TE NEWS: READ ALL ABOUT IT!
BRADFORD LIVE REVELLERS HAVE A RIOT AT KAISER CHIEFS GIG
On Friday 13th – unlucky for some, but certainly not for us – Bradford Live celebrated another landmark moment.
Yorkshire’s own Kaiser Chiefs took to the stage for a spectacular, sold-out performance of their iconic Employment album, played in full. The crowd was treated to fan favourites including Every Day I Love You Less and Less, I Predict a Riot, and Modern Way, creating an unforgettable night from start to finish.
The venue was packed to the rafters, buzzing with an electric atmosphere as critics and influencers joined fans to witness the occasion. One standout quote from the evening described Bradford Live as “one of the biggest music venues in the North” – a fantastic endorsement of what has been achieved.
A huge well done to everyone at Bradford Live who helped make the night such a resounding success.
AWARDS RECOGNITION FOR FAREHAM LIVE
Fareham Live has been shortlisted in the ‘Visitor Attraction/Event of the Year’ category at the 2026 Portsmouth Business Awards.
The Portsmouth Business Awards recognise, reward and celebrate all the successful businesses and professional individuals within Portsmouth and the surrounding areas. This ‘Visitor Attraction/Event of the Year’ category celebrates the outstanding contribution of a local attraction or event in drawing visitors to the area and in providing truly memorable visitor experiences.
Fareham Live was nominated by Fareham Borough Council as it has not only proven to be an incredibly successful venue; showcasing world-class entertainment including national touring shows, comedy, music and more; it is also a thriving community location, leading the way in the regeneration of Fareham town centre.
Category winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Portsmouth Guildhall on Friday 27 February 2026.
SWAN STAFF LEFT POKER FACED AT GAMES NIGHT!
January saw the return of the Wycombe Swan’s annual Games Night, a fantastic event spearheaded by the Technical department.
Starting as a themed social in the Oak Room (our smallest venue), news of the big screen Mario Kart and “VR in the Bar” spread to other departments and soon demand had grown enough that the event was moved to the main stage, where the capabilities of the theatre and its equipment can help to create something very unique.
Split across three main stages, this year featured our usual room-scale VR (with soft walls!) a full-scale Rock Band set, complete with lighting and PA, the Casual Couch at Stage 2 where everything from BoomerangFu to Jackbox/Quiplash kept the ‘less hardcore’ gamers laughing, and the usual array of retro game stations, board games, Poker and more scattered across the rest of the room, with Massive Mario Kart played overhead of everything.
Even the mystery game – Quest Maestro – turned out to be a hit, because it turns out the only thing better than conducting a full orchestra in a virtual world is doing it while standing in your own spotlight on a real stage!
Games Night provides a relaxed and open environment for anyone in any position in the venue to come along and chill out together with some food and drinks, and we hope to continue it as an annual fixture and keep the event growing, with plans already underway for next year’s special features!
Connor Harper, Interim Theatre Director, said: “A huge thank you to our brilliant tech team – Ant, Mike, Sky, Steve and Simon – for making all of this possible. Their creativity, hard work and enthusiasm are what bring Games Night to life.”
GLORIOUS GALA EVENT FOR SOUTHEND THEATRES
On 4 February, the Cliffs Pavilion hosted the Southend Mayoral Fundraising Gala evening. The Mayor of Southend-on-Sea City Council, Cllr Nigel Folkard has awarded Southend Theatres with Certificates of Recognition for its ‘exceptional dedication, creativity and commitment to arts, culture and live performance’.
General Manager Oliver Stacey and Palace Theatre Front of House Manager Matt Cole accepted the awards from Cllr Folkard at the event, which raised £8,000 for this year’s charities. In total, Southend Theatres has raised £20,000 in support of Southend in Sight and Mid & South Essex Hospitals Charity Dandelion Appeal for Southend Hospital this mayoral year.
LORNA MAKES BIG IMPRESSION IN HOUSE OF COMMONS
Lorna Strawson, Bromley’s Churchill Theatre Director, went to the House of Commons for Opportunity Bromley recently after being invited by Peter Fortune MP. The event brought together senior business leaders, investors, policymakers and partners to showcase Bromley as a borough, highlighting opportunities for growth, investment and collaboration.
Held in the Churchill Room (very fitting!), the event provided opportunities for networking and discussion about how Opportunity Bromley was supporting partnership across the borough. The Churchill is really proud to be a huge part of Bromley’s business and cultural landscape – and we think we bring a bit of sparkle and positivity as well as fantastic business acumen to our local community.
We’re also extremely proud that Lorna was featured in the Opportunity Bromley video which was played at the event and is available to watch here:
