ON OUR RADAR

Theatre in the Park

Exeter Phoenix hosts an al fresco summer theatre season featuring Shakespeare, spoken-word poetry, puppetry and physical comedy.

Leigh Curtis

Theatre in the Park, the annual al fresco summer theatre season hosted by Exeter Phoenix, returns to Rougemont Gardens from Thursday 31 July.

This year’s season begins with a staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Sun & Moon Theatre.

The South West-based company, which specialises in making Shakespeare accessible to all, is setting the bard’s tale of entangled love in the Roaring Twenties, complete with live music.

The season continues with Splat!, a physical comedy for audiences aged 3 and over that follows two aspiring artists, one dedicated and serious, the other erratic and messy.

A Spork! Summer Special then features spoken-word poetry from Lily Redwood, Ysella Sims and former Bard of Exeter Ceri Baker in performances suitable for audiences aged 12 and over.

The season comes to a close on Thursday 14 August with Professor Slug’s House of Bugs, an interactive family show with puppets, music and information about the world of bugs.

Spork! Summer Special in Rougemont Gardens Spork! Summer Special in Rougemont Gardens

This year’s Theatre in the Park season includes four performances of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 7pm on Thursday 31 July, Friday 1 August and Saturday 2 August, and at 2pm on Sunday 3 August.

Tickets cost £15, with £10 concessions and £9 tickets for under-15s. Under-5s go free.

Splat! is at 11.30am and 2pm on Thursday 7 August. Tickets cost £12, with £10 concessions. Under-3s go free.

The Spork! Summer Special takes place at 6pm on Thursday 7 August. Tickets cost £8-£14 or £5 for students and under-15s.

Professor Slug’s House of Bugs is at 2pm on Thursday 14 August. Tickets cost £12, with £10 concessions. Under-3s go free.

Family tickets are available for all performances and donations to Refugee Support Devon and Exeter Foodbank are invited when booking.

Subscribe to The Exeter Digest - Exeter Observer's essential free email newsletter

Your personal information will be processed and stored in accordance with our Privacy Policy

Theatre in the Park runs from Thursday 31 July to Thursday 14 August 2025 in Rougemont Gardens. Visit the Exeter Phoenix website for more information and to book tickets.

Attendees are invited to bring their own refreshments and a chair, blanket or cushion to sit on. In the event of wet weather performances may take place indoors.

Democracy doesn't work when people don't know who is deciding what on whose behalf and what the costs and consequences of those decisions will be.

Exeter Observer is proving that reader-funded media can deliver the independent public interest journalism our local democracy needs.

Upgrade to a paid Exeter Observer subscription to support our work and get access to exclusive premium content and more.

More stories
Exeter Energy heat plant indicative render north elevation

Exeter City Council disregards national planning policy and Environment Agency criticism to approve Riverside Valley Park flood zone heat plant plans

Five gas boilers to provide 80% of “low-to-zero carbon” Grace Road Fields plant generation capacity for distribution to institutional consumers through privately-run 13-mile underground network expected to take ten years to complete.

University of Exeter West Park redevelopment demolition block plan

West Park redevelopment demolitions to proceed to enable intrusive unexploded ordnance surveys before works can begin

Five year-old University of Exeter plans to provide 2,000 new student bedspaces in blocks up to nine storeys tall by demolishing up to 30 buildings on fifteen acre Streatham campus site about to take seismic step towards delivery.

His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Fire and Rescue Services logo

HMICFRS identifies sufficient Devon & Cornwall Police improvements to return force to routine monitoring

Inspectorate decision follows nearly three years of enhanced monitoring after force found inadequate in three of nine areas and requiring improvement in two more, but says “still work to do” in crime recording standards and investigations management.

Devon & Cornwall Police deputy chief constable Jim Colwell, previous chief constable Will Kerr and interim chief constable James Vaughan

Devon & Cornwall Police deputy chief constable Jim Colwell receives 18-month misconduct warning

Outcome of Independent Office for Police Conduct investigation delivered day before retirement of suspended chief constable Will Kerr announced, with Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez unwilling to say whether “golden handshake” agreed.

Newtown active travel scheme map

Newtown active travel scheme approved after four years of public consultations

Joint Devon County Council and Exeter City Council project includes road closure, car parking changes and contraflow Clifton Hill cycle lane.