THEATRE lovers will enjoy a summer outing as the Octagon Theatre prepares to close for a multi-million pound transformation.

All of Bolton will become a stage after the curtain falls on The Big Corner on May 5, when the theatre will close to undergo a £10 million revamp, reopening in autumn 2019

The Octagon’s next production, the hit 1960s musical film Summer Holiday, will be staged in Bolton’s new interchange and the Albert Halls.

The musical is set during a miserable wet British summer when Don borrows a double-decker bus to take his friends on a journey to Athens.

Their summer adventure begins at the interchange before audiences are taken on a musical bus journey to the Albert Halls.

Described as a “unique theatrical experience”, the show is co-directed by Elizabeth Newman, Octagon’s artistic director and Ben Occhipinti.

Elizabeth said: “As the Octagon building closes for our important redevelopment, we are heading on our adventures as we produce shows out of the building.

“We wanted to offer our audiences some exciting and fun experiences and since producing Singin’ in the Rain we’ve been keen to create another joyous musical – so Summer Holiday is the perfect show to begin our adventures!

“It will be an ambitious staging of the musical, with talented actor-musicians singing, dancing and playing musical instruments in locations across Bolton. This will be a version of Summer Holiday never seen before and I can’t wait to share it with audiences in Bolton and beyond.”

The Octagon will stage its Christmas production of Wizard of Oz in the Macron and Queens Park will be transformed into the extraordinary land of Lilliput for Gulliver’s Travels on August 16 to August 27.

The film version of Summer Holiday premiered in 1963 and featured in its cast Cliff Richard, Melvyn Hayes, Una Stubbs, Ron Moody and The Shadows.

Summer Holiday runs from May 31 to June 23. For more information visit https://octagonbolton.co.uk/whats-on/theatre/summer-holiday/