What’s On

This is a tale of mismatched love across different social classes. Josephine is the captain’s daughter and has fallen for lowly sailor Ralph. Yet her father has other ideas – he has promised her to Sir Joseph Porter, the First Lord of the Admiralty. Will love prevail? Climb aboard to find out and enjoy a feast of fun along the way. Hip hip hooray! The action takes place on the quarterdeck of HMS Pinafore which is anchored in Portsmouth harbour. H.M.S. Pinafore comes to Hospital of St Cross in a delightful open-air performance by leading touring company Opera Anywhere. A Magical Setting – Make It a Special Evening Bring a picnic, garden chairs and enjoy the gardens of Kentwell Hall Important Information ☀️ Weather: The performance will take place outdoors unless extreme weather requires a change of venue. Ticket holders will be notified in advance. 🌿 Gardens: Enjoy the Gardens: Your ticket includes access to the beautiful gardens, so feel free to explore and relax before and in the interval of the event. 🚗 Parking: Parking & Unloading: There is plenty of free parking for the audience. Perfect for unloading picnics, chairs and is a short walk to the performance […]

Opera Anywhere with the Teignmouth Opera Chorus conducted by Ilana Jacobs and directed by Tristan Stocks, perform a Gilbert & Sullivan classic, ‘The Pirates of Penzance’. The opera premiered in December 1879 in New York with Sullivan conducting, but there had been a single performance prior to this in Paignton, UK to secure the British copyright. After a successful three-month run in New York, it subsequently ran for 363 performances at the Opera Comique in London. In a letter from Sullivan to his mother, he wrote, “I think it will be a great success, for it is exquisitely funny, and the music is strikingly tuneful and catching.” And indeed it is!

Opera Anywhere with the Teignmouth Opera Chorus conducted by Ilana Jacobs and directed by Tristan Stocks, perform a Gilbert & Sullivan classic, ‘The Pirates of Penzance’. The opera premiered in December 1879 in New York with Sullivan conducting, but there had been a single performance prior to this in Paignton, UK to secure the British copyright. After a successful three-month run in New York, it subsequently ran for 363 performances at the Opera Comique in London. In a letter from Sullivan to his mother, he wrote, “I think it will be a great success, for it is exquisitely funny, and the music is strikingly tuneful and catching.” And indeed it is!

A comedy about love Opera Anywhere is delighted to present a new, vibrant production of Mozart’s classic comedy directed by Tristan Stocks. This hilarious farce, edited and adapted in English, is performed in just two hours, bringing the timeless story to life with a unique twist. Set in early 20th-century Gibraltar, the plot revolves around a bold bet between Don Alfonso, Ferrando and Guglielmo. Don Alfonso wagers that he can prove their girlfriends, Fiordiligi and Dorabella, are unfaithful, like “all women”. What follows is a comedic exploration of love, fidelity and deception. Book your tickets for an opera with stunning music, clever wit and engaging performances that reveal the heart and humour of this beloved opera. Sung in English. Suitable for all the family.

A night of comedy and music A riotous night with an award-winning singer and comedian featuring her newest comedy show ‘Joy Ride’  followed by an acoustic performance of some of her favourite classics; from Joni Mitchell to ABBA. Amy is an award-winning comedian and vocalist, as heard on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio 1. With a degree in Opera, a masters in Pop, and some serious comedic accolades under her belt, you can expect an evening of soulful singing, witty storytelling, and captivating entertainment from a performer who is unashamedly herself. Winner of ‘Best Stand Up Comedy’ at Manchester Fringe (2023), Amy’s debut one woman show was praised as “a divinely constructed comedy hour” (Playbill) and alongside a sell out run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2023, was added to the Telegraph’s ’35 of the funniest shows of the Fringe’ list. As a singer, Amy has performed as a soloist in iconic venues such as Wigmore Hall, Holywell Music Room, Cadogan Hall and Abbey Road Studios. Amy is also a songwriter and regularly writes music for Oxford University Press. This one-off gig is sure to be a charming and memorable evening with an artist unleashed to do what she does […]

Under cover in the giant Tipi  – another folk night! The Sunningwell Festival is delighted to welcome back Reg Meuross and this time as a duo with Phil Beer! Commissioned and produced by Pete Townshend and created by award-winning singer-songwriter Reg Meuross, Fire & Dust: a Woody Guthrie Story has fast become one of the most powerful and acclaimed folk productions on today’s circuit. Townshend describes it as “folk music at its best,” praising Reg’s “terrific songs” which tell Guthrie’s life story “with respect, affection and truth.” For this performance, Reg is joined by Phil Beer, master musician, multi-instrumentalist, and one of the most respected figures in British folk. Known for his distinctive fiddle, guitar and mandolin playing, Phil brings depth, warmth and exceptional musicality to The Strike, the touring band named for the collective spirit and resilience at the heart of Guthrie’s work. Through songs and narrative, Fire & Dust traces Guthrie’s fight against racism, corruption and inequality, drawing poignant parallels with the world we face today. The performance blends Reg’s masterful songwriting with Guthrie’s enduring legacy: intimate, politically resonant, and deeply moving. “What an absolute pleasure to hear Reg’s songs alongside some of Woody’s originals… his outstanding Woody […]

The Magic Flute was written in 1791 by one of the world’s best known classical composers of all time, Amadaus Wolfgang Mozart. He wrote it just a few months before his premature death aged 35. The opera premiered in Vienna in September 1791 and was a success from the off. It is a magical tale that can be enjoyed on many levels; on the one hand, it’s full of magical instruments, sorcerers and wild animals embuing a fairytale world you can fully succumb to, yet there’s a deeper level to experience too. One which strongly references the secret world of freemasonry and the views held by the movement at that time which in turn, subtly criticises the religion and politics of the era. Our production, which is sung in English, has been reimagined in 1950. Here, Hollywood glamour is epitomised by the Queen of the Night, who is modelled on the period’s leading ladies. By stark contrast Pamina is a meek and bookish London teenager and Papageno is a tweedy game-keeper, the latter representing the older working class holding on to a past way of life. The magical kingdom we’ve created represents many realities from our own world yet still […]

All hands on deck this July! The enchanting performers of Enchanted performers theatre company are bringing a day of pirate-themed fun to Sunningwell Festival on 26th July. Budding circus stars can test their skills throughout the day in colourful, drop-in workshops, before setting off on a swashbuckling adventure in the lively “” show – packed with music, comedy and audience interaction. And the magic doesn’t end there… stay to meet the characters and step right into the story!

The opera premiered in December 1879 in New York with Sullivan conducting, but there had been a single performance prior to this in Paignton, UK to secure the British copyright. After a successful three-month run in New York, it subsequently ran for 363 performances at the Opera Comique in London. In a letter from Sullivan to his mother, he wrote, “I think it will be a great success, for it is exquisitely funny, and the music is strikingly tuneful and catching.” And indeed it is!

The Magic Flute was written in 1791 by one of the world’s greatest composers, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, just months before his death aged 35. First performed in Vienna that same year, the opera was an instant success. Rich in fantasy and symbolism, it works both as an enchanting fairy tale and as a thoughtful story exploring ideas about truth, wisdom and humanity. In this production by Opera Anywhere, The Magic Flute is sung in English and reimagined in the 1950s. Hollywood glamour shines through the Queen of the Night, inspired by the era’s leading film stars, while Pamina is portrayed as a quiet, bookish London teenager. Papageno becomes a tweedy gamekeeper, representing an older working class clinging to a disappearing way of life. The result is a magical world that feels familiar yet delightfully strange. Storyline Prince Tamino is sent on a quest by the powerful Queen of the Night to rescue her daughter, Pamina, who she claims has been kidnapped by the mysterious Sarastro. Armed with a magic flute and joined by the warm-hearted bird-catcher Papageno, Tamino enters a strange world filled with trials, sorcery and unexpected truths. As Tamino and Pamina face their own tests of courage, patience […]

The Pirates of Penzance is a lively comic opera bursting with wit, romance and gloriously absurd twists. As a child, Frederic was mistakenly apprenticed to a band of soft-hearted pirates after his nursemaid misheard instructions that he should be apprenticed to a pilot. Raised at sea, Frederic grows up determined to live an honest and respectable life. On the day he believes his apprenticeship ends, Frederic falls in love with Mabel, the daughter of the eccentric Major-General Stanley. However, his plans are thrown into chaos when he discovers a technicality: because he was born on 29 February, his contract only expires on his “birthday”, meaning he must return to the pirates. Torn between love and duty, Frederic faces bungling policemen, loyal pirates and a whirlwind of comic misunderstandings before the story races towards a joyful, topsy-turvy conclusion. With sparkling music, sharp humour and unforgettable characters, The Pirates of Penzance is a feel-good classic that delights audiences of all ages.

Step into a world of wonder, imagination and adventure as Opera Anywhere brings Mozart’s much-loved masterpiece The Magic Flute to Thorington Theatre. This special performance features a stunning live collaboration with renowned artists James Mayhew and Toto Martinez, who will create beautiful painted illustrations in real time, transforming the stage into a living canvas that responds to the music and magic of the story. Expect a thrilling mix of comedy, romance and heroism as Prince Tamino and Papageno embark on a fantastical journey filled with mysterious trials, a powerful Queen of the Night and the noble Sarastro. Sung in English and performed by a talented cast of professional singers, with vibrant costumes and imaginative staging, this is opera for everyone — enchanting, accessible and full of heart. Join us for an unforgettable evening where music and art unite under the stars at Thorington Theatre.