate the rich and varied personalities of some of the most vibrant characters from English literature as seen through the eyes of our most lauded artists, bringing them leaping from page to stage and into our hearts.

Another power-packed and impressive adaptation from Heartbreak Productions: classic adaptations of the highest order.

For further information, contact Nicci Selby – 01926 430307 or email: nicci@heartbreakproductions.co.uk

by Kenneth Grahame

Open-air tour (see dates)

MORE THAN “SIMPLY MESSING ABOUT IN BOATS…”

Heartbreak Productions are flying full pelt into the summer season with a brand new adaptation of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS.

Not just the usual tales of the riverbank, audiences will be welcomed into a setting of late Edwardian England flying machines and invited to join air crew mechanics as they cast off their brown coats, take on the mantle of Toad, Ratty, Mole and Badger and begin to recount this well-loved classic tale.

Wild woods, winding lanes, high jinks, increasingly ill-advised modes of transport and a chase sequence to rival the Keystone Cops, provide just some of the enchanting and entertaining backdrop to the shenanigans at Toad Hall.

This brand new adaptation by Fergus Durrant promises to retain the story’s timeless quality yet add a little of the extraordinary.

The production’s director, Marie McCarthy explains,

“Fergus has captured the poetic spirit of novel beautifully: it is lyrical and evocative but he has incorporated a style that is high energy, visually exciting and brilliantly comedic. We’re really excited about the show - it’s definitely one for all ages!”

With an astonishing combination of inventive props, ingenious set, creative costume and a specially composed score played live by the "Boogle Band", Heartbreak’s production of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS is set to become this summer’s “must-see” for all the family.

Hop on down and join the crew on their outlandish adventures – landing at a venue near you.

For further information, contact Nicci Selby – 01926 430307 or email: nicci@heartbreakproductions.co.uk

Written by Kenneth Grahame - Adapted by Fergus Durrant

Directed by Marie McArthy - Designed by Kate Unwin

Music by Robin Samson - Movement by Helen Heaslip

by Jane Austen

Indoor tour (see dates)

Waltz your way through picnics, parties and posh frocks in this classic Regency rom-com.

Having developed an outstanding reputation for unique and atmospheric adaptations, Heartbreak Productions are delighted to announce their winter tour of Emma: a brand new adaptation of the heart-warming, engaging and charming Jane Austen classic.

Famed for incisive wit and social commentary, Emma is also about the complexities of imagination versus reality and the overriding power of love and affection.

A clever, rich, bored and "slightly" spoiled young woman, Emma throws herself in to the perils of mis-matchmaking in this world-renowned and well-loved Regency rom-com. Emma is Jane Austen’s most realistic heroine trying to do her very best and, in true Austen fashion, getting it very wrong!

Dip into the gossip and squabbles, grapple with the riddles, blunders and misunderstandings and finally, revel in the glorious romance of this delightful and charming adaptation.

Live music, dance and audience interaction will abound as - from the engaging yet exasperating Emma to the sympathetic yet quintessential bore, Miss Bates - the multi-talented cast recreate the rich and varied personalities of some of the most vibrant characters from English literature and bring them vividly to life.  

Another power-packed and impressive adaptation from Heartbreak Productions: classic adaptations of the highest order.

For further information, contact Nicci Selby – 01926 430307 or email: nicci@heartbreakproductions.co.uk.