Friday 15th May 2026, 7.30pm

Tickets: £25

Tickets are available HERE by phoning 01728 454022, or in person Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10-12pm at the AJH corner office.

Dire Streets bring to life the classic songs of one of the world’s greatest guitar bands with a level of musicianship and attention to detail, making them the stand out Dire Straits tribute in the UK.

The two-hour theatre show includes faithful renditions of classic studio tracks along with extended live versions from some of the legendary Dire Straits concerts.

For over a decade, Dire Streets have performed Dire Straits’ incredible back catalogue to thousands of theatre-goers across the UK.
No other Dire Straits tribute act comes as close to reproducing Mark Knopfler’s distinctive guitar and vocal tones – making Dire Streets as near to the original band as you can see live.

The six-piece band is made up of some of the country’s top tribute musicians and delivers a stunning show that fulfils their mission of doing justice to one of the most original and talented bands the UK has ever produced.

Saturday 16th May 2026 at 7pm

Doors open at 6.30pm

Tickets: £20 

Tickets are available HERE by phoning 01728 454022, or in person Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10-12pm at the AJH corner office.

Experience an extraordinary evening of music as world-renowned violinist Danny Koo from South Korea joins celebrated violist Meghan Cassidy and the acclaimed Orion Orchestra.

Fresh from enchanting London audiences with their breathtaking performance at Cadogan Hall, the Orion Orchestra brings their passion and artistry to the stage in Suffolk.

Founded to empower the next generation of musicians, the Orion Orchestra bridges the gap between study and the professional world, while inspiring audiences of all ages through dynamic, accessible performances.

Programme
W.A. Mozart,  Sinfonia Concertante
Antonio Vivaldi,  The Four Seasons

The evening will be presented by Rob Rinder.

Proceeds will go to the Alde and Ore Association and Suffolk Energy Action Solutions

Friday 22nd May 2026 at 11am

Doors open at 10.30am

Tickets: £15 (including a free tea or coffee)

Tickets are available HERE, by phoning 01728 454022, or in person Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 10-12pm at the AJH corner office.

A relaxed morning recital, part of a series featuring musicians from the Prometheus Orchestra.

Programme

French Suite  William Alwyn
Flute, Violin, Viola & Harp

Arioso J. S. Bach
Apres un Reve  Faure
Viola & Harp

Romance  Rubinstein
Elegia Tedeschi
Violin & Harp

Syrinx Debussy
Solo Flute

Irish Suite  William Alwyn
Flute, Violin, Viola & Harp

The Goldcrest Ensemble 
Duke Dobing flute
Michael Dolan violin
Raphael Hurwitz viola
Miriam Keogh harp

The event ends at approximately 11.50am.

The Goldcrest Ensemble
The Goldcrest Ensemble was formed in 2016 by Miriam Keogh and Duke Dobing, to perform mixed ensemble, harp-based chamber music from the 18th to the 21st century.

Duke Dobing, flute made his debut with the English Chamber Orchestra aged 18,  participating in several Aldeburgh Festival concerts and recordings conducted by Benjamin Britten.  Duke played as Guest Principal Flute with most of London’s major orchestras and was Principal Flute of City of London Sinfonia (CLS), appearing as soloist throughout the UK and abroad, giving many broadcasts including the UK première of Jean Françaix’s Double Concerto.  The BBC chose Duke as flute soloist in Radio 3’s “A Breath of Virtuosity” series, playing concertos by Mozart and Nigel Osborne.  John Rutter composed his Suite Antique for flute and strings for Duke, who gave its world première and recorded it for John’s Collegium label. For three decades, Duke was a member of the Vega Wind Quintet, one of the UK’s leading wind ensembles. In 2000, Duke changed career, successively becoming full-time Director of Development at CLS (2000-2004), Aldeburgh Music – now Britten-Pears Arts (2004- 2009), and Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment (2009-2012), returning to Aldeburgh Music as Fundraising Adviser for the Britten Centenary. In 2004, The Duchess of Kent invited Duke to become a founder trustee of her charity Future Talent, a position he held for ten years, the last four as Deputy Chair. Duke now concentrates on performance as soloist and in chamber music.

Michael Dolan was born in Scotland and studied at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.  Michael plays the violin and viola. After completing his studies, he joined the Scottish National Orchestra and subsequently was appointed Assistant Leader of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra.  Later he was invited to join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, where he became Co-Principal Second Violin.  After a busy, successful career in London and touring the world he moved to Suffolk.  Michael has led the Prometheus Orchestra for seven years and enjoys playing chamber music with the many fine musicians based in Suffolk.

Raphael Hurwitz, viola studied the viola with Jonathan Barritt at the Junior Royal Academy of Music and began his career as section leader of the National Youth Strings Orchestra, London International Orchestra and subsequently went on to form the London FILMharmonic Orchestra in 2012. As a prominent multi-instrumentalist, his work has taken him around the world as well as performing in many West-End shows and independent theatre as a freelance Musical Director. Raphael has also worked in collaboration with Pizza Express Jazz Club Dean Street and King’s Place for the Global Music Foundation.  As well as performing chamber music, Raphael also works as a dealer and specialist in fine instruments and bows.

Miriam Keogh, harp was born in Dublin into a large musical family; both her parents were professional musicians.  Miriam was awarded a Countess of Munster Trust Scholarship to study the harp with Osian Ellis at the Royal Academy of Music, and she undertook further studies with Renata Scheffel-Stein.  As a freelance harpist her career has taken her to many countries including the USA, Europe and the Far East as Guest Principal harpist with leading orchestras, including The London Symphony Orchestra, The Philharmonia and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.  Miriam was awarded an ARAM by the Royal Academy of Music “for achieving distinction in the profession”.  As well as performing chamber music with several groups, Miriam enjoys teaching at the Royal Academy of Music, coaching for various youth orchestras, organising master classes and summer schools and has a busy private teaching practice.

Saturday 23rd – Sunday 24th May 2026 

Every year members of the Aldeburgh Art Trail open their venues to the public, showcasing a diverse range of art including painting, photography, printing, jewellery, pottery, and mixed media – all available for purchase.

The venues are conveniently located within walking distance, with cafes, pubs, and hotels along the way. This event offers a unique chance to meet the artists in their creative spaces, where they are eager to discuss their work, influences, inspirations, and techniques. Many visitors return year after year to acquire one-of-a-kind pieces of art.

This year we are very excited to be holding our AAT26 Preview Show in the prominent Jubilee Hall where artists will be showcasing their new work as a precursor to the Trail in June.

Booklets containing information about the participating artists and their work will be available from numerous outlets in Aldeburgh including the Jubilee Hall event. Alternatively, you can visit the website for detailed profiles of each artist, along with stunning images and a Google map indicating their studio locations.

We hope you will enjoy this opportunity to connect with the artists who draw inspiration from Aldeburgh and its unique atmosphere. We look forward to welcoming you to our venues.

Wednesday 27th May, 2pm

Doors open at 1.45pm

Tickets: £12 single ticket / £40 family ticket (group of 4) available HERE

Mad About Shakespeare

Friday 29th – Sunday 31st May 2026

Mad About Shakespeare is a compelling weekend of performances, conversations and film exploring the theme of madness in Shakespeare’s plays.

Curated by Nick Hutchison and taking place at Aldeburgh Jubilee Hall and Aldeburgh Cinema from Friday 29th to Sunday 31st May, the festival raises funds for Second Stage, a pioneering charity creating training, support and employment pathways into the theatre and live events industry for people leaving the criminal justice system.

For tickets and more information please go to www.madaboutshakespeare.co.uk

Full weekend ticket: £100 / Individual event ticket prices shown below.

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Lear’s Shadow 

Friday 29th May, 7.30pm 

Tickets: £25 available HERE

A 70-minute one man adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear devised and performed by Colin Hurley.

A man in a dressing gown shuffles in, carrying a box.  From the box he pulls the objects, people, quarrels, wrongs, jokes, mistakes, laughter and regrets that add up to a life.

Over the next seventy minutes, he retreads the path that brought him here – to This Great Stage of Fools: the loss of his daughters, the loss of his knights, the loss of his fool, the loss of his wits… oh, and the storm.  Don’t forget the storm.  When The Rain Came.

Using only Shakespeare’s words (reordered, repurposed, and often repeated), Lear’s Shadow is a mischievous, engaging reflection on Shakespeare’s great domestic tragedy.

Content Warning: this piece contains vivid depictions of Very Poor Parenting.

‘A superb one-man performance… Throughout the 70-minute performance, Hurley captivates’ ★★★★ Theatre and Arts Review

‘Hurley’s performance is a tour de force… He engaged with the audience brilliantly’  ★★★★ North West End

‘Hurley delivers a surprising, irresistibly human and comic Lear. This is more an ordinary man with a man’s vanities and vulnerabilities, yet there is an air of decayed nobility about him … Lear’s Shadow is a consistently engaging distillate of Shakespeare’s iconic tragedy. It may come from behind the weighty tragedy, but it throws light onto its darkness.’ British Theatre Guide

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In Conversation with Sir Jonathan Bate 

Saturday 30th May, 11am

Tickets: £18 available HERE

Shakespeare scholar and author of Mad About Shakespeare, Bate takes us from classroom, to theatre, to emergency room. Whether you’re falling in love, growing old, or losing your mind, if you are patient enough, Shakespeare will give you the words.

Jonathan Bate is a Senior Research Fellow at Oxford University, where he was formerly Provost of Worcester College, and Regents Professor of Literature at Arizona State University. He is well known as a biographer, critic, creative writer and broadcaster, and has authored award-winning biographies of William Wordsworth, John Clare and Ted Hughes, as well as many works on Shakespeare. He has a CBE for services to higher education and was knighted for services to literary scholarship.

Shakespeare’s world is never too different from our own – permeated with the same moments of tragedy or comedy, the same existential questions and ways of encountering each other. As he says, ‘the web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together’. So, whether dealing with the death of a loved one, the mess of war, the experience of being schooled, or falling in love, of growing old, of losing your mind, if you are patient enough, Shakespeare will give you the words.

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A Midsummer Nights’ Dream – Aldeburgh Cinema screening with a live introduction by director Michael Hoffmann. 

Saturday 30th May, 2pm

Tickets: £12 available HERE

Twentieth Century Fox’s dazzling 1999 star-studded film, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, brings Shakespeare’s most opulent romantic comedy to life, full of mysticism and humour. Set deep in the heart of a lush forest, with an extraordinary cast of fairy kings and queens, their remarkable entourages, and two beautiful pairs of lovers, this lavish production is a visual extravaganza. Its all-star cast – Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer – was a box-office triumph.

Filmed on location in a stunning Tuscan setting, the screening also includes a live introduction by the director, Michael Hoffman.

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Regeneration Theatre presents Hamlet – The Play’s The Thing

Saturday 30th May, 7pm

Tickets: £25 available HERE

A thrilling 90-minute Hamlet performed by Mark Lockyer and Directed by Fiona Laird.

Revenge, suspicion and family intrigue light up the stage in this powerful, concise version of perhaps Shakespeare’s most personal play.

Expertly edited into a gripping solo performance, Mark Lockyer embodies the play and all its characters in a visceral production.

Age guidance 14+

Stay behind after the performance and join Mark, director Fiona Laird and psychiatrist Dr James Anderson for a discussion around the play and the theme of madness.

‘This production is extraordinary … leaves the watcher utterly spellbound’ Rufus Norris, Artistic Director, National Theatre

‘Soliloquies that make the skin tingle’ The Guardian

‘This production has remarkable potential as inspiration and motivator, but also as a therapeutic tool for those that are disadvantaged by education, mental illness, and societal circumstance – be it homeless or otherwise.’ Dr James Anderson, retired consultant forensic psychiatrist (HMP Belmarsh and Broadmoor Hospital). 

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She Speaks – What Shakespeare’s Women Might Have Said

Sunday 31st May, 11am

Tickets: £18 available HERE

Internationally acclaimed actor Dame Harriet Walter performs witty and insightful passages from her hugely successful book, giving voice to the women in Shakespeare’s plays too often silenced or marginalised.

Previously performed at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and on tour, this performance promises to be a fun and irreverent look at Shakespeare’s greatest heroines.

Dame Harriet Walter is a distinguished British actress known for extensive stage work with the RSC (playing male Shakespearean roles in all-female casts) and acclaimed TV and film roles in Succession, The Crown, Sense and Sensibility, and Atonement. She was awarded a CBE in 2000 and a Damehood in 2011 for her contributions to drama and is also the author of several books.

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Brunch with the Bard and Bednarczyk

Sunday 31st May, 1pm

Tickets: £22 available HERE

Finish the weekend in style with internationally renowned cabaret artist, actor, singer and pianist Stefan Bednarczyk, acclaimed for his role as Feste (the Fool) in Tom Littler’s 2024 Orange Tree Theatre production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Performing the role from a grand piano at the centre of the stage, he provided live – often improvised – musical accompaniment to the action.

Stefan will reprise this wonderful performance as drinks and nibbles are served, bringing the festival to a lively and celebratory close.

“Stefan Bednarczyk is in the same olympian bracket as Noel Coward and Victor Borge” The Sunday Times.