Hammersmith's Summer Festival Programme Announced

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Two months of music, sports theatre and picnics in Lyric Square

The programme for Hammersmith's Summer Festival 2014 has been announced, promising two months of free music, theatre, sports and family fun in Lyric Square.

The festival kicks off with four weeks of Theatre in the Square presented by the Lyric Hammersmith, followed by a chance to follow tennis action from Wimbledon on big screens from June 23 to the Men's and Ladies' Finals on July 5 and 6.

This will be followed by live coverage on the big screens of the Tour de France and Picnics in the Square with Albert and Friends Circus on July 8, 9, 15 and 16.

On July 15 there will be a treat for opera fans with a chance to watch the Royal Opera House's La boheme live on the big screen.

In its Theatre in the Square programme, the Lyric Hammersmith will once again bring captivating theatre to outdoor audiences with the generous support of HammersmithLondon. In partnership with Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Watford Palace Theatre and Latitude, the Lyric’s programme of shows invites passers-by to stop and enjoy free theatre in Lyric Square.

Four of the country’s most exciting emerging theatre companies have been commissioned to make work specifically for outdoor audiences and will present their shows over four consecutive weeks. Here is the programme:

The Beasts by Bucket Club

Tuesday 27 – Wednesday 28 May

The Royal Society of Beastologists is on the hunt for a fearsome, never-before-seen beast. They’ve already photographed the Loch Ness Monster, the Beast of Bodmin and the elusive Essex Lion. But will this final mystery prove too much? In a world of disbelievers, you are invited to join in the search. Bucket Club explore theatrical form and storytelling with live music to create shows that are exciting and above all, playful.

The Itinerant Music Hall by Flipping the Bird

Tuesday 03 – Wednesday 04 June

Roll up! Roll up! Gather round The Itinerant Music Hall. They are the world’s smallest (and only) travelling music hall outfit: an upright honky-tonk piano and a tumble down stage, strapped onto a bicycle. A blend of storytelling, cabaret, improvisation and high-jinks vaudeville. A collaborative company, Flipping the Bird include music as a vital part of their storytelling and make work that is vivid, playful, subversive and entertaining.

Made Up Stories From My Unmade Bed by Page One Theatre

Tuesday 10 – Wednesday 11 June

It’s time to wake up – but one girl doesn’t want to. She’d rather stay snuggled under the covers until her dreams escape her head and become adventures around her bed. Pillows become clouds and beds are boats as the sheets billow above, inviting you into a world of colour, puppets, feathers and fun. This charming new show is a visual treat from Page One Theatre who create original, vibrant stories for families.

Full Stop by Light the Fuse

Tuesday 17 – Wednesday 18 June

This is the bus shelter where anything can happen. In an explosion of physicality, humour and excitement Full Stop brings a bus shelter to life with romance, adventure and surprises. Waiting for a bus has never been so much fun. Light The Fuse charge everyday spaces and traditional stories with explosive visual and physical elements to surprise and captivate audiences of all ages.

April 18, 2014