Writer: Helen Redcliffe
Director: Rob Green & Lucy Thatcher
This summer, Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre and Storyhouse in the Park are taking us back to the summer of 1969. In a quiet little country village, clinging on to Britain’s ‘glorious past’ or should I say, frozen in time following the tragedies of war, the locals are suddenly imposed upon by a music festival, set up to save a local farm. Through the drab and dreary airs of Abide With Me come the songs of revolution and hope, as the audience are placed right in the centre of the Sun Shine Festival.
With a rainbow of colours on stage, designer Charlotte Murphy creates a festival feel of tie-dye, flower power and hippy chic. This show is both a feast for the eyes and the ears, as the cast, who accompany themselves throughout the performance, perform hits like Times They Are A-Changin’, Give Peace A Change and even the productions unique twist on the Aretha Franklin hit Think. They sound great, and despite a few technical teething issues on press night, it did not dampen the party vibe or the wonderful quality of the music throughout the show.
If you are a regular summer visitor to Grosvenor Park, you will recognise a few familiar talented faces, with Lucas Button from the 2024 summer season of The Importance of Being Ernest and Gangs of New York, taking the stage alongside Abigail Middleton from last summer’s Sherlock Holmes and Pride and Prejudice. They are joined by a stellar cast including Owen Ellis and Lauren Lees from Storyhouse’s Young Company. This cast has excellent chemistry – they all seem to be enjoying themselves as much as the audience. And while every performer on stage is first rate, there must be a mention of Kate Milner-Evans who plays Joan – a straight laced widow who discovers that she can be so much more than who the village sees. There might be some special tea involved in her journey, and a few yellow feathers. She wins over the audience’s hearts with Joan’s journey of discovery and has everyone rooting for her.
The cast are joined on stage by members of the audience, be prepared to get involved if you buy a ticket for Let The Sun Shine! – whether that’s taking part in the audience choir or showing your skills dancing round the maypole.
What makes this production so special, is that the audience feel they are truly part of something. Not just involved in the show, but involved in the revolution. The message that time always moves forward, and we should look to the future and not dwell in the past, is as relevant now as it has ever been. And while this is a show set 57 years ago, its message of growth, change and acceptance resonates as loudly as ever to a 2026 audience.
So, to use a few words from Bob Dylan “Come gather ’round people – Wherever you roam” and bring a picnic to the Sun Shine Festival. Let your inner hippy shine at The Grosvenor Park this summer.
Runs until 23 August 2026
