Curtain up on Sidmouth’s annual Summer Play Festival

Award-winning West End producer Paul Taylor-Mills will be raising the curtain on his hugely popular Summer Play Festival at Sidmouth’s Manor Pavilion Theatre from Thursday (June 22) with a three-month run of productions featuring works from iconic playwrights including Cooney, Coward, and Ayckbourn.

Tickets for the play season went on sale last month and the box office took an astonishing £14,000 in the first four hours of trading.

The theatre – owned and managed by East Devon District Council - is the last in the UK to offer a season of repertory productions that seamlessly change every week from June to September.

Theatregoers are in for a real treat this year with a great line up of 12 productions in as many weeks which include such classics as The Odd Couple, Ladies in Lavender and Dial M for Murder.

Top West End Producer Mr Taylor-Mills will be taking the helm for his fifth season of producing the plays at the theatre. Paul has won many accolades for his productions over the years including a trio of Olivier Awards last year for his musical ‘In the Heights’ and audiences can expect productions on a par with the West End.

The 2017 season will feature:

• Thursday 22 June to Wednesday 28 June: Caught in the Net by Ray Cooney
• Thursday 29 June to Wednesday 5 July: Murder in Company by Philip King and John Bolland
• Thursday 6 July to Wednesday 12 July: The Odd Couple by Neil Simon
• Thursday 13 July to Wednesday 19 July: Ladies in Lavender by Sean McKenna based on the screenplay by Charles Dance
• Thursday 20 July to Wednesday 26 July: Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott
• Thursday 27 July to Wednesday 2 August: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
• Thursday 3 August and Friday 4 August/Saturday 12 August to Wednesday 16 August: The Birds by Conor McPherson
• Thursday 17 August to Wednesday 23 August: Relative Values by Noel Coward
• Thursday 24 August to Wednesday 30 August: Birthday Suite by Robin Hawdon
• Thursday 31 August to Wednesday 6 September: Absent Friends by Alan Ayckbourn
• Thursday 7 September to Wednesday 13 September: Hobson’s Choice by Harold Brighouse
• Thursday 14 September to Friday 22 September: House Guest by Francis Durbridge.

Cllr John O’Leary, East Devon District Council’s champion for culture, said that audiences to the annual play festival would see productions of the very highest standard. ‘‘Some theatre goers have bought season tickets to see all 12 plays this year because they know that they are seeing the very best cast and sets which normally they would have to travel to London for. The Manor Pavilion Theatre continues to add lustre to its excellent reputation as a venue for top class productions and East Devon District Council is proud to invest in such a marvellous facility.’’

Tickets for the summer season are available from the theatre box office on 01395 514413. Phone lines are open from 10am to 2pm. Ticket prices are £16/£17 with seats for under-16s costing £8. Group discounts are available along with great value full and half season tickets. To book, call the theatre box office.

For further information about productions at the theatre, visit the Manor Pavilion Theatre website at www.manorpavilion.com. You can also keep in touch with the theatre through Facebook at the Manor Pavilion Theatre Sidmouth and on twitter @manorpavilion.

Pictured is Sidmouth Summer Play Festival producer Paul Taylor-Mills.