Christopher Luscombe directs Shakespeare’s hilarious yet heartbreaking tale of
unrequited love. Adrian Edmondsen plays the pompous and malevolent Malvolio
with Kara Tointon as Olivia and Dinita Gohil as Viola.
Luscombe chose a late Victorian setting for his visually rich production which
appealed to both the critics and the audience. Simon Higlett's splendid set designs
included railway stations, opulent hothouses, wood-panelled halls as well gardens
complete with fountains and statuary. Nigel Hess composed some lively tunes with a
hint of Gilbert and Sullivan to enhance the gaiety.
Taking inspiration from Queen Victoria's relationship with her Indian attendant Abdul
Karim, Viola (Dinita Gohil) and Sebastian (Esh Alladi) were Indian twins marooned in
1890s England while Beruce Khan's Feste was an Indian retainer in Olivia's (Kara
Tointon) household.
Join Southwold Arts Centre for a one-of-a-kind evening of Musical Theatre marvelousness. The opening night of a series of musical events, this evening will cycle through some old-time classics and some newer favourites in a celebration of song and dance. This time, the theme is villains - whether you’re a Wicked Witch of the West or more of a Lena Lamont, this one’s for you. Hosted by Southwold Ar...
WCB Comedy Stand Up in Southwold: Angela Barnes and Martin Brigstocke
Sat 18 Apr
We’re beyond excited to announce two outstanding headliners: Angela Barnes – one of the sharpest comics in the country, Angela has lit up Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, House of Games, and 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown. She’s also the host of Radio 4’s flagship panel show The News Quiz, following in the footsteps of comedy legends. A powerhouse of punchlines with rave reviews from every maj...
The Cape Crusaders is a sextet of some of the finest musicians in the UK. They celebrate and share the music, life and legacy of legendary South African pianist and composer, Abdullah Ibrahim. The sextet is led by British/South African jazz pianist and composer, Pete Letanka. His arrangements of Ibrahim’s compositions will take you on a musical journey from the struggles of the apartheid years ...
Get Down Tonight is a fantastic tribute show from the amazing Peanutz Party Band, celebrating the very best music from the 70s and 80s Soul, Disco and Funk era. Peanutz Party will transport you back in time, to when the music got you dancing all night long, featuring the music of artists: Earth, Wind and Fire, Kool and the Gang, Odyssey, The Gibson Brothers, Rose Royce, Sister Sledge, Chic, KC and...
Director: Nicholas Hytner With Ralph Fiennes, Roger Allam Runtime: 113 mins Ramsden, Yorkshire, 1916. The chorus master and most of the men of the ambitious local Choral Society have volunteered for the front, so under the direction of the demanding, driven Dr. Guthrie (Ralph Fiennes), the Choral recruits a crop of teenage boys and girls. Together they discover the joys of singing and the u...
SOUTHWOLD ARTS FESTIVAL: The Beloved Son; Performed by Andrew Harrison
Fri 1 May
Henri Nouwen (1932 - 1996) was a Dutch, Catholic priest, psychologist, and professor who reached the heights of academic success at Yale and Harvard before abandoning everything to join the community of L’Arche, Daybreak in Toronto. He became part of a life-sharing movement, seeking to make known the gifts of people with intellectual disabilities. To some Henri Nouwen put his brilliant career into...
SOUTHWOLD ARTS FESTIVAL: The Beatles and Me; Chris Ingham
Sat 2 May
The jazz pianist, singer and bandleader and author of Rough Guide to the Beatles dips in and out of his book, shares his experiences interviewing Paul McCartney and Yoko Ono and reflects on why the Beatles still matter to him, not to mention the rest of the world. "Over and above his impish arpeggios, droll introductions and left-handed singing the thing that fascinates me about Mr. Ingham is h...
SOUTHWOLD ARTS FESTIVAL: Chris Difford with the Derek Nash Band
Sat 2 May
Chris Difford is a Grammy nominated and double Ivor Novello Award winning lyricist who has brought us characters and sketches from everyday life, successfully turning the mundane into the beautiful, the urbane into the exquisite, for over 40 years. Chris has co-written some of the most enduring and best-loved songs of our time such as ‘Up The Junction’, ‘Cool For Cats’ and ‘Labelled With Love’,...
SOUTHWOLD ARTS FESTIVAL: Once Upon a Tune - James Mayhew, Caroline Speca, Nathan Williamson
Sun 3 May
From Firebirds to fabulous Swan Princesses, discover the magical stories behind your favourite classical tunes. Violinist Caroline Speca is joined by local pianist Nathan Williamson in music by Tchaikovsky, Massenet, Stravinsky. Children’s author and illustrator, James Mayhew, will be illustrating LIVE on stage. The art created in the show will be auctioned on the day for local community projec...
SOUTHWOLD ARTS FESTIVAL: Maureen & Friends: An Evening of Poetry, Jazz & Other Stuff
Sun 3 May
An evening of Jazz, Poetry and other stuff. Including Jazz Royalty – Jacqui Dankworth, Art Themen and George Double plus the fabulous poets of the Hebrides and NW3 – Pauline Prior-Pitt and Jeremy Robson. Dame Maureen Lipman will perform sketches from Radio 4’s “Maureen & Friends” and a few other happy surprises. Last year, they played at Crazy Coqs and the Charing Cross Theatre to packed houses an...
Did you know that 90% of people believe they can get away with murder - are you one of them? There will be a live psychopath test to find out! Serial killer and psychopathy expert Cheish Merryweather introduces MURDER:STAGED - a true crime talk that takes a deep dive into the embedded lies at crime scenes. The 'CSI effect' has created a new type of killer – you will investigate the six types o...
THIS SHOW WILL SELL OUT. For one huge night of stand-up, comedy heavyweight Ed Byrne takes the headline spot — and when Ed’s name is on a bill, tickets disappear fast. One of the UK’s most celebrated comedians, Ed has sold out countless national tours and lit up Mock the Week, Live at the Apollo, QI and more. His razor-sharp wit and masterful storytelling have packed theatres across the country ...
Bootleg Boss are a UK based seven-piece band that perform the classic songs of Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band. Formed in 2012 this accomplished and exciting Live Band feature Kev Jamieson as the vocal-singing, guitar-playing, harmonica-blowing, band-leading, audience-engaging, dance-inducing, singalong-inspiring Boss. If you were born to run down backstreets, across badlands and to go danci...
Exhibition on Screen presents FRIDA KAHLO Frida Kahlo is a phenomenon. She is arguably the world’s favourite female artist – beloved by young and old. Exhibition on Screen’s award-winning film is back by popular demand with an exciting new addition from the curators of the blockbuster transatlantic exhibition from Tate Modern and MFA Houston ‘Frida Kahlo: the Making of an Icon’ .
Woman in Mind is a darkly comic play by Alan Ayckbourn that follows Susan, a woman trapped in an unfulfilling marriage whose imagination creates a vivid fantasy family to replace her disappointing real one. As the boundaries between her idealised world and her everyday life begin to blur, Susan’s grip on reality slips with both hilarious and heartbreaking consequences. Witty, unsettling, and emoti...
2026 deserves something special — and it doesn’t get better than our return to the fantastic Southwold Arts Centre on Bank Holiday Saturday- 23rd May, 2026. This isn’t just a gig. It’s a time machine. Classic Rock Revival takes you straight back to the greatest nights of your life — when the amps were loud, the choruses were massive, and every song felt like an anthem. Expect note-for-note p...
Southwold Community Cinema: One Battle After Another
Wed 27 May
Washed-up revolutionary Bob (DiCaprio) exists in a state of stoned paranoia, surviving off-grid with his spirited, self-reliant daughter, Willa (Chase Infiniti). When his evil nemesis Steven J Lockjaw (Penn) resurfaces after 16 years and Willa goes missing, the former radical scrambles to find her, father and daughter both battling the consequences of his past. REFRESHMENTS INCLUDED
The Hijacked Hollies had their most successful year ever in 2025, performing to literally thousands of people at the Butlin’s ‘Festival of the 60s’, the Southern Motorhome & Campervan show at Newbury Showground, Warner Leisure Hotels, 60s themed weekends for ‘Yesterday Once More’ & ‘GN Holidays’.. In this show, The Hijacked Hollies pay tribute to the legacy of The Hollies and feature all the class...
