Romeo and Juliet Alton Castle

ALTON Castle, not to be confused with Alton Towers, was the impressively medieval setting for arguably the Bard's most famous play, Romeo and Juliet.

Audience members were asked to bring their own seating and picnics and this set a jovial and comfortable atmosphere for the evening ahead.

An outdoor performance is always brave and, possibly, foolhardy.

But as one of the cast members announced, prior to the prologue, we are British and we will prevail.

True to form, the iconic British weather played its part, but waterproof jackets and umbrellas prevented the rain from spoiling our enjoyment.

Both Juliet and Romeo had been struck down by illness, but other cast members had stepped into the breach with only a few days to go. They asked for our forgiveness for any stumbles or forgotten lines, but both actors performed superbly.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company showed the enthusiasm and professionalism of a company three times its size – and I'm willing to bet that such a company wouldn't cope with continual showers in the same nonchalant way. If I thought that the weather would hold out, I would suggest all theatre should be outdoors.

Victoria Power