Rebecca Collingwood as Gwendolyn Lacey . Photo courtesy of the production company. Malory Towers from the novels by Enid Blyton and adapted and directed By Emma Rice, at the Belgrade Theatre as part of the UK Tour, from 12 - 16 May. Preview. The Emma Rice Company has announced the full cast for their upcoming tour of Malory Towers from the novels by Enid Blyton and adapted by Emma Rice. Rice directs Eden Barrie (Mary Lou Atkinson), Molly Cheesley (Alicia Johns), Rebecca C

Dave Candy in Pigeon Syndrome. Photo by Ben Keyser. Before the Fringe – a triple bill of one act plays presented by Broadly Speaking Productions. At Ilmington Village Hall 2 May 2026 and again at Tysoe Village Hall 7 pm Sunday 17 May. Review by Charles Essex Playwright Ben Keyser’s theatre company Broadly Speaking Productions put on a triple bill of his clever one act plays at Ilmington Village Hall. Pigeon Syndrome, which has won numerous awards for Best in Festival

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

Legally Blonde JR at The Albany Theatre, Albany Road, Coventry CV5 7JQ, 7:30pm, Thursday 30 April 2026. One day only (matinee and evening show) Review by David Court. Show Poster First published as a novel by Amanda Brown in 2001, Legally Blonde quickly found further life on screen before becoming a hugely successful stage musical in 2007, with music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin. A classic fish-out-of-water comedy, it follows sorority president Elle Woods

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

The company of Arturo Ui. Photo by Marc Brenner. The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui written by Bertolt Brecht, translated by Stephen Sharkey, at the RSC Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until 30 May 2026. Directed by Seán Linnen. Review by Wynne Lang. This is surely a play for our current, troubled times. Written by Bertholt Brecht in exile from Germany in 1941, before the outcome of the war was known or the full extent of Nazi atrocities brought

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

Butterfly Owner Clive Farrell (centre) with David Bellamy (L) and Sir David Attenborough (R). Photo courtesy of the Stratford Butterfly Farm. Stratford-upon-Avon Butterfly Farm is delighted to announce a very special celebration on Friday 8 May, marking the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough, one of the world’s most treasured naturalists. Sir David Attenborough, who has previously visited the Butterfly Farm, has long been an inspiration to the team and to millions aroun

Nia Gwynne as Titania. Photo by Chris Clarke. 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). Review by Ann Evans ‘Run towards things that scare you, so I am running full pelt. Why wouldn’t you want to play the

Polka Sisters. Photo by Tasha Best. Sisters 360 written by Asif Khan at The Belgrade Theatre from 22 to 23 April. Review by Amanda Burden. It isn’t often you encounter a bat in a theatre outside of Dracula. It’s even rarer to find one that looks like it wandered out of a rave, reconsidered its choices, and opted for a new life as a thespian. Yet, this is precisely where we are with Sisters 360. A day-glo skateboarding bat in the mix immediately signals that we are not in Char