"The Living Willow Theatre is a scaled down, one-storey, living version of the Globe in London - a third of it's size in diameter.

It was planted on an organic farm in the upper Wye Valley last April for the Mid-Wales Shakespeare Centre by a team of volunteers headed by willow specialist Dr. Rebecca Heaton.

This magical open-air theatre is made entirely from woven willow - starkly sculptural in winter and a lush, green space in summer months. It is one of the largest willow structures in the country and probably the only one in use as a theatre in the world.

This landmark theatre was officially opened by Clive Swift - an outstanding classical actor well known for his starring performance as Richard Bucket, Hyacinth Bouquet's long suffering husband in Keeping up Appearances.

Clive was followed by an entertaining medley of short scenes from professional and community performers including: Welsh Language Shakespeare from Caryl Morgan, a rising young star of the Wales Theatre Company and Theatre Clwyd, Signed Shakespeare from Darrel Saunders and a vibrant selection of recent work from community groups including Mid-Powys Youth Theatre, and the senior Have-a-go Shakespeare group that meets at CARAD in Rhayader.

Music from local bands and the theatre's own group the Willow Waites completed this cultural extravaganza.

The opening launched a diverse season planned for 2007 at this unusual venue, which already includes singer/songwriter AJ Roach from the American Appalachian Mountains, and a master class from internationally acclaimed Director and Master of Shakespeare's Verse Tim Carroll who spent many years at the Globe theatre in London."

Article by Kama Roberts of Living Willow Theatre.