DRET Primary Music Festival 2025: The Magic Flute

Jon Richardson: The Knitwit

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

Will the recycling be put out on the right day?  Who is going to smooth over the top of the margarine? How many lights are on upstairs when everybody is downstairs? Watch Jon pretend that these aren’t his foremost concerns as he leaves home on his first tour since the last one. Best known as a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Cats Countdown, host of Dave’s Ultimate Worrier, and upcoming sitcom Meet The Richardsons. As well as Would I Lie To You, Have I Got News For You, Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow, and Taskmaster.

Ray Bradshaw – Deaf Com 1

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

Following his ground breaking 2018 show, Deaf Comedy Fam, Ray Bradshaw’s new stand-up show, Deaf Com 1, covers his recent fatherhood, teaching his young son sign language and a disastrous trip to Bahrain! International award-winning comic, Ray, spent 2021/22 touring the UK as John Bishop’s handpicked support act, having previously toured with Frankie Boyle in 2019.  Ray was the first comedian to ever win a Scottish Culture Award and is a regular host of Scotland’s most popular radio show, Breaking The News. Ray is a CODA (like in the Oscar winning film) and grew up with deaf parents. All of his shows are performed in both BSL and English, with Deaf Comedy Fam becoming the first ever live comedy experience for more than 800 deaf audience members. Ray’s clever, charming and very funny comedy has received critical acclaim from critics and fans alike.

Chris de Burgh

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

Few artists can lay claim to international success spanning five decades but, beginning with his very first release, Chris de Burgh has achieved just that.  On his latest tour, Chris will be performing live on guitar and piano tracks from his new album The Legend Of Robin Hood together with many of his hits from throughout the years.  The show has been a great success across Europe this summer and it promises to be an exciting evening full of all your favourite songs.

Suzanne Vega – An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories

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

Suzanne Vega emerged as a leading figure of the folk-music revival of the early 1980s when, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar, she sang what has been called contemporary folk or neo-folk songs of her own creation in Greenwich Village clubs. Since the release of her self-titled, critically acclaimed 1985 debut album, she has given sold-out concerts in many of the world’s best-known venues. Known for performances that convey deep emotion, Vega’s distinctive, “clear, unwavering voice” (Rolling Stone) has been described as “a cool, dry sandpaper-brushed near-whisper” by The Washington Post, with NPR Music noting that she “has been making vital, inventive music” throughout the course of her decades-long career. Bearing the stamp of a masterful storyteller who “observes the world with a clinically poetic eye” (The New York Times), Vega’s songs have tended to focus on city life, ordinary people and real-world subjects. Notably succinct and understated, her work is immediately recognizable—as utterly distinct and thoughtful as it was when her voice was first heard on the radio over 30 years ago.

Sarah Keyworth

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

If comedy equals tragedy plus time, then boy, this is going to be good. As seen and heard on Live At The Apollo, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Dark Horse (Comedy Special), Mock The Week, The Guilty Feminist Podcast and Are You A Boy Or A Girl?

Recurring

Varna International Ballet

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

Raymond Gubbay presents Varna International Ballet in its UK debut season performed by Varna International Ballet Accompanied by a live orchestra Varna International Ballet Orchestra

Mike Bubbins – Throwback

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

Mike Bubbins, star of hit podcast The Socially Distant Sports Bar, and of BBC television comedies Mammoth, Tourist Trap and The Unexplainers, unleashes Throwback, his first ever solo UK stand-up tour. And things may never be the same again. Throwback is a powerful, thought-provoking, visceral hour of stand-up comedy, that pushes boundaries, defies neat descriptions and challenges the audience… As if it is! It’s actually an hour and a half of really funny stories, pretty impressive characterisations, possibly a song (he said he’ll see how that goes), a bit of nostalgia about the good old days, a bit of optimism about the good new days, and Mike generally having a laugh about life and not taking himself, or anything else, too seriously. Having said that, he may, at some point in the show, get very annoyed at berks, whether in the past, the present, or the future. Very annoyed. So basically Throwback is a comedy show about Bubbins sharing, and bringing to life, the stuff that he finds funny. As comedy concepts go, it’s a pretty straightforward one, really. “They asked me to do a UK comedy tour, called Throwback…and so I did” – Mike Bubbins

Recurring

Squidge

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

Do you squish or squash, tickle or most certainly not, handshake or hug, stretch out or snuggle in like a bug?   Squidge is a fun interactive dance film with music and digital projection, which takes a light-hearted look at our sense of touch and how it influences our everyday lives. At the heart of the film is a tale of friendship, compromise and how each and every one of us need touch to make us feel alive! Immerse yourself in this shared experience for children 5 – 9 years and their grown-ups. Sit in your own special seating area where you can explore magical light-up boxes, full of exciting textures for little hands which will delight and tickle your senses. Each family (maximum of 2 adults & 3 children) will be seated in their very own interactive seating area, which will magically light up at moments throughout the cinema experience and will be full of exciting textures for little hands to explore! Expect slimey fun and lots of bubbles… Squidge is produced by Wriggle Dance Theatre, in partnership with Birmingham Hippodrome and The Core at Corby Cube with support from Arts Council England.

Recurring

Rambert – Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby

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

Following its London premier and sell-out performances in Birmingham, ‘The most immersive and intoxicating way to experience Knight’s now timeless story’ (NME) is on its way to take over the UK. Long-time fans of the TV show and audiences coming fresh to Peaky have been united in their enthusiasm for the ‘vigorous and vibrant performances from the entire cast’ (The Times) where ‘you can never quite tell whether you’re at a dance show or a grungy rock gig’ (The Telegraph). Opening in the trenches of Flanders, a personal story unfolds in post-war industrial Birmingham as the Shelby family navigate the decisions that determine their fate and Tommy is intoxicated by a mysterious newcomer, Grace. Written and adapted for the stage by Peaky Blinders’ creator Steven Knight, with choreography and direction from Rambert’s Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, this captivating show matches dazzling, athletic dance and stunning dramatisation from the full Rambert company with a live band, specially commissioned music by Roman GianArthur and iconic Peaky tracks from Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Radiohead, Anna Calvi, The Last Shadow Puppets, Frank Carter & The Rattlesnakes and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

Eshaan Akbar – The Pretender

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

Whether it’s you, the person you go on a date with, your boss, or the opinion-makers on TV, we’re all pretending we know what we’re doing. We don’t. And it’s about time we all had a proper laugh about it. After supporting some of the biggest acts in the UK, be sure to buy tickets for this much-anticipated debut tour. As seen on Mock The Week, QI , heard on award-winning podcasts Have A Word, Ninetwentynine, and Spitting Image, as well as LBC, Times Radio, and Radio 4. Eshaan Akbar brings us his debut tour, The Pretender.

Recurring

Strictly Ballroom The Musical

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

Based on Baz Luhrmann’s award-winning worldwide film phenomenon, Strictly Ballroom: The Musical is heading to Northampton as part of a brand-new UK and Ireland tour starring Strictly Come Dancing favourite Kevin Clifton and BBC’s Eastenders’ Maisie Smith! Directed and co-choreographed by Britain’s best loved TV Judge, Craig Revel Horwood, Strictly Ballroom: The Musical follows arrogant, rebellious young ballroom dancer, Scott Hastings (Kevin Clifton). When his radical and daring dance style sees him fall out of favour with Australian Federation, he must dance with beginner, Fran (Maisie Smith). Together they find the courage to defy tradition and discover that to win, your steps don’t need to be strictly ballroom! Featuring smash-hit songs Love Is In the Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps and Time After Time, and all new music written by internationally acclaimed artists including Sia, David Foster and Eddie Perfect. This feel-good ballroom sensation is sure to make for an unforgettable evening under the glitter ball that will send your heart soaring and toes tapping!

Rob Auton – The Crowd Show

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

The Crowd Show is a comedy/theatre/spoken word show about crowds, people and connection. The Crowd Show is a show suitable for anybody who has been in a crowd or wants to be in the crowd for this show. Rob Auton is an award-winning writer, actor and podcaster, named the “Brian Cox of Comedy” by the Guardian. Rob has written eight hit Edinburgh Fringe shows, which have led to nationwide tours and television/radio appearances. Rob has had four collections of poetry and illustrations published by Burning Eye Books and Harper Collins. In 2020, Rob started The Rob Auton Daily Podcast which went on to amass over two million listens and win a gold award for Best Daily Podcast at the British Podcast Awards.

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