Made In Northampton

Royal & Derngate is widely regarded as one of the most vibrant producing theatres in the country.

What does this mean? Here in Northampton, we create numerous ambitious productions that stimulate thought, spark conversations; captivating and delighting thousands of audiences each year who enjoy the imagination, the stories and the fun of live performance.

These shows are part of our Made In Northampton season, with many of the costumes designed and made here, with sets constructed and painted here, with rehearsals taking place at Royal & Derngate over several weeks.

The finest actors and artists from across the country come to Northampton to create groundbreaking, compelling productions in collaboration with our talented in-house production departments. Occasionally, they are joined by puppeteers, dancers, illusionists, aerialists, video designers, or live musicians.

Frequently, our productions and co-productions tour both nationally and internationally, transferring to the West End, and some even making it to Broadway. Some of our recent accolades include The Worst Witch, which won the Olivier Award for Best Family Entertainment, our premiere of Our Lady Of Kibeho, which was nominated for the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement, and our original productions of The Two Popes, which was adapted into an Academy Award-recognised film. In 2022 we were shortlisted for UK Theatre of the Year by The Stage Newspaper.

The planning of this programme is brought together by our Artistic Director Jesse Jones and our Deputy Chief Executive (Programming and Producing) Holly Gladwell and it’s their aim to ensure the widest possible reach for all our communities.

Our Made In Northampton season provides you with the opportunity to experience world-class theatre right on your doorstep, often before anyone else has seen it!

Made In Northampton 2025/2026 season

Five new productions have been announced as part of the 2025/26 Made in Northampton season.

In February 2025, Jane Upton’s new play (the) Woman explored how women can keep hold of their own identities and maintain the status quo after becoming mothers. Co-produced with New Perspectives, this world premiere previewed in Northampton prior to a UK tour.

This was followed in March by a revival of Stratford East’s 2023 production Tambo & Bones. This exhilarating, funny and provocative satire, co-produced with Actors Touring Company and Stratford East, in association Belgrade Theatre, Leeds Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman, opens here before touring.

In autumn 2025 we present Hugh Whitemore’s acclaimed play Breaking The Code telling the story of visionary mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing. Revived in a new production on the Royal stage directed by our Artistic Director Jesse Jones, the play will feature new material that speaks to Turing’s lasting legacy for modern Britain. Co-produced with Oxford Playhouse and Landmark Theatres, and in association with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, this production will also be touring after its Northampton run.

For Christmas 2026 we are delighted to be working once again with The Wardrobe Ensemble (Education, Education, Education), to present Mog’s Christmas, an enchanting adaptation of Judith Kerr’s beloved stories about everyone’s favourite family cat.

Looking ahead to spring 2026, we will be transforming the Derngate auditorium into a skate park, for the world premiere of Samson Hawkins’ new play Top G’s Like Me, which sees a group of rudderless young adults enter a post-playground world of seething toxic masculinity, poisonous social media and black-market Ben & Jerry’s deliveries.

We look forward to welcoming you to Royal & Derngate soon.

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