Saturday, 28th June to Sunday, 13th July
Welcome to our coverage of Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival in the south of the UK.
Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival 2025 is underway and is set to present a wide selection of live performances and creative events throughout the town. Over the course of two weeks, audiences can expect music, theatre, comedy, dance, and visual arts by both emerging and established artists. We found 124 results when searching the listings!
The festival is designed to be inclusive, with events suitable for all ages and interests. Venues range from traditional theatres to unconventional spaces, encouraging community involvement and artistic experimentation. The Fringe aims to foster local talent, support cultural exchange, and provide accessible opportunities for residents and visitors to engage with the arts.
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Recommended Theatre Shows at Tunbridge Wells Fringe 2025
The Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival continues to be a vibrant hub for theatrical creativity and innovation. Below are five standout theatre productions to look out for in 2025, each offering a unique experience for audiences.
Wummy
A moving solo performance that delves into childhood memories and family relationships. Wummy uses humour and nostalgia to explore themes of loss and personal growth, creating an intimate and touching theatrical journey.
The Fox, The Slipper and The Severed Head
A darkly comic fable blending folklore and mystery. This quirky play follows a cunning fox and a bizarre crime, weaving together satire and suspense in a whimsical narrative that both entertains and provokes much thought.
No Dreams Are Left In This Head Overnight
An experimental piece that explores the surreal world of dreams and insomnia. Through poetic storytelling and fragmented scenes, the play invites audiences to reflect on memory, perception, and the nature of consciousness.
Moby Dick
A bold stage adaptation of Herman Melville’s classic novel. This inventive production captures the epic tale of obsession and adventure on the high seas, distilling its drama into a compelling and accessible theatrical experience.
Why I Won’t Miss My Mother
A new play written and performed by Bibiana Nesvadbova. The story follows a young woman returning to her childhood home, offering a poignant exploration of family dynamics, memory, and emotional inheritance.
Browsing the Programme
Many shows, companies and performers at Tunbridge Wells Fringe Festival have been seen by the FringeReview team at other festivals and over the year. There is also plenty of home grown work as well.
For some improvised comedy, Who Wrote This? Played Brighton Fringe recently. You can listen to our interview about the show during Brighton Fringe 2025 with performers Summer Tewkesbury and Fillipe Ribeiro here.
For some more improv comedy and some madcap interactive Shakespeare, you’ll be booking tickets for You’re Bard! Billed as an “unpredictable new show, featuring actors from the Royal Shakespeare Company, Bristol Old Vic, Cheltenham Everyman, Dubai and the West End”, this “promises an unforgettable evening of Shakespeare unlike anything you’ve ever seen before!”
A more serious, acclaimed and innovative take on Shakesepare, Gratiano was highly recommended by FringeReview. Strat Mastoris said: “this play is a passionate cry against racism and xenophobia in every country, in every century; it speaks to us very clearly today. Don’t for a moment imagine, though, that this is a worthy lecture on morality – Ross Ericson has created a living, breathing human being in Gratiano. A complex character, as I said above; one of the minority of people who has been able reflect on his experiences and change his opinions. He’s obviously very much a vehicle for the political message his author wants to get across to us, but I believed in him as a man.”
The Last Encore offers an “interactive mystery where murder, glamour, and secrets take centre stage…” You are invited to “unleash your inner super-sleuth and help untangle a web of lies and solve this twisted mystery.”
How about some theatre set in a broom cupboard? Destination: ‘Old Hag‘ is billed as a “Situation-Operatic-Comedy”. we are invited to “come and join the Ladies of the Chorus as they chart their 20+ years in the world of opera with humour, heart, and some live opera singing!”.
Magic and Mentalism is a regular fringe genre and Caspar Thomas: The Art of Close-Up Magic (Volume 2) is our choice. Caspar is been regularly well reviewed by FringeReview. “You cannot argue sometimes with the punters and they loved Caspar Thomas. ” said Donald Stewart. Comedy Hypnosis Show is billed as follows: “Watch in amazement as volunteers fall into a hypnotic trance and unleash hidden talents—believing they’re world-famous singers, or speaking in a language they’ve never heard! Every show is unique, unscripted, and packed with outrageous fun and jaw-dropping moments.”
Family-friendly magical duo, O’Leary and Meadows, offer magic, comedy and a little bit of escapology in (Almost) Smooth as Silk. “Having charmed audiences at fringe festivals across the UK, they’re back with their second show, offering a delightful mix of astonishing magic, laugh-out-loud comedy, and a hint of daring escapology.”
For some outdoor physical performance, Golden Slumbers is “a highly visual and physical outdoor show exploring the endless cycle of labour experienced by women through their lives, and celebrating everyone’s right to a little rest and recuperation.” And for some locally created, free dance and physical performance, The Cascade Adult Dance Collective is a dynamic group of local dancers passionate about sharing their love of movement. Join us at the Fringe Festival for a series of uplifting, high-energy contemporary dance performances that blends creativity, connection, and joy.
Some traditional storytelling, Unexpected Consequences, in on offer from Isle of Wight teller of tales, Tony Hirst. “A box of precious things brings a tale to mind, of a secret that brought a community together, and a King’s purchase from a traveller that ruined his banqueting table. But how does a stolen wish ring continue to work its magic? And how can there be too much time?”
An unmissable solo piece, highly acclaimed, you’ll want to see Achilles Death of the Gods. Written and performed by Jo Kelen, “The warrior, Achilles, finds himself fighting in a war that is not his. When his lover Patroclus is killed in battle, Achilles, enveloped in an insatiable rage, inflicts unspeakable horrors on those around him”.
There is more live literature and spoken word on offer. Monologue Mayhem! is an evening of monologues from classic to contemporary, upstairs at the Duke of York. Run. Scream. Die, are original horror stories written and told by Kevin Groves, billed as “a tantalizing glimpse into his macabre imagination, a collection of short, funky horror stories that danced between the deliciously suspenseful and the playfully spooky.”
Our stand-up comedy choice has a title that is very true. Phil Kay is indeed a Fringe legend, so why not call his show, Phil Kay – Fringe Legend? Unhinged, fluent and fluid genius, this is a 25-year comedy career menu of laughs.
Paul Richards: There’s a Band Playing at the Social Club tonight is a new musical comedy play described as an “affectionate comedic story of life as a working musician”.
For the whole family, we rated The Wizard of Oz this company’s version of The Addams Family as an excellent show, from the talentz at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024. Sean Findlay said: “Whilst watching I couldn’t stop grinning throughout. The show was very funny, well cast and the acting was very impressive”. In this version of the classic musical, “an all-youth cast! Inspired by the newly released Wicked, this reimagined take on the classic tale brings fresh depth to Dorothy’s adventure as she journeys through the magical land of Oz, joined by the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion. With stunning visuals, dynamic performances, and a unique twist this heartwarming production will captivate audiences of all ages. Book your tickets now for an unforgettable experience!”
Another family-friendly hit from Edinburgh and Brighton Fringe’s is Baby Shark and Tails of the Seven Seas. “Children will participate in a choose-your-own-adventure style program, encountering a variety of friendly beasts along the way such as kangaroos, elephants and crabs! On this multimedia voyage, visit diverse parts of the globe including Japan, Australia and Brazil, joining the cast in songs and dances of the world while being mesmerized by magical exploits along the way.”. Ideal for the younger ones.
So, these are some of our picks for this still new and growing Fringe. We’ll be adding more recommendations, previews and features during the Fringe, so do check back.
