SpArC Theatre

FILM SPECIAL: MEAN GIRLS (12A)
2024-06-06 19:00 - 20:50 (Europe/London) | SpArC Theatre
HAVE A NIGHT OFF!
FREE GALSS OF FIZZ INCLUDED IN TICKET PRICE
(Alcoholic and Non)
New girl Cady is a hit with the Plastics, an A-list girl clique. But everything changes when she makes the mistake of falling for the wrong boy!
★★★★”Sharp and fun remake for Gen Z .Tina Fey’s musical remake of the Lindsay Lohan classic perfectly translates to the TikTok age and still manages to remain a complete scream.” The Telegraph

“High-school sadism comedy as sugar-rush movie musical In some ways the musical format suits Mean Girls better than the original movie version, with Angourie Rice in the role once occupied by Lindsay Lohan” The Guardian

“I definitely recommend this to Mean Girls fans, especially if you loved the musical and also if you are looking for a fun and non-serious movie.” Courtney Shek

The Royal Opera: Andrea Chénier ( Giordano)
2024-06-16 14:00 - 17:15 | SpArC Theatre
At a glittering party in 18th-century Paris, the poet Andréa Chenier delivers an impassioned denunciation of Louis XVI. Five years later, the Revolution has given way to the Terror, transforming the power balance between Chénier, his beloved Maddalena, and Gérard, the man who could destroy him…
Jonas Kaufmann headlines David McVicar’s spectacular staging, under the baton of long-time collaborator Antonio Pappano – who conducts Giordano’s epic historical drama of revolution and forbidden love in his last production as Music Director of The Royal Opera.
Running time 195 minutes (including one interval)
Sung in Italian with English subtitles
Music Umberto Giordano
Conductor Antonio Pappano
Director David McVicar
Set Designer Robert Jones
Costume Designer Jenny Tiramani
Lighting Designer Adam Silverman
Movement Director Andrew George
Andrea Chénier Jonas Kaufmann
Maddalena Di Coigny Sondra Radvanovsky
Carlo Gérard Carlos Álvarez
Bersi Katia Ledoux
The Incredibile Alexander Kravets
Roucher Ashley Riches
Contessa Di Coigny Rosalind Plowright
Pietro Fléville William Dazeley
The Abbé Aled Hall
Madelon Elena Zilio
Major-Domo Simon Thorpe
Mathieu James Cleverton
Fouquier-Tinville Eddie Wade
Dumas Jamie Woollard
Schmidt Jeremy White
Royal Opera Chorus
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Co-production with China National Centre for Performing Arts, Beijing and San Francisco Opera

WORKSHOP: Samba Drumming and Carnival Making
2024-08-29 10:00 - 14:00 | SpArC Theatre
Come and join experienced Samba leader Peter Piper and Community Arts Practitioner Liz Still for a day Samba drumming & making Brazilian carnival inspired costume and props .
Drumming is a fun physical and creative outlet.
Come and make some beautiful noise, Learn a skill , try something new, socialise and building confidence. Play a groove, Make a break, play a call, hear the response. Create your own fill.
Make colourful props and costumes from all kinds of materials- Think big and flamboyant! inspired by Brazilian carnival! All materials provided .
There is no expectation or pressure to wear the things we make or them or perform in front of people- We are just making and playing for fun !
You can take your makes home-
Suitable for beginners Age 9+
Bring lunch / wear comfortable clothes / £8 or 2 for £15

The Royal Opera House: The Marriage of Figaro
2024-09-15 14:00 - 18:00 | SpArC Theatre
The Royal Opera THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO [Revival]
It’s Figaro’s wedding, and you’re invited to join the Almaviva household for an uproarious day of revelation and scandal. Mozart’s comic opera is packed with plot twists, forbidden desires and unforgettable melodies, combining laugh-out-loud comedy with moments of breathtaking beauty.
Count Almaviva lives with his Countess on their estate near Seville. The Count has his eye on his wife’s maid Susanna, who is about to marry the Count’s servant, Figaro. Much to Figaro’s dismay, the Count plans to seduce Susanna on the night of the wedding. Meanwhile, Cherubino, the Count’s young page, has a crush on the Countess, but has just been dismissed after being discovered with Barbarina, the gardener Antonio’s daughter.
Figaro decides he must foil the Count’s attempt to seduce his wife-to-be and enlists the help of the Countess, Susanna and Cherubino – the latter disguising himself as a woman. A series of mistaken identities, misunderstandings and thwarted plans ensue, with all members of the household participating as each tries to get what – and who – they want.

Running time: 240 minutes, One interval
Sung in Italian with subtitles
CAST: FIGARO Luca Micheletti, SUSANNA Ying Fang, COUNT ALMAVIVA Huw Montague Rendall, COUNTESS ALMAVIVA Jacquelyn Stucker, CHERUBINO Ginger Costa-Jackson, BARTOLO Peter Kálmán, MARCELLINA Rebecca Evans, DON BASILIO Adrian Thompson, ANTONIO Jeremy White, DON CURZIO Alasdair Elliott, BARBARINA Isabela Díaz, ORCHESTRA Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, CONCERT MASTER Vasko Vassilev, CHORUS DIRECTOR William Spaulding, CHORUS Royal Opera Chorus
Creatives: DIRECTOR David McVicar, CONDUCTOR Julia Jones, MUSIC Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, LIBRETTO Lorenzo da Ponte, DESIGNER Tanya McCallin, LIGHTING DESIGNER Paule Constable, MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Leah Hausman

FILM: Back to Black (15)
2024-10-03 19:00 - 21:00 | SpArC Theatre
The extraordinary story of Amy Winehouse’s early rise to fame and the making of her groundbreaking album, Back to Black and the tumultuous relationship at the center of it.
6.3IMDB

ROB: ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND
2024-10-20 14:00 - 17:20 | SpArC Theatre
The Royal Ballet: ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND [Revival]
Screening Via Satellite
Family Ticket Available : £35 ( 2 ADULTS AND UP TO 3 CHILDREN)
Tumble down the rabbit hole in this ballet adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s famous family story. Journey through Wonderland with Alice and encounter a host of curious characters in Christopher Wheeldon’s unique theatrical interpretation.
At a garden party on a sunny afternoon, Alice is surprised to see her parents’ friend Lewis Carroll transform into a white rabbit. When she follows him down a rabbit hole, events become curiouser and curiouser…As Alice journeys through Wonderland, she encounters countless strange creatures. She’s swept off her feet by the charming Knave of Hearts, who’s on the run for stealing the tarts. Confusion piles upon confusion. Then Alice wakes with a start. Was it all a daydream?
ENCORE: Sunday 20 October 2024, 14:00 BST
Running time: 205 minutes, Two intervals
Creatives: CHOREOGRAPHY Christopher Wheeldon; CONDUCTOR Koen Kessels; MUSIC Joby Talbot; ORCHESTRATION Christopher Austin and Joby Talbot; DESIGNER Bob Crowley; SCENARIO Nicholas Wright; LIGHTING DESIGNER Natasha Katz; PROJECTION DESIGNERS Jon Driscoll and Gemma Carrington; ORIGINAL SOUND DESIGNER Andrew Bruce

LIVE Theatre: : Early Weaves-Ascension Dance Company
2024-10-24 11:00 - 14:30 | SpArC Theatre
11am show
1.30pm show
Fun. Playful. Heart-warming, beautiful , a wonderful introduction to dance
theatre for early years children and everyone else .
Using movement in this non-verbal show with a set and props made almost entirely
from willow.
” My children,4 & 2, were transfixed from the moment we entered
the room, sat in silence and stillness throughout apart from the occasional
appropriate laughs”
Meet Willow and Weave as they explore the possibilities of this versatile material as inspire each other to dive deep into their own sense of imagination. See the endless possibilities they unpick and if you and your young person can be entertained by what they discover with a little bit of creativity. Performances for primary schools and public
All Welcome : Discounts for schools nurseries, homes and groups

LIVE MUSIC: All New Sticky Wicket’s Rhythm Band
2024-11-02 20:00 - 22:00 | SpArC Theatre
“ The King of Rhythm” Robert Plant
A brand new line up feat- vocals , 3 piece horns and rhythm section. Popular music and Rhythms from around the world From Stevie Wonder to The Upsetters. Soul, Funk, Ska, Latin, Swing and more. You know it will be a good night!
https://www.youtube.com/@stickywicketdrums

LIVE THEATRE: Make Good- PENTABUS
2024-11-28 19:30 - 21:20 | SpArC Theatre
Post-office. Scandal. Musical.

A Pentabus and New Perspectives co-production
Make Good: The Post Office Scandal
A new musical by Jeanie O’Hare (book) & Jim Fortune (music & lyrics)
Directed by Elle While
A vibrant & compassionate new musical, inspired by the Post Office Scandal which tore communities apart & jailed innocent people.
Maxine Peake on Instagram  – ’It’s chuffin’ marvellous!! Go and see it you won’t be disappointed!… ♥️‘
“If we knew that this was going to happen to us, that we were going to become criminals by buying a Post Office, we would never, ever have done it.” Subpostmaster
For twenty years Subpostmasters all over the UK were jailed for stealing money that never existed. Directly informed by conversations with affected Subpostmasters, Make Good dives into these most local of stories, capturing the raw emotion, the betrayals, and the collective disbelief that this could be happening to innocent people.
A new musical, three years in the making, tells the story of the resilience of the Sub-Postmasters and their families, in what is now recognised as the gravest miscarriage of justice in British history. Can the Post Office ever make good the damage they have done?
“The musical is full of feeling. And that’s what we need to portray to people now, so that they can feel and understand what we felt, all the heartache that we went through. The songs bring so much to the story, they’re heartfelt and there’s humour in it too, it’s funny. It made me smile as well as being touching.” Subpostmaster
Touring Autumn 2024 – Celebrating 100 years of rural touring, and marking the 50th anniversary of leading rural theatre companies Pentabus and New Perspectives.
Make Good is accessible for blind and partially sighted audiences, with Audio Description integrated into every performance.
Suitable for ages 11+
90 minutes (approx.), plus interval

Produced by two of Rural Touring’s leading theatre companies, with a team of notable theatre makers. Directly informed by conversations with affected sub-postmasters, Make Good dives into this most local of stories, capturing the raw emotions, the bewilderment and the unbreakable bond of faith and family that were put to the test.

Ludlow Assembly Rooms – Preview Performance
‘Full of energy and vitality – fantastic performance’
‘Heart rending – lost for words’
‘Enthralled, Outraged, Entertained – Always love Pentabus’
‘Fantastic, Emotional, Memorable – a really brilliant production from start to finish’
‘Exciting, moving, full of community – the additional of the community choirs is lush – more of this!’
‘Masterpiece, best thing we’ve seen this year.’
CONTENT WARNINGS
The following is a list of specific content that may impact audience members. This may include actions and themes as well as technical triggers. The content warnings are updated as a production evolves through the rehearsal process. Make Good includes the following:
Thematic Triggers

Suicide
Some strong language

Technical triggers

Haze (at some venues)

Pentabus are champions of rural touring and are ‘one of British theatre’s unsung treasures.’ The Guardian

YOUTH SAMBA BAND XMAS SESSIONS
2024-12-06 17:45 - 2024-12-13 18:45 | Sparc Theatre, Bishop's Castle, United Kingdom
FRI 6 DEC SESSION
FRI 13 DEC XMAS SESSION

Youth Samba Band
Last sessions of 2024 including a Christmas Party come and join us
No experience necessary
Come and have fun!
Drumming is a fun physical and creative outlet.
With opportunity to perform at community events or just come and make some beautiful noise
Learn a skill , try something new, socialise and building confidence.
Come and join experienced Samba leader Peter Piper in a new Samba band for 9-14 year olds. Take thew chance to be part of building this new band- Play a groove, Make a break, play a call, hear the response. Create your own fill.
5.45pm- 6.45pm Sparc Bishop’s Castle
sparctheatre.co.uk 01588 638038
Suitable for all levels
Supported by The Dylan Price Foundation and the Ashley Foundation

LIVE MUSIC: GREY WOLF
2024-12-06 19:30 - 21:30 | SpArC Theatre
LIVE MUSIC : Grey Wolf

Old Time American from Welsh Marches banjo, fiddle, guitar, and double bass alongside fine vocal and harmony singing.
These boys never fail to get your feet tapping and spirits lifted!

Grey Wolf is an acoustic Americana/old-time folk band from the Welsh Marches playing traditional instruments such as banjo, fiddle, guitar, dulcimer, mandolin and double bass alongside fine vocal and harmony singing. The band has headlined several of the prestigious UK’s Old Time American Music and Dance Festivals; has appeared on radio, at folk clubs, festivals, and music and literary venues throughout the UK.

Grey Wolf was born in 2010 when Jim Allen and Martin Thomas began playing as a duo blending their shared love of American old time music with British folk music. These two gifted multi instrumentalists were joined by a third some years later – the immensely talented Ben Walsh. The fourth member of the band, widely experienced and versatile bass player Andy Offer joined them in 2021.

The Birmingham News said of Grey Wolf’s performance at the Kitchen Garden Cafe in Birmingham “There’s an equality to the group’s spread of sound, but each player is continually soloing-in-motion, rising up in turn, according to where the ears of the audience might alight at any one moment”.

Adults £15 Students / Child £5

ROB: Cinderella
2024-12-15 14:00 - 17:15 | SpArC Theatre
The Royal Ballet CINDERELLA [Revival]
Screening Via Satellite
Family Ticket Available : £35 ( 2 ADULTS AND UP TO 3 CHILDREN)
This Christmas, The Royal Ballet invites you to the ball with Frederick Ashton’s spectacular Cinderella. A fairytale like no other, this magical ballet boasts astonishing stagecraft, enchanting design and exquisite dance. This much-loved ballet is a masterpiece for all the family to enjoy this festive period .
Ashton’s adaptation of Cinderella received its premiere on 23rd December 1948 with Royal Ballet dancers Moira Shearer and Michael Somes in the lead roles. The production was received rapturously with Ashton’s reworking of Charles Perrault’s famous rags-to-riches story proving a compelling showcase for the choreographer’s musicality and the beauty of Sergey Prokofiev’s transcendent score.
Cinderella made a welcome return to the stage in 2023 after an absence of over 10 years in a new production with an award-winning creative team steeped in the magic of theatre, film, dance and opera, bringing new atmosphere to Cinderella’s ethereal world of fairy godmothers and pumpkin carriages. Set design is by Tom Pye (My Neighbour Totoro, Olivier award for Best Set Design), costume designs by Alexandra Byrne (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Academy Award for Best Costume Design), lighting design by David Finn (Brokeback Mountain), video design by Finn Ross (Les Miserables, Frozen) and illusions by Chris Fisher (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child).
This Christmas, be transported into an ethereal world where a sprinkling of fairy dust makes dreams come true.
Stuck at home and put to work by her spoiled Step-Sisters, Cinderella’s life is dreary and dull. Everything changes when she helps a mysterious woman out…With a little bit of magic, she is transported into an ethereal new world – one where fairies bring the gifts of the seasons, where pumpkins turn into carriages, and where true love awaits.
Creatives: CHOREOGRAPHY Frederick Ashton; MUSIC Sergey Prokofiev; SET DESIGNER Tom Pye; COSTUME DESIGNER Alexandra Byrne; LIGHTING DESIGNER David Finn; VIDEO DESIGNER Finn Ross; ILLUSIONS Chris Fisher; CONDUCTOR Jonathan Lo
Sunday 15 December 2024, 14.00 GMT
Running time: 195 minutes, Two intervals

ROB / Little Bulb Theatre :Wolf, Witch, Giant, Fairy
2025-01-05 14:00 - 15:10 | SpArC Theatre
Do not miss this ‘enchantingly staged’ family folk opera, following the triumphant, Olivier Award-winning run in 2021.
Red Riding Hood is tasked with delivering bread to her Grandmother, deep in the heart of the fairy-tale forest. But en route, Red meets a cunning Wolf who tricks her into taking a different path. Along the way, Red stumbles into a colourful cast of characters, including a scary witch, a talking cat and a rather persuasive Peddler. Join our ragtag band of wild musicians as they guide all the family through this famous tale with new twists, turns, magic and song.

LIVE MUSIC: John Kirkpatrick -200 Years Of The Squeezebox
2025-02-22 19:30 - 21:30 | SpArC Theatre
John Kirkpatrick presents
TWO HUNDRED YEARS OF THE SQUEEZEBOX
John Kirkpatrick romps through two hundred years of popular tunes to showcase the range and versatility of these cheerful little instruments, with a programme that reaches way beyond his usual folk roots. You’ll hear themes from the classics, light music, well-loved songs, nostalgic signature tunes, dance music of all kinds, and the occasional lugubrious hymn by way of contrast. With a life-time’s experience of running up and down the push-pull scale of the Anglo Concertina, the Melodeon, and the Button Accordion, John keeps it bright and breezy in a selection that highlights the hits of the day, from the 1820s, when squeezeboxes first appeared, right up to the present day.
www.johnkirkpatrick.co.uk

Clun Valley Jazz
2025-03-08 20:00 - 2025-12-06 22:00 | SpArC Theatre
Clun Valley Jazz is taking a break all events have been cancelled-
For details VISIT WEBSITE CLICK HERE

The Royal Ballet: Romeo & Juliet
2025-03-23 14:00 - 17:30 | SpArC Theatre
Satellite Screening
The greatest love story ever told – through ballet all set to the incredible Prokofiev score
The Capulets and Montagues are sworn enemies. Yet it is love at first sight for Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet when they meet each other at the Capulet ball, into which Romeo has snuck. The two fall in love and they profess their devotion to each other at Juliet’s balcony. They secretly get married. The stakes are raised for the young couple when Romeo avenges the death of his friend Mercutio who has been killed by Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin. For this, Romeo is exiled from Verona. Meanwhile, Juliet’s parents are forcing her to marry another suitor. In order to be together, Romeo and Juliet must risk it all.
Running time 210 minutes, Two intervals
CHOREOGRAPHY Kenneth MacMillan
MUSIC Sergey Prokofiev
DESIGNER Nicholas Georgiadis
LIGHTING DESIGNER John B. Rea

ROB: Turandot ( Puccini)
2025-04-06 14:00 - 17:25 | SpArC Theatre
The Royal Opera TURANDOT [Revival]
ENCORE: Sunday 6 April 2025, 14:00 BST
Puccini’s captivating opera of a cold-hearted princess and her mysterious suitor. Featuring the ever-popular ‘Nessun dorma’, this opera of love and revenge is brought to life in a dazzling production.
The beautiful but icy Princess Turandot will only marry a man who can correctly answer three riddles. Those who fail are brutally beheaded. But when an unknown prince arrives, the balance of power in Turandot’s court is forever shaken, as the mysterious stranger does what no other has been able to.
Running time: 205 minutes, Two intervals
Sung in Italian with subtitles
Cast: PRINCESS TURANDOT Sondra Radvanovsky, CALAF SeokJong Baek, LIÙ Anna Princeva, TIMUR Adam Palka, PING Hansung Yoo, PANG Aled Hall, PONG Michael Gibson, EMPEROR ALTOUM Paul Hopwood, MANDARIN Ossian Huskinson
ORCHESTRA Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
CONCERT MASTER Sergey Levitin, CHORUS DIRECTOR William Spaulding
CHORUS Royal Opera Chorus
DIRECTOR Andrei Șerban, CONDUCTOR Rafael Payare
LIBRETTO Giuseppe Adami and Renato Simoni,
MUSIC Giacomo Puccini
DESIGNER Sally Jacobs, LIGHTING DESIGNER F. Mitchell Dana, CHOREOGRAPHER Kate Flatt, CHOREOLOGIST Tatiana Novaes Coelho

LIVE THEATRE: Stories in Dust
2025-04-16 15:00 - 16:00 | SpArC Theatre
‘Elegant, engaging eco-fable.’– The Reviews Hub –
‘What a captivating and heart warming production, every detail, every lyric, every word used was simply wonderful.’ Audience feedback
The sun beats down on two travellers, journeying across a mysterious land in a contraption they’ve built themselves. They sing, play games, and tell stories inspired by a collection of precious things they’ve gathered from a time gone by. With live music and puppetry, Stories in the Dust is a funny, heartfelt and hopeful eco-fable that takes you to another world. A world where an ancient book guides your way, a drop of rain changes everything and a mighty lion holds its secrets in an old clay pot. Will our intrepid explorers make it? They’re full of ideas and full of hope but dangerously low on baked beans.Stories in the Dust was originally created with support from MAST Mayflower Studios and shared at their Emergency Festival. It was developed thanks to public funding from National Lottery through Arts Council England in partnership with Pound Arts and Wiltshire Creative.The storyline and accompanying education pack were developed with support from Ian Williams, Professor of Applied Environmental Science at Southampton University.
Led by Wiltshire based performers and theatre makers Iona Johnson and Anna Harriott,
Stories in the Dust is a play made with and for young people with the climate emergency at its core.
Ideal for ages 5-12 but suitable for all the family.

Afternoon Film: Maria (12A)
2025-04-29 14:00 - 16:00 | SpArC Theatre
Famed opera singer Maria Callas retreats to Paris in the 1970s after a glamorous yet tumultuous life in the public eye.
Academy Award winner Angelina Jolie stars as legendary opera singer Maria Callas in director Pablo Larraín’s reimagining of the diva’s final days.
Entertaining, magnificent, the glamour of 70’s Paris- hear the story of this iconic woman
Supported by the Friends of Bishop’s Castle Community, Care Home and Hospital.
Tea and biscuits £1,
No stairs, tables & chairs,
Hearing loop,
Free Dial–a-ride bus service from Bishops Castle and Lydbury North please phone 01588 638350
All Tickets £4 Accompanying Carers FREE

FILM: A Complete Unknown (12A)
2025-05-08 19:00 - 21:20 | SpArC Theatre
7.4 IMDB
★★★★” Timothée Chalamet radiates charisma in evocative Dylan biopic” The Guardian
“Timothée Chalamet shines as a brusque and brattish Bob Dylan” The FT
Timothée Chalamet stars and sings as Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s A COMPLETE UNKNOWN, the electric true story behind the rise of one of the most iconic singer. In 1961, an unknown 19-year-old Bob Dylan arrives in New York City with his guitar and forges relationships with musical icons on his meteoric rise.

The Royal Opera: DIE WALKÜRE
2025-05-18 14:00 - 19:20 | SpArC Theatre
The Royal Opera: DIE WALKÜRE – New Production
Via Satellite
We will have extra refreshments to keep us going !
Gods and mortals battle in the second chapter of Wagner’s Ring cycle. Conductor Antonio Pappano and director Barrie Kosky reunite to continue the mythical adventure that began with Das Rheingold in 2023.
On a stormy night, fate brings two strangers together, unleashing a love with the power to end worlds. Meanwhile, in the realm of the gods, an epic battle ensues between their ruler Wotan and his rebellious daughter, Brünnhilde.
Cast:
WOTAN Christopher Maltman, BRÜNNHILDE Elisabet Strid, SIEGLINDE Lise Davidsen, SIEGMUND Stanislas de Barbeyrac, HUNDING Soloman Howard, FRICKA Marina Prudenskaya, HELMWIGE Maida Hundeling, ORTLINDE Katie Lowe, GERHILDE Lee Bisset, WALTRAUTE Claire Barnett-Jones, SIEGRUNE Catherine Carby, ROSSWEISSE Alison Kettlewell, GRIMGERDE Monika-Evelin Liiv, SCHWERTLEITE Rhonda Browne
Creatives:
DIRECTOR Barrie Kosky, CONDUCTOR Antonio Pappano, MUSIC Richard Wagner, LIBRETTO Richard Wagner, SET DESIGNER Rufus Didwiszus, COSTUME DESIGNER Victoria Behr, LIGHTING DESIGNER Alessandro Carletti
Running time 365 minutes
Sung in German with subtitles

The Royal Ballet: BALLET TO BROADWAY: WHEELDON WORKS
2025-05-22 19:15 - 22:00 | SpArC Theatre
The Royal Ballet: BALLET TO BROADWAY: WHEELDON WORKS
Mixed Programme; 1 Revival, 3 New Productions
LIVE Via Satellite : Thursday 22 May 2025, 19:15 BST

Sensuous contemporary ballet meets the energy of musical theatre in four distinctive short works. Fool’s Paradise, The Two of Us, Us, An American in Paris: four works showing the remarkable choreographic range of The Royal Ballet’s Artistic Associate, Christopher Wheeldon.
FOOL’S PARADISE
Luminescent and shimmering, Fool’s Paradise marked the first of Wheeldon’s many collaborations with composer Joby Talbot. It was created in 2007 for Wheeldon’s own company, Morphoses, and first performed in 2012 by The Royal Ballet.

THE TWO OF US
The wistful songs of Joni Mitchell set the scene for the UK premiere of The Two of Us, a duet of deep intimacy and yearning. It was created in 2020 for the Fall for Dance Festival in New York, and had American ballet dancers Sarah Mearns and David Hallberg in its original cast.

US (DUET)
Us is a tender duet danced by two men. It was created in 2017 for BalletBoyz and is set to Keaten Henson’s music.

AN AMERICAN IN PARIS (BALLET)
The Royal Ballet celebrates Wheeldon’s extraordinary success in musical theatre by performing the ballet scene from his Tony Award-winning musical An American in Paris. Set to Gershwin’s jazzy melodies, the musical is inspired by the 1951 film of the same name starring Gene Kelly and Leslie Caron. The musical went on to win four Tony awards. The full musical depicts a blossoming romance between the American G.I. Jerry Mulligan and a French ballerina, Lise Dassin. The ballet excerpt was Wheeldon’s take on one of the most memorable scenes from the film – an extended sequence in which the two central characters dance through Paris.
HOREOGRAPHY Christopher Wheeldon
CONDUCTOR Koen Kessels
ORCHESTRA Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
MUSIC:
Joby Talbot
Joni Mitchell
Keaton Henson
George Gershwhin
Running time 180 minutes

LIVE: Richard Durrant: The Guitar Whisperer
2025-06-01 14:00 - 16:00 | SpArC Theatre
One of the world’s most inventive, virtuoso guitarists with the strongest green credentials is back on tour and he’s pedalling to SpArC Theatre
Richard has been training hard on his guitar, ukulele and bicycle ready for his summer gigs.
Sit back and relax to the sound of Richard’s beautiful, acoustic music; then sit up and take notice of one of the world’s great guitarists.
A solo concert of jaw dropping musicianship from the man dubbed The Guitar Whisperer. A thousand and one notes interspersed with tales from the road.
To include: Bach Prelude in E, Barrios La Catedral and music from Spain, South America and the British Isles.
“One of the world’s most accomplished players…” – Guitarist Magazine
Suitable for All ages
The show will feature guitar music from Paraguay including this piece “Una Limosna por el Amor de Dios”.

ROYAL OPERA & BALLET : TOSCA (Puccini)
2025-10-05 14:00 - 17:00 | SpArC Theatre
In war-torn Rome, Floria Tosca and Mario Cavaradossi live for each other and for their art. But whenCavaradossi helps an escaped prisoner, the lovers make a deadly enemy in the form of Baron Scarpia,Chief of Police.
At the mercy of Scarpia’s twisted desires, Tosca is forced to make a horrific bargain:
sleeping with the man she hates in order to save the man she loves. Can she find a way out?
A star-studded cast includes soprano Anna Netrebko performing the role of Tosca, tenor Freddie De Tommaso as Cavaradossi, and bass-baritone Gerald Finley as Scarpia, with Music Director of The Royal Opera Jakub Hrůša conducting his first new production in the role. An alternative, modern-day Rome provides the backdrop for Oliver Mears’ unmissable, gripping new production of Puccini’s thriller.

FILM: The Marching Band (15)
2025-10-09 19:00 - 20:45 | SpArC Theatre
7.4 IMDB
When acclaimed conductor Thibaut needs a bone marrow donor he learns he was adopted, and has an older brother. Their reunion sparks a fraternal, musical journey in this tender french comedy drama. With English Subtitles

The Ballad of Wallis Island (12A)
2025-10-16 19:00 - 20:40 | SpArC Theatre
7.4 IMDB
British comedy drama about a strange lottery winner who lives alone on a secluded island, tries to make his fantasies come true by getting his favorite singer to perform
★★★★ Empire
“James Griffiths’ Soulful and Winsome Crowd-Pleaser Makes the Heart Sing. Tim Key, Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan are a disarmingly delightful trio in a quirky and music-filled comedy set on picturesque Welsh shores. “ Variety
★★★★”Whimsical, low-budget British comedies can be a recipe for irritation — but this is perfectly judged.
The wordplay is fun. What you also don’t anticipate is how poignant it all gets — a melancholy farce with an oddly pure soul.” The Financial Times
★★★★ “funny, melancholy yarn of a folk duo reunited by oddball superfan. Tim Key bring his trademark pleasant awkwardness to the island-owner who pays Tom Basden and Carey Mulligan to come and play for him” The Guardian

LIVE THEATRE: Grandad Anansi
2025-11-01 15:00 - 16:00 | SpArC Theatre
An uplifting tale of love, courage and letting go.
“A colourful, amazing production” The Guardian

Abi and her Grandad tell each other Anansi folktales. They play games as they work together in the garden among the beautiful flowers and tasty vegetables. As they plant memories, they share secrets and develop a bond that nothing can break. Grandad is as smart and mischievous as the wily Anansi legend. Can he find a way to tell his granddaughter about his plans to return to Jamaica, his beloved homeland?

★★★★”Storytelling, and its extraordinary power, is at the centre of the piece” Sardines
Join our intrepid characters in this humorous and heartfelt intergenerational adventure, as they step into the unexpected. With evocative live music, Grandad Anansi is an uplifting tale of love, courage and letting go.
Written by award-winning children’s author Elayne Ogbeta, Grandad Anansi is a Half Moon and Z-arts co-production: an exciting collaboration by the UK’s leading small-scale young people’s venue and touring company and Manchester’s award-winning venue for children and families.
“Half Moon are creating important, beautiful and powerful work for young people” Children’s Theatre Reviews
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LIVE MUSIC : No 1 Ladies Accordion Orchestra
2025-11-08 19:30 - 21:30 | SpArC Theatre
Link for booking is direct with the orchestra.
JOIN US FOR A DELIGHTFUL EVENING WITH CAKE !!
Any misgivings about this particular instrument (particularly played en masse) were well and truly banished. We were treated to an amazing range of tunes played with great skill and enthusiasm by the No 1. Ladies Accordion Orchestra, comprised of no less than 15 accordions and one drum kit. The accordions are arranged in sections, each taking different parts to produce a seamless combination of interesting melodies and harmonies. During the second half, the introduction of a basso accordion added an outstandingly beautiful resonance and depth to the overall sound.
In a wide-ranging repertoire, pure joy was to be had from the group’s accomplished rendition of the fabulous Astor Piazzolla’s ‘Liber Tango’, played with great style and energy. Other musical influences included jazz, blues and Eastern European music with one of my favourites, a Macedonian piece called ‘Jovano Jovanka’, hidden in the midst of a Jewish folk dance. Some familiar tunes, such as ‘Loch Lomond’ and ‘Scarborough Fair’, were interestingly arranged and well produced, and Robbie Burns’ ‘A Fond Kiss’ was set to music with heartrending effect. I also loved the ‘Beguine for Bert’, a melodic and gentle piece written and arranged by the orchestra’s leader, Jane Ward, which demonstrated well the accordion’s capability for subtle harmonies, crescendos and diminuendos.
The accordions (mostly 120 bass and with a wide range of reeds or ‘voices’) come from Italy, whilst their players are from all over the UK. They meet approximately six times a year to engage in intense weekends of music making and rehearsal (apparently interspersed with much jollity and fine dining) in order to put on performances such as this one.
By the end of the evening, the audience had been treated to a unique and detailed tour of the accordion, with all its quirks and intricacies, through both the music and some informative banter between numbers. Those of us who have one languishing in a cupboard somewhere should retrieve it, dust it down and start playing again, preferably with as many other accordions as possible!

The Royal Ballet: La Fille Mal Gardée
2025-11-09 14:00 - 16:30 | SpArC Theatre
Screening Via Satellite
Escape to the countryside with Frederick Ashton’s ballet about a capricious girl who hopes to marry her love. Brimming with humour and choreographic invention, La Fille mal gardée is the perfect ballet for all the family.
Lise, the only daughter of Widow Simone, is in love with the young farmer Colas, but her mother has far more ambitious plans for her. Simone hopes to marry her off to Alain, the son of the wealthy proprietor Thomas. Desperate to marry Colas rather than Alain, Lise contrives to outwit her mother’s plans.
65 years after its premiere, The Royal Ballet presents Frederick Ashton’s La Fille mal gardée. This affectionate portrayal of village life combines exuberant good humour and brilliantly inventive choreography in what is undoubtedly Ashton’s love letter to the English countryside. La Fille mal gardée whisks us away into pastoral bliss with Ferdinand Hérold’s cheerful score and Osbert Lancaster’s colourful designs.

LIVE MUSIC : WILL BARNES QUARTET - OUTSIDE THE LIGHT TOUR
2025-11-14 19:30 - 21:30 | SpArC Theatre
★★★★ “Springy deftness… Cool precision… Serious chops…” Andy Cowan, Mojo
“Playfulness and invention throughout” Soweto Kinch, BBC Radio 3
Fresh off the success of their debut, Outside the Light—a powerful new set of original jazz. Inspired by the wild beauty of Mid Wales, their sound is sharp, lyrical, and rhythmically bold. With deep musical connection and refined touch, the quartet invites you into a world where emotion and improvisation flow as one.
Following the critical acclaim of their debut album Source of the Severn, the Will Barnes Quartet returns with Outside the Light—a bold and expressive new chapter in their artistic journey. This second album deepens the group’s exploration of the interplay between jazz improvisation and the evocative landscapes of Mid Wales and the Welsh Marches. Through a collection of original compositions, the album weaves lyrical beauty with intricate rhythmic interplay.
Adults £15 Under 18 £5
Group Ticket 4 adults available £50
