Join Oswald's Players in this hilarious interactive musical adventure - our second annual student-written pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk!

When the affable young Jack is forced to sell his beloved pet cow Gertie by his overbearing mother, he could have never predicted the beans he traded her for would magically sprout into an enormous beanstalk! It's up to him to explore whatever he finds up it - along with new friends, foes, or even a Giant... His family depends on it!

Content Warnings: Light comic violence and some strong language.

Standard: £6

Concession: £5.50

This production takes place at Mound Oswald Hub, Durham, DH1 3FP.

This production starts at 7:00pm and lasts approximately two hours with an interval.

‘Pour yourself a cup of ambition’ and book your tickets, as DULOG meets Dolly Parton in this hilarious and heart-warming tale of friendship, female empowerment and fighting for what’s right!

Based on the classic comedy film from 1980, ‘9 to 5: The Musical’ follows a trio of hard-working women and firm friends who, fed up with slaving away for their sexist, self-absorbed boss, plan to put him through a little office payback… With its cast of witty and wise-cracking characters, spunkily subversive message of standing up against The Man, and a pitch-perfect country-pop score by the iconic Dolly Parton, DULOG kickstarts its 75th anniversary year in style with this fun and feisty musical – ‘enough to drive you crazy if you let it!’

Content Warnings: Sexual harassment / Sexual content and innuendo / Strong language

£8.50 Standard

£7.50 Concessions

£7 Durham Student Theatre Members

This production takes place at the Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre, 40 N Bailey, Durham, DH1 3ET.

This performance begins at 7.30pm (2.30pm on the matinee), and doors open 30 minutes before the performance begins.

Same Stand-up gig, new location: The Nest at South College.

After selling out at The Holy GrAle, our band of budding comics will be taking over The Nest at South College. All Durham students welcome and South College students can enter for free! We are also continuing our collaboration with Dpoca, and thus their members can enter for the same discount.

£3 Standard

£2 Concession / Durham Student Theatre / Durham University People of Colour Association

This performance takes place at “The Nest” at South College, The Drive, Mount Oswald, Durham DH1 3LD.

This performance starts at 8pm. Doors will open 30 minutes before the performance begins.

Suffragette Theatre Company presents How Love Is Spelt by Chloe Moss, a fresh, funny and playful tale of growing up and finding yourself in the city.

Peta is new in town and ready for whatever London has to throw at her. She's looking for romance, for friendship, for exciting people to lead her on big adventures. But being an independent woman in the new millennium isn't easy, especially when there's a constant reminder of the life you're trying to escape.

With each new encounter, Peta flirts with what might have been, but has the journey to London put enough distance between her and her past?

Content Warnings: Sexual assault / Scenes of a sexual nature / Mentions of abortion

£6 Standard

£5 Concession / Durham Student Theatre Members

Durham Opera Ensemble presents a spectacular evening of opera’s finest arias, duets and choruses spanning Mozart to Gilbert and Sullivan.

Enjoy an evening of drama, passion and timeless music as Durham Opera Ensemble proudly presents A Night at the Opera. Bringing to life some of opera’s most beloved arias, duets and choruses spanning Mozart to Gilbert and Sullivan, this promises to be a spectacular celebration of both the genre and Durham’s exceptional vocal talent.

Perfect for both newcomers and opera lovers alike, A Night at the Opera is not to be missed!

This performance takes place at the Concert Room, Durham University Music Department, Palace Green, Durham, DH1 3RL

£10 Standard

£8 Concessions

£7 Durham Student Theatre Members

This performance will begin at 7.30pm and last 60 minutes. Doors will open 15 minutes before start time.

FHTC is excited to announce ‘Myths and Legends: The Intercollegiate Showcase’!

The intercollegiate showcase is back for its second year, raising money for Children of the North East. This year with the enchanting theme of myths and legends, each college theatre company displays its niche while celebrating a shared love of theatre. From Camelot to Hadestown, this showcase has it all, perfect for everyone.

The showcase celebrates college theatre and creates an accessible opportunity for performers and crew members to work in the Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre.

£5 Standard

£4.50 Concession

£4.50 Durham Student Theatre Members

This event takes place at the Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre, 40 N Bailey, DH1 3ET.

Doors will open at 7pm for a performance start time of 7.30pm. The show will last approximately 2 hours, with a 15 minute interval.

DUCT's Classical Acting Showcase is back for 2024!

Come along to see some of Durham's hottest classical acting talent take on a variety of classical monologues and duologues in a lighthearted competition for one night only!

Warnings: Death / Suicide

£7.50 Standard

£7 Concession

£6.50 Durham Student Theatre

This event is taking place at the Birley Room, Hatfield, North Bailey, Durham, DH1 3RQ.

The perofrmance will start at 7:30pm and last until approximately 9:30pm. Doors will open half an hour before performances begin.

FOURTH WALL Theatre Company presents its Michaelmas Term show Sex Cells by Anna Longaretti.

In a busy call centre, the four female employees of Aphrodite, a sex toy manufacturer, take telephone orders for Teasey Maids, Titivators and rotating pearl g-strings. Sex Cells is a very funny, poignant play about motherhood, friendship, love and loss.

Fourthwall theatre company presents Sex Cells by Anna Longaretti, a new and provacative show following the lives of four women and their boss.

A dramatic comedy about motherhood considering longing, birth, death, love, relationships, despair and fear of intimacy. Focused in a call centre, four female employees of Mr Causeway, the boss in the busy sex toy manufacturer, take telephone orders for sex toys. Teasey Maids, Titivators and rotating pearl g-strings - they have it all!

Performing for one night only in Holy GrAle on the 26th November.

Content Warning: Discussions of abortion

£6 Standard

£5 Concession / Durham Student Theatre Members

This production takes place at the Holy GrAle, 57 Crossgate, St Margarets Garth, Durham DH1 4PR.

The performance will start at 7.30pm, and doors will open 30 minutes before the start of the performance.

This adaptation of 1984 reimagines Winston Smith's reconstruction, where he is forced to re-enact key moments of his life and his 'thoughtcrimes' with the help of others convicted.

The show reimagines sex and romantic relationships through a dystopian lens, using the relationship between Julia and Winston as its focal point (especially in act one). The script uses a lot of Orwell's original dialogue and so in many ways remains true to the novel, whilst incorporating this new metatheatrical twist.

£7 Standard    

£6 Concession

£5.50 Durham Student Theatre Members

This event takes place at Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre

Doors will open at 7pm, the Performance will start at 7.30pm and will last about 130 minutes, including a 15-minute interval

Sondheim's cult classic 'Merrily We Roll Along' traces the life of wealthy, jaded composer Franklin Shepard and his two estranged friends through each milestone of their lives – in reverse!

Woodplayers are delighted to present our Michaelmas musical, ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ by the legendary Stephen Sondheim.

'Merrily We Roll Along' begins in 1976 and moves backwards, tracing the rise to stardom of successful yet cynical composer Franklin Shepard, alongside his two estranged friends. The musical follows each milestone of their personal and professional lives in reverse, ending with a touch of rueful irony, as the friends at the start of their careers face a bright future: young, talented and enthusiastic about the world waiting to be conquered. A revered musical classic, this production is not to be missed...

Content Warnings: Alcoholism / violence

£8 Standard

£7 Concession

£6.50 Durham Student Theatre Members

This production takes place at the Mark Hillery Arts Centre, Collingwood College, Durham DH1 3LT.

Performances begin at 7:30pm (2.30pm for the matinee), and the doors will open 30 minutes before the performance. The show will last 150 minutes including a 15 minute interval.

Walkabout Productions return with an innovative immersive take on a beloved Dickens Classic, beating their own record for the UK’s largest work of immersive student theatre.

On a chilly winter’s day, you come to an auction of historical artefacts, including an original copy of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. This is no ordinary copy of the novel; it is filled with imagination, memories and a rather spritely spirit. Suddenly you’re sucked into the carol, and witness the hauntings and festivities, shocks and merriment, singing and dancing, tears and laughter, people and ghosts that make this tale one of the greatest ever told. Like Scrooge, you must decide how this tale will impact your decisions about the past, present and future..

 

£8 Standard    

£7 Concession

£6.50 Student

This event takes place at Dunelm House.

Doors will open at 7pm, the Performance will start at 7.30pm last approximately 135 minutes, including a 15-minute interval

The concert will take you on a tour celebrating European national identity. From the tone poems of Sibelius’ Finlandia and Smetana’s Vltava, to the Russian folklore of Borodin’s Symphony No. 2.

Our Michaelmas concert will take you on a tour of Europe with a programme of music celebrating national identity. Sibelius’ Finlandia and Smetana’s Vltava are tone poems which evoke vast and majestic landscapes as symbols of national pride. We will also play Holmes’ Irlande, another symphonic poem which calls for political freedom. Our concert will conclude with Borodin’s Second Symphony, generally regarded as his best work and a foundation stone of the Russian symphonic sound as it weaves elements of Russian folklore with Western Romanticism.

£14 Standard

£12 Concession

£10 Durham Student Music Members

This production takes place at Elvet Methodist Church, 8 Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HL.

This concert will begin at 7.30pm and last until 9.10pm, with a 20 minute interval. Doors will open 30 minutes before the start of the performance.

A Christmas concert celebrating classical ballet! Highlights include the Nutcracker and Troika, as well as some pieces from our small ensembles.

Join Durham University Hill Orchestra to celebrate the Christmas season with a night of excerpts from ballet, sure to get you in the festive spirit. We’ll be playing a host of recognisable tunes, including arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, Stravinsky’s Firebird, Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, and the famous Troika, as well as spotlighting some small ensembles from within the group.

For extra joy, we’ll also be serving a free mince pie and drink – it is the season of giving after all!

£9 Standard

£7 Concession

£6 Durham Student Music Members

This performance takes place at Elvet Methodist Church, Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HL.

The concert will begin at 7.30pm and last until approximately 9.30pm with a 15 minute interval. Doors will open 30 minutes before the concert starts.

A musical about the most infamous bank robbing & murdering duo in American history - romance, crime, and an incredible soundtrack.

Featuring one of the most infamous romances in American history, Bonnie and Clyde tells a story of passion and ambition driving a couple to crime and their untimely end. The musical takes on a cyclical structure, opening with Bonnie and Clyde’s deaths, before flashing back to their lives up until that point. As the story unfolds, audiences follow their misguided ambitions. Bonnie’s desire for stardom mixes dangerously with Clyde’s desire for infamy, becoming a destructive journey that affects both the couple and those around them. With a score that blends rockabilly, blues, and gospel, the musical captures their story eloquently, depicting the corruption of the American Dream.

£8.50 Standard    

£7.50 Concession

£6.50 DST Members

This event takes place at Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre.

Doors will open at 7pm, the Performance will start at 7.30pm and will last approximately 140 minutes, including a 15-minute interval

Join us for the premiere performance of the newly formed Palatinate Ensemble! A concert of chamber groups and 20 piece ensemble featuring works by Shostakovich, Dvorak, Grieg and Amy Beach!

Durham University Palatinate Orchestra is proud to present the newly formed Palatinate Ensemble for their debut performance at St Oswalds Church! This new collective of elite musicians features 2 string quartets, a wind quintet and 20 piece chamber ensemble playing complex and challenging repertoire.

The ensemble will perform an arrangement of Shostakovich's 3rd String Quartet, a challenging blend of classical and modern compositional styles. One of our string quartets will perform Greig's passionate 'String Quartet in G Minor', while our other string quartet portrays the beauty and patriotic nature of American countryside with Dvorjak's 'American'.

Our Wind Quintet will perform 'La Cheminee du Roi Rene' by Milhaud, and Amy Beach's 'Pastorale'.

£10 Standard

£7 Concession

£5 Durham Student Music Members

This performance takes place at St Oswald's Church, Church St, Durham DH1 3DQ.

This production opens at 7.30pm and will finish at approximately 9.30pm. Doors will open 30 minutes before the start time.

Join DUPO Symphony Orchestra in their first concert of the year - an engaging journey through history, with some timeless classics from Sibelius, Elgar and Wagner!

DUPO's Symphony Orchestra is proud to present a concert featuring a collection of pieces from important moments in history. Led under the baton of conductor Barney Howard, the orchestra will open with Wagner's grandiose Prelude to 'Die Meistersinger', casting us back to 16th century Germany.

Soloist Freya Hyde then takes us to post WW1 England with Elgar's passion filled Cello Concerto.

In the second half we are transported to Finland at the turn of the 20th century. Written as a musical protest against Russia's rule over Finland, Sibelius' 1st Symphony promises to be bold and inspiring.

£10 Standard

£7 Concession

£5 Durham Student Music Members

This performance takes place at Elvet Methodist Church, 8 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HL.

This performance will begin at 7.30pm and alst approximately 95 minutes with a 15 minute interval. Doors will open at 6.45pm.

Come celebrate the festive season with Gospel Choir at our Michaelmas Showcase: “Exultation! A Christmas Celebration!” Hear toe-tapping Gospel classics and well-known Christmas favourites infused with rousing gospel harmonies.

Come celebrate the festive season with Gospel Choir at our Michaelmas Showcase: “Exultation! A Christmas Celebration!” We will be performing a wide-ranging repertoire that spans a variety of genres linked together by strong gospel influences, paying homage to its rich African-American cultural heritage.

From toe-tapping Gospel classics like “Total Praise” and stirring spirituals like “Steal Away”; to well-known Christmas favourites such as “O Come all ye Faithful” you will leave inspired, energised and uplifted by the melodious voices of our large, friendly choir. It’s a night not to be missed, perfect for getting yourself into the Christmas spirit.

£8 Standard

£7 Concession

£6 Durham Student Music Members

This event is taking place at the St Oswald's Church, Church St, Durham DH1 3DQ.

The event will begin at 7.30pm and the doors will open 30 minutes before the beginning of the show. The show will last 90 minutes with a fifteen minute interval.

Join Durham University Chamber Choir for The Waiting Sky, a captivating concert featuring a program of British and European choral music that reflects on winter’s beauty, hope, and spiritual anticipation.

Durham University Chamber Choir presents ‘The Waiting Sky’, a program that delves into the contemplative beauty of winter through British and European choral works.

The program moves from Poulenc’s Un Soir de Neige, capturing the starkness of a snowy evening, to Richard Rodney Bennett’s Five Carols, providing a warm moment of solace. Nils Greenhow’s new compositions lend a fresh voice to the seasonal theme, interwoven with Marian hymns, lullabies, and reflections on stillness and light.

Together, these works create a space for listeners to pause, embracing winter’s mysteries and the serenity of waiting in the dark season.

£10 Standard

£7 Concession

£6 Durham Student Music Members

This concert is taking place at St Godric's Church, Castle Chare, Durham, DH1 4RA.

Thsi performance will begin at 7.30pm. Doors will open 30 minutes before the start time.

Highlighting music that normally accompany a stage performance. This includes Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde (a tragic love story) and Tchaikovsky Sleeping Beauty depicting the lilac fairy and puss-in-boots.

Our Michaelmas concert will be highlighting music that normally accompanies various stage performances. This will include the opera Tristan und Isolde by Wagner, with a concert arrangement of the famous Prelude and ‘Liebestod’ (Love Death) acting as a condensed portrayal of the tragic love story. The concert also contains Sibelius’s incidental music for the play Pelleas et Melisande, telling the tale in nine movements ending with the heart-aching ‘Death of Melisande’. Finally, the concert features the suite of music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Sleeping Beauty with music depicting the lilac fairy, puss-in-boots and the white cat, as well as the famous ‘Rose’ Adagio and Waltz.

£14 Standard

£10 Concession

£8 Durham Student Music Members

This performance takes place at St Oswald's Church, Church St, Durham DH1 3DQ.

This production will begin at 7:30pm and last until approximately 9.10pm. Doors will open 30 minutes before the show starts.

"Elektra" tells the tragic story of the daughter and son of the late king Agamemnon planning retribution for their mother who murdered him. "The Women of the Thesmophoria" is a satiric comedy featuring the playwright Euripides that makes fun of the tragic genre and the role of women within it.

Polloi Productions presents a double bill of Euripides' "Elektra" and Aristophanes' "The Women at the Thesmophoria". This pair of plays represents the tragedy and comedy genres of Ancient Greek theatre.

"Elektra", translated by famed classicist Emily Wilson, describes the revenge plot of the children of Agamemnon against their murderous mother Clytemnestra. Follow Elektra and Orestes as they take revenge on the scheming woman who murdered their father.

"The Women at the Thesmophoria" is an adapted version by student Samantha Dotson. It attempts to bring to the modern stage the comedic work of Aristophanes as he tells of the plotted revenge of the women of Athens against the playwright Euripides. As the women bring him to trial for defamation, Euripides' kinsman Mnesilochus sneaks into their meeting dressed as a woman in hopes of changing their minds about Euripides. He is discovered, and Euripides and Mnesilochus have to scheme of a way to free themselves from the Thesmophoria before it's too late.

Content warnings: Violence / Scenes of a sexual nature

£7 Standard

£6 Concession (inc. Classics Society Members)

£5 Durham Student Theatre

This produciton takes place at the Mount Oswald Hub, The Drive, DH1 3LD.

The performances will begin at 7:10pm and last until approximatelyy 9pm with a 10 minute interval.

Join Durham University Big Band and Durham University Jazz Orchestra for their yearly Jazzy Christmas charity gig at the Assembly Rooms Theatre for an evening of festive classics, blazing solos and Christmas cheer!

Jazzy Christmas is the Durham University Jazz Ensembles’ yearly charity Christmas gig, and one of the most popular in the calendar. Join DUJO and DUBB at the Assembly Rooms Theatre for a night of Christmas classics, with a set from each band. The proceedings for the evening will be donated to our charity partner for the year.

£7 Standard

£6 Concession

£5 Durham Student Music Members

This production takes place at Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre, 40 N Bailey, DH1 3ET.

The performance begins at 7.30pm and will finish at approximately 9.30pm, including a 20 minute interval. Doors open 30 minutes prior to the start of the performance.

Laugh yourself a merry little Christmas,

Watch an improv show,

We will keep you laughing 'til you're all aglow!

Shellshock! Improvised Comedy, Durham's premier improv comedy group, present their signature blend of scenes and sketches. The show is entirely unscripted and made up on the spot - no two shows are ever the same. Come along for an evening of laughter as you give prompts and suggestions to help shape every scene!

Warnings: As the show is improvised, we can't predict the content exactly. However, we always strive to avoid heavy topics and keep our shows light. There will be audience participation and possibly some strong language.

£5 Standard

£3.50 Concession

£3.50 Durham Student Theatre

This performance will take place at Durham Students' Union, Dunelm House, New Elvet, Durham, DH1 3AN.

This performance will begin at 7:30pm and last until approximately 8:45pm. Doors will open 15 minutes before the start of the performance.

“Merry DUMT-mas!” is Durham University Musical Theatre Troupe’s festive showcase, featuring Christmas classics and musical hits from Anastasia, The Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf the Musical and more to get you in the mood for a very Durham Christmas!

"Merry DUMT-mas!" is Durham University Musical Theatre Troupe’s whimsical Christmas showcase, filled with festive cheer and iconic holiday numbers. This seasonal celebration brings together a delightful mix of classic and contemporary songs from beloved musicals like Anastasia, The Muppet Christmas Carol, and Elf the Musical.

With captivating performances, sparkling energy, and a dash of Durham charm, DUMT’s talented cast creates a heartwarming experience that captures the joy and nostalgia of the holiday season. Perfect for families, friends, and Christmas lovers,

Merry DUMT-mas! promises to get everyone in the festive spirit and set the stage for a magical holiday.

£7 Standard

£6 Concession

£5 Durham Student Theatre Members

This production takes place in the Concert Room, Music Department, Palace Green DH1 3RL.

This performance begins at 8pm, and doors will open 30 minutes before the start time.

All I want for Christmas… is some festive a cappella! Presenting a diverse selection of a cappella, there is truly something for everyone to enjoy.

Foot Notes A Capella return from a 5* Edinburgh Fringe run, complete with a new generation of Foot Notes to deliver a night of festive classics, contemporary chart-toppers and choral masterpieces, including hits by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, the lyrical melodies of Eleanor Daley, and much more! Situated in the gorgeous St Oswald’s Church, the evening promises to put you in the mood for Christmas, so join us on the 10th December for a night you won’t forget!

£8 Standard

£6 Concession

£5 Durham Student Music

This performance will take place in St Oswald's Church, Church St, Durham, DH1 3DQ.

This performance begins at 8:00pm and will last approximately an hour and twenty minutes including a 15 minute interval. Doors will open half an hour before the start of the performance.

Christopher Marlowe’s seminal ‘Doctor Faustus’ sees ambition meet the supernatural in a gripping tale of power, temptation, and tragedy.

DUCT presents a fresh and innovative take on the classic story of a brilliant scholar who, in his thirst for limitless power and knowledge, strikes a deal with the devil, selling his soul for 24 years of magical prowess.

However, as Faustus indulges in his newfound abilities, he spirals deeper into despair, ultimately facing the dire consequences of his choice…

Content Warnings: Death / Suicide / Misogyny

£7.50 Standard

£7 Concession

£6.50 Durham Student Theatre Members

This event takes place at the Sir Thomas Allen Assembly Rooms Theatre.

The doors will open at 7 PM.

The performance will begin at 7:30PM and will last approximately 140 minutes, including a 15 minute interval.

Join us in St Oswald’s Church for a night of music by Viennese composers!

Step into the elegance of Vienna with an evening of Austrian music with Durham University's Classical Ensemble! Join us at St Oswald's Church on the 13th of December for A Night in Vienna: featuring Haydn’s lively Armida Overture and Marianna Martinez’s vibrant Ouverture, both setting the stage for Schubert’s monumental Symphony No. 9, the “Great”.

£8 Standard

£6 Concession

£5 Durham Student Music Members

Free for children under 18

This performance takes place at St Oswald’s Chruch, Church St, Durham DH1 3DQ.

This performance will begin at 7.30pm and finish at approximately 9.30pm with a short interval. Doors will open 30 minutes before the start time.