Rainbow Shakespeare return to Worthing's magical setting

Rainbow Shakespeare are presenting “perhaps the world’s best comedy”, Twelfth Night, and “one of the world’s most amazing tragedies”, Othello for their latest season.
Rainbow: Peter McCrohon as Sir Toby Belch and .Jean Paul Pfluger as Maria in Twelfth NightRainbow: Peter McCrohon as Sir Toby Belch and .Jean Paul Pfluger as Maria in Twelfth Night
Rainbow: Peter McCrohon as Sir Toby Belch and .Jean Paul Pfluger as Maria in Twelfth Night

Director Nicolas Young said: “For 20 years, Rainbow Shakespeare have been astounding audiences of all ages with their thrilling, funny and above all, understandable productions that can be enjoyed by the whole family while enjoying picnics at Worthing’s magical Highdown Gardens.

“Twelfth Night was my first Shakespeare experience, at the age of six. The laughter and enjoyment caused me to fall in life-long love with the plays.

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“I have done many productions of Twelfth Night, and each one is so different, and you learn new aspects of the play each time you go into the rehearsal room.

“It is ideal summer’s evening entertainment in our magical Highdown Gardens, and I hope the youngest members of the audience, sitting on blankets at the front, will get the same inspiration and enjoyment that I had at their age.”

Twelfth Night plays from July 16-21.

“Rainbow’s second offering is that passionate, pulsating drama that is Othello. Audiences will watch open-mouthed as the great and loving newly-married general is destroyed by the green-eyed god, jealousy, brought about by that greatest and wittiest most diabolical of villains, Iago.

“It is such an exciting play. It’s like Game of Thrones on speed. I’ve never directed it before, and I am getting goose bumps just at the thought of putting it on stage. Sword fights, smothering, love, hatred – it has the lot and shows how any of us, however successful and good, can be destroyed by gossip and innuendo eating away at our insecurities. This year’s cast includes many talented and welcome faces. JP Pfluger returns as yellow-stockinged Malvolio and the villainous Iago, Peter McCrohon, last year’s Baptista and foolish Thurio, takes up his tankard as Toby Belch, feisty and lovely Claire Seller, who made such a hit last year as Bianca in The Shrew and Silvia in Two Gentlemen, plays cross-dressing Viola and the resolute yet tragic Desdemona..”

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Othello runs from July 23 to 28. Both plays start at 7.30pm, gates opening at 6.15 for picnickers. Matinees each weekend at 2pm.

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