Island Theatre

Welcome to the July theatre line up!

In summer it’s good to get outside, so bring a picnic and come along to Appley Tower in Ryde tomorrow (Saturday) at 12 noon, where, courtesy of the Appley Tower Players, Sir William Hutt will be taking a stroll with his friend Miss Brigstocke to see Shakespearean-themed entertainments near and at the Tower. Director, Rebecca Tremain, tells us: “Appley Tower has a magical quality which plays on the imagination just as Shakespeare’s words play on our emotions. You will also be treated to a guided tour of the tower, and best of all – it’s free!”

TheatreTrain are back, this time with a musical version of the well-known story of ‘The Little Mermaid’: Ariel falls in love with human Prince Eric, and needs to swap her fishtail for legs but, when the evil sea-witch, Ursula, gets involved, things go wrong. I was lucky enough to have a peek at a rehearsal and was impressed by the talent of the large cast. ‘The Little Mermaid’ will be staged at Shanklin Theatre on July 9 and 10 at 2pm and 5.30pm – tickets available from bit.ly/IWO-LittleMermaid.

Apollo Theatre’s next production is ‘Memory of Water’, in which three sisters come together before their mother’s funeral, each haunted by their own demons. The play focuses on how each sister deals with the death and how it directly affects them. This is a warm and observant drama that suggests life is a permanent mix of comedy and tragedy. ‘Memory of Water’ will be staged from July 15 to 23 (not Sunday or Monday) at 7.30pm and tickets are available from bit.ly/IWO-MemoryofWater or 210010.

Last, but definitely not least, is CurtainCall Creative’s latest show, the musical ‘Into the Woods’, which takes everyone’s favourite storybook characters and brings them together for a timeless yet relevant piece and rare modern classic. With a live orchestra, the production will showcase some of the very best Island talent. ‘Into the Woods’ will be at Shanklin Theatre on July 26 and 27 at 7pm with tickets available at bit.ly/IWO-IntoTheWoods.

And that’s it for this month! See you in August for more theatrical delights.