Upcoming Events
9 to 5: The Musical
‘Pour yourself a cup of ambition’ and book your tickets, as DULOG meets Dolly Parton in this hilarious and heart-warming tale of friendship, female empowerment and fighting for what’s right!
Based on the classic comedy film from 1980, ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ follows a trio of hard-working women and firm friends who, fed up with slaving away for their sexist, self-absorbed boss, plan to put him through a little office payback…
How Love is Spelt
Suffragette Theatre Company presents How Love Is Spelt by Chloe Moss, a fresh, funny and playful tale of growing up and finding yourself in the city.
A Night at the Opera
Durham Opera Ensemble presents a spectacular evening of opera’s finest arias, duets and choruses spanning Mozart to Gilbert and Sullivan.
Myths and Legends: The Intercollegiate Showcase
FHTC is excited to announce ‘Myths and Legends: The Intercollegiate Showcase’!
The intercollegiate showcase is back for its second year, raising money for Children of the North East. This year with the enchanting theme of myths and legends, each college theatre company displays its niche while celebrating a shared love of theatre. From Camelot to Hadestown, this showcase has it all, perfect for everyone.
Sex Cells
FOURTH WALL Theatre Company presents its Michaelmas Term show Sex Cells by Anna Longaretti.
In a busy call centre, the four female employees of Aphrodite, a sex toy manufacturer, take telephone orders for Teasey Maids, Titivators and rotating pearl g-strings. Sex Cells is a very funny, poignant play about motherhood, friendship, love and loss.
1984
This adaptation of 1984 reimagines Winston Smith's reconstruction, where he is forced to re-enact key moments of his life and his 'thoughtcrimes' with the help of others convicted.
Merrily We Roll Along
Sondheim's cult classic 'Merrily We Roll Along' traces the life of wealthy, jaded composer Franklin Shepard and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their lives – in reverse!
A Christmas Carol: The Immersive Experience
Walkabout Productions return with an innovative immersive take on a beloved Dickens Classic, beating their own record for the UK’s largest work of immersive student theatre.
Bonnie and Clyde
A musical about the most infamous bank robbing & murdering duo in American history - romance, crime, and an incredible soundtrack.
Elektra and The Women at the Thesmophoria
"Elektra" tells the tragic story of the daughter and son of the late king Agamemnon planning retribution for their mother who murdered him. "The Women of the Thesmophoria" is a satiric comedy featuring the playwright Euripides that makes fun of the tragic genre and the role of women within it.”
Laugh Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Laugh yourself a merry little Christmas,
Watch an improv show,
We will keep you laughing 'til you're all aglow!
Merry DUMT-mas!
“Merry DUMT-mas!” is Durham University Musical Theatre Troupe’s festive showcase, featuring Christmas classics and musical hits from Anastasia, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf the Musical and more to get you in the mood for a very Durham Christmas!
Doctor Faustus
Christopher Marlowe’s seminal ‘Doctor Faustus’ sees ambition meet the supernatural in a gripping tale of power, temptation, and tragedy.
The Truth
Conspiracy? Corruption? Fake news and misinformation? Is this a modern-day news article or is it Terry Pratchett's 'The Truth'!? A journalistic crime thriller in the fantastical world of Ankh-Morpork.
Everything Means Nothing to Me
Charlie journeys to Los Angeles to uncover the truth behind Elliott Smith’s death, meeting lost dreamers and faded stars, exploring the delicate balance of dreams and disappointments, and finding reasons to keep living.
White Liars and Black Comedy
Pitch Productions takes on one of “the funniest and most brilliant short plays” in its rendition of White Liars and Black Comedy, the hilarious double-billed farce by Peter Shaffer.
Crazy for You
Jam-packed with dazzling dance routines, hilarious hijinks and a sensational score including I Got Rhythm, Embraceable You and Someone To Watch Over Me, Durham University’s oldest theatre company celebrates their 75th anniversary year with this timeless tale of falling in love, following your heart and the magic of making theatre – ‘who could ask for anything more?’
February Story
Follow twenty-eight days in the life of eighteen-year-old Patrick, as a mysterious wooden box helps him control his destiny, for better or for worse.
A coming-of-age tale with fantastical elements, confronting our struggles of grief, identity, and the desire for control in a chaotic universe.
Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice
It is 1811 in the English countryside. A turbulent relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocratic landowner, begins in their meeting at a ball. Surrounded by their lovable yet chaotic kin, will the pair overcome the titular sins of pride and prejudice and accept their love for each other?
Durham Drama Festival 2025
DDF 2025 will be a week long celebration of new student writing from February 16th to February 23rd.
Join Durham Student Theatre for the 50th Anniversary of the Durham Drama Festival. Featuring nine new plays across three venues, explore the wealth of emerging talent at the UK's largest and most prolific student theatre scene.
Romeo and Juliet
Set in the turbulent heart of the French Revolution, the timeless tale of Romeo and Juliet details the fate of two ‘star-crossed lovers’, whose dizzying romantic entanglement ends in tragedy.
Slam of the North
Slam of the North brings together the best performance poets from five northern universities to compete over one exciting evening!
Jack and the Beanstalk: South College Pantomime
Join Oswald's Players in this hilarious interactive musical adventure - our second annual student-written pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk!
Every Giggle Helps
Colleague announcement: Improv comedy troupe in aisle six, I repeat, improv comedy troupe in aisle six!
Birthday Candles
Ernestine Ashworth turns 17, then 18, then 41, 70, and 101. Across five generations, countless dreams, and a single cake baked over a century, she reflects on her place in the universe.
The Freshers' Showcase
The annual Freshers’ Showcase! A staple of Durham Student Theatre’s Michaelmas calendar where for one night only, Durham’s newest musical theatre talent takes to the stage performing iconic musical theatre classics.
Little Women
The Snow-Globe presents "Little Women (Clapham)". A stage adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel that will make you feel warm and fuzzy this Winter!
Treasure Island
It's a dark and stormy night. Jim, the inn-keeper's granddaughter, opens the door to a terrifying stranger. At the old sailor's feet sits a huge sea-chest, full of secrets. Jim invites him in - and her dangerous voyage begins.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
Christopher, a fifteen year old, stands beside Mrs Shears’ dead dog. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight, and Christopher is under suspicion.
Jekyll and Hyde
With terror in the backstreets of London, Dr Lanyon delves into a world of supernatural horror as he uncovers the mysteries of his friend Dr Jekyll.
Sixthside Theatre presents Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde, a suspenseful tale of mad science and concerned friends.
Scared Scriptless
There's nothing more spooky than the clocks going back, so why not fill that extra hour with a Halloween-themed improv comedy show?
Othello
Elysium Theatre Company presents OTHELLO by William Shakespeare
Part of the Durham Shakespeare Festival 2024
“Perdition catch my soul but I do love thee, and when I love thee not, chaos is come again.”
Award-winning Elysium Theatre Company returns to the Assembly Rooms with new production of Shakespeare's immortal tragedy of love.
The Stand Society: The Return of the Mic
The Stand Society return to The Holy GrAle for their first show of the 2024/5 season, with a jam-packed programme of student comedians.
With both established circuit favourites and brand new debuts, this open-mic collaboration with Durham People of Colour Association marks the Stand’s long-awaited return to the comedy scene.
Indiana Jokes And The Crystal Shell
We're back, and we're kicking off the year the only way that we know how: improvised comedy!
Durham Revue Returners: Mid Laugh Crisis
After a sell out run in London, at Durham Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe, The Durham Revue are back on home turf for an hour of sketch comedy! It’s your last chance to see last year’s troupe perform so its not one to miss!
Undecided: A Musical Misadventure
Durham University's national musical theatre champions are bringing a show full of of iconic musical songs, characters and silliness to Edinburgh this summer! Laugh yourself silly as you choose which of your favourite musical theatre characters find themselves in the wrong song, and watch in amazement as our troupe members belt out classic tune after classic tune – making the troupe's Fringe debut with a bang! Durham University Music Theatre Troupe (DUMT) cannot wait to see you there!
milk teeth
Following the advice of her (hot) therapist, entomologist Zenab buys a baby doll to reconnect with her inner child. But from the moment she takes it out of the box, she feels a strange connection to it. Through the breakdown of her relationship with best friend Bryn, her encounters with a slightly sinister support group mother and therapy sessions that are a little too intimate, the show follows Zenab as she begins to lose her grasp on reality. milk teeth is a play about lost love, motherhood and loneliness.
Technically: A Musical
It’s the morning of the tech run for a fresh, new student production, and the technicians have stayed up all night to make sure their cues are perfect. But their plans quickly change when the Director has a revelation and insists that the entire production be reworked!
Too Close to the Sun
Wrong Tree presents a newly devised show: Too Close to the Sun. The sun will come up tomorrow. But what if it doesn’t? Six people on the periphery reckon with what and who they have left when the unfathomable becomes reality. Against the backdrop of the Arctic, doomsday cults, and outer space, and inspired by the story of Icarus, this experimental and physical anthology explores what we take most for granted.
Love and Freindship!
Love and Freindship (fear not, deliberate misspelling) is a Regency romp through the adventures of Laura, a young woman on the quest for love... and yes, freindship. After finding a stranger on the doorstep of her rustic cottage, Laura is swept away into various schemes and exploits – framed and narrated by her older and wise(r) counterpart. Styled as a combination of Austen and drunk history, this play is the original theatrical late-1700s road trip movie, as our heroine flirts with both the nobility and the law. Before there were women's rights, women's wrongs were fair game.
La Bella
An unsure artist, incongruent in high-class society, and a young bride, delivered to a new city, are thrown together to create something beautiful for the people that control them. What they end up producing is a delicate all-consuming relationship that will prove to be the most important of their lives. Inspired by the friendship between famed Renaissance painter Sandro Botticelli and his model and muse Simonetta Vespucci. Their story is told through vignettes of the brief time they spend together in the artist’s studio before the deadly poison of the outside seeps in through cracks in the door.
Payback Party
When four acquaintances receive a Facebook invite to a surprise birthday party, chaos ensues. Past relationships are revealed, revenge plots are intertwined, and secrets are spilled as the night progresses. Happy birthday to... who?
Newspaper Punchlines
Newspaper Punchlines is a narrative-based improvised comedy show from Shellshock! Improvised Comedy, based on a newspaper headline conjured from audience suggestions. Led by one of our cast as our roving reporter, we’ll write a hilarious brand new front-page headline each night, and incorporate other suggestions on the spot to tell its never-before-seen story. There are laughs aplenty waiting for scandal enthusiasts and comedy lovers alike in our show, discovering the funniest news stories hot off the press!
The Durham Revue: Mid-Laugh Crisis
The group that brought you Liz Kingsman, Ed Gamble, Stevie Martin, Nish Kumar, Ambika Mod and more are back with a new troupe and 100% new material. Join the award-winning Durham Revue, one of the UK’s most famous student comedy groups, for an hour of hilarious sketches. ‘Raucously funny with sublimely clever writing.’ (Fringe Biscuit).
The Durham Revue is turning 50 years old! And how are the troupe celebrating? With a mid-laugh crisis! Will the troupe be able to conquer their 50th fears or will The Durham Revue finally face their last laugh?
The Durham Revue: Mid-Laugh Crisis
The group that brought you Liz Kingsman, Ed Gamble, Stevie Martin, Nish Kumar, Ambika Mod and more are back with a new troupe and 100% new material. Join the award-winning Durham Revue, one of the UK’s most famous student comedy groups, for an hour of hilarious sketches. ‘Raucously funny with sublimely clever writing.’ (Fringe Biscuit).
The Durham Revue is turning 50 years old! And how are the troupe celebrating? With a mid-laugh crisis! Will the troupe be able to conquer their 50th fears or will The Durham Revue finally face their last laugh?
Payback Party
When four acquaintances receive a Facebook invite to a surprise birthday party, chaos ensues. Past relationships are revealed, revenge plots are intertwined, and secrets are spilled as the night progresses. Happy birthday to... who?
Technically: A Musical
It’s the morning of the tech run for a fresh, new student production, and the technicians have stayed up all night to make sure their cues are perfect. But their plans quickly change when the Director has a revelation and insists that the entire production be reworked!
Newspaper Punchlines
Newspaper Punchlines is a narrative-based improvised comedy show from Shellshock! Improvised Comedy, based on a newspaper headline conjured from audience suggestions. Led by one of our cast as our roving reporter, we’ll write a hilarious brand new front-page headline each night, and incorporate other suggestions on the spot to tell its never-before-seen story. There are laughs aplenty waiting for scandal enthusiasts and comedy lovers alike in our show, discovering the funniest news stories hot off the press!
Sonder
A play about strangers, connection, community, hopes and fears.
The stage is set in Durham, and the text is constructed solely from the verbatim words of 5 residents.
It will have you reflecting on your own life whilst also being inspiring, touching and thoughtful.
'Sonder' explores our intimate and mostly unseen connections to strangers.
Showcasing, our similarities, philosophies and even differences, from the mundane to the massive.
...Really, it's about life.
We're Not Going Back
75 Mines. 3 Sisters. 1 Cause. (And a six pack of Babycham)
2024 is the fortieth anniversary of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, a dispute that still resonates today. But the strike wasn’t just about pickets vs police – in this hard-hitting musical comedy there are no miners and no cops. Instead, we follow the fortunes of three sisters in a pit village, hit hard by the Government’s war against the miners and determined to set up a branch of ‘Women Against Pit Closures’.
As You Like It: UK Tour
Castle Theatre Company is delighted to announce its 2024 touring production of one of Shakespeare’s most quick-witted comedies: As You Like It.
When a court falls into distrust and disrepair, brothers will bicker, friends will flee, and shepherds will sing. Rosalind, disguised as a fiery young man called Ganymede, along with her best friend Celia and their voracious fool Touchstone flee to the Forest of Arden to find a new home. Orlando, out of fear of his elder brother Oliver, hides in the forest where he meets Ganymede who promises to cure him of his love for Rosalind. Meanwhile, Silvius attempts to woo Phebe, who has fallen in love with Ganymede and Touchstone uses his relationship with Audrey to taunt the hapless William. As the pessimistic Jaques questions the nature of man and Rosalind finds herself in over her head pretending to be Ganymede, will these four couples find liberty in their banishment?
Castle Theatre Company is one of the oldest performing arts groups at Durham University and for over four decades has taken an annual summer Shakespeare tour around the south of England and the USA, performing classic comedies on the lawns of stately homes, gardens, and abbeys. The company is renowned for its high standard of performance, offering a full-length Shakespeare comedy that is suitable for all the family. 2023’s touring production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream was performed to audiences around the South of England, New York and North Carolina.