Party Season

Recurring

National Theatre Connections Festival 2026

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

National Theatre Connections Festival 2026 For the past 31 years The National Theatre Connections Festival has been a celebration of young people, theatre and the importance of access to the arts. Each year the National Theatre commissions a collection of new plays for young people to perform, uniting some of the most exciting UK playwrights of today with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. Royal and Derngate are proud to host the largest and most diverse of the regional Connections festivals in the country, and we are thrilled to be welcoming hundreds of young people to Northampton again in April 2026 for what promises to be an exciting week of new writing packed with young talent. School groups and Youth theatres from across the region will perform in compelling new plays including Cloud Busting by Helen Blakeman, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth by Kirsty Housley, Sycamore Gap by Al Smith, Wildfire Road by Eve Leigh, The Animals by Sean Buckley, Fishville by Afsaneh Gray, and Royal & Derngate’s own Young Company will take part in the festival performing Britney’s Lock by Alexandra Wood Tuesday 21 April Sycamore Gap St Peter’s Catholic School 12pm in The Royal Wildfire Road Halesowen College 2pm in The Underground Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth Kettering Science Academy 5.30pm in The Royal Wednesday 22 April Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth Ousedale 11.30am in The Royal Sycamore Gap Alderbrook School 1pm in Underground...

The Greatest Hits of Motown – How Sweet It Is

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

The UK’s Favourite 100% LIVE Motown Show – as it is, as it was, as it should be. Delivers first class music with slick choreography and an amazing band for a stunning ‘not to be missed’ Motown experience. Seen by over one million people this show will have you Dancing On The Ceiling with songs from legendary artistes such as The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five, The Isley Brothers, Edwin Starr and many more! “They had the moves, the looks, the voices and every Motown Classic you could ask for” Jersey Evening News, Sarah Harding The ULTIMATE celebration of  the sweet sound of Motown Let’s Get Ready… to Go Loco, Down in Acapulco Dancing is welcome in certain sections during this performance! Please listen for announcements from the stage, stay considerate of those around you and for your safety ensure fire exits remain clear. If you’d like to change your seat, our team is here to help—just let us know, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your request (subject to availability).

Recurring

National Theatre Connections Festival 2026

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

National Theatre Connections Festival 2026 For the past 31 years The National Theatre Connections Festival has been a celebration of young people, theatre and the importance of access to the arts. Each year the National Theatre commissions a collection of new plays for young people to perform, uniting some of the most exciting UK playwrights of today with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. Royal and Derngate are proud to host the largest and most diverse of the regional Connections festivals in the country, and we are thrilled to be welcoming hundreds of young people to Northampton again in April 2026 for what promises to be an exciting week of new writing packed with young talent. School groups and Youth theatres from across the region will perform in compelling new plays including Cloud Busting by Helen Blakeman, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth by Kirsty Housley, Sycamore Gap by Al Smith, Wildfire Road by Eve Leigh, The Animals by Sean Buckley, Fishville by Afsaneh Gray, and Royal & Derngate’s own Young Company will take part in the festival performing Britney’s Lock by Alexandra Wood Tuesday 21 April Sycamore Gap St Peter’s Catholic School 12pm in The Royal Wildfire Road Halesowen College 2pm in The Underground Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth Kettering Science Academy 5.30pm in The Royal Wednesday 22 April Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth Ousedale 11.30am in The Royal Sycamore Gap Alderbrook School 1pm in Underground...

Recurring

Justin Live! Justin Time To Rock

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

Justin Fletcher is back on stage in a brand-new live show! Get ready to sing, dance and laugh along with BAFTA Award-winning Justin, star of Something Special, Justin’s House, Gigglebiz and Gigglequiz as he and his friends are back in a brand-new live theatre show bursting with music, dancing and plenty of giggles. When DJ Engelbert, the coolest canine in the dog-house, launches a contest to find the best rock song in all the land, Justin and his band – Justin Time to Rock! – are determined to win! But can they get their song to DJ Engy before the sneaky Rock Lord and his sidekick Vulture try to steal it? With classic favourites like The Hokey Cokey, Music Man and Hands Up, plus brand-new songs written by Justin and his team, Justin Live – Justin Time to Rock! is a high-energy, feel-good family show guaranteed to get everyone dancing in their seats and leaving with a smile on their face!

Recurring

National Theatre Connections Festival 2026

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

National Theatre Connections Festival 2026 For the past 31 years The National Theatre Connections Festival has been a celebration of young people, theatre and the importance of access to the arts. Each year the National Theatre commissions a collection of new plays for young people to perform, uniting some of the most exciting UK playwrights of today with the theatre-makers of tomorrow. Royal and Derngate are proud to host the largest and most diverse of the regional Connections festivals in the country, and we are thrilled to be welcoming hundreds of young people to Northampton again in April 2026 for what promises to be an exciting week of new writing packed with young talent. School groups and Youth theatres from across the region will perform in compelling new plays including Cloud Busting by Helen Blakeman, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth by Kirsty Housley, Sycamore Gap by Al Smith, Wildfire Road by Eve Leigh, The Animals by Sean Buckley, Fishville by Afsaneh Gray, and Royal & Derngate’s own Young Company will take part in the festival performing Britney’s Lock by Alexandra Wood Tuesday 21 April Sycamore Gap St Peter’s Catholic School 12pm in The Royal Wildfire Road Halesowen College 2pm in The Underground Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth Kettering Science Academy 5.30pm in The Royal Wednesday 22 April Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth, Macbeth Ousedale 11.30am in The Royal Sycamore Gap Alderbrook School 1pm in Underground...

The Shoop Shoop Show: The Cher Collection

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

Get ready to experience a Cher show like no other – heading to theatres across the UK and Europe in 2026! ‘Turn Back Time’ with The Shoop Shoop Show – The Cher Collection, an exhilarating music-led production with a party atmosphere. It is led by international powerhouse vocalist Rachael Hawnt, the winner of ITV’s Starstruck. The show spans every decade of Cher’s incredible career so be prepared to be dazzled by disco HITS and pop rock chart-toppers. As the show unfolds Rachael’s spot-on impersonation will make you ‘Believe’. As if that wasn’t enough, the singing sensation performs songs from Cher’s iconic Dancing Queen album, belting out unforgettable sing-along renditions of ABBA’s greatest hits. ‘Dressed to Kill’ with incredible custom-made costumes, jaw-dropping production, choreography and a world class live band, The Shoop Shoop Show – The Cher Collection will have you singing and dancing the night away. 2026 really is the ULTIMATE time to celebrate the music of Cher, as the Goddess of Pop herself turns 80. So, grab a ticket, glam up, and come and experience the magic of one of the greatest Divas of all time! Dancing is welcome during this performance! Please listen for announcements from the stage, stay considerate of those around you and for your safety ensure...

Andy Zaltzman: The Zaltgeist

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

Chair of The News Quiz (Radio 4), host of the global hit satirical podcast The Bugle, and Test Match Special statistician, the stand-up comedian, broadcaster and writer, who has firmly established himself in the vanguard of British comedy with his unique brand of inventive, incisive political satire, returns with his latest stand-up show, The Zaltgeist. With the 3rd millennium almost 2.5% complete, Andy Zaltzman, one of the UK’s leading satirical comedians, assesses the state of Planet Earth and its most famous and controversial species – the human race. In the biggest stand-up tour of his career, Andy will attempt to concoct vaguely plausible answers to perennial questions such as What?, Who?, Where?, and above all Why? As chair of The News Quiz since 2020, Andy has brought his inventive brand of satirical comedy to BBC Radio 4’s long-running flagship topical comedy show, earning the show multiple awards, critical acclaim and a growing listenership. Andy has hosted The Bugle, one of the world’s longest-running and best-loved comedy podcasts, since 2007 (alongside John Oliver until 2015, and with numerous co-hosts from numerous continents since 2016). Renowned for its unique cocktail of up-to-the-minute global satire and premium-grade hogwash, and listened to by hundreds of thousands around the world, The Bugle recently passed the 600-episode mark,...

Danny Baker: Aye Aye! Ahoy Hoy!

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

Aye Aye! Ahoy Hoy! The Unstoppable Talking Panjandrum Is Back In Town! Celebrating 50 Years Afloat On The Showbiz Seas! Dead Men Tell No Tales – So Might As Well Get Em All Told Now! Avast!  Two Thundering Hours Guaranteed! “An Absolutely Blistering Night Out!” – The Isle Of Arran Shoemaker’s Monthly “Indiscreet Revelations Told With Swashbuckling Verve!” – Some Genius On Twitter As Seen On BBC1, BBC2, BBC4 And Virtually Every Radio Station In The Known World! (Even Pirate Ones) Positively Final Voyage! All Aboard!

Michaela Strachan: Not Just A Wild Life

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

You’ve seen her cuddling orangutans, being “Wide Awake” on Saturday mornings and almost skating to glory on Dancing on Ice. Now, wildlife TV legend Michaela Strachan swaps the binoculars for the spotlight in her brand-new live theatre show Not Just A Wild Life. Marking 40 years in the public eye – on our screens, in the wild and sometimes out of her depth. From The Wide Awake Club, The Hitman And Her and The Really Wild Show to Countryfile, Springwatch and beyond, the show laughs at the chaos of TV, celebrates the beauty of nature and reflects on what it means to grow up – and grow older – on screen. It’s a high energy, funny and heart-warming journey through four decades of conservation and re-invention. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be upstaged by an elephant, wrangle the likes of Chris Packham, or ice skate on National TV looking like Julie Andrews, then this show is for you! Not Just A Wild Life promises an evening of inspiration, nostalgia and genuine connection – for nature nerds, nostalgia lovers, and anyone who’s ever wondered how a rubber chicken can change the course of your life.

Recurring

Screaming Blue Murder Comedy Club

Royal and Derngate Theatre 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 1DP

Don’t miss our comedy club with compere Dan Evans. This season features many of comedy’s rising stars. Doors 7.45pm Show 8pm. Fri 10 April Justin Panks Jon LongLouise Leigh This show will take place in the Underground Sat 30 May Alistair BarrieAlex Bertulis-FernandesRoss Smith This show will take place in the Underground Line up may be subject to change, advance booking is recommended. Recommended for ages 16 and above.

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