The Plough Open-Air Theatre Season 2020

27 July 2020

We're excited to announce our re-born 2020 Socially Distanced Open-Air Theatre Season! 

Please bring your own low-back chairs and/or blankets

In line with recent government guidelines we are able to bring live theatre back to some of your favourite venues in North Devon: Hartland Abbey, Tapeley Park, Castle Hill, Filleigh, Lapford Mill, Blackberry Farm and now The Big Sheep and Clovelly Court!

See the full Open Air Theatre programme.

Clearly there some changes are necessary in order to protect us all and minimise the risk of spreading the virus, so the following will apply:

  1. The chosen venues and theatre companies have covid mitigations in place to minimise the risk of spreading the virus
  2. The performers will be set back 5m from the closest audience members.
  3. The performances will not include direct audience interaction.
  4. No audience members will be allowed to enter the stage area
  5. Tickets will only be pre-bookable online via the Plough website.
  6. Customer details will be kept so that track & trace can be used if necessary.
  7. No tickets will sold at the box office at each venue.
  8. On entry customers will be checked against the list of advance ticket sales.
  9. Plough staff and volunteers will wear appropriate PPE.
  10. Raffles will not take place.
  11. Fliers and promotional material will not be distributed.
  12. Audiences will be encouraged to stagger arrival times in order to avoid a last minute queue to get in. Access from 1 x hour before each performance.
  13. Audience members will sit in household groups, 2m from other groups, in clearly defined areas on the grass.
  14. Audiences will bring their own low-back seating or blankets.
  15. The venues will apply strict cleaning regimes in all toilet areas.
  16. The venues will display clear and appropriate signage to encourage safety and social distancing.
  17. Audiences will be encouraged to use the toilets throughout the performance to reduce interval queues. Some performances are approx. 1 hr duration and will have no interval e.g Illyria and Horrible Histories
  18. Venues providing catering will apply strict procedures to reduce risk. This will include PPE for their staff and appropriate training.
  19. Hand sanitizer will be widely available at all venues. Customers will be actively encouraged to use it.
  20. The Big Sheep has the technology for instant customer temperature analysis on entry.