Why Newbury’s Corn Exchange Is Quietly Hosting the Most Sophisticated Autumn Season of 2025
by Marcus Crisp
There’s a cultural hum rising from the heart of Berkshire — and it’s not just the changing leaves or the return of the oat flat white. This autumn, the Corn Exchange Newbury is staging something remarkable: a season that speaks not only to artistic ambition, but to community, heritage, and joyful connection. It’s a programme that spans from the intimate to the iconic, and it’s curated with a confidence that other regional venues would do well to note.
Let’s begin with theatre. The season opens on a high with Shamilton: The Improvised Hip-Hop Musical (28 Aug) — fresh from a triumph at the Edinburgh Fringe. Think sharp wit, musical genius, and a historical twist chosen by the audience. From there, Drum (14 Oct) blends 1960s London with Ghanaian rhythms and archival storytelling in a piece that explores identity with genuine creative force.
Later, Stories From an Invisible Town (21 Oct) offers a darkly comic solo performance by Shôn Dale-Jones — a BBC-award-winning writer reflecting on childhood, myth, and the strange truths we tell ourselves. And if that doesn’t pique your curiosity, the wildly original Revenge: After The Levoyah (4 Nov) certainly will — a politically-charged Jewish comedy centred around a failed plot to kidnap Jeremy Corbyn. Fringe First winner, no less.
For the dance aficionados, two pieces stand out. Story of One, Story of Many (24 Sep) presents Kathak with a contemporary edge, exploring migration and memory through movement. Meanwhile, Richard Chappell Dance returns with Hot House (16 Oct), a kinetic blend of classical Indian music, garage beats, and physical storytelling.
The music programme? Immaculate. From the cinematic sweep of UK Pink Floyd Experience (13 Sep) to the northern soul euphoria of Do I Love You (18 Sep), it’s a line-up that blends homage with heart. Bootleg Eagles, The Dolly Show, and Some Guys Have All The Luck continue the tribute thread with serious musical integrity. Even Step Into Christmas (15 Nov) promises more than glitter — it’s a gorgeously arranged festive celebration.
Comedy, meanwhile, is thriving. Jenny Eclair, Matt Richardson, Milton Jones, and Suzi Ruffell bring the full range — from sardonic social critique to pure, surreal joy. And The Comedy Network’s curated nights (Sep–Nov) are a proving ground for rising stars on the national circuit.
Families are beautifully catered for. The Very Hungry Caterpillar (10–12 Oct), Stick Man (28–30 Oct), Horrible Histories (31 Oct), and Dinosaurs Live! (9 Nov) ensure that young audiences are engaged without condescension. These aren’t just shows — they’re imaginative, high-quality theatrical experiences.
Talks and cause-led events ground the season in place and purpose. Adam Kay returns with macabre hospital anecdotes (6 Sep), while Adam Frost (22 Oct) offers something gentler: a reflection on design, creativity and the natural world. Meanwhile, fundraising events like Newbury Sounds (30 Aug) and An Audience with Clare Balding (16 Sep) demonstrate the Corn Exchange’s deep roots in community development — specifically the reopening of the beloved Old Library.
And it doesn’t stop indoors. Creative Commons (13–14 Sep) transforms Greenham Common into an open-air festival of circus, dance and public art. It’s a celebration of shared space and reclaimed ground. Come December, the Festival of Light (14 Dec) returns — Newbury’s lantern-lit love letter to winter.
The season concludes — as tradition insists — with pantomime. Robin Hood and Maid Marian (28 Nov – 3 Jan) is a dazzling, song-filled, in-house production led by the acclaimed Plested Brown and Wilsher. With inclusive performances (BSL, relaxed, audio-described, and more), it is panto as it should be: inclusive, inventive, and unashamedly fun.
Jessica Jhundoo-Evans, the Corn Exchange’s Director, calls it “hugely varied and diverse,” and she’s right. But more than that — it feels deliberate. Every booking, every collaboration, every community touchpoint has been placed with purpose.
This isn’t just a local programme. It’s a statement. One that says Newbury knows what it’s doing — and it’s doing it brilliantly.
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