What's On

Steve Thompson

‘Whipping It Up’ is a biting parliamentary comedy. 

There’s a Conservative government with a tiny majority and the Whips are deploying every trick in the book. They’re bribing and bullying to secure the votes the party needs. And in a world of double-crossing who knows what’s truth and what’s tactic? 
Come along and enjoy this Westminster romp, exposing the macho politicking of our treasured democracy. 
•    Is there a leadership challenge afoot?
•    Why is the vitriolic Chief Whip dressed as Santa?
•    Who’s sending love tokens to the pretty government researcher? 
•    Whatever made the Scouts start pelting MPs with marshmallows?
•    And, ultimately, will the Tory ‘chaps’ suffer the indignity of being outsmarted by a woman? 

Please note: This play contains politicians – and thus a risk of provocative attitudes and plentiful swearing.

The Great Baldini is a magical legend, a relict of the music halls and a theatrical performer of the old school.   Known the world over as ‘The Emperor of Illusion’, ‘The Prince of Prestidigitation’, and ‘The Maharajah of Mystery’, he is a hugely entertaining stage magician.  Baldwin, the magical dog, is his faithful companion.

FAMILY MAGIC SHOW tells the story of their magical partnership, from their first trick to the height of their careers – attempting Houdini’s greatest and deadliest escape. The legendary magician the Great Baldini tells the story of his, and Baldwin the magical dog’s, life from their first tricks to the height of their careers – attempting Houdini’s greatest escape. The show is packed with magic, sweets, puppetry, sweets, water, sweets, eggs, sweets, and escapology. It’s hilariously silly…with sweets...it builds to the ultimate challenge – before your very eyes attempting a spectacular, death-defying piece of escape.

FAMILY MAGIC SHOW is a chance to see two magical superstars at the very pinnacle of their powers. A Joyously silly romp. Guaranteed to have children (and parents) screaming with laughter.

The Great Baldini is an award-winning member of the Magic Circle and the Bristol Stage Magic Champion.

Have a look here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6mi3FZeZhw

“Incredible” Front Row, BBC Radio 4
“Wonderful, a joy” Pick of the Week, BBC Radio 4
“Charming, engaging, and charismatic. A pleasure.” FringeReview
“A seasoned professional, excellent command of the stage.” Broadway Baby

Alan Bennett

An unruly bunch of bright, funny sixth-form boys in pursuit of sex, sport and a place at university. A maverick English teacher at odds with the young and shrewd supply teacher. A headmaster obsessed with results; a history teacher who thinks he's a fool. 

In Alan Bennett's classic play, staff room rivalry and the anarchy of adolescence provoke insistent questions about history and how you teach it; about education and its purpose.

Ergo Phizmiz

Gala Dali, the wife of Salvador Dali, was a complex woman. The poet Paul Eluard said of her "Her gaze could pierce walls", and she was a muse to a generation of artists. Conversely, she was renowned for her cruelty, her selfishness and greed. By the late 1970s, the Dali's business empire was the diamond laden cash cow of the art world, and the Dali's held court over an excessive and debauched coterie of hangers on and opportunists.

Enter Jesus Christ Superstar, fresh from Broadway. For the first time, this rockin' Messiah steals away and melts Mrs Dali's stone heart. This show, a revival and expansion of a piece originally created for Tete a Tete Opera and previously revived at Arcola's Grimeborn Festival, is a chamber music-theatre piece about one day in the life of Gala and her idol, Jesus Christ Superstar. Written and directed by the renowned polymath Ergo Phizmiz, and starring singer / model Lottie Bowater (aka Depresstival)  in their first full length dramatic performance, "Gala" offers a searing and satirical insight into the inner lives of the super rich of the art world in the age of disco.

Carolyn Spice

Bill is eighty four and having fun trying out new experiences. In the spirit of adventure he 
has taken his family to a youth hostel near a river. Ian and Sarah are going through a 'bad 
patch', Marion is her usual caustic self, and Lin is just trying to keep everyone happy.  
Throw in a couple of strangers and watch the ripples.

April 2025 marks forty years since Hexagon's first production, Educating Rita and they 
have continued to perform entertaining and thought-provoking plays in the Stroud area 
ever since. Like 'Breaking the Ice' which was very well received in 2021, this brand new 
play by the same writer, explores some personal and political issues of our time with gentle 
comedy and sensitivity.

One newbie and two self-professed Janeites, through almost all means imaginable, tackle the entire canon of Jane Austen’s works – in just 80 minutes.

Come along for a fun, funny, and fast-paced romp through the masterpieces of Jane Austen with The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged. Three nimble actors take on all of Austen’s beloved heroines, friends, and love interests—and her incisive social satire—in just 80 minutes. It is a truth universally acknowledged that an audience in possession of high spirits must be in want of a ticket to this big-hearted comedy that will delight Janeites and newcomers alike.

Praise for Schoolhouse’s Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged
“An absolute must-see” - City Girl network *****
“Brilliant” - Bath Voice *****
“Hilarious” - Stagetalk magazine ****
“played to perfection... a delightfully funny romp through the Austen canon” - Bristol 247
“The show sparkles... a really lovely production” - Backstage Bristol 

Mark Carey, writer of Into The Breach and What's Wrong with Benny Hill has teamed up with Giles Shenton, producer of Old Herbaceous, Three Men in a Boat, Fagin?, and My Dog's Got No Nose to bring you a spooky thriller set in a theatre dressing room, during the same play, at the same theatre, but 60 years apart.

During both time periods the theatre is hosting a performance of Hamlet where "time is out of joint."
What is the unearthly link between the two productions?
How can the same things be happening to different people 60 yrs apart?
What secrets have been buried in the old dressing room under the stage?
Why are the actors fascinated by the old dressing room mirror?

Just don't look into it......you might not like what you see!

 A thrilling sequel to “The 39 Steps”, Hannay Stands Fast sees our dashing hero, Richard Hannay back in the fray on a mission to thwart a new and deadly threat to his beloved England. Engaged on this top-secret case by MI5, Hannay makes his way down to Cornwall to infiltrate a secretive organisation and learn their dastardly plans. Can he save the day to keep the nation safe for another day?

Hannay Stands Fast, like its predecessor, is taken on by four actors playing dozens of characters – 53 to be precise! Set in various locations created through quick and innovative uses of trunks, crates, suitcases, ladders, you name it!  

A rip-roaring comedy for the whole family to enjoy – another of John Buchan’s classic Hannay stories re-told for the stage through laughs, daring-do and utter chaos!

 In this new comedy by Simon Downing we find Falstaff, played by Giles Shenton (Old Herbaceous & Three Men in a Boat) in his bedroom in the Boars Head being nursed by Mistress Quickly.

The creditors arrive demanding payment. Will Falstaff resort to marrying Mistress Quickly in order to pay off his debts? Will he turn teetotal? Will he mellow in his old age?

Find out the answers to all these important questions that Shakespeare never bothered to answer and join Falstaff and Mistress Quickly for an evening of jollity, frivolity, a definite lack of coequality and more Shakespearean insults than ever previously heard on a theatrical stage!

KEEP ON MOVIN’ - An evening of stories on the theme of Journeys written and read by Gloucestershire authors 
Cotswold Playhouse Sunday 11 May at 7.30pm (doors 7.00pm) 
£12

Now in its fifteenth year, Stroud Short Stories 29th event will be an evening of extraordinary stories about Journeys of all kinds – physical, metaphorical, experiential etc.

As usual, ten stories will be selected - from the hundred or so usually submitted - to be read by their authors, who may be professional writers, skilled amateurs or even complete beginners, but all of whom are from Gloucestershire.

Proclaimed by the Cheltenham Literature Festival as ‘possibly the best short story event in the South West’, SSS’s considerable reputation is based on the unfailingly high quality of the stories read at its events.

Submissions will be judged this time by SSS organiser/editor John Holland, who was awarded the 2024 Stroud News & Journal Community Award for his Contribution to the Arts, and award-winning short story author/novelist Chloe Turner.

Introduced and MC’ed by John Holland.
As usual, the demand for tickets will be high. 
More information is on the SSS website - stroudshortstories.blogspot.com

KEY DATES
Sunday 16 February - Open for submissions which are free as always
Sunday 30 March - Submissions close
Wednesday 9 April - The ten authors and their stories are announced
Friday 11 April - Tickets go on sale from the Cotswold Playhouse website

CODA is an award-winning touring company celebrated for its exceptional performances of the most beloved songs from both the West End and Broadway stages. With a passion for musical theatre and a commitment to excellence, CODA has captivated audiences across the UK with its vibrant productions, bringing to life some of the greatest hits from iconic shows that have defined the genre for decades.

At the heart of CODA's success are two extraordinary vocalists: Soprano Gemma Ashley and Baritone Mark ‘#ManInTheHat’ James. 
Gemma Ashley's soaring, crystalline vocals combined with Mark James' rich, commanding baritone create a powerful dynamic on stage. Their performances are filled with emotion, technical brilliance, and a deep connection to the music, ensuring audiences are swept away with every note. Together, they breathe new life into classic songs, offering an unforgettable musical experience.

CODA's repertoire spans the golden age of musical theatre to modern-day masterpieces, with show-stopping numbers from productions such as Les Misérables, Phantom of the Opera, Little Shop of Horrors, My Fair Lady, Grease, and many more. Whether it's the heart-wrenching drama of Les Misérables or the upbeat nostalgia of Grease, CODA's performances evoke the magic, drama, and joy that have made these musicals enduring favorites.

With their award-winning talent and passion for storytelling, CODA is more than a performance—it's a celebration of the timeless beauty of musical theatre, expertly delivered by two of the finest vocalists in the industry. 

Join them for an unforgettable journey through the songs that have touched hearts for generations.

The Sound of Music
Richard Rodgers (Music), Oscar Hammerstein II (Lyrics), Howard Lindsay & Russell Crouse (Book)

Set in 1938 Austria, The Sound of Music tells the story of Maria, a free-spirited young woman who becomes governess to the von Trapp family while deciding whether to join a convent. Maria quickly bonds with the seven children, using music and playfulness to bring joy back into their strict house-hold, overseen by their widowed father, Captain Georg von Trapp. Initially stern, the Captain sof-tens and falls in love with Maria, and she with him.

Based on the real von Trapp family singers, this timeless musical has captivated audiences since its 1959 Broadway debut, winning five Tony Awards. The 1965 film adaptation, starring Julie An-drews and Christopher Plummer, remains a beloved classic.

The Cotswold Players are thrilled to present this feel-good show on the 60th anniversary of the film, and we warmly welcome you to the Cotswold Playhouse!

A wonderful comedy written and performed by Mark Carey. It’s “Dad’s Army meets The Vicar of Dibley!”

George Crocker is keen to liven up his dull life so he decides to join the village Drama Club. What happens then turns his world upside down!

Set during the Second World War this original, and inspiring show is suitable for anyone 9 years old and above. 

“The quality of acting and writing is as good as any you will see. A deep and nuanced story. Every character drips with personality and charm.” The Cheltenham Standard 

“A great little show. It’s “Dads’ Army meets “The Vicar of Dibley”. London Metro

“A delight, a lovely and very humorous play that fully merited the standing ovation.” Stratford Herald

“Mark Carey shows amazing dexterity and comic skill in playing all 17 parts.” The Stage