Open air theatre at Corfe Castle

Three Inch Fools theatre group

Make the most of the warmer summer weather and extra hours of daylight with an evening of open air entertainment set in the beautiful surrounds of Corfe Castle.

Join the Three Inch Fools and Illyria as they dust off their instruments and step back into the great outdoors with four new productions at Corfe Castle this summer.  

Three Inch Fools at Stourhead in Wiltshire
Corfe Castle   Dorset

Robin Hood - 18 July, 7pm

Five actors, with all manner of musical instruments, struggle to remember Britain’s best-known folktale. This summer, a hapless troupe of actors hit the road with a calamitous new production of Robin Hood. Prepare for a riotous summer adventure fit for all the family as The Fools battle to tell their own version of the legendary tale. Expect the full Three Inch Fools treatment – an evening packed with wildly-inventive story-telling, fast-paced drama, a host of musical instruments and many a quick costume change along the way! Ticket prices range from £9 - £18.

Book your tickets
Illyria performing at Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle   Dorset

HMS Pinafore - 4 August, 7pm

Join Illyria as they set on board the warship HMS Pinafore, an opera that cheerfully mocks such Great British institutions as Class, Patriotism and the Royal Navy. Josephine the captain's daughter is in love with Ralph a common sailor, but her father wants her to marry Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty. The couple are caught as they elope from the ship and Ralph is locked in the ship's dungeon. Only when certain revelations are made by Buttercup, a dockside vendor, can everyone end up freely marrying their true hearts' loves. This wonderful comic opera gets the complete Illyria treatment, faithfully performed by a reduced cast on a beautiful nautical set. Ticket prices range from £9 - £18.

Book your tickets
Illyria performing at Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle   Dorset

The Further Adventures of Doctor Dolittle - 18 August, 7pm

Join Illyria as they delve back into Hugh Lofting's amazing stories to bring you a brand-new musical adaptation of the Doctor's FURTHER adventures with Jip the Dog, Dab Dab the Duck, Gub Gub the Pig, Polynesia the Parrot. Where in the world will they go? Will they even stay on this world?! Which new animals will they help along the way? Will the Rats still have pithy observations to make? Is Gub Gub still dreaming about cake? Ticket prices range from £9 - £18. Suitable for everyone aged 5+.

Book your tickets
Three Inch Fools at Stourhead in Wiltshire
Corfe Castle   Dorset

Romeo & Juliet - 25 August, 7pm

Five actors, with all manner of musical instruments, present an inventive take on Shakespeare’s most famous story, Romeo & Juliet. Prepare for a carnival of passion and imagination, as The Fools present the world’s best-known love story, come rain come shine, in the great British outdoors! This romantic epic will be getting the full Three Inch Fools treatment: live music-making, deft physicality and vibrant story-telling. Expect fast-paced drama, plenty of musical instruments and many a quick costume change along the way! Ticket prices range from £9 - £18.

Book your tickets
Plan your evening

The performances will take place in the Outer Bailey at Corfe Castle.

These are outdoor performances, with social-distancing measures in place. We recommend that you bring blankets/chairs/cushions etc. to sit on. Come prepared for the weather with warm coats and waterproofs etc, as the performances will continue come rain come shine! We ask that you don’t bring umbrellas as these can obscure the view for other people in the audience. 7pm start time, picnics welcome from 6pm. The performances will last approximately 120 minutes (+ a 20 minute interval).