Milton Keynes Theatre is delighted to announce its summer season of sensational entertainment!

Returning to the venue after a sell-out run in 2019 is the phenomenal Les Misérables, the musical often regarded as the most popular in the world. Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production arrives in Milton Keynes on Tue 26 Apr for four weeks.

Northern Ballet share their take on the beloved literary classic The Great Gatsby from Tue 24 May, promising the most glamourous party in town.

From Mon 30 May, a whodunnit everyone can enjoy arrives fresh out the boardgame box and onto the stage. Cluedo is the new comedy thriller directed by Mark Bell, director of the award winning The Play That Goes Wrong, which will also be arriving in Milton Keynes on Mon 25 Jul.

Brining life and energy to the immortal songs of the late Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf is the rocking musical, Bat Out of Hell, from 14 June. With all the anthems you know and love, this show is set to be a crowd-pleaser for those inclined to rock ‘n’ roll.

From best-selling author David Walliams comes the Olivier nominated Billionaire Boy from Thu 30 Jun, a winner for the whole family!

Fancy yourself a decoder? Try to decipher the secrets, clues and riddles in The Da Vinci Code from Tue 12 Jul. The world premiere tour of the brand-new stage production stars Coronation Street’s Christopher Harper and Danny John-Jules (Red Dwarf, Death in Paradise).

Take a chance on the ultimate feel-good musical MAMMA MIA! as it returns to Milton Keynes on Tue 2 Aug. Set on a Greek island paradise, this musical is a story of love, friendship and identity, cleverly told through the timeless songs of ABBA. And from one musical legend to another, The Cher Show joins Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 9 Aug. Get ready to Turn Back Time in this outrageous new musical directed by Arlene Phillips (Grease, Starlight Express) and choreographed by Strictly’s Oti Mabuse.

Willy Russell’s moving Liverpudlian tale, Blood Brothers, then takes to the stage from Tue 30 Aug. Few musicals have been received with such acclaim as this multi-award-winning production which surpassed 10,000 performances in London’s West End.

Milton Keynes will be screaming Go, Go, Go Joseph this September when the sensational new production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat comes to the Milton Keynes Theatre for two weeks. The family musical which opens on Mon 12 Sep stars Alexandra Burke as the Narrator and Jac Yarrowas Joseph.

Milton Keynes Theatre continues its outstanding programme of one night entertainment this season. The hilarious Menopause the Musical 2 comes to the theatre on Sat 11 Jun. Enjoy an evening with world famous football manager Harry Redknapp on Tue 28 Jun. Strictly professionals Anton & Giovanni team up for an evening of song and dance with their show, Him and Me. And the tribute shows are back! For Rod Stewart fans there’s Some Guys Have All The Luck on Sun 31 Jul, and celebrating the music of Tina Turner is What’s Love Got To Do With It on Sun 4 Sep.

May half-term will see the return of our ever-popular Colourscape as well as the chance for children to discover the animals of Waddesdon with a brand new Birds and Beasts family trail.

In June, outdoor theatre will also be returning to Waddesdon’s lawns. Visitors can enjoy an evening of Shakespearean comedy as well as a performance of The Teapot Prince, a contemporary reimagining of a lost 18^th-century ballet that hasn’t been staged for over 280 years!

Eythrope Garden Tour © Waddesdon, A Rothschild House & Gardens. Photo Paul Hewes

Eythrope Walled Garden Tour

Every Wed from 18 May – 19 Oct, 10.15am & 1.15pm

Discover the four-acre walled garden, glasshouses and orchard at Eythrope, the private Rothschild garden. Visits are by guided tour only and include a light meal with savoury and sweet elements inspired by the produce from Eythrope.

Adult £50. Includes a meal in the Manor Restaurant, free Grounds admission and shuttle bus.

Marchesi Frescobaldi is one of Italy’s most celebrated winemakers, and their global ambassador will be hosting a magical evening at Waddesdon.

An Italian Feast with Frescobaldi

Sat 28 May, 7pm
Marchesi Frescobaldi is one of Italy’s most celebrated winemakers, and their global ambassador will be hosting a magical evening at Waddesdon. Wine-lovers can sample a glass of Frescobaldi sparkling wine in the atmospheric cellars, followed by a delightful five-course dinner served with carefully-selected wines.

£99.50 per person (over-18s only)

Colourscape

May Half-Term Sat 28 May – Sun 5 Jun (inc Mon 30 & Tue 31), 10.30am-4.30pm

This May half-term, an immersive experience of colour, light, space and music lands on Waddesdon’s lawns. Returning to Waddesdon for its eighth year, Colourscape is for visitors of all ages and promises an extraordinary experience you will not forget.

Advance booking recommended. Adult £6, Child £4; plus normal Grounds admission applies.

May Half-Term at Waddesdon

Family Visitors on the South Front Parterre © Waddesdon Manor, National Trust. Photographer Chris Lacey

Birds and Beasts trail

Sat 28 May – Sun 5 Jun (inc Mon 30 & Tue 31), 10am-4pm

Enjoy fresh air and family fun this May half-term. Discover the animals of Waddesdon with a new outdoor Birds and Beasts trail, adventure in the Woodland Playground and then refuel with a delicious family picnic.

£3.50 per trail (inc souvenir), plus normal Grounds admission applies. One trail per child

Cellar visit and tasting

Every Fri, Sat & Sun from 15 Apr – 31 May, 12noon

Join one of Waddesdon’s wine experts for a short tour of the atmospheric wine cellars, which house over 15,000 bottles of Rothschild wine, before an informal tasting of two Rothschilds wines.

£7.50 per person (over-18s only), plus normal Grounds admission applies

What’s On at Waddesdon in June 2022

Cast of the Ballet des Porcelaines at the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, Villa Albertine’s headquarters at the Payne Whitney Mansion in New York City. Photo by Joe Carrotta

The Teapot Prince

Thu 16 & Fri 17 June, 6-9pm

A contemporary reimagining of the lost 18th-century French Ballet des Porcelaines—The Teapot Prince—will be performed in the fairy-tale grounds of Waddesdon Manor, bringing to life a story of magic, desire and exotic entanglement.

Tickets include a talk by the ballet company, exclusive access to the Manor’s west galleries and a chance to preview an Edmond du Waal display until 8.30pm.

Adult £32, Child £16

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men. Image © Lord Chamberlain’s Men

As You Like It – The Lord Chamberlain’s Men

Thu 23 June, 6pm gates open

One of the UK’s finest touring theatre companies, The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, invites you to join them once again for an evening of sparkling Shakespearean comedy in the grounds of Waddesdon Manor.

Adult £20.50, Child £11

Dinner in the Manor Restaurant © Waddesdon Manor, National Trust. Photographer Pascale Cumberbatch

Dinner with Gusbourne Estate Wines

Sat 25 Jun, 7pm

Celebrate the wines of one of England’s most renowned and innovative winemakers at Waddesdon. Enjoy a sparkling aperitif in the atmospheric wine cellars, followed by a delicious five-course dinner served with wines from the Gusbourne Estate’s wonderful portfolio.

£99.50 per person (over-18s only)

This week, UK Theatre launched Love Your Local Theatre, a new campaign encouraging the public to support their local theatres as they begin to recover from the impact of Covid.

Milton Keynes Theatre has joined over 100 theatres UK-wide have come together to join in on the effort and offer the biggest ever 2-for-1 ticket offer to National Lottery players who attend a show during the month of March.

• Milton Keynes Theatre has joined over 100 theatre’s UK wide for the new campaign, for which the National Lottery is providing up to £2 million to subsidise over 150,000 tickets across the UK.
• Throughout March, National Lottery players can get 2-for-1 theatre tickets for performances of shows including Jersey Boys, Chicago and Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever.
• Supported by TV presenter, Girls Aloud singer and star of the stage Kimberley Walsh, the campaign encourages the public to support local theatres as they recover from the pandemic. · Tickets are available to purchase now from www.atgtickets.com/loveyourlocaltheatre
• The campaign, run by leading theatre membership body UK Theatre and made possible by the support of The National Lottery, is providing up to £2 million to subsidise an estimated 150,000 tickets nationwide. National Lottery players are being offered the chance to buy one ticket and get another free for participating shows as a thank you for the £30 million they raise every week for good causes, including support for the performing arts and theatres during the pandemic.

This week, UK Theatre launched Love Your Local Theatre, a new campaign encouraging the public to support their local theatres as they begin to recover from the impact of Covid. Milton Keynes Theatre has joined over 100 theatres UK-wide have come together to join in on the effort and offer the biggest ever 2-for-1 ticket offer to National Lottery players who attend a show during the month of March. Click here for further info.

The campaign, run by leading theatre membership body UK Theatre and made possible by the support of The National Lottery, is providing up to £2 million to subsidise an estimated 150,000 tickets nationwide. National Lottery players are being offered the chance to buy one ticket and get another free for participating shows as a thank you for the £30 million they raise every week for good causes, including support for the performing arts and theatres during the pandemic.

From classic musicals and beloved plays to family shows, comedy, dance and more, Love Your Local Theatre has brought together local theatres from across the UK to give players the chance to experience the magic of live entertainment for less this spring, whilst giving back to their local entertainment communities.

In addition to the strong support from theatres across the UK, Love Your Local Theatre is also being supported by TV presenter, singer and Girls Aloud star, Kimberley Walsh, who has enjoyed performing at theatres and entertainment venues around the UK, many of which have received funding from The National Lottery.

Kimberley Walsh, TV presenter, Girls Aloud singer and star of the stage, said: “We are so privileged to have so many incredible theatres and entertainment venues across the UK. I have been lucky enough to perform in many of them. Without our local theatres, the face of UK entertainment would look very different and it’s amazing The National Lottery is providing £2 million to support them. The entertainment industry was particularly impacted by the pandemic, and that’s why the Love Your Local Theatre campaign is so important in supporting their recovery.”

Stephanie Sirr, President of UK Theatre, said: “We are delighted to be working with The National Lottery on Love Your Local Theatre, the first time UK Theatre members across the country have united for a ticket promotion of this scale. We should be hugely proud in this country to have such an extensive, vibrant and diverse range of regional theatres, all of which play a vital role in the theatre landscape of the UK and beyond. After such a turbulent two years, we want to shout about the fact that theatres are open and ready to reward audiences for their patience and loyalty – please visit your local theatre and help them continue to make brilliant creative work!”

Sir Matthew Bourne, Choreographer and Artistic Director of New Adventures, said: “My dance-theatre company New Adventures prides itself on being truly national, and touring is built into the fabric of what we do. As we continue on our current UK tour of Nutcracker!, visiting theatres across the country, I am reminded of how vitally important it is that we celebrate and protect our much-loved regional venues, especially during this crucial time for the theatre industry as it begins a long recovery from the ravages of the pandemic. I support the Love Your Local Theatre campaign, and hope it helps bring as many people as possible back to their local theatres for the thrill of live performance.”

The Love Your Local Theatre promotion is available to anyone who is a National Lottery player and possesses a National Lottery ticket. From today, players can purchase tickets at available performances taking place during the month of March. Participating performances at Milton Keynes Theatre include:

Jersey Boys Tue 1st March at 2:30pm & 7;30pm and Wed 2nd March 7:30pm
Chicago Tue 8th March at 7:30pm and Thu 10th March at 7:30pm
Peppa Pig’s Best Day Ever Tue 15th March at 10am and 1pm