We'd like to stay in touch!

We are updating how we communicate with our audiences. Let us know which communications you would like to continue receiving, otherwise you may stop hearing from us.

Andy Zaltzman –The Zaltgeist

With the 3rd millennium almost 2.5% complete, Andy Zaltzman, one of the UK's leading satirical comedians, assesses the state of Planet Earth and its most famous and controversial species – the human race.

In the biggest stand-up tour of his career, Andy will attempt to concoct vaguely plausible answers to perennial questions such as What?, Who?, Where?, and above all Why?

As chair of The News Quiz since 2020, Andy has brought his inventive brand of satirical comedy to BBC Radio 4's long-running flagship topical comedy show, earning the show multiple awards, critical acclaim and a growing listenership.

Andy has hosted The Bugle, one of the world's longest-running and best-loved comedy podcasts, since 2007 (alongside John Oliver until 2015, and with numerous co-hosts from numerous continents since 2016). Renowned for its unique cocktail of up-to-the-minute global satire and premium-grade hogwash, and listened to by hundreds of thousands around the world, The Bugle recently passed the 600-episode mark, and has clocked up around 100 million total downloads.

Andy is unquestionably amongst the very best of the one-person list of Satirical Stand-Up Comedians Who Are Also Professional Cricket Statisticians. Since 2016, he has been a key member of the Test Match Special team, adding his distinctive blend of knowledge, expertise, humour and numerical inquisitiveness to the BBC's legendary cricket broadcast.

He has toured in the USA, India and Australia, wrote a book about the 2008 economic crisis, and will be appearing in series 18 of Taskmaster in Autumn 2024.

'Outright hilarious… beautifully formed' ★★★★ Dominic Maxwell, The Times

'Andy Zaltzman has revitalised the News Quiz… fizzes with a vitality and sense of fun that’s rare in such topical comedy warhorses' Steve Bennett, Chortle

'The Bugle: Silliness and laughter… Zaltzman is a sharp writer and an excellent satirist who combines political observation with daft whimsy' Fiona Sturges, Financial Times

Courtyard Theatre
£18

other events you may be interested in

F
E
C

National Theatre Live: Nye

160 mins

Michael Sheen plays Nye Bevan in a surreal and spectacular journey through the life and legacy of the man who transformed Britain’s welfare state and created the NHS.

Confronted with death, Aneurin ‘Nye’ Bevan’s deepest memories lead him on a mind-bending journey back through his life - from childhood to mining underground, Parliament and fights with Churchill.

'A taut and fluid triumph' ★★★★★ iNews

'A mighty, moving piece of theatre' ★★★★ Financial Times

'A valiant and valuable affirmation of the NHS' ★★★★ Telegraph

'Michael Sheen is a blazing presence' ★★★★ Broadway World

Written by Tim Price and directed by Rufus Norris (Small Island). This epic new Welsh fantasia is broadcast from the National Theatre.

Cinema
£16

C

Avalon Edinburgh Preview: Steve Bugeja and Ania Magliano

Steve Bugeja

Steve Bugeja is one of the circuit’s most exciting comedians, writers and performers. Steve co-created and co-wrote the ITV2 sitcom Buffering with Iain Stirling. A second series of the fresh new comedy showcasing Iain and Steve’s brilliantly funny and razor-sharp millennial voices will air in January 2023.

Steve previously hosted the BBC Radio 4 series Economics with Subtitles and has made numerous appearances on TV shows including The Russell Howard Hour (Sky One), Love Island: Aftersun (ITV2), Russell Howard’s Stand Up Central (Comedy Central) and Zoe Ball on Saturday (ITV1). A prolific writer, Steve is the head writer for Iain Stirling’s CelebAbility (ITV2) and was a key member of the writing team for The Russell Howard Hour (Sky One). He has contributed material to Mock the Week (BBC2), 8 Out of 10 Cats (Channel 4) and BBC Radio 4. Making a name for himself internationally, Steve has twice been invited to perform at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, appearing on Opening Night Comedy Allstars Supershow (ABC1) and on Comedy Up Late (ABC1). Steve won the BBC New Comedy Award in 2013 and has since performed numerous Edinburgh Fringe shows and national tours.

'Bugeja has an eye for original comic detail that’s all his own' The Guardian
'Plentiful jokes and compelling storytelling' The Scotsman
★★★★ Sunday Post
★★★★ One4Review

Ania Magliano
Ania is a comedian based in London. She’s a triple threat (bisexual, Gen Z, bad at cooking). Her sharp, wry writing combined with her warm conversational performance style make her a glittering new talent (the i Paper) of the UK comedy scene.

Her 2023 stand up show, I Can’t Believe You’ve Done This, was nominated for the Edinburgh Comedy Award for Best Show, and sold out its entire Fringe run before the festival began. It received multiple 4 and 5 star reviews, with the Scotsman calling it a beautifully structured show and Ania a truly original voice with an impressive set of skills. The show was included in British Comedy Guide’s Best Reviewed Edinburgh Fringe Shows 2023 list and was the Number 1 pick in Time Out’s The 11 best comedy shows at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2023.

Her debut hour of comedy, Absolutely No Worries If Not, won Best New Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2022, and sold out entire runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and Soho Theatre. An extra date was put on at London’s Leicester Square Theatre for one night only. The Times described it as the sort of elegantly amusing, surprising and inspiring debut hour that you come to the Fringe to see, whilst the Guardian listed it as one of 10 Fringe Shows Not To Miss, saying it ‘will have you crying with laughter.

Ania has appeared on multiple podcasts, including picking what was described by Ed as one of the worst menus ever on Off Menu with Ed Gamble and James Acaster. You may have heard her on Radio 5 Live with Elis James and John Robins, Brett Goldstein’s Films to be Buried With, Pappy’s Flatshare, Trusty Hogs, Cuddle Club and The Moon Under Water. She has opened for Ed Gamble, Marc Maron and Catherine Cohen. She has also appeared on ITV2’s The Stand Up Sketch Show, Dave’s Get Off My Phone and Dave’s The Comedy Guide to Life.

As a writer Ania regularly works with comedian, journalist and viral sensation Amelia Dimoldenberg on Chicken Shop Date and Amelia’s Cooking Show, featuring guests such as Ed Sheeran, Charli XCX and Louis Theroux. She has written for The Emily Atack Show (ITV2), Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC2), Newsjack (BBC R4) and The Now Show (BBC R4). Recently she’s written and created corporate content for major brands such as BeautyPie and PrimeVideoUK. She has written multiple well received columns for the Metro (UK), and also publishes her own newsletter on Substack to hundreds of readers. Ania has a growing social media following, including 25k followers on Twitter, and over 1 million views on Youtube with over 20k subscribers. She’s recently branched out into TikTok, amassing over 1.8 million likes. You may recognise her from one of her previous hair colours.

Studio
£10

Steve's website

X Steve Bugeja
Insta stevebugejacomedy
Fb Steve Bugeja
Tiktok stevebugejacomedy

Ania's website

X Ania Magliano
Insta aniamagliano
Fb Ania Magliano
Tiktok aniamagliano

C
D

Salsa

Led by SalsaStyle

Specialising for twenty years in providing individual attention to help you develop dance techniques and grow in confidence. SalsaStyle will ensure everyone feels welcome no matter what level.

Spring
22 Mar - 26 Apr, exc 29 Mar (5 weeks)

Summer
Fri 3 May - 7 Jun, exc 17 May (5 weeks)
Fri 14 Jun - 19 Jul (6 weeks)
Fri 26 Jul - 16 Aug (4 weeks)

8.15pm - 9.15pm
£12 per session | £50 for 5 weeks | £60 for 6 weeks | £40 for 4 weeks

Don't forget to stay for the Salsa Social from 9.15pm - 10pm: stay after the class for a dance and drink!

Box Office closes at 8pm but online booking is still available.

Click here for more information about SalsaStyle.

Please note that the class on Friday 8 March will be led by Darren and Tara.

LIMITED AVAILABILITY
C

Simon Evans - Have We Met?

After finally solving the mystery of his existence and true identity in Work of the Devil, Simon finds that he has still not overcome the more daily challenges of remembering what he came upstairs for, who these grown-ups are that live with him (and what they have done with his children?) and how can that footage be from 2009, when he only bought those shoes a few months ago?

In Greek mythology, the Muses were the daughters of Mnemosyne, goddess of memory - though ironically, there is no easy way to remember her name. But Memory was thus clearly regarded by the ancient Greeks as the mother of the arts, wellspring of inspiration, the compost in which imagination takes rooty. Our last defence against tyranny, the consolation of the just and the seat of the soul. Without memory, the illusion of self crumbles. Mine, however, is shot. So where does that leave me?

'A masterclass' ★★★★★ Scotsman

'Outstanding stuff' ★★★★½ Chortle.co.uk

PS What have I forgotten?

Courtyard Theatre
£17

Suitable for ages 14+ years, any ticketholders under 14 years will not be admitted.

Simon's website

X simon evans

M
C

Summer Recital Series - St John’s Ensemble

Summer Recital Series (2/4)

Ron Colyer (violin)
Susan Black (viola)
Paul Cox (cello)
Kate Addis (double bass)
Jay Wilkinson (flute)
Rachel Porter (oboe)
Caroline Owen (clarinet)
Nigel Wilkinson (piano)

Schubert Sonatina in D for violin and piano
Mozart Adagio and Rondo, K.617
Beethoven Trio in B flat for clarinet, cello and piano, Op.11
Schubert Quintet in A (Trout)

Schubert’s great Quintet is one of the happiest and enchanting chamber works ever composed. This delightful summery programme also includes an early Beethoven trio, and Mozart’s final chamber work, originally intended to include glass harmonica.

Courtyard Theatre
£18 | Under 18s Free

M
J

The Art Themen Quartet

Art Themen played tenor saxophone with a university jazz band while studying medicine at Cambridge.

After qualifying as a doctor, he moved to London and in the early 60s played in several blues and R&B bands. During this period he worked with Alexis Korner, Phil Seamen, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Rod Stewart, Joe Cocker and Long John Baldry. In the late 60s and early 70s his musical direction shifted towards jazz and he played with Barbara Thompson, Michael Garrick, Henry Lowther and Graham Collier.

In 1974 he began a long and particularly fruitful association with Stan Tracey, which continued into the 90s. He has also accompanied numerous visiting US jazzmen, including Al Haig, Red Rodney, George Coleman and Nat Adderley. A highly individual playing style marks Themen’s performances.

Art Themen (Tenor/Soprano sax)
Alex Hutton (Piano)
Simon Thorpe (Bass)
Dave Barry (Drums)

Studio
£16

C

Avalon Edinburgh Preview: Garrett Millerick and Sara Barron

Two comedians preview their material ahead of the Edinburgh Festival.

Garrett Millerick
A phenomenal stand-up comic, Garrett’s breakout television performance was on the hit US late night talk show Conan (TBS). His live show Sunflower became one of the best reviewed and most talked about shows of 2018, both at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and subsequently at London’s Soho Theatre. The show saw packed houses for both runs and regularly added shows to cope with demand.

The show was Time Out London’s No.1 Comedy Pick for February 2019, and saw Garrett receive a nomination for Breakthrough Act at the 2019 Chortle Awards. Garrett has since followed up the show with Smile and Just Trying to Help. The Times called Smile one of the stand out shows of the year and The British Comedy Guide named it one of the best reviewed shows of the year. All three shows transferred to London before touring the UK and have been recorded by 800 Pound Gorilla Records to stream and purchase internationally.

His new show Just Trying to Help was nominated for best show at the Leicester Comedy Festival and also received critical acclaim at the 2022 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, being described as 'a performance of rare force and intensity that overpowers his audience…It’s a travesty that he’s not much better known outside the comedy cognoscenti' ★★★★ Chortle. The show later transferred to the Soho Theatre and is currently touring across the UK. Garrett is currently working on a new sitcom which previously recorded a pilot for Audible produced by Hat Trick Productions and starring Jack Dee and Meera Syal. He previously created and co hosted hit podcast Laughable with Jayde Adams and Red Richardson which was picked by the Guardian as one of the funniest podcasts to listen to during the pandemic.

Sara Barron
Sara Barron is one of the fastest-rising comedians of her generation. Since her 2018 debut at the Edinburgh Fringe, she’s starred on shows including Live at the Apollo (BBC), Would I Lie to You? (BBC) and Frankie Boyle’s New World Order (BBC).

A powerhouse live act, Sara has taken 3 critically acclaimed stand-up hours, For Worse (2018), Enemies Closer (2019), and Hard Feelings (2022) to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and had multiple runs in London’s Soho Theatre. Her shows have received rave reviews from publications including The Times, The Guardian, The Independent, The Evening Standard and The Scotsman, and she was nominated for Best Newcomer at the Edinburgh Comedy Awards.

Sara’s further television credits include 8 Out of 10 Cats (C4), Hypothetical (Dave), Richard Osman’s House of Games (BBC), Alan Davies’ As Yet Untitled (DAVE), Roast Battle (Comedy Central) and Hello, America (Quibi). On radio, her credits include appearances on The News Quiz, The Now Show, and Woman’s Hour on Radio 4.

Sara also co-created and co-hosts the hit Succession recap podcast Firecrotch and Normcore which has previously featured guests including Jesse Armstrong, elf Esteem, Chris Addison and Lorraine Kelly, as well as The Traitors recap podcast, Laters, Traitors!
As a writer, Sara has published two essay collections, People are Unappealing and The Harm in Asking. Her writing has also featured in Vanity Fair and on This American Life.

Studio
£10

Garrett's website

X Garrett Millerick
Insta millerickcomedy
Fb Garrett Millerick - Comedian
Tiktok millerickcomedy

Sara's website

X Sara Barron
Insta sarabarron1000000
Fb Sara Barron

C
M

Come and Sing - The Musicals

Led by Tabitha Beaven

Come and sing at Norden Farm this summer. Experience for yourself how good it feels to open your mouth, smile and sing in harmony with others.

Each two-hour session has a different theme and will include a fun, inhibition eliminating warm up, an element of vocal technique and learning at least one, two- or three-part, song from the chosen genre.

Whether your regular choir is taking a break over the summer, or you’ve always wanted to experience singing in a group, ALL are welcome. A totally inclusive singing session, come with friends, or come by yourself and make new friends!

Choose your favourite theme, or even better, come to all three.

Come and Sing the Musicals! – Tuesday 30 July
Release your inner show star and have a blast singing brilliant musical theatre hits. Embrace the passion, drama and adventure of the West End and whatever we create, we can always give ourselves a standing ovation!

Come and Sing Country – Tuesday 6 August
Country music has become increasing popular capturing hearts and minds through relatable songs and stories. Grab your cowboy hats (optional!) and learn how to add that powerful country twang to your vocal. Leave with a song in your heart and smile on your face.

Come and Sing ABBA – Tuesday 13 August
Whether you’re a Dancing Queen or a Super Trouper, there’s a lot to love in ABBA’s infectious melodies, catchy choruses and disco beats. By the end of the session I’m sure we’ll be saying ‘Thank you for the Music’ ABBA!

About Tabitha
Tabitha loves to sing and is passionate about the power of singing for all. Tabitha founded Maidenhead’s Tuneless Choir in 2016 and also leads ‘Virtually Tuneless’, an online singing option for people who can’t get to an in-person choir but want to reap the benefits of singing.

A multi-instrumentalist Tabitha has been a member of local Funk & Soul band, Funkin’ Souled Out, she delivers corporate business skills workshops through the medium of the ukulele and enjoys writing and arranging vocal arrangements. Her style has been described as warm and vibrant with intoxicating enthusiasm.

£15 per session

have your say

 message