For a decade, The Theatre Shop has been the beating heart of Clevedon’s culture, bringing the best of professional touring theatre to our doorstep. While their current building has changed hands, they are incredibly close to securing a brand new home. They aren’t quite ready to sign on the dotted line yet, but the future looks bright.
The best way we can help them secure that new home is to keep the seats warm and the applause loud. The team has curated an incredible line-up that reminds us exactly why this theatre is irreplaceable. From riotous comedies to razor-sharp satire, this season is a masterclass in programming.
But to get them across the finish line and ensure the stories keep coming, they need the legendary Clevedon community to play a part.
How You Can Help Keep the Curtain Up:
- Fuel the Move: Financial donations of any size go directly toward relocation costs and theatre-proofing their next space.
- A Place for the Props: Do you know of any temporary, low-cost (or free!) storage for their seating, sets, and tech during the transition?
- The “Heavy Lifting” Crew: When the green light flashes, they’ll need volunteers to help carefully dismantle and move the interior. Many hands make light work!
Ready to pledge your support? Head over to The Theatre Shop website now to see how you can help, get the full details on their move, and most importantly, grab your tickets for the Spring season.
Check out the full blog post below for a look at the standout shows the team are bringing to us next…
This season is a true celebration of storytelling in all its forms. The team are bringing you everything from the foot-stomping rhythm of Victorian music halls to the sharpest contemporary comedy fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe. Whether you’re looking for a gentle, imaginative adventure to share with your toddlers, a thought-provoking evening of lyrical drama, or just a good old-fashioned laugh with our local favourites, there is a seat waiting for you here.
FOR THE LITTLE ONES: PLAYTIME ADVENTURES PRESENTED BY THE LAST BAGUETTE
Kick off the Spring season with a burst of imagination! The Last Baguette returns to the Theatre Shop with their beloved Playtime series, a wonderful, gentle introduction to the world of theatre designed specifically for children aged 2 to 6 and their grown-ups.
Forget sitting still and being quiet; these shows are all about interaction. Led by the ever ambitious Ratty, who has plenty of big ideas but needs a little help from the audience to see them through, each session is a blend of original music, puppetry, and theatre games. Whether your little ones are natural performers or a bit shy, they’ll find themselves swept up in the movement and magic.
Each session lasts one hour and includes a stay and play afterwards, giving children a chance to explore the props and for grown-ups to enjoy a coffee and a chat. Older and younger siblings are always welcome!
Upcoming Adventures
Wednesday, 8th April: Woodland Wonder Spring is in the air! Join Ratty as she discovers the secrets of the environment. Expect to move like a tree and sing like a bird, and every child will get the chance to plant their very own seeds to take home and watch grow.
Tuesday, 19th May: Pie Rat Island. Grab your eye patches and prepare to set sail! We’re heading to the high seas for a pirate adventure like no other. Can you help Ratty find the hidden treasure? Expect lots of imaginative play, nautical nonsense, and perhaps a few silly sea shanties.
Please note that space is limited and both children aged 2+ and their accompanying grown-ups will need a ticket. You are welcome to bring children under 2 along without a ticket. Performances on both days are at 10.00 a.m. and 11.30 a.m.
Price: £8.00 *Special Offer: Group tickets are available for nursery groups or large families. Contact the box office for details! Book here.
WEARING THE TROUSERS: THE TRUE STORY OF VESTA TILLEY PRESENTED BY SEIZING THE DAY
Step back into the glitz and gender-bending rebellion of the Music Hall era. Bristol’s own Seizing The Day, a company dedicated to showcasing mature professional talent, brings us the incredible life of Vesta Tilley. Vesta was a trailblazer, a cross-dressing superstar who captivated audiences worldwide. This production, written by Dyanne White and directed by Olivier winner Craig Edwards, uses original music and Tilley’s own songs to tell a soulful, foot-tapping story of a woman who dared to lead in a man’s world.
Date and Time: 11th April 2026 Tickets: £15.00 Standard, £12.00 Concessions. Doors Open at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Book here.
” A delightful show… joyful yet dramatic ” ★★★★ The Skinny on Bluffing Your Way in Ballet Edinburgh Fringe 2024
LATER LIFE LETTER WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY LUKE WRIGHT
Luke Wright is one of England’s most celebrated live poets, and for good reason. In Later Life Letter, he navigates the deeply personal story of his own adoption, exploring the life he leads and the one he might have had. Expect a masterclass in performance that bridges the gap between raucous stand-up and poignant verse. It’s an hour of wit, pathos, and even a little drum n’ bass that will leave you laughing one minute and reaching for a tissue the next.
Date and Time: 24th April 2026 7.30 p.m. Tickets: £15.00 Standard £12.00 Concessions Doors Open at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Book here.
“A streetwise panache and a sardonic comic verve to rival Stewart Lee.” ★★★★★ Telegraph
“His poems shoot arrows through the heart, or leave you dazzled by their virtuosity” ★★★★★ List
WIDDERSHINS PERFORMED BY DAVID MYNNE
Deep in the tangled, salt-sprayed wilds of Cornwall lies a village that time and logic forgot. Your guide to this strange territory is Bob Droll, a local raconteur with a silver tongue and a collection of fables that are as far-fetched as they are fearsome. But don’t get too comfortable. This isn’t your typical fireside storytelling session. Widdershins is a visceral, dark, and highly physical theatre experience that peels back the layers of folklore to reveal the stories with a sting hiding underneath.
From the twisted mind of Carl Grose (Dead Dog in a Suitcase, The Grinning Man) and the visionary direction of Simon Harvey comes a tour of mystery that is easy to find… but notoriously hard to leave. Expect an evening of unpredictable twists, eerie charm, and wicked humour.
Date and Time: 29th April 2026 Tickets: £15.00 Standard £12.00 Concessions. Doors Open at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Age recommendation 12+. Book here.
“Mynne’s performance is exquisite: a masterclass in the telling of tales, it needs to be seen.” Ciaran Clarke: Arts End of Nowhere (on ‘Dracula’)
THE DAY I GOT THE HORN PERFORMED BY JACOB ALDCROFT
Imagine waking up to find your neighbours, your barista, and even your postman have sprouted terrifying horns and a taste for mayhem. For John Binjuice, the last “un-horned” human in town, the apocalypse isn’t just scary, it’s incredibly inconvenient.
Fresh from a sell-out, 5-star run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Jacob Aldcroft brings his high-octane brand of physical comedy to Clevedon. The Day I Got the Horn is a riotous, genre-bending explosion of hope and absurdity. Through a whirlwind of original song, frantic dance, and a truly baffling amount of shouting about soup, Aldcroft asks the big questions: How do we stay human when the world goes feral? And seriously, where did all the Gazpacho go?
Equal parts razor-sharp satire and pure, unadulterated silliness, this is a masterclass in solo performance.
Date and Time: 8th May 2026 Tickets: £15.00 Standard £12.00 Concessions. Doors Open at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Book here.
“’Hysterically funny, feral, and full of feeling” ★★★★★ Broadway Baby (Edinburgh Fringe 2025 review)
“Ridiculous in the best way” ★★★★ West End Best Friend
“Beautifully odd… absolute silliness” ★★★★ Everything Theatre
INSTANT WIT: THE QUICK-FIRE COMEDY IMPROV SHOW
The “Unusual Suspects” are back! Instant Wit is the gold standard of improvised comedy -fresh, inventive, and completely unpredictable. Each show is a pick-me-up tonic crafted entirely from audience suggestions. If you’re feeling bold, shout out a prompt; if you’re shy, you can write your ideas down during the interval. It’s a night of sketches and songs where the only certainty is that someone is going to look daft (and it won’t be you).
Date and Time: 16th May 2026. Tickets: £15.00 Standard £12.00 Concessions. Doors Open at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Book here.
“These are conspicuously skilful performers – everyone is exhilarated on stage and off!“
The Guardian
Instant Wit produce a show of surreal, mad-cap improvised hilarity that will leave you aching with laughter, chuckling with the stupidity of it all and, no doubt, wanting to go again.” The Bristol Eight magazine
HOW IT ALL BEGAN: CREATION MYTHS FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILD WORDS
Wild Words invites you to journey through the oldest stories known to humankind. From the roar of raging fires to the chill of freezing ice, prepare to encounter scheming gods, greedy demons, and giants who are surprisingly generous.
Master storyteller Michael Loader spins these age-old legends into gold, while the incredible Martin Solomon uses an enchanted soundscape to score the adventure in real time. But the real magic happens with you. Using a collection of delightfully eclectic objects and your own wildest ideas, you will collaborate to conjure a brand new, momentous myth, completely in the moment!
Don’t miss the Pre-Show Playshop! Arrive early to meet the instruments, explore the musical world, and draw the mythical beasts hiding in your imagination.
Date and Time: 17th May 2026. Tickets: £15.00 Standard £12.00 Concessions. Doors Open: at 1.45 p.m. Starts at 2.00 p.m.
Suitable for 6 years + Running time: 90 mins Book here.
“A gorgeous jewel of a performance. I loved the way the whole piece hung together. The stories flowed and the music rang.” Site Festival Stroud
PLEASURE INCORPORATED PERFORMED BY JEMIMA FOXTROT
What if the oldest profession in the world came with a water cooler, a performance review, and a messy office Christmas party? Imagine a world where sex work isn’t lived in the shadows but managed from a swivel chair in a sterile corporate cubicle.
Drawn directly from Jemima’s lived experience of escorting in Berlin and her journey as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse, Pleasure Incorporated is a lyrical, one woman tour de force. It is a work of uncommon wit and profound insight, charting one woman’s route into the industry and how that choice ripples through her friendships, her romances, and her place in society.
Blending vibrant live performance with evocative video art, this production transforms the stage into the corridors of an imagined corporation. It is a funny, tender, and surreal search for answers in a hostile world, an exploration of how we heal from trauma and how we reclaim bodily and financial autonomy when the bottom line is ourselves.
Date and Time: 22nd May 2026. Tickets: £15.00 Standard £12.00 Concessions. Doors Open: at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Running Time: 1 hour + post show Q&A. Age Recommendation: 16+ (Mentions of sex work and child sexual abuse) Book here.
“Blown away – funny, moving, engrossing, clever. A fantastic exploration of the human experience.” Audience feedback
★★★★ “a glittering show, a gem in every sense, a shining thing” The Stage on previous show Melody (2016)
OLDER. BOLDER. PERFORMED BY SALLY-ANNE HAYWARD
After a sell out show in 2023, The Theatre Shop welcome back Sally-Anne Hayward (tour support for Sarah Millican). Sally is here to tell us that ageing isn’t a crisis, it’s an upgrade. From juggling lovers to dodging societal expectations, this award-winning comedian proves that life is much better when your skin is a little looser, and your confidence is much higher.
Date and Time: 29th May 2026. Tickets: £15.00 Standard, £12.00 Concessions. Doors Open: at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m Book here.
‘You’ll struggle not to laugh’ British Comedy Guide.
‘Exceptionally funny’ The Independent.
TOO MANY GREEK MYTHS PRESENTED BY LIVING SPIT
Our very own Clevedon-based comedy duo is back! When the members of Living Spit brag about their talent, Zeus himself decides to punish their hubris. The challenge? Squeeze twenty of the greatest Ancient Greek myths into one chaotic show. Expect harebrained humor, questionable wigs, and a total disregard for history as they battle Medusa, Midas, and the gods themselves.
Date and Time: 3rd and 4th July 2026 Tickets: £15.00 Standard, £12.00 Concessions. Age guidance: 8+ Running time: 1h10min. Doors Open: at 7.00 p.m. Starts at 7.30 p.m. Book here.
‘Like silly King Midas, everything Living Spit touches turns into gold’★★★★★ Stage Talk Magazine
Reflecting on this line-up, it’s clear how incredibly lucky we are to have The Theatre Shop in Clevedon. For a decade, it has been the beating heart of our local culture. It isn’t just a building; it’s a place where we can see world-class talent from Edinburgh Fringe sell-outs to Olivier Award-winning directors, without ever having to leave town.
The best way we can celebrate being this lucky is to keep the seats warm and the applause loud. Let’s help them get across the finish line and ensure the stories keep coming for another decade.
HOW TO FIND THE THEATRE SHOP Unit 5 Queens Square Clevedon BS21 6HX
Theatre Shop is in the pedestrianised square behind B&M Bargains, tucked between Superdrug and Boots.
PARKING
There are two free public car parks on Great Western Road, BS21 6HB. They are a 3-minute walk across the main road and through B&M Bargains car park towards Queens Square. B&M car park is unrestricted after 5.00 p.m.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
There are regular buses from Bristol, Portishead and Weston-super-Mare. Please check www.travelinesw.com for up-to-date timetables.
Photo credit: Matt Hawkins
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