Well-known local actor, Harry Meacher, entertains with tales from his life and long career - from being nearly thrown out of RADA, and then winning their top prize, through working with Laurence Olivier, to probably the most hilariously bad production of Hamlet ever! This show will be a rare insight into the highs and lows of an actor's life, with many unexpected anecdotes on its merry way.

Highly-respected jazz musician Harry Sumner's world is turned upside down when Lorraine Tait, a complete stranger, arrives in his life. From the very moment she sits at his piano for her first lesson, Harry feels inspired, excited, and adored again.

But Lorraine brings more than talent, enthusiasm, and love. Harry finds himself faced with the truth of his past, and Sweet Lorraine is prepared to give up everything to reap the ultimate revenge.

From the mind, and true lived experience, of Bonnie Oddie, That's Why Mums Go to Switzerland (Winner: Best Solo Show at Riverside Studios Bitesize Festival) is a blazing, darkly comic new play. This one-woman show steps into an exploration of assisted dying within modern family dynamics, with wit and disarming warmth.

Told through the eyes of a middle-aged woman stuck between the generation above her, her daughters below her, and a family in chaos. We follow a relationship breakdown, teenage upheaval, dependency, love (“whatever that is”), a mother openly preparing for the end, and the joys of becoming "a bad mother and a bad daughter at exactly the same time".

And of course, the dog. Who knew everything. Because dogs always know everything. As the UK grapples with some of its most important conversations about assisted dying, this play is willing to sit in the conflict.

After sold-out performances at the 2025 Bath Jane Austen and Chawton Pride and Prejudice Festivals, the Cohen-Wingfield Duo — creators of the acclaimed Einstein's Violin — bring Pride and Prejudice in Words and Music to Upstairs at the Gatehouse for one night only.

Gill Hornby's witty and dynamic abridged version of Jane Austen's celebrated novel is combined with music for violin and piano, reworked by Carl Davis from his iconic score for the beloved 1995 BBC TV adaptation starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle.

Age Guidelines :10+

Butterfly Eye Productions’ new totally absurd and slightly horrific Extravaganza comes to Upstairs at the Gatehouse for its premiere run this July. An imaginative, physical and text-led exploration of how illness is not only biological, but emotional, social and generational, asking what it takes to break cycles of inheritance—and whether healing is ever truly possible

Born out of lived experiences, darkly comedic play about generational trauma and transformation, Darling, I think I’m turning into a Chicken explores what happens when loss becomes the air a family breathes. Florence has everything she’s ever wanted: a fiancée, a thriving career, and a perfect home. But when she starts to grow feathers, her carefully constructed life begins to unravel. As the transformation worsens—and threatens to kill her—Florence discovers she’s not alone: her estranged family are changing too. To survive, she must confront the past she’s spent a lifetime avoiding.

Got the blues? Well, step right up, because The Jive Aces are bringing their "Feelin’ Happy" Tour to town, and it’s gonna flip your frown upside down! When these cats burst onto the stage in their signature yellow suits, you’ll be tapping your feet and grinning like a fool before you know it. This is more than just a show — it’s a proper good time that’ll leave you buzzing with joy.

For 30 years they've have been taking their infectious tunes to over 40 countries and continuously proving why they are the UK’s No.1 jive and swing band. They effortlessly transition from smooth-as-butter ballads to rip-roaring rhythm & blues, with a nod to the raw, foot-stomping roots of rock ‘n’ roll. They’ve played for the Queen, packed out the Royal Albert Hall, and made history as the first band to get to the Britain’s Got Talent finals.

You’ve probably caught their rendition of the Morecambe and Wise classic "Bring Me Sunshine" - a banger with nearly 4 million YouTube views that’s so upbeat a U.S. doctor prescribed it to chase away the blues. Recently comedian Miranda Hart even declared it one of her favourite songs, stating: "The Jive Aces will get me up off the floor and make me lose any self-consciousness and dance!"

Joining the party is the sensational Noelle Vaughn, a jazz siren who’s got the UK scene buzzing. With a voice like velvet and a stage presence that’ll stop you in your tracks, Noelle swings from sultry ballads to red-hot jazz standards with ladles of charm.

Comedy producer Mike Reiss won four Emmys during his thirty-six years writing movie scripts, American TV shows and countless episodes of The Simpsons. ‘Entertainment Weekly’ called Season 4 of The Simpsons “the greatest season of the greatest show in history”.

Mike Reiss lectures regularly throughout the USA and onboard cruise ships including Cunard’s QM2. This Summer Mike makes his UK debut visiting London, Stockport, Birmingham and Brighton. His talk also features ‘The Science of Jokes’ and a Q&A when Mike answers the fans favourite question “Just how do The Simpsons always manage to predict the future “

The year is 2049: A lone pirate sails the Straits of Melaka under a red sky, alone… until a storm throws seafarers from across time and space onto the same ship. 

The pirates struggle for power – and acceptance – make enemies – and friends. As the budding-bickering crew sail through ship graveyards and fight mutant deep-sea creatures, they look for a place to call home in this ravaged world, exploring what it means to be free, to resist and to grieve, and to stand in solidarity in the face of our future.

Drawing on the real histories of 14th century Muslim navigator Zheng He and 19th century pirate queen Sek Yeong, alongside the imagined futures of 21st century climate survivors and 23rd century space revolutionaries, Asian Pirate Musical is a new legend on the high seas.

This genre-devouring soundtrack brings together traditional instruments, 21st century Asian pop, and diasporic musical influences.