Stage Two Downham

31/03/2026

24/03/2026

Extraordinary Women this week at Downham Village Hall!

Please don’t keep the ladies waiting.

If you haven’t already, it’s time to get your tickets for Stage Two Downham’s Extraordinary Women, on this week, from tomorrow to Saturday. But Saturday is already sold out, so hurry, do!

https://www.stagetwodownham.co.uk
Or call our box office: 07845 926295
And don’t forget the pre-show meal deal at The Assheton Arms - call them to reserve a table on: 01200 439699.

12/03/2026

Are you ready?

12/03/2026

Extraordinary Women is an innovative double bill of plays written over a century apart, one true, one deeply satirical, connected by their depiction of women achieving remarkable things despite strong opposition:

Eighty Days: The Nellie Bly Chronicles
The world premiere of this comedy-drama by Clitheroe author, David Cawley

Welcome to a ripping radio adventure telling the true, extraordinary story of 19th-century journalist Nellie Bly and her attempt to beat Phileas Fogg’s fictional 80-day race around the world. Bly’s witty no-nonsense character guides our journey through stormy seas, stifling trains, calamitous delays, sickness, questionable colonial characters and one particularly ill-tempered monkey.

How The Vote Was Won
by Cicely Hamilton & Christopher St. John

How The Vote Was Won is a sharp, funny one act suffrage play from 1909 that uses satire to expose the absurdity of denying women the vote. It imagines a mass women’s strike in London that forces men to confront how dependent society actually is on women’s labour.

How The Vote Was Won was written and produced to support the cause of women’s suffrage. It asks the audience to imagine a world where women can vote, and offers the “story” of how that happened. In reality this was a decade before any women could vote in Britain, and almost 20 years before universal suffrage was achieved.

Two excellent productions in one fabulous evening with Stage Two Downham.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW:
Call our ticket box office for reservations: 07845 926295
OR
Book online -

https://www.stagetwodownham.co.uk

A pre-theatre menu is available at the Assheton Arms from £20 for ticket holders. See below for details. Book direct with them on: 01200 439699

09/03/2026

Extraordinary Women is an innovative double bill of plays written over a century apart, one true, one deeply satirical, connected by their depiction of women achieving remarkable things despite strong opposition:

Eighty Days: The Nellie Bly Chronicles
The world premiere of this comedy-drama by Clitheroe author, David Cawley

Welcome to a ripping radio adventure telling the true, extraordinary story of 19th-century journalist Nellie Bly and her attempt to beat Phileas Fogg’s fictional 80-day race around the world. Bly’s witty no-nonsense character guides our journey through stormy seas, stifling trains, calamitous delays, sickness, questionable colonial characters and one particularly ill-tempered monkey.

How The Vote Was Won
by Cicely Hamilton & Christopher St. John

How The Vote Was Won is a sharp, funny one act suffrage play from 1909 that uses satire to expose the absurdity of denying women the vote. It imagines a mass women’s strike in London that forces men to confront how dependent society actually is on women’s labour.

How The Vote Was Won was written and produced to support the cause of women’s suffrage. It asks the audience to imagine a world where women can vote, and offers the “story” of how that happened. In reality this was a decade before any women could vote in Britain, and almost 20 years before universal suffrage was achieved.

Two excellent productions in one fabulous evening with Stage Two Downham.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW:
Call our ticket box office for reservations: 07845 926295
OR
Book online below 👇🏽

A pre-theatre menu is available at the Assheton Arms from £20 for ticket holders. See below for details. Book direct with them on: 01200 439699

23/02/2026

Would you like to be involved in Stage Two Downham’s Summer play, Brief Encounter? On stage or behind the scenes?
We’re on our way our first play readings and casting for Brief Encounter, and firstly thank you to everyone who came along to one or both of the two play reading sessions last week. It was great to see you and hopefully have given Helen, our Director, lots to think about. But we have always planned for a potential third auditioning event, and a reach out to a wider group. And in particular MEN! Stage Two Downham Really Needs You 🫵🏼 But not just men! There are lots of roles, big and small. And the other exciting aspect of this modern adaptation of the Noel Coward classic, is that it is a play with music (but not a musical). So if music or singing is your thing, we would love to hear from you too. But, to be clear, you don’t have to be musical or a singer to be in this play, AND musical talent is not a requirement for any role. But if you just want to offer your musical talents, without any acting, that’s fine too. Anything is possible!

So do come along - a full reading and casting evening on MARCH 6th 7.30 at Downham Village Hall. We’re a friendly dram fam and everyone will be made very welcome.

It will be a great opportunity to come a join us and be in a play with music, (not a musical). And there is, just about, something for everyone. It’s a good size cast, with parts large and small. There’s comedy, there’s pathos and drama, there’s love and there’s music. What more could you want?

So please come one and all- everyone who is interested, or even curious, who’s been to the other readings or couldn’t make it. Who maybe wants to be on stage or behind the scenes, you are all very welcome.

And if you just can’t make it but are nonetheless interested, not to worry - just DM Stage Two Downham and we’ll be in touch!

This is a full cast list including all the smaller parts which potentially could be doubled, although ideally not!

Bigger roles:
Laura. F 40’s
Alec. M 40’s/50’s
Myrtle. F 50/60’s
Albert. M 50/60’s
Beryl. F late teens /20’s
Stanley. M 20’s
Smaller roles:
Fred. M. 50’s
Stephen M late 40s/50s
Bobbie and Bill M 18/20
Hermione and Mary F 40
Dolly F 40/50
Waitress F any age ( could be a waiter)

There’s a bit of flexibility with ages but will depend on who we have!

PLEASE JOIN US ON THE 6th!

To note - the play is the last week of June and rehearsals start just after Easter.

27/11/2025

Well we had an excellent first night last night, playing to a full house! However - just to remind everyone who has bought tickets that if, for whatever reasons, you can’t make it, please please let us know. We still have a lot of people who are interested in coming and we can almost certainly re-sell your tickets and get you a full refund!
Booking Line number: 07845 926295

26/11/2025

We do love it when we have totally sold out on every night even before our first performance. However if you do want to go and don’t have a ticket you can still contact our box office and ask to be put on the waiting list.

Thank you everyone for your support and we hope you enjoy the show!

Don’t forget to leave your feedback here - we always like to hear what you think, whatever it is!

08/11/2025

Tickets are selling fast for Stage Two Downham’s autumn play, Dial M for Murder by Frederick Knott. Friday night is sold out completely, so if you’re planning to come and see us please book asap at:

https://www.stagetwodownham.co.uk

Also if you’re interested in enjoying the pre-show meal deal at The Assheton Arms, please call them to book L: 01200 439699 and remember to let them know that you need to get away just before 7.

We look forward to welcoming you to Downham Village Hall Weds 26th - Sat 29th November. And to note, Saturday 29th is a matinee performance.

10/10/2025

Step into the shadowy world of suspense with Stage Two Downham as we present Frederick Knott’s masterfully constructed 1953 play, Dial M For Murder - a taut, cerebral thriller that has captivated audiences for over seven decades.

Set in a stylish London flat, the story centres on Tony Wendice, a former tennis star whose charm masks a calculating mind. Tony’s seemingly perfect marriage to the elegant and spirited Sheila is threatened, not by scandal, but by his own sinister intentions. When Tony discovers Sheila’s affair with American crime writer Max Halliday, he devises a meticulous plan to have her murdered.

But murder, like tennis, is a game of precision...

Originally written for BBC television and later adapted for the West End and Broadway, Knott’s play remains a benchmark of theatrical ingenuity, blending psychological tension, moral ambiguity, and razor-sharp dialogue into a chilling portrait of domestic betrayal. This is perhaps the reason Alfred Hitchcock chose to adapt it for the silver screen in 1954 starring Grace Kelly.

Stage Two Downham’s production of Dial M For Murder will be in Downham Village Hall from 26th to 29th of November, with the Wednesday to Friday performances at 7:30pm, and a matinee at 2pm on Saturday. Tickets continue to be just £10 each. To book yours, please visit our website at www.stagetwodownham.co.uk or call us on 07845 926295.

And finally, we have teamed up again with The Assheton Arms, so that you can enjoy their pre-show meal if you wish - contact them for bookings and confirm you need their pre show early table so you can be on your way to us by 7!