Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

There’s something quite fitting about seeing Jane Austen’s romantic love story performed live, in an enchanting outdoor setting.

Hidden deep within the greenery of Regent’s Park is the Open Air Theatre. Shows come to life between May and September. And because we’re in London, it’s a meteorologist’s nightmare. So when you find a day that you and a bunch of pals are free, all of you must avoid black cats, walking under ladders and breaking mirrors – in a bid to persuade the skies not to sob during your show.

You can catch matinees or evening performances ­– giving you the perfect opportunity to make the most of your time in one of London’s prettiest parks. St Mary’s Gardens can only be described as a botanical dream and surrounds the theatre. Tickets do offer picnic add-ons, but when you’ve got your pick of London’s finest greenery, it makes sense to take your own. They have bars and offer snacks inside the venue, although we were pretty content with our makeshift M&S nibbles. Make sure you stock up when you exit the tube, as funnily enough there’s not a Sainsbury’s Local inside the Royal Park.

The décor inside is stunning as the sun goes down. Fairy lights and intertwined ivy heighten the magic, before you’re ushered to your seats. Regardless of how far back you are, the layout of the intimate venue means that you’ll always have a good view. Although if you want to be really cheeky, eye-up some empty seats and when the interval comes, stake out your territory and dominate. (I didn’t tell you to do that….)

The performance itself was simply wonderful. Tafline Steen nails the role of Elizabeth Bennett, alongside a few famous faces. (However, do not expect anyone to turn to Mr Bennett and say, “Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be…”.) The star of the show has to be Felicity Montagu. Her portrayal of Mrs Bennett was just superb, depicting the balance of ‘comical mother’ in her character, perfectly. The lighting and set was outstanding, so kudos has to be paid to the team behind this genius production.

The shows switch up throughout the months, so make sure you check the full programming online early and book in advance to avoid disappointment – as you’re guaranteed to have an extraordinary few hours. And as the legend of any stage production has it “The show must go on,” which is gospel for this one too. Tickets won’t get refunded should you do something to piss off the heavens. So don’t forget to pack a waterproof, should they open.

One of my favourite outdoor theatres in London and as an added bonus, it's outside! The plays run from May to September and normally about three shows play their a year, I have been going yearly for 5 years and every play there has been superb. The seats are comfy and everywhere seat gives a good view of the stage. It's a beautifully set in Regent's Park, a hidden gem of London. Just saw pride and prejudice, the cast and set was fab. I'm already excited for next years show.

This is one of my favourite theatre venues in london provided the venue is good. there is really no bad seat in the house! I have had one performance rain out on me, but what the theatre offers you is the option to rebook for any other show (doesnt have to be the same production) any time in the future (doesnt have to be the same year) as long as the price category is the same! I think that more than makes up for it. I really love the natural setting for some of the productions (running wild, Lord of the Flies) as it really puts you into the situation.

Fantastic venue! Definitely one the best in London in the summer. There us a good variety of plays on each summer season (which runs from May to September) and so there is usually something for everyone. 

Do arrive early to take advantage of the lovely picnic area that surrounds the theatre - only accessible to ticket holders so worth taking advantage of this - you can bring your food and drink in to this area for a pre-theatre picnic. 

Do bring a jacket for evening performances - it certainly gets chilly post-interval. 

An amazing venue with a good view of the stage even from the very top and to the far side. The seats are pretty comfy with plenty of leg room. The outside space is decked with fairy lights so looks very pretty and there is plenty of places to eat - picnic, bar and bbq.We went to see Lord of the Flies which was a perfect play for the setting. Set, lighting and music amazing however wasn't a fan of the actors.Will definitely be back next year. Fingers crossed for a sunny evening like the one we had in September! #TOTastemaker

Visited yesterday afternoon to see their production of Lord of the Flies. The theatre is in a beautiful setting in the middle of glorious Regents Park. We were very lucky with the weather yesterday-perfect for an outdoor performance. As soon as we took our seats-I had paid £48.00 for my adult ticket and £25.00 for my 15 year old daughter's-we were blown away by the amazing set on the stage. The back quarter of an full-sized airline jet; dozens of battered suitcases; clothes strewn all around-fabulous. The performance lasted for two and a quarter hours and all of the audience were hooked by the brilliant acting from 12 young boys. Not a murmur throughout. The staged fights-really believable-the clever use of slow motion action-the atmospheric score-all truely fantastic.

We had heavenly Rosskilly ice creams in the interval. There is a very good selection of interesting food and drink to purchase-lots of people were having delicious looking picnics organised by the theatre in the adjacent gardens. I also noticed a barbecue which was very popular.

A lovely venue for a warm summers evening!