The new autumn season of plays, musicals and of course the pantomime has gone on general sale this morning, Friday 5th June, for the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich.
Following the huge success of their acclaimed new musical Caroline, the New Wolsey Theatre has launched another ambitious season with a major musical at its heart. The autumn programme brings together bold new drama adaptations, gig-theatre celebrating an iconic East Anglian rock star, a brand-new indie musical, and the return of the venue’s much-loved Rock’n’Roll Panto, creating a season packed with live music, theatrical invention, laughter, emotion and unforgettable storytelling.
Opening the autumn season, Calendar Girls The Musical (10 to 26 September) is Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s warm, funny and deeply moving adaptation of the true story that became a global phenomenon. Presented in a major co-production with Theatre by the Lake, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Stephen Joseph Theatre, the show is about a group of ordinary Yorkshire WI members who – in the wake of a devastating loss – created a nude charity calendar that captivated the world.
Other season highlights include Ipswich-based Eastern Angles Theatre Company’s new production of classic Norfolk tale The Go-Between (4 to 5 September), adapted by Ben Musgrave from L.P. Hartley’s haunting tale of forbidden love; Jonathan Maitland’s play with music, Wilko: Love and Death and Rock’n’Roll (29 September to 3 October), charting the extraordinary story of Essex Rock’n’Roll icon and Dr Feelgood founder Wilko Johnson; Blackeyed Theatre’s exhilarating adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula (13 to 17 October) brought to life through innovative design and a haunting soundscape; Thunder Road Theatre’s sci-fi stage horror The Void(23 to 24 October) set aboard an aging research vessel eight million miles from Earth; and How Soon is Now? (30 to 31 October), the premiere tour of Siân Owen’s indie musical set in 1997 Manchester, presented by Box of Tricks Theatre Company.
Rounding off the year, the New Wolsey Theatre’s much-loved and award-winning Rock’n’Roll Panto returns (20 November to 16 January) with Cinderella – the show that launched the theatre’s Rock’n’Roll tradition back in 2001. Newly written by Vikki Stone, it promises bold characters, big laughs, buckets of glitter and a talented cast of actor-musicians rocking the stage. As always, the show will be available via a live-stream option (18 to 26 December), making the production accessible to even more audiences who may not be able to visit the theatre in person.
Visit: Cinderella Livestream
Douglas Rintoul, Chief Executive/Artistic Director of the New Wolsey Theatre, said: “This autumn season is exactly the kind of mix we love at the New Wolsey Theatre; big nights out and cracking stories that have something to say. We want this building to feel like the beating heart of Ipswich – somewhere you can come for a laugh, a cry, a bit of escapism or a story that really hits home. From Calendar Girls The Musical to new writing, gig theatre and the return of our Rock’n’Roll Panto, it’s a season full of character, energy and voices that explore what it means to be human.”
You can book online for the New Wolsey Theatre’s autumn 2026 season at wolseytheatre.co.uk, or call the Box Office on 01473 295900.
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