Manor Pavilion celebrates 10 years of Sidmouth Summer Play Festival

To celebrate its ten-year anniversary, the Sidmouth Summer Play Festival will features 12 plays in 12 weeks.

The Manor Pavilion Theatre has announced its much-anticipated Sidmouth Summer Play season. This year, to celebrate ten years of this ever-popular festival, it will feature twelve new plays in twelve weeks including six of Sidmouth's favourites plays from the last decade.

There will also be six new plays including three Alan Ayckbourn comedies, Three separate plays written especially for repertory theatre, three different stories all set in the same riverside apartment. The season will culminate with a hilarious production of John Buchan’s popular ‘The 39 Steps’ adapted by Patrick Barlow. The full schedule features:

The Small Hours: A classic edge-of-your-seat thriller with all the Durbridge hallmarks of suspense, mystery and murder.

Boeing, Boeing: Marc Camoletti’s award-winning farce has delighted audiences worldwide for over 50 years.

Game Plan: The first of Ayckbourn’s Damsel’s In Distress Trilogy is a drama comedy created especially for Rep theatre.

Flat Spin: The second of Ayckbourn’s Damsel’s In Distress is a comedy thriller about mistaken identity.

Role Play: A comedy by Alan Ayckbourn. Part of the Summer Play Season 2023

The Business of Murder: A psychological thriller about a triangular relationship, a thirst for revenge, and the business of murder.

Run for Your Wife: Ray Cooney’s most famous Farce. It all goes wrong for Bigamist John Smith when his secret lives overlap.

Not Dead Enough: In Peter James’ thriller DS Roy Grace investigates a chilling murder that proves love can be dangerous.

The Mating Game: Robin Hawdon’s hilarious romantic farce has played all over the world after it’s huge success in London.

Pack of Lies 2023: Whitemore’s classic thriller about a suburban couple who get caught in a web of deceit and intrigue.

Private Lives: Noël Coward’s gloriously entertaining comedy of manners.

The 39 Steps: A hilarious, inventive, fast-paced caper. This side-splitting comedy is based on Buchan’s famous spy novel

Paul Taylor-Mills, the Season Producer said, "To celebrate our 10th year, we are bringing back some of our most loved plays, alongside some brand new ones. We’re also presenting our first-ever trilogy by much-loved playwright Alan Ayckbourn. We’re thrilled to be one of the only rep companies in the UK allowed to present this theatrical coup to our audiences.

"I have had the honour of producing the Summer Rep Play Festival for the last 10 years, presenting over 100 plays. This year I have a plea. Please come and support live entertainment in all its glory and joy. We understand the cost of living challenges so we have not raised our ticket price this year. We want to show how much we value our audience, and those people who come back again and again. It truly feels like a family.

"Theatre has never been more important. It brings us together, makes us laugh and makes us cry. We see the world through someone else’s eyes for a night, it lets us escape. Come celebrate our 10th year with us and raise a glass at The Manor Pavilion Theatre!"

Councillor Nick Hookway, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Leisure, Sport and Tourism commented, "I'm really pleased to see repertory theatre return to the Manor Pavilion for the summer. This type of theatre provides local audiences with a chance to see outstanding plays performed by well-established and familiar actors.

"The plays in this new season are varied in genre and are classics in their own right. I am delighted to welcome back Paul Taylor-Mills and his company to The Manor Pavilion Theatre and wish all concerned every success!"

Sidmouth Summer Play Festival 2023