Autumn Theatre Guide

For lovers of classic rock and nostalgia, Wishbone Ash is coming to The Apex on Thursday 9 October; Showcasing their trademark twin-guitar sound with power and precision, blending classic rock anthems with newer material. With decades of musical history behind them, the band’s live show is a masterclass in melodic rock energy and timeless musicianship.

On Thursday 16 October, you can enjoy an intimate acoustic evening filled with songs, stories, and plenty of warmth at Simon & Oscar. Best known as founding members of Ocean Colour Scene, their stripped-back set showcases the heart of their music and the chemistry that’s kept them performing together for decades.

Mama Afrika, starring Anna Mudeka, arrives on Wednesday 12 November at 7.30pm. It’s an immersive solo performance telling the life of Miriam Makeba — part memoir, part concert — with great songs like Pata Pata and Soweto Blues. A vibrant celebration of African music, dance, and culture, bringing infectious rhythms and powerful performances to the stage.

On the comedy front: Griff Rhys Jones is back on the road with his tour 'The Cat's Pyjamas' on 1 November, followed by Andy Parsons with 'Please #@!$ off to Mars'. Finishing off the month is Rosie Jones on Monday 17 November for what will be a laugh-out-loud evening.

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds has compiled a fantastic autumn programme that blends drama, comedy, and original storytelling.

From 30th September - 4th October, Sherlock Holmes and the Hunt for Moriarty brings a gripping, theatrical twist to the classic detective story and transports you back to London in 1901 where a series of mysterious events reveals a crack in the high corridors of power, which threatens to destabilise the monarchy, the government and the empire itself. This world premiere combines powerful performances, a haunting soundscape and innovative design.

For a suitably spooky October outing, Even More… Ghost Stories by Candlelight on 6 October invites you to experience four brand new spine-tingling tales told by flickering candlelight, and written by award-winning writers. Inspired by tales from the corners of the East and West of England, you’ll be drawn back into the story-telling traditions of old, in this ambitious and genuinely chilling experience.

The following night on 7 October, Stories From An Invisible Town introduces audiences to the extraordinary world of award-winning Welsh storyteller Shôn Dale-Jones. With his trademark blend of humour and poignant tales, Shôn leads us through the made-up town of his childhood where five-foot Tarzan, Double Delyth and Lord Ivor come vividly to life. Joyous, unsettling and very funny, this new show blurs the line between memory and imagination in a way that only Shôn can deliver. So why not try something a little different and discover a powerful, poetic reflection on community and identity.

For something quick, clever and a little bit madcap, get your tickets to Murder, She Didn’t Write on 8 and 9 October - the perfect tonic to the darker evenings. In an astounding feat of wit and wonder, Edinburgh Fringe favourites Degrees of Error take the audiences’ suggestions and use them to shape a brand new, never seen before, fully improvised murder mystery. It has to be seen to be believed so get your tickets and don’t miss out on a mind-blowing whodunnit!

Later in the month, on 22 and 23 October, Black Sheep lays bare the intense, beautiful and sometimes uncomfortable truths of rural life in Norfolk. Created in close collaboration with twelve farmers, this is a “contemporary psalm” tracing the dilemmas facing generations of farming families: the soil fading, lambing season in full swing, a secret love in the church, revenge plotted in a rusty van, and the weight of history around every kitchen table. Starkly poetic, darkly funny and full of heart, this is theatre that asks what legacy we leave, and at what cost.

The perfect half term treat on 31 October, Dinosaur Adventure Live: The Big Jurassic Storm takes you on a jurassic adventure to save the dinosaurs before it's too late!

Then kicking off the festive season, Ballet Theatre UK present the Christmas classic 'A Christmas Carol' from 9-11 November.

What better setting for an intimate evening of classical music than the elegant surroundings of Gainsborough’s House? The newly redeveloped museum and gallery in the heart of Sudbury offers a unique blend of history, art and music in the actual home of the great artist Thomas Gainsborough.

Join the acclaimed Gainsborough Quartet on Thursday 20 November for an evening of music at this concert which promises captivating harmonies in an atmospheric, and very fitting venue.

The perfect way to mark All Hallows Eve, 'The Ghost Stories of M. R. James' at the Unitarian Meeting House in Bury St Edmunds is a live “radio-play for stage” adaptation of some of his creepiest tales brought to life with actors, atmospheric lighting, and haunting soundscapes. 
You’ll hear classics like The Mezzotint, Casting the Runes, A Warning to the Curious, and Oh Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad, all in the hushed, intimate setting of the Meeting House—ideal for stirring the imagination and raising goosebumps.