Putney Theatre Company staging live outdoor production
The School for Scandal mark's Putney's return to live theatre
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There is a chance to get back to see live theatre in a Covid safe way over the next week with Putney Theatre Company's (PTC) open-air production of The School For Scandal.
The show will be performed beneath the ancient trees of Putney Old Burial Ground, a picturesque pocket park located close to the theatre on the Upper Richmond Road, five minutes’ walk from Putney railway station.
The show is suitable for all ages but no seats are provided so bring something comfortable to sit on and a picnic if you like.
Like playhouses all over the country, Putney Arts Theatre was forced to temporarily close its doors during the pandemic. But now PTC is back with its first in-person production since the latest lockdown, an open-air rendering of classic comedy.
PTC promises an abridged, high-energy, modern dress version of Richard Brinsley Sheridan’s enduringly popular 18th century comedy. “If you thought that snark, trolling and fake news are innovations of the social media age, you should think again,” says co-director Stuart Watson. “The London of The School for Scandal is awash with gossip, innuendo and muckraking.”
In the play, devious influencer Lady Sneerwell, abetted by her spin-doctor, Snake, orchestrates a whispering campaign against warm-hearted playboy, Charles Surface, seeking to discredit him in the eyes of Maria, wealthy ward of Sir Peter Teazle. Meanwhile, rumour has it that Sir Peter’s marriage to his vivacious young wife is on the rocks, with the ink practically still wet on the licence. Charles’s Aunt Olivia, returned from abroad and carrying out undercover investigations, must discover the truth before disgrace, dispossession, and divorce ensue.
“The company has got really skilled at creating Zoom productions over the past year or so, but it is a limited substitute for the shared experience you get from live theatre, so it is an absolute joy to be working together in person again, albeit socially distanced and outdoors,” says Watson. “Fortunately, so far, the weather has been kind to us while rehearsing in front of our impromptu audience of curious dog-walkers in the Old Burial Ground or on Putney Common.”
The play will be performed on 17, 18, 24 and 25 July at 3pm and tickets can be purchased by clicking here.
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July 16, 2021
