Benson Hall | Compton Bassett

NT LIVE: The Playboy of the Western World
2026-05-28 19:15 - 22:00 (Europe/London) | Benson Hall, Briar Leaze, Compton Bassett, Calne, SN11 8RQ, United Kingdom
The Playboy of the Western World
by John Millington Synge
At the edge of the earth, you could be anyone.
Pegeen Flaherty’s life is turned upside down when, on a normal day, a young man walks into her pub claiming that he’s killed his father.
Instead of being shunned, the killer Christy Mahon becomes a local hero. The welcome murderer wins hearts and races as he beds himself into village life. That is, until a second man unexpectedly arrives on the scene…
Caitríona McLaughlin (Artistic Director of the Abbey Theatre, Dublin) directs Nicola Coughlan (Bridgerton), Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) and Siobhán McSweeney (Derry Girls) in John Millington Synge’s riveting story of youth and self-discovery.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: 12+

MET OPERA: Eugene Onegin
2026-05-05 19:15 - 22:30
Eugene Onegin –
Pushkin presents a vast overview of old Russian society around 1820, which Tchaikovsky’s original score neatly divides into each of its three acts: from the timeless rituals of country life to the rural gentry with its troubles and pleasures and, finally, the glittering imperial aristocracy of St. Petersburg. The Met’s production places the action in the later 19th century, around the time of the opera’s premiere.
Tchaikovsky’s universally beloved lyric gifts are at their most powerful and multilayered in this opera. Rich ensembles and buoyant dance numbers punctuate the work, and the vocal solos are among the most striking in the repertory: Anyone who can remember the first stirrings of love will be moved by Tatiana’s Letter Scene, in which she rhapsodically composes a letter to Onegin in an outpouring of gorgeous melody. This is rivalled in popularity by the tenor’s moving farewell to his young life in Act II, while Onegin’s Act III narrative on the pointlessness of life borders on Wagnerian.
Following her acclaimed 2024 company debut in Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, soprano Asmik Grigorian returns to the Met as Tatiana, the lovestruck young heroine in this ardent operatic adaptation of Pushkin. Baritone Igor Golovatenko reprises his portrayal of the urbane Onegin, who realises his affection for her all too late. The Met’s evocative production, directed by Tony Award–winner Deborah Warner, “offers a beautifully detailed reading of … Tchaikovsky’s lyrical romance” (The Telegraph).
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: 12+

Friday Night Bingo
2026-05-01 19:00 - 22:00
Join us for our monthly Friday Night Fundraising Bingo
Doors & Bar open at 7:00 pm
Eyes Down 7:30 pm

RBO: The Magic Flute
2026-04-23 19:15 - 22:00
The Magic Flute –
Mozart’s fantastical opera glitters in David McVicar’s enchanting production, conducted by French conductor Marie Jacquot in her Covent Garden debut, and Finnegan Downie Dear.
Prince Tamino promises the Queen of the Night that he will rescue her daughter Pamina from the enchanter Sarastro. He begins his quest, accompanied by the bird-catcher Papageno – but all is not as it seems…
With an enduring love story at its heart, complex villains and an unforgettable comic sidekick in Papageno, The Magic Flute weaves an enchanting tale from start to finish, starring Siobhan Stagg, Sabine Devieilhe and Roderick Williams.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: 8+

NT LIVE: All My Sons
2026-04-16 19:15 - 22:00
All My Sons
by Arthur Miller
Directed by Ivan Van Hove
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Hard Truths) feature in a five-star, triumphantly acclaimed new production of Arthur Miller’s classic play, from visionary director Ivo Van Hove (A View from the Bridge).
One family, the heart of the American dream. When wartime delivers profits for Joe, it comes at a price when his partner is charged with criminal manufacturing deals, and his eldest son goes missing in action. Will peacetime bring peace of mind, or will he be confronted by the consequences of his actions?
Filmed live from the West End, Paapa Essiedu (I May Destroy You), Tom Glynn-Carney (House of the Dragon), and Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake) also feature in this disturbingly prescient play.

Reviews

★★★★★
‘The stars of a dream cast align’
Guardian
★★★★★
‘I have never seen a better production of this play’
Independent

Doors & Bar open at 6.30pm
Suitability: 12+

Friday Night Bingo
2026-04-03 19:00 - 22:00
Join us for our monthly Friday Night Fundraising Bingo
Doors & Bar open at 7.00 pm
Eyes Down 7.30 pm

Friday Night Bingo
2026-03-13 19:00 - 22:00
Join us for our monthly Friday Night Fundraising Bingo
Doors & Bar Opens at 7:00 pm
Eyes Down 7:30 pm

CHADS: Tickled
2026-03-07 19:30 - 22:00, 2026-03-06 19:30 - 22:00
Tickled
– a revue of sketches.

£12 ticket includes a light supper.

Performance contains flashing lights.

Doors & Bar open at 6:30pm
Suitability: 12+

RBO: Giselle
2026-03-05 19:15 - 22:00
Giselle –
The peasant girl Giselle has fallen in love with Albrecht. When she discovers that he is actually a nobleman promised to another, she kills herself in despair. Her spirit joins the Wilis: the vengeful ghosts of women hell-bent on killing any man who crosses their path in a dance to the death. Wracked with guilt, Albrecht visits Giselle’s grave, where he must face the Wilis – and Giselle’s ghost.
Peter Wright’s 1985 production of this quintessential Romantic ballet is a classic of The Royal Ballet repertory. Set to Adolphe Adam’s evocative score and with atmospheric designs by John Macfarlane, Giselle conjures up the earthly and otherworldly realms in a tale of love, betrayal and redemption.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: PG

NT LIVE: The Audience
2026-02-26 19:15 - 22:00
The Audience
by Peter Morgan
Directed by Stephen Daldry
Academy Award-winner Helen Mirren plays Queen Elizabeth II in the much-anticipated return of the Olivier Award–winning hit production, which inspired Netflix’s The Crown.
For 60 years, Queen Elizabeth II met with each of her 12 prime ministers in a private weekly meeting. This meeting is known as The Audience.
From Winston Churchill to Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron, the Queen advised her prime ministers on matters both public and personal.
Through these private audiences, we see glimpses of the woman behind the crown and witness the moments that shaped a monarch.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: 12+

RBO: Woolf Works
2026-02-12 19:15 - 22:00
Woolf Works –
Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor’s experimental ballet triptych inspired by the genre-defying works and writings of Virginia Woolf, set to an original score by Max Richter.
One of the most groundbreaking writers of the 20th century, Virginia Woolf defied literary conventions to depict rich inner worlds – her heightened, startling and poignant reality. Moving away from traditional narrative storytelling, Woolf Works evokes Woolf’s stream of consciousness writing style with a collage of themes from Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, The Waves and her other writings. Created for The Royal Ballet in 2015 and winner of an Olivier and a Critics’ Circle National Dance Award, Woolf Works captures the heart of Woolf’s uniquely artistic spirit.
Woolf Works’ immense power as ‘a ballet of ravishing feeling and radical intellectual intent’ (The Guardian) lies in the potent imaginations of its artistic team. Choreographer and director Wayne McGregor leads a luminous team including composer Max Richter, architectural practices Ciguë and We Not I, lighting designer Lucy Carter, costume designer Moritz Junge, film designer Ravi Deepres, make-up designer Kabuki and dramaturg Uzma Hameed.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: 8+

Friday Night Bingo
2026-02-06 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-12-12 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-11-07 19:00 - 22:00, 2025-10-17 19:00 - 22:00
Join us for our monthly Friday Night Fund Raising Bingo
Doors & Bar Opens at 7:00pm
Eyes Down 7:30pm

LIVE MUSIC: Old Baby Mackerel
2026-01-30 19:30 - 22:00
Old Baby Mackerel
Old Baby Mackerel play high-energy, foot-stomping bluegrass featuring some of the UK’s best bluegrass musicians. Be prepared to be transported back in time to the early 20th century and across the Atlantic to North America, where songs dramatised the small town fascination with locomotion, religion and the veneration of whisky and bootleg liquor. Gathered around a single condenser microphone in the true bluegrass style, the sounds of banjo, guitar, mandolin and double bass blend lightning-fast rhythm, virtuosic solos and evocative harmonies to get knees bouncing and elbows swinging.
Old Baby Mackerel have been featured on BBC radio, including 6 Music with Cerys Matthews, played Glastonbury Festival twice (2019 and 2022), and sold out venues across the UK. In 2024 they completed a sold-out tour of Dorset and have played headline slots at Purbeck (2022) and Priddy (2023) folk festivals, the Northern Irish, Cornish, Welsh, East Anglian and Swiss Bluegrass festivals, at venues and festivals all over the UK and Ireland as well as Belgium, Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Sweden, Italy, Portugal and Thailand.
Doors & Bar Open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: 12

NTL: Hamlet
2026-01-22 19:15 - 22:00
Hamlet
by William Shakespeare
directed by Robert Hast
Olivier Award-winner Hiran Abeysekera (Life of Pi) is Hamlet in this fearless, contemporary take on Shakespeare’s famous tragedy.
Trapped between duty and doubt, surrounded by power and privilege, young Prince Hamlet dares to ask the ultimate question – you know the one.
National Theatre Deputy Artistic Director, Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Operation Mincemeat) directs this sharp, stylish and darkly funny reimagining.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm
Suitability: PG

RBO: La Traviata
2026-01-14 19:00 - 22:00
La Traviata
– A moving story about a woman in love that features one of opera’s most famous melodies (the ‘Brindisi’ chorus), La Traviata is perfect for first-timers and a favourite among regular opera-goers.
Giacomo Sagripanti conducts a starry cast headlined by Stephen Costello (Alfredo), Pretty Yende (Violetta) and Vladimir Stoyanov (Giorgio).
In director Richard Eyre’s world of seductive grandeur, the tender and devastating beauty at the centre of Verdi’s opera shines bright.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm

RBO: The Nutcracker (Sunday Matinee)
2025-12-14 16:00 - 18:00
Christmas begins with Peter Wright’s magical production of The Nutcracker, in cinemas this December. Created for The Royal Ballet in 1984 and much loved all over the world, this show has long been a Christmas family favourite. Relive all the magic of the festive season with the Royal Ballet and Opera.
With breathtaking choreography, Tchaikovsky’s spectacular score, and Julia Trevelyan Oman’s gorgeous, timeless designs, audiences are sure to delight in seeing this ballet classic on screen at their local cinema.
This performance features Royal Ballet dancers Sophie Allnatt as Clara and Leo Dixon as her enchanted Nutcracker. Prepare to be taken on a Christmas Eve adventure to fight the Mouse King, dance in the Kingdom of Sweets, and meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, performed by Royal Ballet Principal dancers Anna Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambé.
Don’t miss the chance to experience the incredible performances of this joyful show on the big screen.

RBO: The Nutcracker
2025-12-10 19:15 - 22:00
Christmas begins with Peter Wright’s magical production of The Nutcracker, in cinemas this December. Created for The Royal Ballet in 1984 and much loved all over the world, this show has long been a Christmas family favourite. Relive all the magic of the festive season with the Royal Ballet and Opera.
With breathtaking choreography, Tchaikovsky’s spectacular score, and Julia Trevelyan Oman’s gorgeous, timeless designs, audiences are sure to delight in seeing this ballet classic on screen at their local cinema.
This performance features Royal Ballet dancers Sophie Allnatt as Clara and Leo Dixon as her enchanted Nutcracker. Prepare to be taken on a Christmas Eve adventure to fight the Mouse King, dance in the Kingdom of Sweets, and meet the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Prince, performed by Royal Ballet Principal dancers Anna Rose O’Sullivan and Marcelino Sambé.
Don’t miss the chance to experience the incredible performances of this joyful show on the big screen.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm

NTL: The Fifth Step
2025-12-04 19:15 - 22:00
The Fifth Step
by David Ireland
directed by Finn den Hertog
Olivier Award-winner Jack Lowden (Slow Horses, Dunkirk) is joined by Emmy and BAFTA-winner Martin Freeman (The Hobbit, The Responder) in the critically acclaimed and subversively funny new play by David Ireland.
After years in the 12-step programme of Alcoholics Anonymous, James becomes a sponsor to newcomer Luka. The pair bond over black coffee, trade stories and build a fragile friendship out of their shared experiences. But as Luka approaches step five – the moment of confession – dangerous
truths emerge, threatening the trust on which both of their recoveries depend.
Finn den Hertog directs the provocative and entertaining production filmed live from @sohoplace on London’s West End.
Doors & Bar Open at 6:30pm
Please be seated by 7:00pm
Suitability: 15

RBO: Cinderella (Sunday Matinee)
2025-11-30 16:00 - 18:00
Ashton’s adaptation of Cinderella received its premiere on 23rd December 1948 with Royal
Ballet dancers Moira Shearer and Michael Somes in the lead roles. The production was
received rapturously with Ashton’s reworking of Charles Perrault’s famous rags-to-riches
story proving a compelling showcase for the choreographer’s musicality and the beauty of
Sergey Prokofiev’s transcendent score.
Cinderella made a welcome return to the stage in 2023 after an absence of over 10 years in
a new production with an award-winning creative team steeped in the magic of theatre, film,
dance and opera, bringing new atmosphere to Cinderella’s ethereal world of fairy
godmothers and pumpkin carriages. Set design is by Tom Pye (My Neighbour Totoro,
Olivier award for Best Set Design), costume designs by Alexandra Byrne (Elizabeth: The
Golden Age, Academy Award for Best Costume Design), lighting design by David Finn
(Brokeback Mountain), video design by Finn Ross (Les Miserables, Frozen) and illusions by
Chris Fisher (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child).
Cinderella is a co-production between The Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada.

RBO: Cinderella
2025-11-27 19:15 - 22:00
Ashton’s adaptation of Cinderella received its premiere on 23rd December 1948 with Royal
Ballet dancers Moira Shearer and Michael Somes in the lead roles. The production was
received rapturously with Ashton’s reworking of Charles Perrault’s famous rags-to-riches
story proving a compelling showcase for the choreographer’s musicality and the beauty of
Sergey Prokofiev’s transcendent score.
Cinderella made a welcome return to the stage in 2023 after an absence of over 10 years in
a new production with an award-winning creative team steeped in the magic of theatre, film,
dance and opera, bringing new atmosphere to Cinderella’s ethereal world of fairy
godmothers and pumpkin carriages. Set design is by Tom Pye (My Neighbour Totoro,
Olivier Award for Best Set Design), costume designs by Alexandra Byrne (Elizabeth: The
Golden Age, Academy Award for Best Costume Design), lighting design by David Finn
(Brokeback Mountain), video design by Finn Ross (Les Misérables, Frozen) and illusions by
Chris Fisher (Harry Potter and The Cursed Child).
Cinderella is a co-production between The Royal Ballet and the National Ballet of Canada.
Doors & Bar open at 6.30 pm

RBO: La Fille Mal Gardee
2025-11-06 19:15 - 22:00
Escape to the countryside with Frederick Ashton’s ballet about a capricious girl who hopes to marry her love. Brimming with humour and choreographic invention, La Fille mal gardée is the perfect ballet for all the family.

A love letter to the English countryside
When La Fille mal gardée premiered in Covent Garden on 28 January 1960, it instantly won all hearts. Inspired by Jean Dauberval’s French ballet, Ashton’s version combines exuberant good humour and an affectionate portrayal of village life. The Royal Ballet’s Founder Choreographer, Ashton hoped to capture the ‘leafy pastoral of perpetual sunshine…the suspended stillness of a Constable landscape of my beloved Suffolk, luminous and calm’. Osbert Lancaster’s colourful designs bring the charm of the countryside to life.

Ashton’s choreographic brilliance
Testament to Ashton’s boundless creative invention, the ballet is constructed like a brilliantly complex piece of clockwork with technically demanding choreography that stretches the world’s best dancers. Ashton made full use of the technical talents of his original cast – Nadia Nerina and David Blair – and this is reflected in the virtuosity of much of the ballet’s choreography: multiple pirouettes, grand lifts and fleet footwork. Highlights include the pas de ruban (ribbon dance), where Lise and Colas dance together, their bodies intertwined by a ribbon – a symbol of their tender love. In order to evoke the bliss of the rustic countryside, Ashton also included elements of national folk dance – from maypole dancing to a Lancashire clog dance for Widow Simone.

NTL: Mrs Warren's Profession
2025-10-29 19:15 - 22:15
Mrs. Warren’s Profession
by Bernard Shaw
directed by Dominic Cooke
Five-time Olivier Award winner Imelda Staunton (The Crown) joins forces with her real-life daughter Bessie Carter (Bridgerton) for the very first time, playing mother and daughter in Bernard Shaw’s incendiary moral classic.
Vivie Warren is a woman ahead of her time. Her mother, however, is a product of that old patriarchal order. Exploiting it has earned Mrs. Warren a fortune – but at what cost?
Filmed live from the West End, this new production reunites Staunton with director Dominic Cooke (Follies, Good), exploring the clash between morality and independence, traditions and progress.
Doors & Bar Opens at 6:30pm
Please be seated by 7:00pm

MET: La Sonnambula
2025-10-21 18:45 - 22:15
The opera is set in a village in the Swiss Alps, a deliberately fabled yet plausible setting that reflects the story’s balance between realism and dream time.
World premiere: Teatro Carcano, Milan, 1831. This operatic gem from one of the great masters of melody is a benchmark of extraordinary vocalism. The title role of the sleepwalking girl was composed for the greatest diva of the day, Giuditta Pasta (for whom Bellini also wrote the tragic role of Norma). The part requires a rare combination of innocence, charm, and breathtaking vocal virtuosity. Deeper than a comedy, but in no way a tragedy, La Sonnambula reaches its conclusion through genuine, poignant character development, rather than by intrigue or farce.
Doors & Bar opens at 6:00pm
Please be seated by 6:30pm

RBO: Tosca
2025-10-02 19:15
Combining romance, revolution, and intrigue, Giacomo Puccini’s opera is a full-blooded drama. It is set in 19th-century Rome, in which opera singer Floria Tosca attempts to save her lover Cavaradossi from the villainous Baron Scarpia. This action-packed tale of politics and power is a great option for those new to opera.
Rome in 1800 is in political chaos. Cesare Angelotti, a former consul of the short-lived Roman Republic, has escaped imprisonment, and seeks refuge in the church of Sant’Andrea della Valle. The painter and republican sympathizer Mario Cavaradossi promises to hide him at his country villa. Baron Scarpia, Rome’s tyrannical Chief of Police, suspects that Cavaradossi has helped Angelotti to escape. He persuades the painter’s lover, opera singer Floria Tosca, whom he himself desires, that Cavaradossi has betrayed her. She leaves to confront Cavaradossi at his villa and Scarpia orders his men to follow her, in the hope they’ll find Angelotti. Scarpia arrests Cavaradossi, and tortures him in Tosca’s presence until she reveals Angelotti’s hiding place. Scarpia subsequently condemns Cavaradossi to death. Alone with Tosca, Scarpia tells her that he will save Cavaradossi – but only if Tosca spends the night with him. Will Tosca yield to the man she hates to save the man she loves?

Rural Arts: Charlie Hooper-Williams
2025-09-27 19:00 - 22:00
Prizewinning former concert pianist Charlie Hooper-Williams, combines intricate, virtuosic textures with soaring, stirring melodies.
At the heart of his artistic innovation lies Otto, his computer co-performer. With the remarkable ability to decipher the intricate musical nuances within a song, Otto translates them into stunning visuals that dance in perfect harmony with the sound.
Weaving together music, art, and technology, Charlie offers a unique, unforgettable piano concert that pushes the boundaries of creativity
“Lovely … really special, immersive show.” Elizabeth Alker, BBC Radio 3
“Music to soothe the soul … . He’s fantastic.” Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Scala Radio

About Charlie
Originally from the pine woods of Minnesota’s Iron Range, he grew up near Chicago, studied at the University of Cambridge Centre for Music and Science, and now makes his home in Bath.
In his youth as a classical pianist, Charlie was a prizewinner at the International Shostakovich Piano Competition. Upon leaving that world he toured with several bands, performing from SXSW and CMJ festivals to London’s Cafe Oto, and collaborated with multi-Grammy-winning ensemble eighth blackbird.
He has performed works by Rzewski and Corigliano, including city-level premieres. He briefly stepped into the tech industry to help develop the music identification app, Shazam, after which he returned to music, now composing his own works.
Don’t miss the chance to experience Charlie Hooper Williams unique blend of music and technology.

Friday Night Bingo
2025-09-12 19:00 - 22:00
Join us for our monthly Friday Night Fund Raising Bingo.
All proceeds are donated to the Compton Bassett Village Hall to support local community activities.
Doors & Bar Opens at 7:00pm
Eyes Down 7:30pm
