Past Performances

Filled with live music, colourful characters and puppetry, this wonderful family musical has something for everyone! Bring along your picnics, blankets, folding chairs and friends and family!

Will Prospero grant Ariel her freedom and be restored to his dukedom? Will Ferdinand and Miranda’s love overcome all? Folksy’s wonderful production is filled with live music, colourful characters, enchantment and a little touch of magic.

FOUR PLAYS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE

The Western Area Final of the All-England Theatre Festival presents plays which have won a Festival. The winner progresses to the national Grand Final. Nancy Heath gives her adjudication of each play.

Frome Festival

Share a Sunday afternoon on ECOS celebrating the art of the short story, including Flash Fiction Frenzy (12.00–2.00pm) and the Frome Festival Short Story Competition Prize-giving (2.30-4.30 pm).

Share a Sunday afternoon on ECOS celebrating the art of the short story, including Flash Fiction Frenzy (12.00–2.00pm) and the Frome Festival Short Story Competition Prize-giving (2.30-4.30 pm).

Frome Festival

Direct from the Edinburgh Fringe 2019 via a year of lockdown, here at last is a brand new comedy and cooking show for 2021.

Frome Festival

The Tea Pad sound draws on myriad influences – from Hank Williams to Django Reinhardt, Tom Waits to The Beatles – yet ultimately sounds like nobody else, that North Eastern Swing style that’s utterly their own.

Frome Festival

The Fabulous Red Diesel are riot of original new music, amazing vocals delivering wonderful soaring melodies, a skin-tight rhythm section and even the occasional tuba.

Frome Festival

This event has been cancelled. Our Box Office will contact you in due course. We apologies for any inconvenience.

Frome Festival

Open mic plus Special Guest: Frome’s sensational Liv Torc

With prizes donated by Hunting Raven Books and Frome Wholefoods

Frome Festival

Paul Foot is a unique talent who has inspired other comedians (notably Russell Brand) with his inventive, quirky and bizarre trains of thought.

Frome Festival

This is a show about grief. This is a show about loss. Just not how you’d expect.

Dance Like It Never Happened is the funniest, most joyful and uplifting show you will ever see about feeling totally bereaved.

Frome Festival

Live Bluegrass, American Old-time musicians bring new life to iconic Hollywood silent movie Beggars Of Life. Kate Lissauer (Buffalo Gals), Jason Titley and Leon Hunt, reveal a thrilling, witty approach to this 1928 Louise Brooks film with their original soundtrack.

This show has been moved inside due to the bad weather. Social distancing measures will be in place for your safety. Please email merlintheatre@gmail.com if you have any concerns.

FromeDrama are thrilled to return to the stage with two plays that explore the complex relationships between couples in very different ways. There will be performances of each play on alternate nights: Constellations and Two.

FromeDrama are thrilled to return to the stage with two plays that explore the complex relationships between couples in very different ways. There will be performances of each play on alternate nights: Constellations and Two.

A brand-new musical adaptation of the Doctor’s FURTHER adventures with Jip the Dog, Dab Dab the Duck, Gub Gub the Pig, Polynesia the Parrot. Where in the world will they go? Which new animals will they help along the way?

Fantastic family fun and silliness galore, with award-winning comedian Jarred Christmas (as seen on CBBC’s Joke Machine and The Dog Ate My Homework) and world champion beatboxer & UK Loopstation Champion, Hobbit.

Pop-Up Comedy joins forces with the Merlin Theatre to celebrate its re-opening weekend with a fantastic night of comedy hosted by award-winning comedian Jarred Christmas and world-renowned beatboxer Hobbit, with performances from Irish funnyman Jarlath Regan and rising comedy star Abi Clarke.

Pip Utton returns to the Merlin to perform again his entrancing reading of one of the best loved and most famous of all Christmas ghost stories. A magical way to get into the Christmas spirit!

“A masterful performance. Utton IS Charles Dickens” Edinburghreview.com

Based on the ​beloved novel by Michael Morpurgo and adapted by Nick Stafford, the critically acclaimed and international smash-hit play War Horse is screened at the Merlin for the first time this November to mark Remembrance Day.

Join us on a journey of discovery, deceit and adventure – all whilst making sure you’re back in time for Christmas Dinner!

The Royal Ballet celebrated Peter Wright’s 90th birthday with his much-loved production of this beautiful classical ballet, danced to Tchaikovsky’s magnificent score. Starring Lauren Cuthbertson, Federico Bonelli, Francesca Hayward and Alexander Campbell.

Frome-based New Old Friends present an adaptation of Crimes Against Christmas. It’s a thrilling and hilarious tale, this time told live around a fire at the Merlin’s ECOS Amphitheatre in the style of a radio play.

Following its critically acclaimed opening in London earlier this year, Sonia Friedman Productions’ stunning 5-star production, a new adaptation of the Anton Chekhov masterpiece by Conor McPherson, directed by Ian Rickson.

This screening is SOLD OUT.

Michael Ball & Alfie Boe: Back Together from London’s O2.

The headline stars of Les Misérables -The Staged Concert perform their own show, featuring songs from The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables and many more.

Pop-Up Comedy joins forces with the Merlin Theatre for the return of The Comedy Eclectic, an exciting series of socially-distanced comedy shows over the winter months.

Award-winning Kiwi (now local) stand-up comedian Jarred Christmas hosts the very best from the international stand-up comedy scene.

We apologise but this screening has been cancelled. Sorry for any inconvenience.

Matthew Bourne’s ‘gorgeous take on the film classic’ (★★★★ The Times) comes to the Merlin for the first time. Winner of two Olivier Awards, The Red Shoes is an ‘utterly enthralling’ (★★★★★ Daily Express) tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world.

Our premiere production, a short and enjoyable version of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, combines classical and folk music and is set in the nature of the Anthropocene and the new socially-distanced society of the pandemic.

The Unravelling Wilburys have been holed up in their shack in the Appalachian Mountains dosing up on hydroxychloroquine and bleach as prescribed by Doc Trump, and are now fit to come out of quarantine to play a come-back gig featuring all the songs stolen from them by the Traveling Wilburys.

An all-open-mic event, no booking required. Come along with your words on any subject to share with the poetry community of Frome. Hosted by Crysse Morrison.

The Emperor is a lovely man, but he’s not the best judge of character, and is often surrounded by idiots.

When two swindlers spin a yarn and everyone is taken in, what price will he have to pay? All will be revealed in Illyria’s cheekiest ever show!

When Dr John Dolittle of Puddleby-on-the-Marsh is taught by his wise old parrot Polynesia how to talk to animals, news of his skills spreads far and wide. Soon animals across the world send messages asking for his help.

Folksy Theatre presents Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy! Bianca cannot marry until her elder sister, the ill-tempered Katherine, has found a husband. But who will succeed in taming the wild and witty shrew?

Filled with Folksy’s wonderful live music!

Rocktopus, the ultimate rock band for kids and families are back and ready to rock out with YOU! Join the band, learn the moves, and get involved in this truly interactive outdoor experience for kids and adults alike.

Classics Master Mr. Dimery attempts to entertain his detention group with more contemporary musical settings of Shakespeare’s songs and lyrics. A solo revue featuring songs in the style of The Beatles; Bob Dylan; Buddy Holly; the Stones and more.

A lonely girl and her sad, rich father live alone in their big, fancy house. When he finds out she has fallen in love with the wrong man, he takes drastic action…

A true original in a time-honoured tradition, Kate brings old-time country music to vivid life through fiddle, banjo, guitar, song, dance and stories, accompanied by the fabulous percussive dancer Jenny Read.

Dangerous Dave, infinitely more ‘daft’ than ‘dangerous’, and his ridiculous sidekick, Herbert Lemon, present some of the most mind-bindingly silly stunts ever performed . . . ever!

Presented by Noisy Oyster, Frome’s very own international award-winning puppet company.

Tour extended due to popular demand!

‘Cracking adlibbing… a joke-rich rallying call for a better Britain’
THE GUARDIAN

‘Coruscating live performer specialising in lacerating topical gags’ 
THE INDEPENDENT

A show about songs, gongs, loot, tradition, wigs, nicking, statues, art and identity. A sort of funny national edition of Who Do You Think You Are?

Following a standing room only reception at the Edinburgh Fringe, the former National Poetry Slam Champion presents a fun and fascinating tour of the oral tradition and the poetic movements that have shaped history.

Einstein – a crazy scientist, a mad professor brought to life, musician, politician, human rights campaigner and the ‘deeply religious Jew who doesn’t believe in God’. Popes – a sideways look at the history of the papacy from St Peter to today’s Pope Francis.

Choreographer Cathy Marston is previously an Associate Artist of the Royal Opera House and Director of Bern Ballet, and much in demand internationally. Jerome Robbins’s elegant and elegiac classic forms the second part of the programme.

“Hundreds of years ago when man walked the planet he had no real means of communication. In time man developed a phenomena which has never been fully understood by the psychic community. This phenomena is… Clinton Baptiste”  Peter Kay

James McAvoy returns to the stage in an inventive new adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac, broadcast live to the Merlin Theatre from the West End in London.

A perfect half-term musical treat starring favourites Emily Blunt and

Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Discover the legend of Great Captain Markham in this musical show about songs, stories and storms. Go on a wild adventure and meet a gliding albatross, who soars on the whipping winds and gives Lily the nudge she needs to truly stretch her wings