The Lenches Amphitheatre
A Unique & Exciting Modern Amphitheatre for the Arts
The Lenches Amphitheatre
The Lenches Amphitheatre is a unique and exciting modern amphitheatre for the arts, set within the rural community of The Lenches, in the beautiful Vale of Evesham. Nestled into the natural curve of the land, the outdoor theatre sits alongside The Lenches Sports & Recreation Club, in a truly wonderful site, which offers spectacular views across the Severn Valley to the stunning Malvern, Clent and Abberley Hills in the West.
The 250-seater venue provides a superb amenity, bringing theatre and live music to The Lenches, not to mention a fantastic spot to watch the cricket on a Saturday afternoon! The new building next to the amphitheatre seating provides a brand-new green room, offering a flexible space and wide glass doors opening onto a balcony from which to view both the stage and take in the superb views. This iconic outdoor venue is a wonderful asset for the wider community, drawing a variety of performers and a multi-generational audience from far and wide. The Lenches Amphitheatre aims to host a wide programme of events, to appeal to all age groups, including a variety of outdoor theatre performances, live music concerts and community events.
The View
Our Patron Daisy Badger
In the wake of The Archers turning 75 on New Years Day this year, we’d like to take the opportunity to introduce another patron to you, our very own Daisy Badger! Daisy plays the part of Pip Archer in BBC Radio 4’s The Archers. She can regularly be heard on the BBC’s Archers Podcast, and we saw her on the BBC coverage of their re-recording the first ever episode of the longest running soap in the world.
Since graduating from LAMDA in 2014, Daisy has worked in theatre (RSC, Derby, Bolton), on screen (BBC, ITV, Netflix, Warner Bros) and in audio. Daisy went to school at Church Lench First School and has recently moved back to the village with her young family. Daisy has jumped in with both feet and has already written and directed shows for the Greater Lenches Amateur Dramatics group. GLADs performed a brilliant adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at our very own amphitheatre.
Daisy assures us there will be plenty more where that came from and she’s looking forward to contributing to the amphitheatre in the years to come.
Our Patron Geraldine James OBE
Geraldine recently played Isabella Salucci in Dope Girls, directed by Shannon Murphy, and can recently be seen in Steven Knight’s series This Town (BBC).
Her extensive film credits include Benediction, Downton Abbey, Beast, 45 Years; Daphne (for which she was nominated for an Evening Standard Film Award), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Made in Dagenham, Sherlock Holmes 1 and 2, Calendar Girls, The Tall Guy, Gandhi and Sir Peter Hall’s She’s Been Away, for which she won the Coppa Volpi Award for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.
Amongst many television dramas, Geraldine has been BAFTA-nominated four times for her television performances, in Dummy (for which she also won a Critics’ Association Award for Best Actress), The Jewel in The Crown, Band of Gold and The Sins.
Notably, Geraldine has also won a Drama Desk Award, and was nominated for a Tony Award, for her performance as Portia in Sir Peter Hall’s production of The Merchant of Venice in the West End and on Broadway opposite Dustin Hoffman; she also played on Broadway as Gertrude in Michael Grandage’s production of Hamlet, with Jude Law.
She was awarded an OBE in 2003.
We are delighted to welcome Geraldine to The Lenches Amphitheatre and hope that amidst her busy schedule, she will be able to join us for an event, in person, in the not-too-distant future.
Our Story
Learn how it all came about
The Lenches Sports Club has always wanted to make the most of this glorious location, a gentle slope of thirty metres, set into a curve, running down to the level surface of the wide-open sports field. The slope felt a little like an Amphitheatre. Read how we turned that vision into a reality.
The Lenches
The Lenches comprises a group of five, rural villages surrounded by farmland, woodland and orchards, set in the beautiful county of Worcestershire. Situated on a ridge, which forms the northern boundary of the Vale of Evesham, the word Lench is derived from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning a hill or area of high ground.
The Lenches Amphitheatre is located in the heart of Church Lench, the larger of the five villages and benefits from far reaching views across the valley and the River Severn to the spectacular Malvern Hills.
On a Summer evening, the view from The Lenches Amphitheatre is simply breath-taking and often accompanied by the most incredible sunsets.