John Peel Theatre

The Little Theatre at the Heart of Wigton

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Our Next Production:
A Midsummers Night's Dream


Tickets available online

Book now
or by phoning 01697 424624
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President: Melvyn Bragg

2017 WINNER

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Our Facilities:


Proscenium arch theatre

90 raked seats

Wheelchair access

Induction loop

Licensed bar

Real coffee

Ice cream & snacks

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Registered Charity No: 1178881

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Achievements
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Theatre by the community, for the community
2024
  • Delivered our first relaxed performance
  • Concert from The Haar

2023
  • New external door fitted to allow for increased audience numbers
  • Launched Folk at the John Peel
  • Concert from Charlie Dore and Julian Littman
  • Concert from John Kirkpatrick
  • Visit from Dragonfly Drama Group
  • Exterior of the theatre given a facelift
  • Refreshed the decor inside the building
  • Celebrated 70 years of entertaining Wigton

2022
  • Hosted our best-attended panto to date, having moved it to a new slot in February half term
  • Raised grant and crowdfunded money to begin installing solar batteries before winter to combat the fuel crisis
  • Expanded our Open Mic Nights so that the Virtual Open Mic Night has its own slot on the second Friday of alternate months
  • First set of solar batteries installed
  • New balcony added to the stage

2021
  • Finishing touches to the theatre refit
  • New kitchen installed and refurbishment of the green room
  • Wi-Fi installed throughout the theatre
  • First hybrid open mic in August
  • Moved to completely online ticket sales
  • Installed a new card payment system for the bar, ticket sales and membership
  • Increased membership following lockdown
  • Joined PayPal Giving Fund
  • Developed COVID-19 secure practices in time for our first production of the year
  • Welcomed two visiting professional productions - Scrooge Diaries by Peter Macqueen and Sleeping Beauty by Shared Experience
  • Built a new box office in the theatre foyer
  • Formalised our theatre hire offer
  • Lighting rigging safety checked and certified
  • Extra fire wardens trained
  • Fire safety survey renewed
  • PAT and all other electrical systems tested and passed

2020
  • Toilets completely refitted
  • Hearing loop restored and extended
  • Sound stage created
  • Back-stage monitor system upgraded and extended
  • New LED Moving Head Lights installed
  • Ran very successful Virtual Open Mic Nights during the lockdown period
  • Recorded the theatre's first Mummers' Play using Zoom for both rehearsals and recording
  • Regular Virtual Open Mic Night attendees recorded a version of The Fairytale of New York which has had over 7500 views

2019
  • Roof repaired
  • Grant money raised to refurbish auditorium seating
  • Rock concert with Gage in July
  • Second visit from Peter Macqueen with a performance of Old Herbaceous
  • Breakthrough in our research about the memorial stone
  • Third Shakespeare play performed with a cast of 20 - Macbeth
  • Extra performance of Macbeth by request of Trinity School
  • Started work on a small wildlife garden at the back of the theatre
  • Raised money for drum-kit for the theatre
  • New doors installed
  • All auditorium seating refurbished
  • New flooring in the corridor and auditorium
  • Our most ambitious pantomime set yet and a cast of 32
  • Special feature about the theatre on Border Lookaround

2018
  • New solar panels installed
  • 10 Open Mic nights
  • Second Shakespeare play performed with a cast of 34 - The Tempest
  • Rock concert with Gage in July
  • Visit from Peter Macqueen with a sell-out performance of The Professor of Adventure
  • Awarded a substantial grant from Allerdale to upgrade the theatre’s doors
  • Remembering. Commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the end of WWI in November with a programme of music and readings, with contributions from members of the Wigton community
  • Continued to run theatre skills classes with new recruits
  • Ran a range of play readings and social events for members
  • Welcomed several new adult recruits over the year
  • Significantly improved the wings of the stage
  • Revamped the foyer, corridor and bar areas (including a wider choice of drinks)

2017
  • Winners of Cumbria Life's Cultural Awards - Amateur Group of the Year
  • Regional winners of the M&S Energy Fund. Awarded £12,000 for solar panels
  • Upgraded theatre lighting with the addition of LED parcans, 2 intelligent moving heads and a new Avolites Titan One virtual lighting console thanks to a grant from Wigton Coop of £2396
  • 11 open mic nights showcasing local talent and some great new singers
  • Concert with Absolute Zero in March
  • Concert with Gage supported by Running with Scissors in July
  • Production of She can’t not be doing something as part of Play with a Poem, touring to Theatre by the Lake and Penrith, ending with a home performance in April
  • Confusions by Alan Ayckbourne with live music from the John Peel Theatre Band in June
  • Theatre Skills Workshop Showcase in July
  • First ever Shakespeare play by Wigton Theatre Club. Romeo and Juliet played to sell out audiences in August
  • Dubbed by audiences as our ‘best panto yet’, Camelot the Pantomime played to packed audiences for 8 shows
  • Visiting shows from the ever popular Cockermouth group Wyldwood, with their new show Revolution and professional company La’al Marra Productions with Soaked, which was a sell out success
  • Halloween film night of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with fish and chips and fancy dress

2016
  • Concert in February: Over £300 raised for Cumbria Flood Relief
  • Ten Open Mic Nights from February to December
  • May: Woven in Wigton
  • July: The Last Post
  • July: Helen O'Grady parents' show
  • August: Concert with Salvation & Blue Sky Illusion
  • Guest Performance of Midsummer Night's Dream by Wyldwood Theatre Company
  • We hosted a touring show: Music, Magic and Mayhem in October
  • Film show: Footprints of our Fathers on Armistice Day, 11th November
  • Pantomime in December: Aladdin
  • Over 30 youth theatre workshops
  • We completely upgraded the theatre sound system
  • We replaced our exterior signage

2015

  • Successful bid for a grant from The Arts Council
  • Grants awarded from Allerdale Council, Hadfield Trust, Community First Grants, Wigton Town Council, Neighbourhood Forum and The Cumberland News Group
  • Complete repaint of the theatre auditorium by theatre club members
  • New bar and foyer created
  • Foyer window reinstated
  • Window stonework repaired
  • Larger technical box built with improved access
  • Four plays including community play Made in Wigton
  • Two film shows
  • Established a monthly Open Mic Night
  • Panto - Mother Goose (written by the John Peel Theatre's writers' group)
  • New website launched