Event listings May 2025
Please find below details of shows and events at Lighthouse Poole for May 2025.
The Shark Is Broken
until Saturday 3 May, 7.45pm (2.30pm Wed, Sat mats), Theatre
Dive into the drama behind the scenes of Hollywood’s first blockbuster in this hilarious, Oliver Award-nominated play about the making of Jaws. Ian Shaw plays his father, Jaws star Robert.
Sean McLoughlin: White Elephant
Thursday 1 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
Acclaimed beanpole Sean McLoughlin is back on the road with a sensational new stand-up show about getting on, getting lost and getting the feeling he might be useless forever. Age guidance: 16+
Paul Smith: Pablo
Friday 2 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Paul Smith is back with a mix of his trademark audience interaction and hilarious true stories from his everyday life. Expect hysterics from start to finish. Sold out.
Studio Jazz: Alan Broadbent-Georgia Mancio Quartet
Friday 2 May, 7.45pm, Sherling Studio
Multi-award winning vocalist/lyricist Georgia Mancio and double Grammy-winning pianist/ composer Alan Broadbent have been lauded as one of the most formidable songwriting partnerships of the 21st century.
Pig Heart Boy
Wednesday 7 – Saturday 10 May, 10am (Wed, Thurs), 1pm (Wed, Thurs), 7pm (Fri, Sat), 2pm (Sat), Theatre
From the multi award-winning writer Malorie Blackman OBE, author of Noughts and Crosses, this brilliant novel (already a BAFTA-winning BBC TV series) is brought to life in a brand-new adaptation by Winsome Pinnock.
Lunchtime Recital: Mikaela Livadiotis (piano)
Wednesday 7 May, 1.05pm, Sherling Studio
London-based Mikaela specialises in contemporary works and improvisation.
BSO: The Essence of Brahms
Wednesday 8 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Mark Wigglesworth conducts the BSO and guest violinist Clara-Jumi Kang in works by Wagner, Britten and Brahms.
Echoes of Love
Thursday 8 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
Hear true stories about real people from Poole, listen to popular music of the 1940s and see our performance of Echoes of Love, an inspiring, newly written play by a talented local writer to commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Studio Jazz: The Jazz Defenders
Friday 10 May, 7.45pm, Sherling Studio
Born from a deep love of Blue Note jazz, The Jazz Defenders – featuring Kasabian drummer Ian Matthews – continue to ‘defend’ the legacy of some of the classic hard bop greats such as Horace Silver, Lee Morgan and Art Blakey.
National Open Youth Orchestra
Saturday 10 May, 3pm, Concert Hall
Experience the emotionally charged performances of one of the most exciting youth orchestras in the world.
Coastal Comedy
Saturday 11 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
Our monthly stand up comedy night returns with Stephen Bailey ably supported by recent Lighthouse headliner Joey Page and Graeme Collard.
BRB2: Carlos Acosta’s Diaghilev Gala
Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14 May, 7.45pm (2.30pm Wed mat), Theatre
Carlos Acosta has created a brand new gala production for this year, featuring highlights from the repertory of Serge Diaghilev’s troupe of rebel dancers, musicians and designers who fled Russia to set a new standard in creativity that inspires and resonates across the world of dance to this day, including The Firebird, Spectre de la Rose, Les Sylphides and Scheherazade.
The Royal Opera: Die Walkure cert TBC)
Wednesday 14 May, 5.15pm, Cinema
On a stormy night, fate brings two strangers together, unleashing a love with the power to end worlds. Meanwhile, in the realm of the gods, an epic battle ensues between their ruler Wotan and his rebellious daughter, Brünnhilde. Sung in German with subtitles.
Encore: Saturday 17 May, 5.15pm, Cinema
BSO: Belshazzar’s Feast
Wednesday 14 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Featuring Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, the BSO performs music by Bernstein, Gershwin and Walton.
The Rheingans Sisters
Wednesday 14 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
With the warmth and empathy their songwriting has become well known for, with sounds of electric guitar and synths underpinning raw textures of fiddles, feet and medieval bass drones of the tambourin à cordes, The Rheingans Sisters are one of the most visionary acts on the British folk scene today.
Seven Drunken Nights
Thursday 15 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Direct from the West End and riding high on the success of world tours, this spectacular tale celebrates The Dubliners, Ireland’s favourite musical sons, in authentic style.
Luke Wright: JOY
Thursday 15 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
With a mix of the of the comic and the wistful, JOY takes in consumerism, boozing, cancer scares, abseiling vicars, and the joy of language itself. We might have to go down to come up, but we’ll get there in the end. Come let a little joy into your life with a raconteur and wordsmith at the top of his game. Age guidance: 14+
You Are the Media Creator Day 2025
Thursday 15 May, 9am, Theatre
The annual occasion dedicated to creative business people is designed to help create, grow, make new friends and share messages with the world.
The King’s Voice starring Gordon Hendricks as Elvis
Friday 16 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Gordon’s achievements include winning the World’s Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artiste Champion 2017 title at Graceland, a testament to his exceptional talent. His performances impeccably capture the essence of Elvis, from the iconic 1968 comeback special to the dynamic Vegas years.
Menopause the Musical 2
Friday 16 May, 7.45pm, Theatre
Maureen Nolan, EastEnders’ Carli Norris, Rebecca Wheatley from Casualty and West End star Daniele Coombe star in the final UK tour of the smash-hit musical.
The Play’s the Thing: A One Person Hamlet
Friday 16 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
Edited and directed by Fiona Laird for a single performer across 90 minutes, the play takes on a startling new intensity. We see Hamlet’s inner demons as never before. Age guidance: 14+
BSO: Best of Bond
Saturday 17 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Bond fans will be in 00-heaven as the BSO perform all the great themes under conductor David Arnold of Shaken and Stirred fame, in which he collaborated with artists including Bjork, Pulp, Leftfield and Iggy Pop on versions of Bond themes songs.
Exhibition on Screen: Michelangelo: Love and Death (cert TBC)
Tuesday 20 May, 7.30pm, Cinema
Through expert commentary, stunning visuals and Michelangelo’s own words, this film takes a fresh look at a master artist whose life and genius are celebrated in every mark he made. Returning to cinemas in 2025 to celebrate the 550th anniversary of this iconic artist’s birth.
My Fair Lady
Wednesday 21 – Saturday 24 May, 7.30pm (2.30pm Sat mat), Theatre
Local company P&P return to Lighthouse, Poole with Lerner and Lowe’s bloomin’ lovely musical, My Fair Lady.
The Royal Ballet: Ballet to Broadway: Wheeldon Works (cert TBC)
Thursday 22 May, 7.15pm, Cinema
Sensuous contemporary ballet meets the energy of musical theatre in four distinctive short works – Fool’s Paradise, The Two of Us, Us, An American in Paris – showing the remarkable choreographic range of Artistic Associate, Christopher Wheeldon.
Talking About the Fire
Thursday 22 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
From the team that created the award-winning Status and Confirmation, comes a show about a new nuclear weapons treaty – one that’s trying to give the power to eliminate nuclear weapons to the states, and people, who don’t possess them. Written and performed by seven-time Fringe First winner Chris Thorpe.
80s Live
Friday 23 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Direct from the West End, the biggest 80s party show to tour the UK with hits like Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, The Edge of Heaven, Tainted Love, Love Shack, Living on a Prayer, The Final Countdown, Don’t You Want Me?, Relax, Never Gonna Give You Up, It’s Raining Men and Rio. Age guidance: 12+
Studio Jazz: Andy Hague’s Sexteto Gringo
Friday 23 May, 7.45pm, Sherling Studio
Trumpeter Andy Hague leads a band that features leading figures from the exciting Bristol jazz scene playing Latin-jazz classics from Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Dizzy Gillespie and Thelonious Monk, combined with a few of Andy’s originals.
Shlomo’s Beatbox Adventure for Kids
Saturday 24 May, 2pm, 4pm, Sherling Studio
Shlomo is back! Join the world record-breaking beatboxer who makes amazing music with just a mouth and a mic as he shows how anybody can become one of his sonic superhero’s sidekicks in a world of funny sounds, brilliant noises, and cool music, whether they’re aged 1 or 101.
Henning Wehn: Acid When
Saturday 24 May, 7.30pm, Concert Hall
Award-deserving German Comedy Ambassador Henning Wehn takes an unbiased look at climate change, a topic sure to delight audiences and no surprise. Age guidance: 16+
A Squash and a Squeeze
Tuesday 27 – Thursday 29 May, 3.30pm, 10.30 am (Wed, Thu), 1.30pm (Wed, Thu), Theatre
Based on the original book A Squash and a Squeeze, written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
Dementia-Friendly Screening: Dad’s Army (PG)
Thursday 29 May, 2pm, Cinema
The Walmington-on-Sea Home Guard platoon deal with a visiting female journalist and a German spy as World War II draws to its conclusion.
Live and Unheard
Thursday 29 May, 7.30pm, Sherling Studio
Hangover Hill and Lighthouse showcase three more original unsigned music acts – Stone Angels, Mikey Ball & the Company and Shae Ray-Deane.
Fritillaries: Hannah Pawson
Friday 30 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
The original project of Bristol-based contemporary folk songwriter-guitarist-banjo player Hannah Pawson, Fritillaries’ album Thank God I Have the Songs follows her self-titled debut that was Folk Radio’s Album of the Month and nominated for FATEA’s Debut Album of the Year.
Patrick Monahan: The Talkinator
Saturday 31 May, 8pm, Sherling Studio
Everybody’s favourite comedian, Patrick Monahan’s high energy style combines with hilarious, engaging, topical and observational material. Known for working a room, Patrick is adored by all audiences with whom he makes an effortless connection!
Tickets and information 01202 280000
