About Merlin Theatre
The Merlin is a professional, community theatre that brings you the very best in performing arts. 240-seat auditorium with a smaller, outdoor amphitheatre.
Merlin Theatre Description
The Merlin is a professional, community theatre belonging to Frome College. Bringing you the very best in performing arts, it has a 240-seat auditorium with a smaller, outdoor, amphitheatre (ECOS) and a 35 seat studio space.
The Theatre and Foyer spaces are available to hire for events, shows, conferences, meetings and groups.
We programme theatre, live screenings, dance, comedy, live literature and music by professional and non-professional companies, show films and run regular classes, workshops and one-off participatory projects.
We aim to provide the people of Frome and the surrounding area with excellent, memorable experiences in the performing arts.
Reviews
Tickets on sale now..
Alan is one of our wonderful volunteers. Congrats Alan, we are very proud !
Deborah Ward/China Fish present: QUEEN C*** SACRED OR PROFANE
‘Feminism encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism & become lesbians’
... Blending comedy, drag, song and the grotesque, with absurd character sketches. Meet the Virgin Mary, Theresa May, Burt the drag king, Frida Kahlo and many more...
In an age of Harvey Weinsteins, where passing trends compel some to undergo surgery, where mainstream porn has hijacked sensuality, we delve into the wild waters of our womanhood, reclaiming the body in ways that are joyful, darkly comic and often anarchic.
Vibrant and unapologetic, the audience is kept riveted ★★★★ The Skinny.
“So richly topical, so multi-directional and so alive. Like their surrealist counterparts The Mighty Boosh, Ward and Fish are gifted performers… (they) have the knack of taking the audience along for the ride” ★★★★ Bristol 24/7 Review
“Keeping up to the moment with current conversations on feminism… (Deborah and China) jump between characters so remarkably… it felt like watching a company of ten… I found myself squealing, laughing, absolutely soaked and on a high”. ★★★★ LGBTQ Review
Supported by Lunette Cup https://www.lunette.com/ Supported by Arts Council England
See More
3Fall Dance company - Thursday night: tickets only £8.50 online or walk up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wujk2aGT6 eo&feature=youtu.be
Tickets still available for Zoe Lyons comedy show next Friday, 1st Feb: https://zoelyons.seetickets.com/tour/zoe- lyons
3 Fall Dance: amazing opportunity. extraordinary company; Thurs 24th @MerlinTheatre This is future of contemporary dance & a must for anyone with an interest in professional dance. £8.50 book online merlintheatre.co.uk ow.ly/2RsA30nmwNW http://twitter.com/3fall_danceco
Dancers, dance-lovers, students of dance - amazing opportunity see this extraordinary company; Thursday Merlin Theatre Born out of & based at the Uni of Chichester, this is future of contemporary dance & a must for anyone with an interest in professional dance. £8.50 only http://3falldancecompany.weebly.com/perfo rmances--workshops…#
If you missed this in November watch it tonight at the Merlin! Door tickets available. 7pm https://youtu.be/BO76_gVR9nA
You are keeping our volunteer staff very busy this morning! Brochure is out and shows are flying! Check the website if you haven’t picked up yours yet !
Tickets on sale for this screening..
Wonderful small theatre with good choice of both professional and amateur work; very much a community resource; the director runs it from her heart, making it the heartbeat of Frome and a place of learning, memories, joy and friendship for so many growing up with performance (both doing and watching) as a normal part of their lives. Hosts professional work and live NT screenings as well as having an outdoor amphitheatre for the likes of Illyria. The town's summer festival see 100s picnic-ing in the Somerset sunshine. So, there can be the odd hiccup with ticketing site, perhaps the phone isn't always manned night and day and the stewarding and bar might not run like a west-end venue but it is almost entirely run by volunteers who give their time for nothing and keep it alive since all arts funding was cut some years ago. Sometimes you just have to get in the groove of how things work in the countryside folks! One of the best things about this wonderful town...
Went to see Peter Pan at the Merlin today for the 2 pm performance and it was incredible my 5 year old daughter loved it as did my 9 year old nephew huge congratulations to all involved can't wait for the next one already x
Twelfth Night,
Amazing modern spin, funny, dark, tragic
Loved it
This is the place to be! Try it for yourself and you will know what I am talking about.
There is so much talent in Frome and the Merlin is a great stage to show the world! A Lovely therate, friendly staff and volunteers, Frome should be proud of the Merlin and what it can achieve.
The Merlin Theatre is a fantastic place whic provides entertainment for all. Run by a team of volunteers it plays host to local theatre groups as well as international reknowned stars not to mention their live screenings
Such an enjoyable evening watching Hansel and Gretel with my grandson. The story was imaginatively enhanced by the addition of two ‘loveable pigeons’ � Their acting was brilliant and choreography of their moves superb�Well done to the fantastic cast, band, crew and especially to the director and playwright, Claudia Peplar.
I've appeared on stage and been a member of the audience at this venue and loved my experience on both sides.
I love this little community theatre with big ambitions! Where else can you see steampunk hypnotics, life-size puppets, Cumberbatch and Dame Judi on a big screen, monthly indie movies, your Fromie friends acting up on stage – and so many volunteers with big smiles on their faces!
I love The Merlin Theatre I've seen so many amazing productions here all on my doorstep why go anywhere else
How lucky we are to have a venue in Frome showing live screenings from Covent Garden, the RSC and elsewhere. Thoroughly enjoyed ROH Bernstein last night, looking forward to Manon, An American in Paris and many more. Thank you so much!
Hansel and Gretal was absolutely brilliant last night. My 7 and 5 year old loved it. You could hear him laughing at the pigeons from across town. The two lead characters were fab, very professional and the music was fantastic. Jake and Will made it for us, as some parts were tricky to follow for a 5 year old so she lit up when they came on. Well done lads. The whole cast should be very proud you made us feel all warm and cosy inside and definitely Christmassy . P. S could do with a bit more snow at the end! Thank you for reinstating my love of stage productions. X
Great theatre. � We saw Tri-art's Les Miserables last night. It was utterly fantastic
Fantastic little theatre with great shows , classes and events for everyone. Run by a team of dedicated, passionate and creative professionals, working hard to bring quality live arts to the people of Frome and the surrounding areas when many arts venues have had to close. Well done and keep up the good work!!
Brilliant little theatre with varied programme of performances
Amazing theatre, love their productions and versatile programming, always something on to enjoy!
A wonderful and fantastic little volunteer ran theatre. From musicals and plays to stand up comedy and National Theatre Live screenings, the Merlin has it. A very special place and an absolutely incredible asset to Frome 🎭
A cracking night with the young talented stars of Frome's musical theatre scene raising money for cancer charities. An excellent night. Love the new Prosecco in the bar as well!
A community theatre with a beating heart! The Merlin is such a huge part of the community - its work with young people, diverse programming and ambitious in house productions make it totally unique and I feel very lucky to have grown up alongside it.
Wonderful small theatre with good choice of both professional and amateur work; very much a community resource; the director runs it from her heart, making it the heartbeat of Frome and a place of learning, memories, joy and friendship for so many growing up with performance (both doing and watching) as a normal part of their lives. Hosts professional work and live NT screenings as well as having an outdoor amphitheatre for the likes of Illyria. The town's summer festival see 100s picnic-ing in the Somerset sunshine. So, there can be the odd hiccup with ticketing site, perhaps the phone isn't always manned night and day and the stewarding and bar might not run like a west-end venue but it is almost entirely run by volunteers who give their time for nothing and keep it alive since all arts funding was cut some years ago. Sometimes you just have to get in the groove of how things work in the countryside folks! One of the best things about this wonderful town...
Went to see Peter Pan at the Merlin today for the 2 pm performance and it was incredible my 5 year old daughter loved it as did my 9 year old nephew huge congratulations to all involved can't wait for the next one already x
Twelfth Night,
Amazing modern spin, funny, dark, tragic
Loved it
This is the place to be! Try it for yourself and you will know what I am talking about.
There is so much talent in Frome and the Merlin is a great stage to show the world! A Lovely therate, friendly staff and volunteers, Frome should be proud of the Merlin and what it can achieve.
The Merlin Theatre is a fantastic place whic provides entertainment for all. Run by a team of volunteers it plays host to local theatre groups as well as international reknowned stars not to mention their live screenings
Such an enjoyable evening watching Hansel and Gretel with my grandson. The story was imaginatively enhanced by the addition of two ‘loveable pigeons’ � Their acting was brilliant and choreography of their moves superb�Well done to the fantastic cast, band, crew and especially to the director and playwright, Claudia Peplar.
I've appeared on stage and been a member of the audience at this venue and loved my experience on both sides.
I love this little community theatre with big ambitions! Where else can you see steampunk hypnotics, life-size puppets, Cumberbatch and Dame Judi on a big screen, monthly indie movies, your Fromie friends acting up on stage – and so many volunteers with big smiles on their faces!
I love The Merlin Theatre I've seen so many amazing productions here all on my doorstep why go anywhere else
How lucky we are to have a venue in Frome showing live screenings from Covent Garden, the RSC and elsewhere. Thoroughly enjoyed ROH Bernstein last night, looking forward to Manon, An American in Paris and many more. Thank you so much!
Hansel and Gretal was absolutely brilliant last night. My 7 and 5 year old loved it. You could hear him laughing at the pigeons from across town. The two lead characters were fab, very professional and the music was fantastic. Jake and Will made it for us, as some parts were tricky to follow for a 5 year old so she lit up when they came on. Well done lads. The whole cast should be very proud you made us feel all warm and cosy inside and definitely Christmassy . P. S could do with a bit more snow at the end! Thank you for reinstating my love of stage productions. X
Great theatre. � We saw Tri-art's Les Miserables last night. It was utterly fantastic
Fantastic little theatre with great shows , classes and events for everyone. Run by a team of dedicated, passionate and creative professionals, working hard to bring quality live arts to the people of Frome and the surrounding areas when many arts venues have had to close. Well done and keep up the good work!!
Brilliant little theatre with varied programme of performances
Amazing theatre, love their productions and versatile programming, always something on to enjoy!
A wonderful and fantastic little volunteer ran theatre. From musicals and plays to stand up comedy and National Theatre Live screenings, the Merlin has it. A very special place and an absolutely incredible asset to Frome 🎭
A cracking night with the young talented stars of Frome's musical theatre scene raising money for cancer charities. An excellent night. Love the new Prosecco in the bar as well!
A community theatre with a beating heart! The Merlin is such a huge part of the community - its work with young people, diverse programming and ambitious in house productions make it totally unique and I feel very lucky to have grown up alongside it.