GenFest Brings Brand New Family Theatre to Royal & Derngate

If you’re after something a bit different to do with the family this September, I’ve got a good one for you.

Royal & Derngate’s annual new work festival, GenFest, returns to the Northampton theatre from Thursday 17 to Sunday 20 September, and the opening day is packed with brand new family theatre you won’t have seen anywhere else yet.

GenFest is run by the theatre’s artist support programme, Generate, and is dedicated to showcasing new and work-in-progress performances from emerging and established artists across Northamptonshire and the East Midlands. It’s been running for six years now, and this year’s programme has three brand new family shows all landing on the opening day.

Three New Family Shows on Thursday 17 September

Kicking things off in the Underground foyer is Lula by Sophie Loosemore, described as a playful first experience of sensory theatre for babies and their grown-ups. If you’ve got a little one who loves lights, sound and gentle sensory play, this looks like a lovely low-key introduction to theatre.

Over on the Royal stage, Riki Cycle: Food Waste by A Children’s Story is an eco-adventure aimed at inspiring children and families to think about caring for our planet. It’s exactly the kind of show that sparks a good conversation on the walk home.

And in the Underground Studio, Before the Stars Fell by Jo Blake and Mikael Oberg brings together storytelling and sound technology to explore a vast ecological time where humans, animals, rocks and stars all speak the same mythic language.

Beyond the family shows, GenFest continues right through to Sunday 20 September with further new work, work-in-progress performances, and the chance for audiences to give feedback after scratch performances. Royal & Derngate’s Associate Director (Engagement & New Work), Erica Martin, said: “We’re looking forward to showcasing some brilliant new work at GenFest this year. Our Generate Artist Development programme is such an important part of our work, and we are thrilled to be able to share with our audiences more of the exciting projects and artists we are supporting.”

Tickets and Booking Info

• Dates: Thursday 17 – Sunday 20 September
• Venue: Royal & Derngate, 19-21 Guildhall Road, Northampton, NN1 1DP
• Ticket prices: £5 to £10
• Booking: via royalandderngate.co.uk/genfest or by calling the Box Office on 01604 624811

Exact show times for each performance weren’t confirmed at the time of writing, so it’s worth double-checking these directly on the booking page before you plan your day.

Royal & Derngate is one of my go-to spots when I’m putting together ideas for a family day out in Northamptonshire, and this is a brilliant, low-cost way to introduce little ones to live theatre without committing to a full-length show.

If you love finding out about brilliant local events like this one, make sure you’re signed up to my weekly what’s on newsletter — I round up the best family-friendly happenings across Northamptonshire every week so you never have to go hunting for them.

The events listed in this guide are run by third-party organisers, and all details were correct at the time of publication, based on information from their official websites. However, changes or cancellations can happen at short notice. To avoid any disappointment, we recommend double-checking the event information on the official website before making plans.