As Nicky Beaumont, Head of Cinema at Storyhouse, puts it, “part of what Storyhouse does is bring people together to have a good time.” And that’s exactly what they've achieved with the Moonlight Flicks series: a vibrant outdoor cinema experience in the heart of Chester, powered by community spirit, creativity, and a clever audio solution from Silent Disco King.

We recently caught up with Nicky at Grosvenor Park, one of the two venues for Moonlight Flicks, to hear more about the journey behind Storyhouse and how Silent Disco King has played a role in elevating the Moonlight Flicks screenings.

From Stage to Screen

Storyhouse itself is a true cultural hub—a library, cinema, theatre, restaurant, and community space all in one. But it’s during the summer months that their cultural relevance in Chester really expands with their open-air cinema and theatre events across Chester and beyond.

Although Storyhouse opened its doors in 2017, Moonlight Flicks has been running for over a decade. “It actually preceded me,” Nicky laughs. “I've been programming and running it for ten years now.”

The idea behind Moonlight Flicks was simple: bring the magic of film to the centre of Chester. “When we started doing it, there wasn't really a cinema in the town centre, so there wasn't that much opportunity to see films in the middle of town,” Nicky explains. “So that's why we started it. But since we've been doing it, there's been several other cinemas opening, including our own at Storyhouse.”

Delivering the Sound of Cinema

Creating a cinema under the open skies brings with it a unique set of challenges, especially when it comes to sound. With audiences of up to 350 people and nearby neighbourhoods to consider, Storyhouse needed a way to deliver cinematic-quality audio without causing disruption.

“Our technical team was tasked with finding the best way to deliver sound to a lot of people at once,” Nicky shares. “They came across Silent Disco King through their research and were impressed by the consistently good reviews.”

Since then, Silent Disco King’s Harry headphones have become an integral part of the Moonlight Flicks experience. Using radio frequency Falcon Silent Disco transmitters, the team can deliver crisp, immersive audio directly to each guest—rain or shine. “Sound is really, really important to cinema. It's a really important part of the experience. We needed something that was going to be able to create that cinematic experience. So, we use the Silent Disco King headphones, and Silent Disco transmitters to give our audiences that cinematic sound and experience”.

Support That Goes Beyond the Screen

When it came time to purchase the equipment, Nicky’s technical team found Silent Disco King to be incredibly supportive and responsive. “They answered all our questions and made the process really smooth,” she notes. “We’ve never had a problem.”

Whether it’s scaling up, updating equipment, or navigating logistics, Nicky says the support from Silent Disco King has been consistent. “They’ve always been helpful and offered really good service.”

Challenges and Triumphs

Outdoor cinema experience isn’t without its own obstacles. “Finding the right location is key,” Nicky advises. “It needs to be somewhere that’s going to feel magical no matter the weather.” While Grosvenor Park remains a favourite, Storyhouse and Moonlight Flicks have also visited other spots, including Claremont Farm in the Wirral.

“And despite the unpredictability of the weather, the screenings are still a hit. “We pick films that are gonna be joyous and good fun for the audience, even if they have to come out on a slightly soggy night like tonight. Regularly, films like Mamma Mia do really, really well. Packed houses of people singing along to the well known songs. That's always really lovely to see. Later this year, we've got Wicked coming for the first time. We've already pretty much sold out on that screening. I'm sure that's gonna be a really, really amazing experience for people.”

Looking Ahead

Moonlight Flicks continues until August 25th, 2025, with screenings throughout the summer. After that, the Storyhouse team doesn’t slow down—in fact, the Silent Disco King headphones and transmitters get repurposed for indoor silent disco events and club nights inside the Storyhouse building itself.

So, what advice would Nicky give to anyone looking to start their own outdoor cinema?

“Find a great location, find films that are gonna bring joy to the audience, whatever the weather. And yeah, just do it!”

Follow along with Storyhouse and Moonlight Flicks here and @storyhouselive on Instagram!