Heartbreak Productions is back for its 31st Year of bringing Unique Outdoor Theatre Experiences to audiences across the UK. Every summer they pack up the vans and bid a cheerful farewell to their teams of actors. From Cornwall to Aberdeenshire, in the sunshine or the rain, Heartbreak audiences gather at National Trust properties, garden centres, and city parks to partake of what is a traditional part of a British summer – open-air theatre.

When it comes to theatre in the great outdoors, nobody does it like Heartbreak. Familiar British classics are often framed in alternate settings. Actors weave in and out of the audience, occasionally purloining something from a picnic, and sometimes an audience member will be requested onstage to “help” with a particular part of the play.

This year Heartbreak brings three brand new titles to its repertoire. Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility invites all the ladies and gentlemen to the Matchmaker’s Ball, where Elinor and Marianne Dashwood are eager to meet gentlemen of amiable countenance and good fortune. Based on an original piece of writing by Michael Davies, MacHamLear, pits the most-loved Shakespearean tragedies against each other in the Battle of Bard. David Walliams’ Bad Dad completes the trio. This modern family favourite follows the highs and lows of a father-son relationship with chases, escapes, disguises, and a comedic auntie with literary aspirations to round it all off nicely.

Maddy Kerr, Heartbreak’s Executive Director, says “We are delighted to be premiering three brand-new shows this summer. We are also sensitive to the fact that times are still very uncertain for so many. With this in mind we are continuing to offer Pay What You Can tickets at several venues, BSL interpreted performances, complimentary tickets for carers, and discounts for NHS employees. We want anyone who would like to experience theatre to have that opportunity. With an eye on sustainability, we are planting trees this summer to help counteract the environmental effects of touring, and all the paper used for our programmes is sourced from sustainable FSC forests and include recycled pulp fibbers. Our printers also Carbon Capture our order by planting trees with the Woodland Trust.”

Heartbreak will be in its hometown, Leamington Spa May 31st – June 11th. They’ll be performing at the beautiful Jephson Gardens, before they head off to destinations around the UK. So, pack a picnic, grab something to sit on and either your sun cream or your rain poncho and head to Jephson Gardens for a unique outdoor theatre experience. Tickets and further information can be found on the Heartbreak website www.heartbreakproductions.co.uk