Show poster Phoenix Players present A Phoenix Night Rises at The Bear Pit, Stratford-upon-Avon from 13 – 16 May 2026 at 7.30pm. Preview. A Phoenix Night Rises – an evening of comedy sketches, musical numbers and original one act plays. Enjoy this celebration of creativity, collaboration and original theatre. This lively evening features comedy sketches, musical performances and two outstanding one-act plays: What Lies Before Us by Chloe MacDonald and Detention Duty by Baz S

Image courtesy of the production company. Flashbang written by James Lewis, directed by David Brady and brought to you by the team at Proforca Theatre Company. Performing at the Belgrade Theatre, B2 Venue, Coventry from Thursday 7 – Saturday 9 May. Preview The new play Flashbang comes to the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry as part of its 2026 UK tour bringing a bold, emotionally charged story of friendship, identity and growing up to the Midlands. noun: flashbang a grenade tha

Broadly Speaking Productions' triple bill. Before the Fringe - Triple bill at Ilmington Village Hall (2 May) and Tysoe Village Hall (17 May). Preview Playwright Ben Keyser’s theatre company Broadly Speaking Productions is putting on a triple bill of his one act plays before transferring to the Edinburgh Fringe in August. On Saturday 2 May at Ilmington Village Hall, Ben’s play Pigeon Syndrome, which has won numerous awards for Best in Festival and Best Original Play at seve

David Bradley at Rugby Theatre. Photo courtesy of the artist. Featuring a Harry Potter star, an Edinburgh Fringe comedy show, gripping drama and more, a week-long arts festival is back at Rugby Theatre from 2-10 May. Rugby Theatre’s Fringe Week will see a variety of acts appearing at the historic town centre venue, with tickets starting at just £10. The festival kicks off with Michael Mansfield KC, one of Britain’s most influential barristers, who represented victims and fam

(L-R) Julien Rosa, Chris Gilbey-Smith, Mollie Dibb, Zoe Mortimer. Photo by Oliver Hindley Photography. Love, Love, Love by Mike Bartlett, directed by Lynda Lewis at the Loft Theatre, Leamington Spa from 6-16 May. Preview Are baby boomers to blame for the fact that their children’s generation is debt-ridden and adrift? Love, Love, Love takes on the baby boomer generation as it retires and finds it full of trouble. Does each generation unwittingly disappoint the next? It’s 196

Meet Shaun the Sheep! Photo courtesy of the BMM. Gaydon Land Rover Show 2 & 3 May at the British Motor Museum, Gaydon, Warwickshire. Shaun the Sheep and Lara Croft Land Rovers join adventure winners and unique historic vehicles at one of the UK’s largest and most exciting shows for the iconic British vehicles. There's also the chance to win a VIP day out at the museum for your family. Adventure in motorsport and films takes the spotlight at the hugely popular Gaydon Land R

Masquerade, Karen Carpenter. Photo courtesy of the artist. On Friday 1 May, Masquerade returns to Stratford, performing at the Rother Street Arts House. Preview Step into a world of timeless melodies and heartfelt harmonies with Masquerade, the ultimate live tribute to the legendary duo, Karen and Richard Carpenter. Fronted by the exceptional Kate Matthews as Karen Carpenter, with her warm, hauntingly accurate vocals, and the talented Rob Norman as Richard Carpenter on pi

Poor, coming to the Belgrade Theatre. Poor by Katriona O'Sullivan at The Belgrade Theatre, Coventry from 1 May - 9 May. Adapted by Sonya Kelly. Directed by Roisin McBrinn. Preview Based on Katriona O’Sullivan’s best-selling memoir, Poor charts her extraordinary journey as she emerges from her childhood in Coventry and Birmingham marked by poverty, addiction and homelessness. Moving to Dublin as a teenager, Poor follows O’Sullivan as she overcomes seemingly insurmountable obst

T he Tempest by William Shakespeare presented by Caramba Theatre Company at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon from 6 – 9 May 2026 (evenings 7.30pm and matinee on 9 May 2pm). Directed by Mollie Taylor. Musical Directors Jackson Pentland and Andy Taylor. Preview Cast out and betrayed by his own sister, Antonia, Prospero, once the Duke of Milan, has spent the last twelve years in exile on a remote, enchanted island with his daughter Miranda. Far from civilisation, the is

The cast of Murder She Didn't Write. Photo credit Degrees of Error. Murder She Didn’t Write. Performed by Degrees of Error, presented by Wildpark Entertainment, at Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry on 6-7 May. Director Lizzy Skrzypiec. Preview Don your deerstalker, grab your magnifying glass and get your ‘finger of suspicion’ at the ready because Edinburgh Fringe favourites, Degrees of Error, are bringing back their multiple sell-out show for your sleuthing pleasure. They’ll c

There’s lots going on behind the scenes at the newly refurbished Criterion Theatre, Earlsdon, as preparations get underway for their fourth incarnation of the Springboard Festival. Running from Saturday 9 May to Saturday 16 May the Springboard Festival will be showcasing a wide variety of local artistic talent with writers, poets, performers, musicians, both amateur and professional entertaining audiences over the week. Amongst the great line-up of nightly entertainment wi

Nia Gwynne as Titania. Photo courtesy of John Hoare. Titania – A new one-woman show by D R Hood. Performed by Nia Gwynne at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 24 – 25 April. Other dates and venues: 8 May: The Tolmen Centre, Constantine, Cornwall; 25 June: The Lyric Theatre, Bridport, Dorset. Running time: Approximately 1 hour 15 minutes (no interval). Preview Do you still believe in fairies? More than four centuries after the events of A Midsummer Night’s Dream,

Portrait Print and Best in Show: Angles and Extensions by Ester Riordan. Fittingly, a new trophy awarded for the judge’s choice of Best in Show at Leamington Spa Photographic Society’s end-of-season competition has been won by an arts-related image. It is presented in memory of long-standing LSPS member Keith Roberts, who was the LSPS membership secretary for many years and was also chairman of the Leamington Spa Arts Society. The Best in Show trophy, chosen by judge John Hai

Folk duo Harper's Dove (Campbell Perry and Ruth Noble) at the venue for the new folk club, Oak House Sports and Social Club. Photo credit: Sybella Perry. Leamington is experiencing its very own Folk Revival as 28 April sees the relaunch of The Heart of England Folk Club, where acclaimed singers such as June Tabor and Polly Bolton first started out in the 1960s. Local folk duo Harper’s Dove are working in partnership with Oak House Sports and Social Club to create a place wher

Henry Salmon, photo courtesy of the artist. Elton's Song, at Rother Street Arts House, Stratford-upon-Avon on Saturday 18 April. Preview Rother Street Arts House will host the premiere of Elton’s Song on Saturday 18 April, unveiling an electrifying new tribute show performed by a collective of local musicians. Led by Stratford-upon-Avon based pianist, piano tuner and teacher Henry Salmon, the production celebrates the timeless music of Elton John and his long-time collaborat

It's chaos at the radio station. Photo credit The Loft Theatre. Live on Air… and Under Siege: Pontypool by Tony Burgess at The Loft Theatre Studio, Leamington Spa, from 21 - 25 April 2026. Directed by Hannah Brown. Preview It’s Valentine’s Day in the remote town of Pontypool, Ontario. Beacon Radio’s morning show team are about to go viral in a way DJ Grant Mazzy could only have dreamed of, until he realises that this might be his worst nightmare. Local weatherman Ken Loney

Charlie Hamblett (L) and Anton Lesser (R) Photo credit James Northcote. Red Sky at Sunrise: Laurie Lee in Words and Music at Warwick Arts Centre, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7FD, Tuesday 19 May 2026 at 7.30pm. Actors Anton Lesser, Charlie Hamblett with Orchestra of the Swan. Director Judy Reaves. Music Director David Le Page. Writer Deirdre Shields. Producer Hambletts. Preview Author, Laurie Lee’s extraordinary story - from Cider with Rosie to the Spanish Civil Wa

Priory Theatre's first production, 80 years ago! On 8 April, as the Priory Theatre team prepare to raise the curtain on their latest production, Come From Away, they also celebrate a truly special milestone - the day the Priory Theatre first opened its doors in 1946. The Priory story began in 1932 with the Kenilworth Players, who performed on a portable stage in the old Abbey Hotel Ballroom. After the disruption of war, the company was reborn, transforming a disused chapel i

Mahesh Parmar, Kadiff Kirwan, Samuel Nunes De Souza & Mark Gatiss. Photo by Marc Brenner. The Resistible Rise of Arturo by Bertolt Brecht, updated by Stephen Sharkey, directed by Seán Linnen at the RSC Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 11 Apr – 30 May. Preview Here’s a peep at rehearsals prior to the production beginning its run on 11 April, featuring double Olivier award-winner Mark Gatiss in the title role of the notorious gangster and small-time crook, with big bos

l-r: Matthew Salisbury and John Nichols. Photo by Gwyn Davies. The Talisman Theatre is proud to celebrate the success of its vibrant Fringe programme, as two original comedy pieces developed through its popular Fringe nights have been selected to perform at the prestigious Stratford One Act Festival. The Talisman Fringe has become a vital platform for new writing, offering writers, performers and creatives the opportunity to experiment, develop ideas and share original wo

Max Cooper. Photo by the artist. Max Cooper 3D/AV Live, Feeling is Structure Album Tour. At Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre on Friday 15 May 2026. New Album out 8 May 2026. Preview Acclaimed electronic artist and multidisciplinary composer Max Cooper will be bringing his 3DAV live album show to some of the most prestigious venues throughout the UK on the back of his London sold out Royal Albert Hall performance - including Coventry's Warwick Arts Centre (15 May 2026) Re