Ten of the Best - Your guide to what to see around Northants in the coming days
From symphonic rock to much-loved poetry, there’s plenty to enjoy
1 Chris Packham’s World of Wonder, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Thursday November 5
For nearly 40 years, Chris Packham has been a leading voice for nature in the UK. Through his groundbreaking work on The Really Wild Show, Springwatch, Inside Our Autistic Minds and Earth, Chris has devoted his remarkable life to engaging with the natural world – and urging everyone do the same. In his new show, Chris opens an encyclopaedia of stories from his lifetime of curiosity and conviction – from a childhood bedroom bursting with feathers, skulls, snakes, lizards and jam-jars full of tadpoles, to the wild adventures that shaped his love of nature. It’s also a chance to see extraordinary specimens from Chris’s own collection up close, hear untold stories from behind the camera, and share in his infectious passion for the living world. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.
2 Jools Holland, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Saturday November 7
Musical maestro Jools Holland and his famous Rhythm & Blues Orchestra return to the venue with special guest Roachford. The show will once again feature the ‘Queen of Boogie Woogie’, Ruby Turner, as well as the vocals of Louise Marshall and Sumudu Jayatilaka. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.
3 Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, Lighthouse Theatre, Kettering, Tuesday November 10
The award-winning and highly unusual comedy troupe are back. The cast will present what it calls “an unconventional, no-holds-barred interpretation” of Romeo and Juliet. The company warns the show may feature “foul language, nudity and occasionally, some Shakespeare”. Visit lighthousetheatre.co.uk or call 01536 414141 to book.
4 Pam Ayres: Doggedly Onward, Castle Theatre, Wellingborough, Tuesday November 10
Pam Ayres has spent a lifetime providing comical and profound insights into the delights and tribulations of everyday life. She comes to Wellingborough to talk about her latest book, recounting her life in poems. Pam has gathered her career’s work of poetry into this book, which traces the course of her life, and illustrates how her work has provoked laughter, and some tears, in people around the world. Recent TV appearances include two series of The Cotswolds for Channel 5, This Morning, Alan Titchmarsh, Countdown and Would I Lie To You?. Visit castletheatre.co.uk or call 01933 270 007 to book.
5 The Big Pants Party, The Core at Corby Cube, Friday November 6
Enjoy alive concert celebration of the songs that defined countless friendships — the anthems danced to, sang through heartbreak with, and blasted on unforgettable nights out. Performed by a powerhouse live band, the feel-good show promises a “nostalgic journey through the greatest hits of a lifetime”. Visit thecorecorby.com or call 01536 470470 to book.
6 London Symphonic Rock Orchestra, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Sunday November 8
The boundary-breaking pioneers fuse the power of the orchestra with innovative technology and the raucous rebellion of rock. A collective of 12 classically trained artists brought together by their love of rock music and their talent, the orchestra formed in 2018 and have been wowing audiences ever since. They have collaborated and performed with many artists including the Trevor Horn Band and Queen Machine and have played more than 200 shows to over 400,000 fans. Adorned in the guise of “rock warriors”, the orchestra perform whilst immersed in a candlelit fantasy forest. Expect reimagined classic hits from AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Iron Maiden, Guns N’ Roses, Evanescence, Motörhead, Foo Fighters, Rage Against The Machine, System of a Down and many more. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.
7 Andy Parsons, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Thursday November 5
"Life is hard,” says Andy. “Come and have a laugh about it.” After his nationwide critical-smash sellout 2023/24 tour, Andy is back with a new show. He’s been seen on Netflix, Amazon Prime, BBC iPlayer, Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week and his 2025 NextUp standup special. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.
8 Aurie Styla: Maverick, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Saturday November 7
Following the stand-up’s acclaimed world tour, Aurie’s new show explores his work-life balance, family influence, relationships, health and more. Aurie has appeared on shows including Richard Osman’s House Of Games (BBC), Comedy Central Live, Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club (ITV) and multiple seasons of The Stand-Up Sketch Show. In 2025 he was selected as a New Face Of Comedy at the Just For Laughs Montreal festival. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.
9 The Makings of a Murderer: The Undercover Detective, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Sunday November 8
Join Peter Bleksley, a founding member of Scotland Yard’s undercover unit, in The Makings of a Murderer: The Undercover Detective, as he lifts the lid on the most dangerous and hidden aspects of murder investigations. For over a decade, Peter worked undercover, posing as everything from drug dealers to contract killers. His double life gave him access to the darkest corners of humanity, uncovering secrets that would save lives – but at the cost of his own safety. Forced into witness protection by an FBI-uncovered assassination plot, his career as a detective came to an abrupt end, leaving him with chilling memories of murderers and the justice system that hunts them. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.
10 Flo & Joan: With Feeling, Royal & Derngate, Northampton, Thursday November 12
Comedy musical duo Flo & Joan make their highly anticipated return to the stage with their new show. The pair say they will “try and take up as much of the stage and as little of your patience as possible” as they use another band’s setlist to write their own show – ruminating on themes such as ‘what is music?’, ‘how do you be a band?’, and ‘what is comedy’ in their sharp-tongued, deadpan way. Flo & Joan have been seen on Live at the Apollo, The Royal Variety Performance, Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day Live 2023 and their own comedy special Alive on Stage for Amazon Prime. Rolling Stone called them “truly exceptional” and the Guardian named theirs the number one comedy show on 2024. Visit royalandderngate.co.uk or call 01604 624811 to book.