Flotsam

Half Moon Presents Flotsam an OperaUpClose production for ages 2-5 based on the picture book by David Wiesner.

When a curious child discovers a mysterious camera washed up on the beach, the photos inside reveal a chain of children linked across time and space and an extraordinary underwater world.

Turtles carry cities, starfish dance, octopi read by lamplight – but who took the pictures and where will the camera travel next?

Kerry Andrew’s luminous new score and text blends music, movement and storytelling to explore curiosity, connection and the boundless power of imagination – a spellbinding adventure for audiences of all ages.

Building on OperaUpClose’s reputation for creating “spell-binding, magical, inventive theatre” (A View from Behind the Arras) for children and their parents, Flotsam brings David Wiesner’s much-loved picture book to life.

Creative Careers Fair

A half-day discovery fair for young people to learn more about creative careers in Winchester.

This November, during Discover Creative Careers Month we are hosting a half-day discovery fair for young people to learn more about creative careers in Winchester.

This free event will bring together professionals from across the creative industries to help young people discover the wide variety of careers available and learn more about the pathways into them. This is an opportunity to have real conversations with the people doing these jobs every day. Students can ask questions, hear personal career stories and learn about the skills and qualifications that helped others get where they are today.

Whether you are a young person, an educator, or a guardian there is something for everyone to experience and learn more about the breadth and depth of creative careers and the various ways to get there!

NUTSHELL NETWORK: CREATIVE CO-WORKING

As part of our commitment to fostering creative exploration and connection, we are opening our doors Weekly for creative co-working 🖤

Creative co-working is back! With our refreshed venue and new foyer space, it really is the perfect spot to get all your creative thoughts and plans in order.

We envisage a shared workspace throughout our ground floor area which will be available for use by those working in the creative industries. WiFi available throughout so bring your laptops, notebooks and stationary for a day of planning!

The Plan
The use of a spot in our ground floor studio is FREE >>> plus we will be serving Roasting Party barista coffee (local Winch represent 🤘🏻) availbale for purchase at our new ground floor cafe. Sweet treats will be available too - payments taken at our Box Office.

Need More Space?
Have a bigger working group in need of a larger space to test out ideas? On Creative Co-working days we will be offering our performance studio for hire at a reduced rate of £10 per hour. Bookable in person on the day and first-come, first-serve. Please pay at the Box Office for this.

The Bigger Picture
We want to meet more creatives who are based in Winchester and grow our network! Come join us every month 🖤 the group may start small but big things are most definitely on the horizon.

A Tale of Us

Sleep is like an old friend I’ve not seen for a long time. She’s stopped returning my calls. But some nights feel sort of magic. Just you and me watching a new day being born.

Ivy’s just had a baby. She’s never felt so full of love – or so alone. Days (and nights) can be tough. But she’s working it out.

A Tale of Us is a brand new play for parents and their babies. Join Ivy and her little one on a funny, frank and magical journey through their first year of life together. Blending drama and multi-sensory playtime in a relaxed and beautifully designed environment, this is a celebration of the wonder, joys and challenges of becoming a new parent.

After each performance there will be a guided Stay and Play session – a chance for everyone to explore the world of the show and meet other parents and babies.

Made for parents with children ages 0-18 months.

NUTSHELL NETWORK: CREATIVE CO-WORKING

NOW EVERY TUESDAY!


As part of our commitment to fostering creative exploration and connection, we are opening our doors weekly for creative co-working 🖤

With our refreshed venue and new foyer space, it really is the perfect spot to get all your creative thoughts and plans in order.

We envisage a shared workspace throughout our ground floor area which will be available for use by those working in the creative industries. WiFi available throughout so bring your laptops, notebooks and stationary for a day of planning!

The Plan
The use of a spot in our ground floor studio is FREE >>> plus we will be serving Roasting Party barista coffee (local Winch represent 🤘🏻) availbale for purchase at our new ground floor cafe. Sweet treats will be available too - payments taken at our Box Office.

Need More Space?
Have a bigger working group in need of a larger space to test out ideas? On Creative Co-working days we will be offering our performance studio for hire at a reduced rate of £10 per hour. Bookable in person on the day and first-come, first-serve. Please pay at the Box Office for this.

The Bigger Picture
We want to meet more creatives who are based in Winchester and grow our network! Come join us every month 🖤 the group may start small but big things are most definitely on the horizon.

Not Now, Bernard

Bernard’s got a problem but his mum and dad are too busy to notice – David McKee’s much-loved story about being heard, with integrated Makaton, brought to the stage by Roustabout Theatre (Dinosaurs & All That Rubbish, Little Red Riding Could, Luna) for ages 3-8 and their families.

‘There’s a monster in the garden and it’s going to eat me.’

What happens when nobody listens?

David McKee’s wickedly funny story roars on to the stage in Roustabout Theatre’s fantastical and colourful adaptation of this classic and much-loved picture book. Through physical comedy, a live soundtrack performed on instruments and household objects, and an ENORMOUS purple monster, this show explores big themes of attention, imagination, and being heard, offering lots to talk about for both children and adults.

Fancy joining us for a pre-show intergenerational workshop? CLICK HERE

With integrated Makaton, this accessible production is suitable for everyone aged 3+.

Supported by Arts Council England, the egg, and Front Room Theatre.

Not Now Bernard © David McKee 1980, published by Andersen Press Ltd

Created by Roustabout Theatre, based on the book by David McKee.

The Shivers, by emma + pj

A twisty-turny thriller for young audiences, about spies, lies and learning to trust your gut

A fox, a pigeon, and a secret agent are on a mission to save the world, but everything is not what it seems. The evil Miss Information and her deadly sleepy agents are on the attack, and now all the colours are wrong, and all the sounds are upside down. When true is false and real is fake, will our superheroes be able to untangle the lies and figure out who to trust?

Featuring ingenious live video, explosive dance moves, and a cast of unforgettable characters, The Shivers is a pulsating adventure about learning to trust your instincts when something doesn’t feel right… when it gives you the shivers. 

This high-octane action-comedy opens the door for grown-ups and children to talk about misinformation, fake news, and keeping safe online.

Post-show conversation

“What’s the last thing you saw online that made you question whether it was true or not?”

Join The Shivers company and The Nutshell after the show, as we open a conversation between you and your young person(s) reflecting on what they’ve just seen. At The Nutshell, we believe that theatre is the start of a great conversation, and engagement doesn’t, and shouldn’t end once the production is finished. Our friends from The Shivers are going to stick around and answer questions from the audience, and importantly, ask some questions in return.

After the show is over, there’ll be a 5-minute break for the company, before they join us back in the theatre for a group conversation.

This will be a relaxed session exploring the key themes of the show, and what resonated for you as audiences. Families are free to come and go as they please.

Details: 3pm to 3:20pm, Free to ticketholders

Created by acclaimed duo emma + pj and developed through workshops with local children and teachers in the London Borough of Camden.

You can download our Creativity Pack here to access creative activities and prompts for young people inspired by the show. The resource was developed by Peter Laycock (Creative Peter) in collaboration with emma + pj.

PLAYTIME! Ratty’s Birthday

Play-along theatre adventures for 2-6 year olds and their grownups.

It’s Ratty’s Birthday, we are all invited to her party, but will she get everything in time? It could be Mayhem! But we are all hoping for a little bit of Magic at this party...

Join Ratty and friends for a fun, relaxed participatory theatre session. There’ll be silliness, play-acting, games and music in this play-along theatre adventure... Expect to play, move, watch and laugh.

Ratty has a lot of ideas but sometimes things don’t go according to plan....can you help her by playing along and working together? A fun and gentle introduction to theatre with play-along storytelling, original music, puppetry, theatre games, movement, and lots of imaginative play.

Sessions last 1 hour, and are created for ages 2-6 and their grown-ups. Younger and older siblings welcome!

The Last Baguette makes entertaining, accessible and eccentric work for family audiences.

Warning – this session contains balloons

SESSION THEME: Ratty’s Birthday

THE NUTSHELL COMEDY CLUB: OCTOBER

We welcome the return of our super stand-up comedy club to Saturdays. Enjoy the comedic skills of Roger Monkhouse, Cerys Nelmes, Samantha Day and local comedy legend Mike Cox! 

Do note that line ups are subject to change.

Roger Monkhouse is one of the regular writers on Channel 4’s hugely popular comedy panel show ‘8 Out of 10 Cats.’ 

A consummate stand-up who exerts a masterful control over any audience. A highly original and quirky performer, his trademark stage-prowling style and curious, inimitable manner have established him as one of the hottest names on the comedy circuit. Supremely confident, with audience banter down to an art form, he’s happy to improvise freely but has no shortage of first class material in his armoury. Roger is widely regarded as a master of observational comedy with routines that are universally and unfailingly hysterical.

Mike Cox has been performing comedy since 2011 and quickly made his mark on the comedy scene with his sharp witted observational style which saw him crowned South Coast Comedian of the Year in 2014 and the Not So New Comedian of the Year in 2022.

Mike also made the final of the prestigious Amused Moose Laugh Off in 2016 and British Comedian of the Year 2023.

Samantha Day  has six children. Three of them are stepchildren, which means that they have been brought up properly, by someone else, and are therefore nice.  But her three are a lot better at shoplifting.

She is 53, but looks younger because she's had a lot of work done. Some people have said that that makes her a bad feminist. They don't know the half of it.

For nearly thirty years, Samantha was an accountant. She gave it up when, despite her best efforts, she only managed to sleep her way to the middle.  

Cerys Nelmes has had a very colourful and eventful life which she loves talking about to make people laugh. She performs her comedy in a story telling style with a West Country charm that is easy to warm to.

Cerys is making waves in the tv industry as one of the best female TV warm up artists, most recently working for Gordon Ramsey/Studio Ramsey, and alongside George Lamb on Football Tonight for BT Sport and also working for ITV and Channel 4.

Cerys is also a Guest Comic aboard Cruise Ships all over the World.

NUTSHELL NETWORK: CREATIVE CO-WORKING

As part of our commitment to fostering creative exploration and connection, we are opening our doors monthly for creative co-working 🖤

After the summer break, our creative co-working is back! With our refreshed venue and new foyer space, it really is the perfect spot to get all your creative thoughts and plans in order.

We envisage a shared workspace throughout our ground floor area which will be available for use by those working in the creative industries. WiFi available throughout so bring your laptops, notebooks and stationary for a day of planning!

The Plan
The use of a spot in our ground floor studio is FREE >>> plus we will be serving Roasting Party barista coffee (local Winch represent 🤘🏻) availbale for purchase at our new ground floor cafe. Sweet treats will be available too - payments taken at our Box Office.

Need More Space?
Have a bigger working group in need of a larger space to test out ideas? On Creative Co-working days we will be offering our performance studio for hire at a reduced rate of £10 per hour. Bookable in person on the day and first-come, first-serve. Please pay at the Box Office for this.

The Bigger Picture
We want to meet more creatives who are based in Winchester and grow our network! Come join us every month 🖤 the group may start small but big things are most definitely on the horizon.

WINCHESTER COMICS FAIR

The Winchester Comics Fair returns to the Nutshell for its fifth year to showcase the thriving indy UK comics scene!

Come along and find comics, prints, postcards, and more from over 40 of the UKs best comics makers, artists, and writers. You will be able to explore a huge range styles and themes in a welcoming, inclusive and laid back environment.

The Winchester Comics fair brings independent comics makers, artists, and writers from all over the UK.

THE NUTSHELL JAZZ CLUB: Rosie Frater-Taylor

Following a buzzing year playing high profile UK shows and gracing the stage with luminaries and Jazz-Fusion guitar legends John Scofield and Lee Ritenour plus tour support for Snarky Puppy’s Michael League and Bill Laurance, Vibrant crossover guitarist virtuoso/singer-songwriter Rosie Frater-Taylor appears at The Nutshell.

Rosie’s latest high profile fan is superstar – Seal, who describes Featherweight as his Top album of the year.

Rosie will be playing songs from current album ‘Featherweight’ and showcasing unashamedly harmonic and rhythmically rich new material from her soon to be released new album in 2026.

One of the most electrifying forces in contemporary crossover music, Rosie FraterTaylor is a virtuoso guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter of remarkable emotional depth. Equal parts dedicated student of jazz guitar and admirer of iconic singer-songwriters, she seamlessly weaves rock, alt-pop, neo-soul, new-school jazz, and folk into her singular sound.

THE NUTSHELL JAZZ CLUB

Join us on the third Thursday of every month* for an evening of Jazz, bring your own food and drinks a plenty in an intimate cabaret style setting.

In partnership with Winchester Jazz Festival and Alex Western-King we will host some of the UK’s best Jazz musicians on The Nutshell stage.

*please check dates as due to holiday season we will occassionally shift from the third Thursday!

NUTSHELL NETWORK: CREATIVE CO-WORKING

As part of our commitment to fostering creative exploration and connection, we are opening our doors monthly for creative co-working 🖤

After the summer break, our creative co-working is back! With our refreshed venue and new foyer space, it really is the perfect spot to get all your creative thoughts and plans in order.

We envisage a shared workspace throughout our ground floor area which will be available for use by those working in the creative industries. WiFi available throughout so bring your laptops, notebooks and stationary for a day of planning!

The Plan
The use of a spot in our ground floor studio is FREE >>> plus we will be serving Roasting Party barista coffee (local Winch represent 🤘🏻) availbale for purchase at our new ground floor cafe. Sweet treats will be available too - payments taken at our Box Office.

Need More Space?
Have a bigger working group in need of a larger space to test out ideas? On Creative Co-working days we will be offering our performance studio for hire at a reduced rate of £10 per hour. Bookable in person on the day and first-come, first-serve. Please pay at the Box Office for this.

The Bigger Picture
We want to meet more creatives who are based in Winchester and grow our network! Come join us every month 🖤 the group may start small but big things are most definitely on the horizon.

LEAVE THE TREES, PLEASE

LET’S GROW GREENER TOGETHER!

Join us during Winchester Green Week for an exciting drama workshop for primary-aged children, inspired by the beautiful story Leave the Trees, Please by Benjamin Zephaniah.

Through drama, creative writing, and craft, children will follow one little boy’s friendship with a tree, discovering how nature can help us feel calm, happy, and connected. Together, we’ll bring the story to life, write our own love letters to nature, and grow a shared Creativi-Tree full of ideas for a greener future.

With a powerful message about deforestation and caring for our planet, this fun and uplifting workshop will spark imaginations and inspire everyone to remember - Leave the Trees, Please!

THE NUTSHELL PRE LOVED SALE

EVENT DETAILS

SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2026

FREE ENTRY / DONATION

10AM-5PM

Are you ready to re-fresh your wardrobe or home while making a positive impact on the planet?

Shopping second-hand is a powerful way to reduce your carbon footprint and contribute to a more sustainable future.

By extending the lifecycle of clothing items and homeware you are directly helping to reduce the demand for new production and so decreasing resource consumption, energy usage, and waste. 

The Nutshell will be running a Pre Loved Sale as part of Winchester Green Week.

WANT TO SELL? BOOK YOUR TABLE USING THE LINK BELOW!

Interested in selling? - £15 a table - limited availability. Purchase via the link below.

Man! I Feel Like Bingo with Shaunia Wayne

Award winning performer Tracey Collins (Shell Suit Cher, Elvis Lesley, Audrey Heartburn) brings her latest musical comedy character to the stage in Man! I Feel Like Bingo! with Shania Wayne: the world’s greatest Shania Twain tribute act - with a twist. He doesn’t look or sound anything like her!

But that hasn’t stopped this sexy cowboy from Carlisle travelling the world on his trusty donkey, Casio keyboard on his back, performing at bingo halls across the globe.

His heartfelt versions of Shania hits include ‘You’re Still a C**T’ and ‘Man, I’m Hotter Than an Oven’. But this show isn’t just comedy and songs - there are epic bingo games, Wayne’s slow dance breaks (hopeless, bum shaking, and oddly sensual) and of course the life changing prizes we’ve come to expect from Tracey Collins’ bingo shows.

Shania Wayne is the man… the myth… the mullet. Join his party - go for gold and release yourself!

A Message for the Future

Explore your magical future garden where you’ll meet a punk poet Dandelion, a rock n roll Minibeast and an operatic super Herb! 

A Message for the Future is a multi-sensory art installation and gig theatre experience designed for early years (ages 0-3) and family audiences. 

DIY punk poetry gig theatre parents Brigitte Aphrodite and Quiet Boy offer a multi-sensory experience that subverts the early years genre through joyful rock n roll storytelling, celebrating a journey of nature and kindness. This calm pocket of punky joy explores a future full of hope, the wonders of the environment, and its unsung heroes. 

WHAT TO EXPECT:

This experience offers a meditative, immersive, theatrical space in surround sound which explores themes of coexistence with nature and creativity. Combining creativity, community engagement, and artistic innovation, the show nurtures a sense of hopefulness and connection with our little ones and the environment whilst engaging multiple senses – sight, sound, touch, and smell. 

ABOUT THE COMPANIES:

Commissioned by artsdepot and Southbank Centre’s Imagine Festival in 2025 to sold-out audiences, A Message for the Future has already captivated and engaged a wide range of families and communities. 

Created by Crescendorious with original storytelling and live music by acclaimed Margate gig theatre-makers Brigitte Aphrodite and Quiet Boy. Set design and costumes by internationally renowned set designer and concept artist Lo Lo No, who has collaborated with Lady Gaga, Björk and MTV.

The Nutshell JAZZBOPS: J Fashole-Luke Duo

Join us for a lunchtime jazz concert made especially for grown-ups and their little ones (ages 0-4) - a jazz club designed with grown-ups in mind.

Park up your buggies or scooters and get ready for a lunchtime concert featuring some of the UK's best Jazz musicians as part of Winchester Jazz Festival 2026!

J Fashole-Luke is a multi instrumentalist who is in high demand particularly for live piano performances. He has performed all over Europe (including Montreaux, Vienne, Winchester, Vienna, Swanage and North Sea Jazz Festivals), played with top British jazz artists including Gary Crosby, Jay Phelps, and Tony Kofi and has even jammed with American jazz legends Marcus Miller, Isaiah Sharkey and the late great Roy Hargrove. He has also had multiple appearances at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, performed live on BBC2’s Later…with Jools Holland, and has worked with global chart toppers such as Dolly Parton and Usher.

Katie Rogers is a Hampshire jazz and vintage singer who is in much demand across Portsmouth and Southampton and the South Coast area . Katie is passionate about music and song, and has a particular love of Billie Holiday singing the blues and the swing music of Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald. With a wide repertoire of musical styles, Katie’s voice is very versatile.  She combines her performances as a vintage singer with her own unique way of story telling, giving a contemporary sound to those much loved songs of yesterday.
Katie’s rich tone and dynamic delivery captures the emotion of each and every song, taking her audience on a wonderful vocal journey.

THE NUTSHELL JAZZ CLUB: TOm Barford Quartet

Composer/Saxophonist/Winner of the 2017 Kenny Wheeler Prize Tom Barford’s name has been known to aficionados for some years now. Tom's new album captured live at the Parakeet by master engineer Alex Bonney presents him sharing the frontline with star trumpeter James Copus on a set of his own original material. With Ivo Neame on piano and regular rhythm section compadres Oli Hayhurst on bass and Tim Giles on drums, this is a true London supergroup - but one based on a genuine, deep mutual respect and admiration.

The music is eclectic- virtuosic playing over fast tempos, Wayne Shorter and Vince Mendoza inspired compositions and even some tasty arrangements of some Joe Henderson classics. Tom will have newly produced record's of the album available for purchase.

THE NUTSHELL JAZZ CLUB

Join us on the third Thursday of every month* for an evening of Jazz, bring your own food and drinks a plenty in an intimate cabaret style setting.

In partnership with Winchester Jazz Festival and Alex Western-King we will host some of the UK’s best Jazz musicians on The Nutshell stage.

*please check dates as due to holiday season we will occassionally shift from the third Thursday!

Jemima coulter & Essy Sparrow

Join us for an evening of live music with Essy Sparrow and Jemima Coulter.

Line-up Change
Please note a change to the evening's line-up. Unfortunately, Lily Lyons is no longer able to perform alongside Essy Sparrow. While we're sorry that Lily can no longer join us, we're delighted to welcome Jemima Coulter, who will now be performing with Essy Sparrow.

Essy Sparrow is a multi-disciplinary artist and songwriter creating gossip-filled nostalgic indie folk from her coastal studio in Cornwall. In 2025 she played Boardmasters with BBC Introducing, supported Tors and Semler, joined Lily Lyons in opening for The Staves and sold out her 200-cap London headline at St Mary with All Souls.

Jemima Coulter is a multi-disciplinary artist working in impressionistic, dreamlike territory, turning disconnection and uncertainty into something stranger and more magical. Alongside their work with Hailaker, Coulter writes and produces largely alone at home, weaving studio recordings with iPhone voice memos and layering vocals over synths, piano, and guitar to create something intimate, playful, and entirely their own.

Before the performance by Essy Sparrow & Jemima Coulter, we'll be joined by Anya Wilding, who will be hosting a free collage craft table in our ground floor studio from 6:30pm. Everyone is welcome to drop in and take part before the show.

The Nutshell Jazz Club: Emerging Sessions
Joe Evans Sextet: Messengers and More

Exciting young jazz trombonist Joe Evans brings his all star sextet to the Nutshell Jazz Club.

Hailing from Southampton, Joe graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in 2025 and is now based in London. Joe has worked with the likes of Giacomo Smith, Joe Webb, Mark Nightingale, Dave O’ Higgins and with groups such as the BBC Big Band, Nikki Iles Jazz Orchestra and the Simon Spillet Big Band.

The band will present the Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers album “Caravan” along with original compositions by Joe.

Joe Evans - Trombone
Gabriel Taylor - Trumpet
Toby Evans - Tenor Saxophone
Toby Evans - Guitar
Guy Dempsey - Double Bass
Kai MacRae - Drums

THE NUTSHELL JAZZ CLUB

Join us on the third Thursday of every month* for an evening of Jazz, bring your own food and drinks a plenty in an intimate cabaret style setting.

In partnership with Winchester Jazz Festival and Alex Western-King we will host some of the UK’s best Jazz musicians on The Nutshell stage.

*please check dates as due to holiday season we will occassionally shift from the third Thursday!