A varied, exciting Autumn and Winter Season announced at Ilkley Playhouse

Noel Coward’s Private Lives opens in September

By Caroline Mutton,

The Autumn and Winter Season 2026/2027 is arriving at Ilkley Playhouse and we hope there is something that appeals to everyone over the next six months.

Our committed and talented volunteers have a long-standing reputation for directing, staging and performing modern dramas, classics, farce, comedies, musicals, tragedies - all carefully selected by Ilkley Playhouse’s Casting Committee and all performed to the highest standard.

This season five Wharfeside Theatre and Wildman Studio productions will be performed, as well as two fringe productions - all performed by Ilkley Players. Our theatre is also a venue for visiting musicians, theatre production companies, comedians and singers and hosts an array of academic courses and festivals throughout the year.

You can get your hands on a copy of the Autumn/Winter programme at Ilkley Playhouse, in the local libraries, in various shops in and around the town, at Ilkley Visitor Information Centre and at the Clarke Foley Community Hub

The season opens in September against a backdrop of 1930s glamour in Noel Coward’s Private Lives. This sparkling comedy of manners tells the story of the charming, rich and utterly reckless Amanda and Elyot whose fiery marriage ultimately ended in a bitter divorce. They unexpectedly meet again on the first night of their honeymoons with their new spouses in the balmy moonlight of the French Riviera. Old flames re-ignite and impulsive love takes hold. But they divorced for a reason, and their turbulent romance soon spirals into a chaotic riot of passionate desire, slanging matches and outrageous battles. Expect biting wit, champagne-fuelled chaos and a deliciously dangerous game of love and lust under starlit skies. Private Lives runs from the 10th to the 19th September in the Wharfeside Theatre.

Opening on 29th October, David Haig’s Pressure, an extraordinary and little-known true story, explores the responsibilities of leadership, the challenges of prophecy and the personal toll of taking a stand. An intense real-life thriller centred around the most important weather forecast in the history of warfare. In June 1944, one man's decision is about to change the course of history. Everything is in place for the biggest invasion ever known in Europe – D-Day. One last crucial question remains: will the weather be right on the day? Problematically there are two opposing forecasts. American celebrity weatherman Colonel Krick predicts sunshine, while Scot Dr James Stagg, Chief Meteorological Officer for the Allied Forces, forecasts a storm. As the world watches and waits, General Eisenhower, Allied Supreme Commander, must decide which of these bitter antagonists to trust. The decision will not only seal the fates of thousands of men, but could win or lose the entire war. Pressure runs until 7th November in the Wharfeside Theatre.

Our Christmas play opening on 3rd December is a treat for all the family – a sparkling adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic story of Around the World in 80 days by Laura Eason.  The fabulously wealthy Victorian gentleman Phileas Fogg wagers his life's fortune that he can circumnavigate the globe in just eighty days. Along with his hapless valet Passepartout, he sets out on a dazzling escapade that takes him from the misty alleys of London to the exotic subcontinent and on to the Wild West as they race against the clock on a dizzying succession of trains, steamers, a wind-propelled sledge and an elephant. Around the World in 80 Days runs until 12th December in the Wharfeside Theatre.

Opening on 21st January is Pack of Lies based on the real-life Portland Spy Ring affair of the early 1960s, telling the story of an infiltration of Soviet spies into a mundane middle-class community in leafy Ruislip. The play contrasts ordinary everyday suburban British life with the fictional worlds of John Le Carre and Ian Fleming. At the heart of the play lies the dilemma of whether or not personal bonds between friends are or should be stronger than bonds with the state. Pack of Lies runs until 30th January in the Wharfeside Theatre.

The season of plays ends with William Shakespeare’s Hamlet on 16th February. A family unravels under the weight of grief, suspicion and unspoken truths. Reimagined for the intimate setting of the Wildman Studio, this visceral production of Hamlet explores the fragile boundary between public personas and private realities. Audiences are invited to not just witness the drama, but experience it - what is the cost of shrouding the truth? And is the collateral damage worth revealing it? With curiosity-fuelled innovation and a collaborative ensemble, we bring new moments to life in Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy. Hamlet runs until 20th February in the Wildman Studio.

Our first fringe production of the season, returning for the seventh consecutive year on Saturday 29th August, is our popular Bard in the Yard. This year The Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing will be performed. Performances will take place in the Wildman Studio on the evening of Saturday 29th August and at 2pm in the open air at Ilkley’s Manor House Yard on Sunday 30th and Monday 31st August (Bank Holiday). To enjoy a glorious piece of collaborative ‘pop-up’ theatre in one of Ilkley’s most charming open-air locations, please book soon. All performances usually sell out well in advance. Book as normal for the Ilkley Playhouse performance but via the Manor House website for the open-air matinees in the Manor House Yard. In the event of inclement weather, we have the option of transferring back to the comfort of Ilkley Playhouse.

Our second fringe production of the season, running from the 24th until 26th September in the Wildman Studio, is North Country by Tajinder Singh Hayer. A love of Sci-fi and local history led Bradford writer Tajinder Singh Hayer, in 2016, to imagine a post-apocalypse world for his play. The disaster he imagined was a plague, a pandemic, survived by three teenagers from different cultural backgrounds – a farmer, a weaver and a medic – who together negotiate a rebuilding of community over the next forty years.

This season’s literature course Found in Translation: The Outsider, is a ten-week course starting on Thursday 10th September. Literary translation is challenging, often leaving readers feeling that something is ‘lost in translation’. Perhaps. But also: ‘How wonderful – to translate from one language to another, and by so doing to bring people closer to one another – what a beautiful idea,’ writes Olga Tokarczuk. The course explores the theme of the outsider in three remarkable books translated into English from French, Polish and German.

Starting on Wednesday 16th September is this season’s 6-week modern art course exploring art on the Rhine. This series of talks will take you on an imaginary journey down the Rhine, exploring artists and artworks connected to the region including Vincent van Gogh, Johannes Vermeer, Max Ernst, J M W Turner and Jean Arp.

From the 2nd to 18th October, Ilkley Playhouse will host a wide range of author talks, panel discussions and poetry performances as part of the annual Ilkley Literature Festival. Each year the festival brings writers, poets, politicians, sporting heroes, historians, scientists and much more to the town and into our community-based space.

Stagefright Comedy Clubs have become a regular favourite at Ilkley Playhouse and showcase the finest comedy acts on the UK and international comedy circuits. Over the years, the club has featured well-known comedians Joe Lycett, Chris Ramsey, Gary Delaney, Shazia Mirza and Justin Moorhouse. Our next instalment is on Saturday 24th October, frontlined by comedian Bobby Mair. Keep a look out for details of our forthcoming Stagefright Comedy Clubs on 6th February, 3rd April, 29th May and 3rd July.

We have a full programme of music events for you to enjoy this season starting with Ilkley’s own Ten Fields who make their Ilkley Playhouse debut in their hometown on 23rd October. Their melodic, guitar-led sound draws inspiration from the timeless songwriting of Crowded House, Fleetwood Mac and Jackson Browne. Celebrate with them a decade of soaring melodies and unforgettable live performances as they mark ten years together.

Chris Bannister returns to Ilkley Playhouse on 13th November with his tribute to ‘The Music of John Denver’, featuring a set that includes both new songs and some of the Christmas songs that John loved to perform live. For over fifteen years, Chris has toured the world keeping John Denver’s legacy alive with some of his most beloved hits including Annie’s Song, Leaving on a Jet Plane, Rocky Mountain High and many more.

Brothers Nick and Duncan Hall bring their signature mix of soaring sibling harmonies and virtuoso guitar playing to Ilkley Playhouse on 14th November in their special anniversary show ‘35 years of the Hall Brothers!’ Whether as a duo or with other acts, their live shows are always something special. They will be joined by long-time collaborator John Carey on the fiddle, along with a powerhouse rhythm section.

Fire and Rain return to our theatre on 20th November. Always popular with Ilkley Playhouse audiences, the band formed in 2013 when Tom Townsend and Bob Walker were invited to create an homage to James Taylor’s timeless songs. You don’t have to be a fan of James Taylor to enjoy Fire and Rain, but the chances are you will be by the end of the night!

Look forward to the ultimate celebration of the queens of disco on 15th January with Disco Divas – a dazzling, high energy theatre spectacular celebrating the legendary women who defined the golden era of disco. Audiences can expect a glitter-ball soundtrack of timeless classics including I Will Survive, Hot Stuff, It’s Raining Men, Dancing Queen and many more. This is a feel-good night of pure glamour and nostalgia that will have you clapping and singing in your seats.

Join acclaimed singer-songwriter Holly Taymar as she returns to Ilkley Playhouse on 16th January for a special evening celebrating the music of two of the most beloved voices in modern music: Eva Cassidy and Joni Mitchell. Holly has been charming audiences for more than twenty years with her smooth, expressive vocals, accomplished guitar work and heartfelt musicality. Her natural stage presence and engaging storytelling create a truly intimate evening.

On 5th February Jon Palmer Acoustic Band is back for a triumphant sixth successive annual gig at Ilkley Playhouse, performing original songs and lighting up the room with their enthusiasm and musical passion. They will be performing songs from their latest acclaimed album, Light Goes Low, aswell as stand-out songs from previous albums.

Following a very successful run at Ilkley Playhouse last season, Rise and Howl Collective return to Ilkley Playhouse on 27th and 28th November with their new play Trappings. Four women await the arrival of a new inmate, “fresh meat” on the first day of their group therapy sessions. Dystopian, witty and darkly comic, each person has their own story, strangely recognisable; as old as storytelling itself but disturbingly still heartbreakingly relevant.

Looking ahead to our Spring/Summer 2027 Season, we have an exciting line-up of plays including Lord Arthur Savil’s Crime, Till the Stars Come Down, Uncle Vanya, Stepping Out and Good Things. Save money with a season ticket - book all seven Ilkley Playhouse Wharfeside Theatre productions at the same time and get one free. This season includes Private Lives, Pressure, Around the World in 80 Days, Pack of Lies, Lord Arthur Savil’s Crime, Till the Stars Come Down and Stepping Out.

For the latest plays and events please check our website, Facebook and Instagram pages and of course, our weekly What’s On article featured in the Ilkley Gazette and on Ilkley Chat. You can also find out more on our website about hiring our venue, costume and prop hire, our Greenroom drama classes and how you can get involved at our wonderfully welcoming and inclusive theatre. To book tickets for all our plays and events visit www.ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk or contact Ilkley Playhouse box office on 01943 609539.