Find out more about Corn Exchange Newbury's 2025 autumn season!

Take a look as we unveil an unmissable Autumn 2025 season bursting with live arts, music icons and festive cheer!

Our new programme brings together an exhilarating blend of world-class music tributes, laugh-out-loud comedy, family favourites, fantastic theatre and inspiring talks, all set to entertain and delight audiences of all ages.

The theatre season begins with a bang as Shamilton: The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical (28 Aug) takes to the stage. After a triumphant Edinburgh Fringe run, this fast-paced, unscripted musical allows audiences to choose the historical figure, while the cast improvises everything — from plot to songs. Set at the BBC Broadcasting House, Drum (14 Oct) vibrantly combines music, dance and archival material to explore identity and ambition as two Ghanaian creatives meet for the first time in 1960s London. Later that month, Stories From an Invisible Town (21 Oct) offers an imaginative, darkly comic solo show, from BBC award-winning writer Shôn Dale-Jones, performs a collection of dark comic stories, based on the imaginary town he lived in as a boy, that unearths the childhood myths of a made-up town and the power of growing up. Following multiple sell-out shows and a Fringe First win, Revenge: After The Levoyah (4 Nov) follows Malcolm Spivak, who plans to kidnap Jeremy Corbyn with the help of his cousins – be sure to catch this chaotic Jewish comedy!

Blending tradition with contemporary expression, dance audiences can look forward to exciting new choreography in Story of One, Story of Many (24 Sep), a dynamic Kathak dance performance that explores migration, identity and time, performed by a cast of exceptional South Asian artists. October also welcomes Richard Chappell Dance with Hot House (16 Oct), a high-energy physical piece that combines multicultural music influences — from Indian classical to garage beats.

The music programme will thrill fans of all genres and generations, as September kicks off with the UK Pink Floyd Experience (13 Sep), celebrating 50 years of Wish You Were Here. Continuing the toe-tapping tunes will be the soulful spectacle of Northern Live: Do I Love You (18 Sep), which brings over 30 classic Northern Soul hits performed by an 11-piece band and powerhouse vocalists. The timeless songs of The Eagles are celebrated by Bootleg Eagles (19 Sep), and fans of the King of Rock can dance away to Emilio Santoro as Elvis (20 Sep), as he returns to Newbury. Dolly Parton fanatics can revel in The Dolly Show (25 Sep), led by the globally renowned tribute artist Kelly O’Brien. October continues the music run with Some Guys Have All the Luck: The Rod Stewart Story (18 Oct). As we move into the colder months, Step Into Christmas (15 Nov) promises a heartwarming and glittering concert of festive classics, perfect for kicking off the holiday season.

Comedy takes centre stage this autumn, led by the return of The Comedy Network (5 Sep, 17 Oct & 7 Nov), showcasing top-tier talent from the UK circuit. Jenny Eclair: Jokes, Jokes, Jokes Live (26 Sep) shares hilarious stories from her wild and wonderful life, while Matt Richardson: Brash (9 Oct) dishes out cheeky insights from small-town living to chaotic fame. Milton Jones: Ha!milton (5 Nov) promises a night of joyful nonsense from one of Britain’s most surreal comedy minds. Suzi Ruffell: The Juggle (8 Nov) delivers sharp, honest stand-up about life’s many pressures and hilarious contradictions.

Families will find a rich programme of theatre and creative events throughout the season. The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show (10 – 12 Oct) brings to life 4 of Eric Carle’s much-loved stories with over 75 puppets in a colourful stage adaptation. Stick Man (28 – 30 Oct) follows the journey of a stick trying to get back to his family in a charming musical full of puppetry, live music and gentle humour. Horrible Histories: Gorgeous Georgians & Vile Victorians (31 Oct) plunges young audiences into Britain’s most gruesome past with fun, facts and hilarious storytelling. Over half term, families can get together to party to the biggest songs of the moment from Sabrina Carpenter to Miley Cyrus in Flowers and Friendship Bracelets (1 Nov). The whole family can roar with excitement during Dinosaurs Live! (9 Nov), a visually spectacular stage experience developed with the Natural History Museum, featuring lifelike dinosaurs and fascinating science.

BAFTA-winning writer Adam Kay is back at the Corn Exchange with A Particularly Nasty Case: A Murderously Funny Evening with Adam Kay (6 Sep), where he’ll share his horrifying and hilarious anecdotes from his time as a doctor, taking you behind the scenes of life in a hospital. An Evening with Adam Frost (22 Oct) will appeal to gardeners and creatives alike as the BBC presenter reflects on a life shaped by nature, music and landscape design – a true highlight of talks this season.

This season also supports local causes and creative development, as Newbury Sounds: A Fundraising Concert for the Old Library Campaign (30 Aug) returns, featuring local acts Lizzie Cullen, Solar Season, The Liaisons, Number of the Beef and A Dirty Soul in an evening of indie, rock, folk and more. All proceeds will go toward reopening the Old Library as a new arts and community hub. Another Old Library fundraiser event is An Audience with Clare Balding (16 Sep), where the celebrated broadcaster shares stories from her debut novel Pastures New and reflects on her roots in and around Newbury.

Outdoor arts continue to play a vital role in our offering. Creative Commons (13 – 14 Sep), held on Greenham Common, is a two-day celebration of the site’s remarkable transformation from military base to public space. The event features circus, dance, storytelling and interactive installations, including appearances by Gossamer Thread Circus and Yara + Davina. In December, the ever-popular Festival of Light (14 Dec) transforms Newbury town centre into a luminous wonderland. With lantern-making workshops taking place in the run-up to the event, the community-led procession lights up the streets with music, colour and warmth.

At the heart of the season is the return of the venue’s much-anticipated pantomime Robin Hood and Maid Marian (28 Nov – 3 Jan), produced in-house by the Corn Exchange and written and directed by the acclaimed team Plested Brown and Wilsher. Bursting with nostalgic songs through the decades, non-stop laughs and dazzling costumes, this year’s pantomime promises to be a perfect treat for the whole family. A variety of accessible performances including audio described, BSL, relaxed, captioned and dementia friendly are also available.