Theatre & Circus

Covering over 12 acres of the finest farmland in Somerset, the three fields that make up this unique part of the festival are thick to the hedges with a vast variety of entertainment, spectacle and wonder. Featuring large and welcoming tented venues hosting the very best in comedy, theatre and circus, outdoor stages bursting at the seams with talented entertainers from around the globe, as well as a plethora of roving character actors, are all here to keep you enthralled from mid-morning, right through till just before the sun rises.

A look back at 2025

A fantastic year featuring some of the biggest crowds we have ever had the pleasure of hosting here at Theatre and Circus.

Wednesday night saw us focusing on a bespoke multi-media extravaganza at the Pyramid arena, attracting a crowd of over 75,000 to a spectacular show featuring brave and talented aerial performers, jugglers and acrobats, all accompanied by over 1,000 voices in an innovative blend of physical dexterity and choral harmony.

From then on things, as they say, just kept getting better and better.

Thursday morning saw inspirational fitness coach Joe Wicks lead thousands in a punchy workout session on the Gateway Stage, while later that day, up and coming star James B Partridge brought his award-winning show Primary School Bangers to the Summerhouse Stage, filling the field with happiness and joy in the glorious afternoon sunshine. In the evening the very talented Showhawk Duo perform a stonking set to a packed field from the Sensation Seekers Stage.

By Friday things were in full swing. Musical theatre star Lucie Jones made her festival debut and nearly blew the roof of the Astrolabe Theatre with a powerful vocal performance that included a surprise guest appearance by Sam Ryder. The Cabaret Tent was bulging at the seams to witness Greg Davies and Alex Horn present a fantastic festival version of their very popular show Taskmaster and later that night in the same venue, Nish Kumar and James Acaster took to the decks with a raucous pumping DJ set.

Saturday saw the Circus Big Top heaving throughout the day with spectacular performances by amongst others, Wales’s very own No Fit State Circus, all the way from Australia, award winning boylesque troupe, Briefs Factory, British touring stalwarts Circus Funtasia and the every popular African acrobatic troupe The Black Eagles, as well as a much overdue debut by multi-disciplined and culturally rich Palestinian Circus School, direct from their base in Gaza. While our beautifully curated Poetry and Words Tent hummed with the dulcet prows of amongst others, Robin Ince, John Hegley, Brian Bliston and Princess Arinola Adegbite.

Sunday is generally a quieter day in many respects, but the fun was far from over and there were still many wonderful shows and experiences to enjoy. The Pavement Stage continued to host some of the very best street performers on the planet right in the heart of the markets area, A Little More Sensation Stage presented a rich and diverse line up of spectacular acts throughout the day and there were stand out performances from such luminaries as Abandoman, the very talented Sarah-Louise Young with here 5 star show, An Evening Without Kate Bush and a brilliant late-night set by firm festival favourites Doreen Doreen, as well as wonderful late-night shenanigans at the ever-popular Mavericks Tent and the hidden gem that is Rimski’s Yard.

All in all, a wonderful year for Theatre and Circus. 1,500 shows presented over 5 days, with a cast of 1,000s. A big thank you to everyone involved, especially the audiences who came in their droves to the wonderful world of Theatre and Circus. We hope to see you all again in 2027.