The Octagon Theatre

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners: Darcy Berkley

Last month I sat down for a one-to-one artist mentoring session with Darcy Berkley, a freelance dance artist who performs, choreographs and teaches in Yeovil, Somerset. I learnt of Darcy’s keen intere...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: May 2025 News

Arts Engagement & Outreach: May 2025 Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreach team d...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners: The Apple Orchard Players

This month we focus on another of our Creative Commissions, a cross generational project happening in an undisclosed rural location between Ilminster and Crewkerne. Peter Pan is the production being r...

Take a TEABREAK at Yeovil Together

Enjoy a brew and soak up the heart-warming show, TEABREAK, at Westlands Entertainment Venue on Sunday 6th July as part of Yeovil Together. This summer, bring the whole family along to Yeovil Together...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: April 2025 News

Arts Engagement & Outreach: April 2025 News Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreac...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners: Mark Scott

Evolve Music is a community music charity that provides regular music-making activities across the South West for communities that are under-represented, rurally isolated and in need of positive activ...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: March News 2025

Arts Engagement & Outreach: March News  Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month…  Our Arts Engagement & Outreach te...

Creative Ideas Fund - Applications are now open!

Creative Ideas Fund Applications for the latest round of our Creative Ideas fund is now open! This fund is for independent creatives, community groups, non-profit organisations or charitable compani...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners: Ernie Shorten

Ernie Shorten is one of our Creative Commissions for 2025. Ernie is an 18-year-old dancer / choreographer based in Porlock (Somerset) who has danced with the company Stacked Wonky from a very you...

Neurodiversity Celebration Week 2025 - Hester Grainer on ADHD and her upcoming show 'ADHD Unmasked'....

Hester Grainger tells us more about her upcoming show ADHD Unmasked and why she started speaking on the subject. How long have you been talking about / delivering public events about ADHD? I have...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: February News 2025

Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreach team develop and deliver programmes and acti...

Celebrating Somerset’s Creative & Cultural Practitioners - Danny Pedler

Danny Pedler is a Somerset based Folk musician, some creatives might know him through his involvement with Take Art. Danny has recently been awarded one of our Creative Commissions for 2025, and so th...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: January News

Arts Engagement & Outreach: January News Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreach te...

FREE Creative Winter Play Days in South Somerset

The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue in Yeovil are working with arts practitioners and local organisations to bring FREE creative activities and workshops to residents this February h...

Celebrating Somerset’s Creative & Cultural Practitioners - Caroline Wallis-Newport

For our January blog, the focus is on the power of music. Here at Westlands, we host monthly Piano Nights in the Lounge Bar, a free event offering some of the best local piano players the chance to pe...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: December News

Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreach team develop and deliver programmes and acti...

Somerset Council Progresses with Octagon Theatre Redevelopment

Somerset Council is actively progressing with the redevelopment of The Octagon Theatre in Somerset. The council is working on submitting a revised Outline Business Case (OBC) to DCMS. The total proje...

Celebrating Somerset’s Creative & Cultural Practitioners - Yuliia Asanidze

‘Graduating into War’ Yuliia is starting her 11am shift, working at the bar at Westlands on the 3rd of December 2024. We meet up to talk before her work begins.  Yuliia graduated with a Master’s in...

New Year, New You? Try out a new class with our Octagon Academy Taster Day

Looking for a new challenge in 2025? If you love to sing, were born to dance, have a flair for acting or simply want to get fit - The Octagon Academy has a class for you! Whether it's one of our Oct...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: November News

Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreach team develop and deliver programmes and acti...

Somerset Film’s BFI Film Academy Short Course is running in Yeovil

Are you 16-19 years old? Are you interested in pursuing your passion for film and seeing where it can take you? Then BFI Film Academy Short Course is a fantastic opportunity for you! The comprehensiv...

12 Month Review: Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue

2023 marked a new chapter for Somerset, and for The Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue, as we embarked on our journey as one of Arts Council England’s National Portfolio Organisations, an...

Update on our Arts Engagement & Outreach Programme: October 2024

Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreach team develop and deliver programmes and acti...

Yeovil Literary Festival 2024 wows audiences with unforgettable author line-up and events

Yeovil Literary Festival 2024 ended on a high note recently, bringing together book lovers, authors, and creatives for an unforgettable celebration. Over 40 events with writers, experts, and speakers...

New £3 ticket scheme launched for low-income audiences in Somerset

Over 600 tickets are set to be released throughout the year at £3 for low-income individuals looking to attend a show at The Octagon & Westlands. Westlands Entertainment Venue & Octagon Theatre are c...

Join The Octagon Music Hub and Make a Difference!

Are you passionate about making music and creative learning accessible to ALL children and young people? The Octagon Music Hub is looking for dedicated volunteers from across the Dorset and Somerset c...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners Carrie Madgwick - The Freelance Artist

I met the multi-talented Carrie Madgwick, on my first day in my new role, as one of the Arts Engagement & Outreach Officers at The Octagon and Westlands, and was left in awe of the multiple hats Carri...

Creative Commissions 2024-25

We are offering six small commissions for professional creatives and companies working in any artform to develop innovative ideas that reach and engage Somerset’s residents. We want to support project...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: September News

​Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month…

Kevin James Cast To Play Billy Trott In Jack & The Beanstalk

The next announcement of our stella cast for this years pantomime is Kevin James who will be playing the role of Billy. Since leaving home to pursue the roar of the greasepaint and the smell of the crowd, Kevin has appeared in various roles on stage,...

Daniel Page Cast To Play Dame Trott In Jack & The Beanstalk

The latest panto cast announcement for this years production of Jack and the Beanstalk is Daniel Page as our Dame Trott. Daniel is known as 'Exeter's favourite Dame' so we are thrilled to have him thi...

Lizzie Bea cast to play the role of Princess Jill in Jack & The Beanstalk

Wow, we've only gone and cast the incredibly talented Lizzie Bea to play the role of Princess Jill in our GIANT festive family pantomime, Jack & The Beanstalk! You might have caught Lizzie playing ro...

Mark Lamb cast to play Jack Trott in Jack & The Beanstalk!

We are delighted to welcome back Mark Lamb who returns to Yeovil to play the role of Jack Trott in our GIANT festive family pantomime, Jack & The Beanstalk! Mark dazzled and charmed in the role of Pr...

Arts Engagement & Outreach: August News

Here’s a taste of what our Arts Engagement & Outreach team at The Octagon & Westlands have been busy working on this month… Our Arts Engagement & Outreach team develop and deliver programmes and acti...

Yeovil Literary Festival 2024 is Nearly Here!

As it’s now officially September, the month countdown to Yeovil Literary Festival 2024 can begin! This year the festival will start on Thursday 10th October with a pre festival event and end on Monday...

Community Cast power 12-foot Giant Wheel through Yeovil’s Town Centre

A giant wheel measuring a whopping 12-feet in height is set to wow audiences in Yeovil at the town’s Super Saturday event on Saturday 21 September. The company behind The Giant Wheel, Autin Dance The...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners... Sharon Jacksties

In the latest a series of monthly blogs celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners, our Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer Nick White meets… Sharon Jacksties When I arrive at Sharon Ja...

FREE Creative Play Days in South Somerset

The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue in Yeovil are working with local, and national arts practitioners and local organisations to bring FREE creative activities and live theatre to re...

Get It On! The Glam Rock Show

Get ready for a night of glam rock! Girls grab your boys it’s time to go wild, wild, wild! As we transport you back to the golden age of Glam, with all the songs you know and love!  Starring son of...

Creative Commission fund supports innovative ideas

The Octagon & Westlands’ Creative Commission fund has been designed to support new innovative ideas to bring the creative arts to communities across Somerset.  Through the fund we are working with loc...

Everyone’s time to Shine

Saturday 8th June 2024 saw 200 people come and take part in the Octagon and Westlands annual community platform, SHiNE. For the first time the event took place at Westlands Entertainment Venue. Parti...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners... Jusna Mustafa

In the latest a series of monthly blogs celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners, our Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer Nick White meets… Jusna Mustafa Photo above: Jusna Mustafa...

Yeovil Beer & Cider Festival celebrates first successful year

The first ever Yeovil Beer & Cider Festival held at Westlands Entertainment Venue has been hailed a great success by the organisers, with £6,000 raised for local charities and good causes. Held acros...

Paul Young back on the road with intimate new tour

Paul Young will share the stories and songs of his illustrious career on an intimate new tour. The Eighties pop icon will be back on the road with his ‘From No Parlez to The Secret Of Association - A...

Successful Music Hub bid for Dorset and Somerset to deliver music education across the region

The next generation of budding musicians in Dorset and Somerset have been given a boost after a joint bid to become a Music Hub Lead Organisation by Somerset Council and Dorset Council was successful....

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners... Len Copland

In the latest a series of monthly blogs celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners, our Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer Nick White meets… Len Copland. “I talk too much”, Len says fi...

Celebrating our New Movement Through Cancer project in Yeovil

In January 2024, our new Movement Through Cancer project launched in Yeovil and has proved to be a huge success! We are thrilled to announce that due to the success of the first 10 weeks of our uni...

New season, brand new look brochure!

Amazing news theatre-goers! Our BRAND NEW seasonal brochure is here and it comes with a fresh new look. The Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue brochure has been given a facelift for the...

Project Dance presents... Collective

Project Dance is a Yeovil born, nationally established arts organisation, which works to increase dance’s accessibility both through the creation of original, socially-inspired narrative productions,...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners... Emma Bettridge

In the latest a series of monthly blogs celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners, our Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer Nick White meets… ...Emma Bettridge I’ve known Wiveliscombe’s...

The Knife Angel visits Somerset in April

A sculpture which aims to raise awareness of the negative effects of violence and aggression will be in Somerset next month as part of a nationwide tour. The Knife Angel stands at 27 ft tall, weighs 3.5 tonnes, and was designed by artist, Alfie Brad...

Dementia-friendly Cake Concert is a huge success!

In partnership with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO), The Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue held a Dementia-Friendly Cake Concert on 16th February 2024. A trio of BSO musicians perfo...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners... Amy Batty

In the latest a series of monthly blogs celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners, our Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer Nick White meets… …Amy Batty Following Wise Children’s produc...

Music-making project in Merriott for adults facing mental health challenges

The Octagon Theatre are working in partnership with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) to deliver a 10-week music-making project to ARK (Acts of Random Kindness) at Egwood in Merriott which started...

The Forgotten Scarlatti: Associated schools' project sees 80 local school children learn to sing in...

Two spectacular choral discoveries by a forgotten Baroque composer Francesco Scarlatti, which were hidden for centuries, are to be performed at Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil, on Thursday 8 Feb...

Celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioner - James Bamford

In the first of a series of monthly blogs celebrating Somerset’s creative & cultural practitioners, our Arts Engagement & Outreach Officer Nick White meets… …James Bamford The first time I met Somer...

Applications for The Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue Work Experience programme are n...

Applications for The Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue Work Experience programme are now open! We run our Work Experience programme twice a year, for Year 10 & Year 12 students, offerin...

Our 2024 Creative Commissions

We are delighted to announce support for Somerset’s independent creative professionals and arts organisations, as part of our Creative Commissions programme, to develop cultural activity for the count...

Looking for a new challenge? Our Octagon Academy Taster Day is for you!

Looking for a new challenge in 2024? Come along to the Octagon Academy Taster Day on Saturday 6th January 2024 from 10am – 5pm.  With 17 different classes available, covering all age groups, there is...

Less than two weeks until opening night of panto at Westlands Entertainment Venue

There are under two weeks until the curtains are raised at opening night of Evolution Productions spectacular fun-filled festive production of Cinderella – oh yes there is! The Octagon Theatre and Ev...

Donate to the Foyer Club through easyfundraising

Easyfundraising turns your daily shopping into every day magic! easyfundraising partners with over 7,500 brands who will donate part of what you spend to a cause of your choice. It won't cost you any...

Early Careers Club

Have you just graduated from a creative degree course?  Maybe you didn’t go to Uni but you’re ready to start your career in the creative industries?  Perhaps you’re already working as a creative profe...

A Place To Work

We are inviting expressions of interest from local creatives and companies who make non-commercial work professionally, to use of our spaces free of charge, subject to availability and eligibility....

Octagon Theatre set to deliver popular music-making project in the community for new parents and the...

A taster session of a project in Wincanton that aims to deliver sensory and creative based music activities to new parents and their babies has sold out days after going on sale. The Octagon Theatre...

Introducing our Arts Engagement & Outreach Team

Since becoming an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) earlier this year we’ve been able to grow our Arts Engagement & Outreach team. The team will be developing and delivering...

Summer of fun at The Octagon and Westlands

It’s been an epic summer of fun here at The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue as our arts engagement and outreach events through the school holidays have now drawn to a close, with ple...

*Panto Announcement* - Damian Patton comes to Yeovil as our Dandini

We are really excited to announce Damian Patton will be joining us this December to play the role of Dandini in our festive pantomime, Cinderella! Damian fell in love with the magic of live enterta...

*Panto Announcement* - Tash Moore comes to Yeovil as our Fairy Godmother

Introducing our next cast member for Cinderella this December, Tash Moore! Tash will be playing the role of Fairy Godmother and she cannot wait to venture back on stage as an actor, and where better t...

Giant puppet set for performance at Yeovil Super Saturday

A giant puppet measuring a whopping 13-feet in height is set to wow audiences in Yeovil at the town’s Super Saturday on Saturday 16 September. The company responsible for the creation, Autin Dance Th...

Octagon Theatre brings dance theatre to Yeovil's Super Saturday

An exciting day of food, music and entertainment in Yeovil Town Centre: Yeovil Super Saturday 16th September 2023! There will be glorious and delicious food by local producers and artisans as eat:fes...

15 young people experience life at Somerset's Premier Entertainment Venues

The future of theatre in Yeovil and the South West is in safe hands, as 15 young people from across Somerset and Dorset took part in The Octagon Theatre & Westlands Entertainment Venue’s inaugural wor...

Names announced for the 2023 Yeovil Literary Festival as tickets go on sale

The Yeovil Literary Festival is back for 2023 with the first names announced that will be coming to the festival to discuss their recently published books. Yeovil Literary Festival takes place this y...

Free summer school places up for grabs after funding success

40 free places on the Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue Summer School activities are up for grabs thanks to funding secured through Somerset Activity & Sports Partnership (SASP) and th...

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra partnership enables Somerset school children to experience orchestra...

Hundreds of Key Stage 1 children from across Somerset have experienced their first visit to a cultural venue and a taste of an orchestral playing thanks to a special partnership that has been develope...

Theatre closes ahead of refurbishment with business-as-usual at Westlands Entertainment Venue

The Octagon Theatre has closed its doors for the last time ahead of its £29.01m transformation that will see it become a flagship centre for the creative arts in Somerset – but don’t worry, it’s busin...

Evolution Productions and The Octagon Theatre win at UK Pantomime Awards 2023

The Octagon Theatre and Evolution Productions scooped the prize of Best Contribution to Music (Emma Fraser) at the UK Pantomime Awards last night, beating four other nominees to the award. The annual...

Yeovil Community Arts Association donate to Octagon redevelopment

Yeovil Community Arts Association (YCAA) have kindly donated £1,000 towards the Octagon Theatre redevelopment which will see the venue transformed into a flagship venue for the arts and entertainment....

The Octagon Theatre is now an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation

We are delighted to announce that The Octagon Theatre has been awarded National Portfolio Organisation (NPO) status from Arts Council England, which sees an investment of £760,000 to support arts and...

The Pantomime Awards 2023 nominees are announced... And we are up for four awards!

The UK Pantomime Association has announced the nominations for The Pantomime Awards 2023, with Evolution Productions production of Dick Whittington being nominated for four awards! Taking place at Tr...

Dance-athon fundraiser helps raise thousands for good causes

A Dance-athon hosted at Westlands Entertainment Venue that kept participants moving for a whole 24 hours has raised £3,064 for two local causes. The Dance-athon was organised by James Bamford, local...

December bucket collections raise over £10,000 for local charities

Two local charities, The Foyer Club and Yeovil District Hospital’s Breast Cancer Unit Appeal received cheques today totalling more than £10,000. Proceeds from the annual bucket collection at The Octa...

Commitment to the arts in Somerset further bolstered as Octagon Theatre redevelopment set to progres...

The creation of a flagship venue for the arts and entertainment in Somerset has moved a step closer after South Somerset District Council’s District Executive agreed to recommend to Full Council to pr...

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra announces new home in Somerset in partnership with The Octagon Theatr...

Communities in Somerset set to experience greater access to world class music-making as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO) announces new residency with Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre. The Theatre, w...

Octagon & Westlands Inclusion Group

We want to hear directly from disabled, deaf or neurodivergent people who would like the chance to talk to us about barriers they have experienced when attending cultural events and venues and what wo...

Octagon Theatre set to remain open until mid-2023 with an exciting range of shows confirmed

You will be able to enjoy some of your favourite shows for longer at The Octagon Theatre with the venue now set to be opened until mid-2023. As the programme for developing The Octagon Theatre moves...

Donate to The Foyer Club through Amazon Smile

Amazon Smile Heard about Amazon Smile but not sure what it is? Find out how you can donate to The Foyer Club every time you shop through Amazon with our guide below.   What is Amazon Smile? Amazon...

A special thanks to our Foyer Club volunteers

With Volunteers’ Week taking place between 1-7 June this year, there isn’t a better opportunity for us at The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue to say thank you to our Foyer Club volun...

Paul Zerdin announces fundraising show for Name A Seat initiative; An Evening with Paul Zerdin, 15 J...

Paul Zerdin, the comedian/ventriloquist who won America’s Got Talent in 2015, returns to Yeovil’s Octagon Theatre on 15 June 2022 for an incredibly special theatre fundraising event -   AN EVENING WIT...

The BSO’s 2022/23 symphonic season announced

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra today [11 May] announces its 2022/23 season filled with performances across the South West and beyond. From an innovative collaboration between two of the UK’s leading i...

Over £8,500 raised for good causes at our Ukraine events

Two events organised by The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue have raised a total of £8,684.85 which will go towards supporting the humanitarian and emergency work in Ukraine and neigh...

Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal: Showing our support

Tickets are now on sale for two events organised by The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue that will mark our solidarity and support towards the humanitarian and emergency response work...

Welcome to our recent new staff

Since reopening The Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue to the public again following our forced closure during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve had a number of new full-time faces join o...

Additional funding sought for flagship arts and entertainment venue

South Somerset District Council’s Executive Committee will consider a report next week which will seek to agree recommending to Full Council later in the month an additional investment for The Octagon...

Our current Covid-19 precautions: February 2022

With coronavirus restrictions lifted across England, we wanted to highlight our current precautions in our venues we are asking from visiting patrons and the precautions we are taking as a venue. All...

South Somerset becomes a ‘Priority Place’ under Arts Council England’s bid to transform the country...

South Somerset has been designated a ‘Priority Place’ by Arts Council England as part of its three-year Delivery Plan which sets out their roadmap to implement the vision of their strategy Let’s Creat...

Octagon Gallery Reopening

We are delighted to announce the reopening of our gallery space at The Octagon Theatre, with an exhibition curated by artist Miriam Sheppard in partnership with Somerset Art Works.

Architects appointed to help plan Octagon Theatre’s transformation

Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBStudios) has been selected to help design and develop proposed improvements at the Octagon Theatre in Yeovil

Motionhouse to Perform on Location Across South Somerset

This summer we have invited Motionhouse to perform their outdoor production, Captive, at three locations in South Somerset, taking contemporary dance out of the theatre.

Councillors set to debate on potential £23 million investment for arts and entertainment in South So...

Councillors set to debate on potential £23 million investment for arts and entertainment in South Somerset In January, South Somerset Councillors are to debate whether to agree in principle to progre...

Community Artwork Display for The Octagon's Reopening!

To bring some colour to our venue and to celebrate local talent we publically invited Somerset Schools and local artists to display their artwork at the Octagon for our grand reopening!

In The Spotlight: Founder & Artistic Director of Project Dance - James Bamford

As part of our Move To Improve dance development project, we will be casting the spotlight on local dance professionals, artists, and choreographers. The initiative aims to connect Somerset's dance pr...

Let’s SHiNE Together!

We are delighted to present to you ‘Let’s SHiNE Together’, our first online flash dance! Let’s SHiNE Together is our online alternative to the Octagon’s annual community performance platform,, SHiNE....