Theatre Royal Winchester’s New Year and spring programme of events, which runs from January to April 2025, covers everything from music to comedy, drama and family theatre, talks and National Theatre Live screenings, dance, improv and community performances.
The season starts with a talk for all true crime fans – exploring real-life crime scenes and killers – Murder: Staged (10 January, popular doctor turned writer Adam Kay returns with his brand-new show about life on and off the wards – Undoctored (10 February), and bestselling author Kate Mosseis also back in Winchester, this time delving into the inspiration behind her modern classic, Labyrinth (8 March).
January marks the beginning of a packed musical programme – with contemporary folk performed in The Ciderhouse Rebellion (11 January), the Down for the Count All-Stars bring the best in jazz in Swing That Music (12 January), and tribute star Ben Bowman returns in Michael starring Ben (15 January).
The award-winning folk act, Reg Meuross, performs his new song-cycle, Fire & Dust (16 Jan), Oh What a Night! celebrates the music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons (18 – 19 January), and next, it’s the turn of the world’s most iconic guitar in 50 Years of Fender: The Stratocaster Story (13 February).
Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalist Taryn Charles takes to the stage for Gone Too Soon Live: The Aretha Franklin and Whitney Houston show (14 February). while country music fans will dance in the aisles to Made in Tennessee (15 February). Vocalist and Radio 2 broadcaster Clare Teal and her band perform the Great American and British Songbooks (28 February), there are unforgettable melodies and cheeky capers in Strauss’ operetta, Die Fledermaus (9 March), then the award-winning impersonator, Andy Wood appears as Sir Tom Jones in Sexbomb (13 March).
80s rock fans will enjoy The Rock of Ages Experience (14 March), stars of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat return with more musical numbers in Dreamcoat Stars (16 March, Irish music follows with The Fureys (5 April), and Swifties are invited to sing along to their favourites when the Taylor Swift Tribute comes to Winchester (10 April).
Comedy next and the season opens with stand-up and Strictly Come Dancing finalist, Chris McCausland (13 – 14 January), Ed Byrne returns with his five-star show, Tragedy Plus Time (2 February), while Jenny Éclair performs a brand-new autobiographical show (6 February). John Shuttleworth is back with more hilarious stories and songs (12 February), Maisie Adam is touring again (16 February), while Marcus Brigstocke explores men’s function (7 March) and Josh Berry, positive masculinity (22 March).
Winchester Comedy Festival’s Spring Gala returns with another line-up of hilarious comedians (28 March), the award-winning Rich Hall brings to the stage ‘idle but intimidating’ comedy (11 April), Lou Sanders performs her most personal show (13 April), and TV favourite, Harry Hill, presents his best bits (22 April).
For drama, Middle Ground Theatre Company’s, Dial M For Mayhem, features a play within a play – with a group of travelling actors performing Frederick Knott’s classic ‘50’s thriller, Dial M For Murder in Act 1, while Act 2 brings the backstage chaos to the forefront (28 January – 1 February).
Next, Conn Artists Theatre Company – in association with the charity that runs the theatre, Play to the Crowd – presents an adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s Far from the Madding Crowd, about love, class and gender roles– with music and songs of the period (4 – 5 February).
Blackeyed Theatre return with an adaptation of Bram Stoker’s gothic thriller, Dracula – featuring a haunting soundscape (3 – 5 March), Rumpus Theatre Company’s, The Comedy of Terrors, is a fast-moving comedy of multiple mistaken identity (29 April), while The Knave, Raleigh sees Dyad Productions return to Winchester with this one-man show about the Elizabethan explorer and dandy, Sir Walter Raleigh (30 April).
Children and their grown-ups will enjoy an Olivier Award-nominated adaptation of Julia Donaldson’s children’s classic, Room on the Broom (7 – 9 February), Exciting Science is a fun and fact-filled show featuring everything from volcanic eruptions to smoke blasters (23 February), while There’s A Monster In Your Show sees Tom Fletcher’s interactive adventure leap from the page to the stage (6 – 7 March).
Three Little Vikings is an adaptation of Bethan Woolvin’s bold and funny adventure story for little rebels (15 March), Donaldson’s The Baddies tells of a witch, a troll and an ancient ghost who are the worst baddies in the world – with songs from Joe Stilgoe (21 – 23 March), while Rude Science Live is described as a naughty, funny and revolting show with snot cocktails, whoopee cushions, pee-powered fireworks and more (6 April).
Michael Morpurgo’s Farm Boy is the compelling sequel to War Horse and comes to Winchester following successful UK tours (8 – 9 April), The Amazing Bubble Man, Louis Pearl, returns with more breath-taking bubbles of all shapes and sizes (13 April), lastly, Tall Stories present a magical, musical adaptation of David McKee’s The Elmer Adventure – with puppets and songs, for everyone aged 3 years and up (15 – 17 April).
There are two more National Theatre Live screenings too – The Importance of Being Earnest about identity and impersonation, featuring Dr Who star, Ncuti Gatwa and directed by Max Webster (Life of Pi) (30 March), while Dr. Strangelove is an adaptation of Stanley Kubrick’s comedy – by Armando Iannuci and Sean Foley, featuring seven-time BAFTA Award-winner, Steve Coogan, who plays four roles in this explosively funny satire (23 April).
Audiences looking for something a little different might be interested in the following offer, starting with The Booze-ical– a brand-new musical extravaganza with every audience member receiving five free drinks as part of the experience (17 January), Now celebrates 25 years of the Jasmin Vardimon Company, revisiting favourite moments from the dance company’s repertoire (27 February), while Hat Fair Cabaret brings to the stage award-winning comedy, circus, magic and and more (1 March).
Tess is a circus adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel about power, loss and endurance – Tess of the D’Urbervilles (11 – 12 March), The Alice Project weaves original music with Alice in Wonderland author, Lewis Carroll’s text, and voices from interviews to explore transformation and identity (25 March), The Nature of Forgetting – which has sold out venues around the world – tells of a man living with young onset dementia (26 – 27 March), then BACH Reimagined breathes new life into the works of the legendary composer, with powerful movement from James Wilton Dance performers (29 March).
Audiences of all ages are also invited to lend their ideas to The Showstoppers’ Kids Show and Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – two shows featuring the Olivier Award-winning West End improvisers, The Showstoppers, who create a brand-new musical every performance based on audience suggestions alone (12 April)!
Finally, there are community performances from The Henry Beaufort School with Everybody’s Talking About Jamie: Teen Edition – about a boy who doesn’t fit in, but will become a sensation (22 – 24 January), University of Winchester students explore the romance genre, from novels to romcoms, in the talk, For the Love of… (13 February), Encore Youth Theatre present a musical comedy based on Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows (20 – 22 February), while The Gregg School take to the stage with a musical production (19 – 20 March).
Plus, Playmakers’ youth theatre groups return with their Youth Takeover– this time performing original shows inspired by the works of Shakespeare (4 April), and Hurn Court Opera have a lively take on the Cinderella story in La Cenerentola (14 April).
For more information or to book tickets, visit: theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840 440.
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