As the year comes to a close I’ve been searching for unusual and interesting shows for next year.

If just one makes you raise an eyebrow and get a new idea for a night out, I’ve succeeded.

It’s definitely a “varied” mix.

Where else would you find The Invisible Man and Carmen cosying up to Tommy Cooper and Nigel Owens?

Esme, Lara and I are taking a break, and we hope you have a wonderful festive season.

The next issue of Go Devon! will be in your inbox on Thursday 8th January.

Merry Christmas!

Yours in Devon,

P.S. Remember, you can check out events where you live anytime on the North Devon and South Devon listings pages.

P.P.S. For some great value festive beer check out our Bays Brewery partner offer below.

South Devon

Mon 19th Jan | Cabaret Extreme | Plymouth Pavilions | £24.80

Burlesque, drag, extreme stunts and the elegance of contemporary circus.

Sat 31st Jan | Kavus Torabi | Barbican Theatre, Plymouth | £15.87

Music blending the human with the celestial from a British-Iranian composer and multi-instrumentalist.

Wed 4th Feb | The Irish House Party | Palace Theatre, Paignton | £23

Live music, Irish dancing and banter. A show from Ireland “without the clichés”.

Wed 22nd to Sat 25th April | Come From Away | Devonport Playhouse, Plymouth | £20

Musical about what happened to 7,000 air passengers stranded in Canada in the days after 9/11.

Thu 21st May | The Invisible Man | Barbican Theatre, Plymouth | £19.12

A comic retelling of the H.G. Wells classic with 15 characters played by 3 actors.

Tues 9th to Sat 13th June | The Last Laugh | Princess Theatre, Torquay | £15

A tribute to the wit and humour of Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecombe and Bob Monkhouse.

East Devon

Tues 10th to Wed 11th Feb | Hidden | Exeter Northcott | £21

Bodies lifted, thrown and caught in a fusion of dance, circus and lights.

Sun 15th Feb | The International Championship of Collegiate A Cappella | Exeter Northcott | £26

Quarter-final of the university a capella singing championships.

Sat 21st Feb | Harry Redknapp, My Life in Football | Exmouth Pavilion | £37.50

Stories from the manager who won the FA Cup and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here.

Wed 25th Feb | Ronnie Scott’s Soho Songbook | Exeter Northcott | £30

World-class jazz, stories and images celebrating the London music club.

Mon 6th to Sat 11th April | Evita | Pavilion Theatre, Sidmouth | £22

Local production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical about the Argentinian actress and politician.

Fri 10th to Tues 14th April | Oh Zeus! | Exeter Northcott | £24.50

A mythical farce through Ancient Greece led by the crazy theatre company Navet Bete. There’s a “no kids allowed” version with lots of swearing.

North Devon

Sun 18th Jan | Cabaret Extreme | Queens Theatre Barnstaple | £24.50

Burlesque, drag, extreme stunts and the elegance of contemporary circus.

Tues 3rd Feb | Ukrainian National Opera: Carmen | Queens Theatre Barnstaple | £39

The fiery story of the free-spirited Carmen and the infatuated Don José.

Mon 6th April | The Ultimate Bubble Show | Landmark Theatre Ilfracombe | £16

Bubbleologist and Guinness world record holder Ray Bubbles is on a mission to create a square bubble.

Fri 6th Feb | Nigel Owens: This Isn’t Soccer | Queens Theatre Barnstaple | £28

British rugby’s famous referee recounts one-liners and controversial decisions.

Fri 20th and Sat 21st Mar | Oh Zeus! | Queens Theatre Barnstaple | £29

A mythical farce through Ancient Greece led by the crazy theatre company Navet Bete.

Sat 28th Mar | Cheesy Bingo | Landmark Theatre Ilfracombe | £20

Raucous and deliberately cringy fun with numbers.

Wed 29th Apr | John Cooper Clarke | Queens Theatre Barnstaple | £30

Witty sardonic words from the godfather of punk poetry.

DC#88 Bill Douglas Cinema Museum

The actual camera used to film the Battle of the Somme is among 1,000 items of memorabilia at this tightly-packed homage to the silver screen.

Explore magic lanterns and other early cinema machines alongside ephemera highlighting the experience of millions of cinema-goers.

Don’t miss your chance to have a cheeky go on the fully-working “What The Butler Saw” machine.

HISTORY: Film-maker Bill Douglas, best known for the Bill Douglas Trilogy, created the collection with a friend and amassed 93,000 artefacts.

• He donated them to the museum which is hosted at the University of Exeter.

Watch a review by film critic Mark Kermode (video).

The museum is open 10am to 5pm every day of the year except between Christmas Day and the New Year. Location.

MEMBER POLL

Last week’s result: Winter sea swimming? You decide.

• Utter joy 39%

• Totally bonkers 61%

“I'd rather cut a leg off!” said olyskulsky

“Madness, not for me, but I admire those that do” Linda

“The sea is not for me in the summer, so winter sea swimming is a definite no, no.” Laura

“Invigorating endorphins, challenging and rewarding,” Emma.

“You can’t beat a bracing dip” bumperbiffo

WHAT ELSE IS ON?

🌊 North Devon 

🐬 South Devon

🏆️ Get lucky! Win Devon leisure prizes

FEATURED: 🛞 A 2-course meal for 2 including wine at the family-owned Turtley Corn Mill, Avonwick (29th Dec)

🌊 An escape for 4 to Ivy Cove seaside cottage with sauna (9th Dec)

🍔 A food hamper worth £55 from Greendale Farm, Exeter (14th Dec)

NEW!   🌳 A 2-night stay for 2 in a North Devon luxury treehouse plus £100 worth of bodycare products. (15th Dec)

🐶 A 2-night luxury lodge stay for 4 people and 2 dogs at the Mole Resort, including welcome hamper, dog treats, use of swimming pool and gym, worth more than £500 (16th Dec)

🎅 A £150 festive hamper of organic meat, artisan gin, homemade jam and chutney, and coffee. EX and TQ postcodes only (17th Dec)

🍎 A 5 litre min keg of Devon Red cider from Sandford Orchards (23rd Dec)

NEW!   🛏️ Bed & breakfast for 2 at the Future inn, Plymouth (31st Dec)

🌲 A festive stay for 2 with breakfast and dinner at Boringdon Hall Hotel, Plymouth, use of the spa and 10% off treatments (31st Dec)

💫 1 of 6 Devon leisure prizes: 4 annual passes to Milky Way, Watermouth Castle, Clovelly and Dart Country Park. A 2-night B&B at Northgate Hotel, Buckfast Abbey (31st Dec)

🍷 A 3-course meal for 2 at Pier Point Restaurant, Torquay, including a bottle of wine or drinks (31st Dec)

🌊 A £250 voucher for a 2026 beachside family holiday park break in Dawlish Warren (31st Dec)

⛺️ A weekend for 2 at the HARTA luxury glamping retreat in North Devon worth £485, plus an £80 wellness hamper (31st Dec)

NEW!  🍸️ A 1-night bed and breakfast stay for 2 at The Cliffden Hotel, Teignmouth, plus a gin-making experience with Exeter Gin (5th Jan)

DID YOU GET LUCKY? Let me know

More competitions here

New member? Catch up here

🎅 Santas on a Bike

🐮 A great North Devon escape

🌲 Festive arts & crafts near you

👻 Steve Nallon’s Ghost Stories

That’s all for this week. Thanks for being a member.

NEXT ISSUE  Thursday 8th January

Andy, Esme and Lara