Theatre Royal Winchester is not only looking forward to a new season of professional shows, but also shows performed by local community members and for special causes.
The new year begins with An Evening with Alan Titchmarsh (Wed 17 Jan) when the gardener, writer, novelist and broadcaster will talk about his life as part of a charity event in support of local homelessness charity, Trinity Winchester.
There is an evening of spoken word, poetry and song from local artists and musicians in Playmakers Local Talent Night (Tue 23 Jan), then later, the Playmakers youth theatre groups present their own original pieces of theatre based around the theme, Look Back, Look Forward, Look Up, in Playmakers Youth Theatre Showcase (Thu 28 Mar) – a Pick Your Price event where theatre-goers can choose the ticket price that works best for them.
February starts with six Hampshire choirs coming together to remember the life and work of late folk artists, Sarah Morgan and Paul Sartin, in River & Roads (Sun 4 Feb).
Musical theatre fans are in for a treat with Encore Youth Theatre’s production of the romantic comedy, Guys and Dolls (Thu 15 – Sat 17 Feb), while The Gregg School presents its musical adaptation of the 1992 hit movie, Sister Act (Wed 20 – Thu 21 Mar), and following their hugely successful Calendar Girls, WMOS (Winchester Musicals and Opera Society) are back with Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Wed 22 – Sat 25 May).
Hurn Court Opera, which supports emerging young opera stars and brought La Boheme to the theatre in early 2023, returns with Mozart’s Don Giovanni (Thu 11 Apr), New Sussex Opera – a nationally acclaimed, community-based company – presents The Dragon of Wantley (Sun 28 Apr) – a parody of Handel’s operas, about a terrorising dragon, while Churcher’s College presents Amadeus (Mon 25 Mar) – an account of the lives of composers, Mozart and Salieri.
Lastly, Blue Apple – a theatrical company supporting learning disabled performers – also returns to the theatre, this time with their unique adaptation of the family favourite, Wind in the Willows (Wed 26 – Thu 27 Jun) – with audiences able to watch the show from the comfort of their home too, by livestreaming the Thursday performance at 1pm.
An Evening with Alan Titchmarsh will be at Theatre Royal Winchester on Wednesday 17 January at 7.30pm.
Playmakers Local Talent Night, Tuesday 23 January, 7pm
Rivers & Roads, Sunday 4 February, 2pm
Guys and Dolls, Thursday 15 to Saturday 17 February, various times
Sister Act, Wednesday 20 to Thursday 21 March, various times
Amadeus, Monday 25 March, 7.30pm
Playmakers Youth Theatre Showcase, Thursday 28 March, 7.30pm
Mozart’s Don Giovanni, Thursday 11 April, 7pm
The Dragon of Wantley, Sunday 28 April, 4pm
Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 May, various times
Blue Apple’s Wind in the Willows, Wednesday 26 to Thursday 27 June, various times (including a livestream on Thursday 27 June at 1pm)
For more information or to book tickets visit: theatreroyalwinchester.co.uk or call 01962 840 440.
- In Common is not for profit. We rely on donations from readers to keep the site running. Could you help to support us for as little as 25p a week? Please help us to carry on offering independent grass roots media. Visit: https://www.patreon.com/incommonsoton