What’s On
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Exhibitions
Free
Tim Noble & Sue Webster: Love and Hate at Firstsite
Thursday 09 November 2023 - Tuesday 30 September 2025
In this presentation, seven light sculptures by Noble & Webster illuminate areas of the Firstsite building with pops of glimmering colour.
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Free
Acorn Village: 50 Years
Saturday 26 April - Sunday 07 September 2025
Discover the inspiring 50-year journey of Acorn Village, told through a rich collection of artworks created by artists with learning disabilities.
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Free
YAK: Culture of Curiosities
Saturday 21 June - Sunday 12 October 2025
YAK: Culture of Curiosities curated by our Young Art Kommunity (YAK) showcases how young people use the Internet to portray themselves and the world around them.
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The Last Journey
Thursday 17 July 2025
2:30 pm
Filip Hammar takes his dad on a road trip through Europe with his best mate Fredrik Wikingsson in The Last Journey.
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Tornado
Thursday 17 July 2025
5:30 pm
Set in the rugged landscape of 1790’s Britain, Tornado (played by model-songwriter Koki,) finds herself caught in a perilous situation.
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Jane Austen Wrecked My Life
Thursday 17 July 2025
8:00 pm
A desperately single bookseller, finds herself forced to fulfil her dreams to make her love life better in Jane Austen Wrecked My Life.
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Elio (Parent & Baby)
Friday 18 July 2025
11:15 am
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
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How To Train Your Dragon
Friday 18 July 2025
1:45 pm
More times available
On the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart in How to Train Your Dragon.
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From Hilde With Love (Captioned)
Friday 18 July 2025
4:30 pm
Inspired by a true story, against the backdrop of a torn country, From Hilde, With Love is a powerful tale of love and resistance.
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Free
Opening Celebration | Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder?
Friday 18 July 2025
Be among the first to experience our new summer show – Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder?! Join us for a lively evening opening event and meet some of our artists, hear from our Programme team behind this special exhibition and enjoy the company of like-minded individuals.
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28 Years Later
Friday 18 July 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
It’s been 28 Years Later since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine…
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Free
Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder?
Saturday 19 July - Sunday 05 October 2025
What does it mean to grow up autistic in a digital world? Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder invites you on a sensory, emotional, and digital journey through art, technology, and the world we build online – shaped by the perspectives of autistic and disabled people.
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Free
Relaxed Hours: Voyager 2000: Worldbeing & Wonder?
Saturday 19 July 2025
More times available
Explore the show about growing up autistic and disabled under technology at a quieter and relaxed time. in our Relaxed Hours: Voyager 2000.
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Watercolour Saturdays with Justine Moss
Saturday 19 July 2025
10:00 am
More times available
Explore the materials, techniques and colour theory used to develop your watercolour paintings in this relaxed social session.
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Elio (Relaxed)
Saturday 19 July 2025
11:00 am
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
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Life Drawing with Justine Moss – all levels
Saturday 19 July 2025
1:30 pm
More times available
Whether you’re a beginner or experienced, gain confidence in drawing the figure, with these tutored life drawing sessions.
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Elio (Captioned)
Saturday 19 July 2025
1:45 pm
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
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28 Years Later (Relaxed)
Saturday 19 July 2025
4:30 pm
It’s been 28 Years Later since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine…
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From Hilde With Love
Saturday 19 July 2025
7:30 pm
More times available
Inspired by a true story, against the backdrop of a torn country, From Hilde, With Love is a powerful tale of love and resistance.
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Free
Art in the Community
Tuesday 22 July 2025
More times available
Art in the Community sessions are for people who use creativity to improve their well-being, and for recovery from mental and physical issues
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Elio
Wednesday 23 July 2025
11:00 am
More times available
Elio struggles to fit in until he is transported by aliens and becomes the chosen one to be Earth’s galactic ambassador!
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How To Train Your Dragon (Relaxed)
Wednesday 23 July 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
On the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart in How to Train Your Dragon.
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F1 The Movie (Parent & Baby)
Friday 25 July 2025
1:30 pm
In F1 The Movie, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career.
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The Shrouds
Friday 25 July 2025
5:00 pm
More times available
The Shrouds…Karsh, an innovative businessman and grieving widower, builds a device to connect with the dead inside a burial shroud.
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Hot Milk
Friday 25 July 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
The directorial debut from award-winning screenwriter Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Hot Milk is an intimate exploration of self-discovery, desire…
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F1 The Movie (Captioned)
Saturday 26 July 2025
7:00 pm
In F1 The Movie, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career.
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F1 The Movie
Sunday 27 July 2025
11:00 am
More times available
In F1 The Movie, Sonny Hayes was Formula 1’s most promising phenom of the 1990s until an accident on the track nearly ended his career.
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Roger Waters This Is Not A Drill Live From Prague – The Movie
Sunday 27 July 2025
3:00 pm
The world’s foremost songwriter presents his vision of a better world in Roger Waters This Is Not A Drill Live From Prague – The Movie
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Make
Tuesday 29 July 2025
10:00 am - 2:30 pm
More times available
Get making during our Holiday Fun: Make session with a variety of free creative activities at Firstsite this Summer.
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Athletics
Tuesday 29 July 2025
10:45 am
More times available
On your marks, get set, go! Sprint, leap and throw this summer with our Holiday Fun: Athletics! Learn new skills in a playful sessions.
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Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Canteen (Early Afternoon)
Tuesday 29 July 2025
11:45 am
More times available
Enjoy freshly made hot meals for all the family in an early afternoon at Firstsite’s Holiday Fun Canteen in Colchester town centre.
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Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Canteen (Late Afternoon)
Tuesday 29 July 2025
1:00 pm
More times available
Enjoy freshly made hot meals for all the family at Firstsite’s Holiday Fun Canteen in Colchester town centre.
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – LEGO
Thursday 31 July 2025
10:45 am
Bring your child along for a fun Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – LEGO session, where they’ll follow an Otter’s journey through Colchester!
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Rugby
Thursday 31 July - Wednesday 27 August 2025
12:00 pm
Children can get active and release some steam this Summer with Rugby at Firstsite Holiday Fun in Colchester!
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Gardening
Friday 01 August 2025
10:45 am
More times available
Join us for these hands-on sessions where you will learn how to care for plants through nature inspired arts, crafts and planting.
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CBeebies Musical: The Great Ice Cream Hunt
Friday 01 August 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
When all the ice creams go missing, Lolly the cow and Pinecone the hedgehog team up in CBeebies Musical: The Great Ice Cream Hunt!
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The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (4K Re-release)
Friday 01 August 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
A high-school girl named Makoto becomes The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and decides to use it for her own personal benefits.
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Drawing with Charcoal
Saturday 02 August 2025
10:00 am
Join Jordan Cook in making quick and playful drawings with charcoal into ambitious and imaginative works of art.
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Decorate a Trinket Dish with Posca Pens
Saturday 02 August 2025
10:00 am
More times available
Come along with the kids to decorate a trinket dish with Posca Pens in our Firstsite Art Fair family workshop!
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Free
The Firstsite Art Fair
Saturday 02 August 2025
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
More times available
The Firstsite Art Fair brings together a diverse range of artists, collectors, art lovers and all who are simply curios about art.
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Portfolio Surgery – Morning Sessions
Saturday 02 August 2025
11:00 am
More times available
Book a one-on-one session at our free Artist Portfolio Surgery, where an industry expert will provide professional guidance.
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Afromoves
Saturday 02 - Saturday 16 August 2025
12:00 pm
Dance your way into this summer holiday with fun and energetic Afro-Moves at Firstsite Holiday Fun in Colchester!
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Portfolio Surgery – Afternoon Sessions
Saturday 02 August 2025
12:30 pm
More times available
Book a one-on-one session at our free Artist Portfolio Surgery, where an industry expert will provide professional guidance.
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The Goonies (40th Anniversary)
Saturday 02 August 2025
5:30 pm
More times available
To save their home from foreclosure, a group of misfits set out to find a pirate’s ancient treasure in The Goonies (40th Anniversary).
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How To Train Your Dragon (Captioned)
Sunday 03 August 2025
11:00 am
On the isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been bitter enemies for generations, Hiccup stands apart in How to Train Your Dragon.
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Modigliani – Three Days On The Wing Of Madness
Friday 08 August 2025
4:30 pm
More times available
Modigliani – Three Days On The Wing Of Madness is a personal and universal tale of art, love and rejection told during in a whirlwind.
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Amadeus (4K Restoration)
Friday 08 August 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Amadeus (4K Restoration) is the incredible story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told by his peer and secret rival Antonio Salieri.
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Boozy Brushes – Paint in Pairs
Friday 08 August 2025
7:30 pm
Join Sirena Hart at Firstsite for Boozy Brushes a multi-art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza where you can paint in pairs!
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Four Letters Of Love
Saturday 09 August 2025
5:15 pm
More times available
Based on Niall Williams’ best-selling novel, Four Letters of Love, Nicholas and Isabel were made for each other but how will they know it?
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Superman
Saturday 09 August 2025
7:45 pm
More times available
Superman, follows the titular superhero as he reconciles his heritage of truth with his human upbringing that views this as old-fashioned.
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Free
Holiday Fun: Summer 2025 – Breakdancing
Tuesday 12 August 2025
10:45 am
More times available
Children can show off their best moves with Breakdance at Firstsite Holiday Fun this summer in Colchester!
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Smurfs
Friday 15 August 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
When Papa Smurf is mysteriously taken by evil wizards, Smurfette leads the Smurfs on a mission into the real world in Smurfs.
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Dying
Friday 15 August 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Stemming from their parents being ill, a family going through crises may come together through their love of music…or not in Dying.
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Boozy Brushes
Friday 15 August 2025
7:30 pm
More times available
Join Sirena Hart for Boozy Brushes at Firstsite – our New Multi-Art, Drag entertainment painting class extravaganza!
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Hidden Master: The Legacy Of George Platt Lynes
Thursday 21 August 2025
4:30 pm
More times available
Hidden Master: The Legacy of George Platt Lynes is the legacy of a pioneering, openly gay artist, who took radically explicit photographs.
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The Bad Guys 2
Friday 22 August 2025
1:30 pm
More times available
In The Bad Guys 2, the gang are struggling to find trust and acceptance in their newly minted lives as Good Guys.
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2000 Meters To Andriivka
Friday 22 August 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
2000 Meters to Andriivka is the horrifying, risky, and harrowing documentary of the conflicts and deadly war between Ukraine and Russia.
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Savages
Friday 29 August 2025
11:00 am
More times available
In Borneo, at the edge of the tropical forest, Kéria is given a baby orangutan while the forest is going under a great in Savages.
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Late Shift
Friday 29 August 2025
5:30 pm
More times available
Floria, a dedicated nurse, serves in an understaffed hospital ward. However, today her Late Shift becomes a race against the clock.
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Bring Her Back
Friday 29 August 2025
8:00 pm
More times available
A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother in Bring Her Back.
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Colchester Record Fair
Saturday 30 August 2025
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
More times available
Browse the stalls and grab yourself a bargain – or perhaps something a little rarer at the Colchester Record Fair at Firstsite.
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André Rieu’s 2025 Maastricht Concert: Waltz the Night Away!
Saturday 30 August 2025
4:15 pm
More times available
Step into a night of music, romance, and celebration this summer from the stunning Vrijthof Square with André Rieu’s Waltz the Night Away!
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National Theatre Live: Inter Alia
Thursday 04 September 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Oscar-nominated Rosamund Pike (Gone Girl, Saltburn) is Jessica in the much-anticipated, Inter Alia, from the team behind Prima Facie.
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Folk & Bespoke Artisan Craft Market
Saturday 06 September 2025
10:00 am - 3:00 pm
More times available
Have a handmade shopping day. The people in your life deserves something special and for a totally unique gift, you cannot beat handmade.
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Colchester Library Rhymetimes at Firstsite
Wednesday 10 September 2025
More times available
While Colchester Library is closed for refurbishment, weekly Baby & Toddler Rhymetimes are continuing at Firstsite.
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Firstsite Fabulous Fridays
Friday 12 September 2025
10:00 am
More times available
Immerse yourself in a world of unlimited creativity at our monthly Fabulous Fridays with unique workshops, art, tasty treats and great films!
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Introduction to Collage
Friday 12 September 2025
10:00 am
Sociable, creative and fun Introduction to Collage Workshop where you’ll learn new techniques, unwind and have a delicious lunch together.
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Origami Workshop
Friday 12 September 2025
7:00 pm
In our Origami Workshop, Lu Yu will guide you step by step through the creation of specific origami shapes in this ancient art form!
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Next to Normal
Sunday 14 September 2025
2:00 pm
More times available
Tony® and Pulitzer prize winning show from Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey. Next to Normal explores themes of family and illness, loss and grief.
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The Royal Opera: Tosca
Sunday 05 October 2025
2:00 pm
Tosca and Cavaradossi live for each other and their art. When Cavaradossi helps a prisoner, a deadly enemy is made in The Royal Opera: Tosca
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EcoArt Collage and Craft
Friday 10 October 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Join us for our EcoArt Collage and Craft workshop where creativity meets sustainability in this unique group experience!
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MET Opera Live: La Sonnambula
Saturday 18 October 2025
5:45 pm
Nadine Sierra summits another peak of the soprano repertoire, sleepwalking her way into audiences’ hearts in MET Opera Live: La Sonnambula.
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National Theatre Live: Mrs. Warren’s Profession
Thursday 23 October 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
Imelda Staunton joins forces with Bessie Carter, in the incendiary moral classic National Theatre Live: Mrs. Warren’s Profession.
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Exploring Watercolour with Simon Carter
Friday 24 October 2025
10:00 am
More times available
Explore the art of watercolour with internationally exhibited contemporary artist Simon Carter in Exploring Watercolour with Simon Carter!
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Radiohead X Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror
Friday 31 October 2025
8:00 pm
Pairing classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring a unique big screen experience with Radiohead X Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror!
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Drag Life Drawing with Sirena Hart
Saturday 01 November 2025
6:00 pm
More times available
A one-of-a-kind life drawing class, where your tutor and model will offer multiple poses in fantastical settings.
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Customise your Clothes with Posca Pens
Friday 07 November 2025
7:00 pm
Learn how to transform your old clothes into wearable vibrant art with Posca pens in our Customise your Clothes with Posca Pens workshop!
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MET Opera Live: La Bohème
Saturday 08 November 2025
5:45 pm
With its enchanting setting and spellbinding score, the world’s most popular opera is timeless and heartbreaking in MET Opera Live: La Bohème.
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The Royal Ballet: La Fille mal gardée
Sunday 09 November 2025
2:00 pm
Lise, the only daughter of Simone, loves the young Colas, but her mother has better plans in The Royal Ballet: La Fille mal gardée.
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Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
Saturday 15 November 2025
5:00 pm
More times available
Mystery, intrigue, beauty, passion, murder – shine a new light on Caravaggio in this dramatic biography…Exhibition on Screen: Caravaggio
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John Cleese Packs It In
Sunday 16 November 2025
2:00 pm
1 85-year-old Man, 5 Countries, 16 Cities, 23 shows, 6 weeks. Will he make it home … or is this the end of the road? John Cleese Packs It In
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MET Opera Live: Arabella
Saturday 22 November 2025
5:45 pm
Strauss’s elegant romance brings the glamour and enchantment of 19th-century Vienna in the sumptuous production, MET Opera Live: Arabella.
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National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step
Thursday 27 November 2025
7:00 pm
More times available
After years in a 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka in National Theatre Live: The Fifth Step.
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The Royal Ballet: Cinderella
Sunday 30 November 2025
2:00 pm
Cinderella’s dreary and dull life changes when she helps a mysterious woman out in The Royal Ballet: Cinderella!
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MET Opera Live: Andrea Chénier
Saturday 13 December 2025
5:45 pm
Giordano’s passionate tragedy, MET Opera Live: Andrea Chénier stars tenor Beczała as the poet who falls victim to the French Revolution.
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The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker
Sunday 14 December 2025
2:00 pm
In The Royal Ballet: The Nutcracker, the magician Drosselmeyer needs to save his nephew. Hans-Peter has been transformed into a Nutcracker.
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MET Opera Live: I Puritani
Saturday 10 January 2026
5:45 pm
Experience the first new Met production of Bellini’s final masterpiece in nearly 50 years, MET Opera Live: I Puritani.
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The Royal Opera: La Traviata
Sunday 18 January 2026
2:00 pm
At one of her lavish parties, celebrated Parisan courtesan Violetta is introduced to Alfredo Germont in The Royal Opera: La Traviata.
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National Theatre Live: Hamlet
Thursday 22 January 2026
7:00 pm
More times available
Duty and doubt, surrounded by power and privilege, National Theatre Live: Hamlet dares to ask the ultimate question – you know the one.
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R.E.M. X Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.
Sunday 08 February 2026
2:00 pm
Pairing classic silent movies with epic rock music to bring a unique big screen experience with R.E.M. X Buster Keaton’s Sherlock Jr.!
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The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works
Sunday 15 February 2026
2:00 pm
Virginia Woolf defied literary conventions to depict rich inner worlds – her startling and poignant reality in The Royal Ballet: Woolf Works.
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The Royal Ballet: Giselle
Sunday 08 March 2026
2:00 pm
The Royal Ballet: Giselle, has fallen in love with Albrecht. When she discovers that he is an unavailable nobleman, she falls in despair.
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Exhibition on Screen: Turner and Constable
Saturday 14 March 2026
5:00 pm
More times available
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of their births, Exhibition on Screen: Turner and Constable explores their intertwined lives and legacies
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MET Opera Live: Tristan und Isolde
Saturday 21 March 2026
3:45 pm
The electrifying Davidsen tackles one of the ultimate roles: the Irish princess Isolde in MET Opera Live: Tristan und Isolde.
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The Royal Opera: Siegfried
Sunday 05 April 2026
2:00 pm
Raised by a scheming dwarf and unaware of his true family origins, a young man embarks on an epic journey in The Royal Opera: Siegfried.
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The Royal Opera: The Magic Flute
Sunday 26 April 2026
2:00 pm
Princess Pamina has been captured. Her mother, tasks the young Prince Tamino with her daughter’s rescue in The Royal Opera: The Magic Flute.
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MET Opera Live: Eugene Onegin
Saturday 02 May 2026
5:45 pm
After debuting in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, Grigorian returns as Tatiana, the lovestruck young heroine in MET Opera Live: Eugene Onegin.
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Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo; the Making of an Icon
Sunday 24 May 2026
2:00 pm
More times available
Frida Kahlo is a phenomenon. She is arguably the world’s favourite female artist in Exhibition on Screen: Frida Kahlo; the Making of an Icon.
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MET Opera Live: El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego
Saturday 30 May 2026
5:45 pm
MET Opera Live: El Último Sueño de Frida y Diego, a magical-realist portrait of Mexico’s painterly power couple Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera.
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