Dame Judi Dench and Sir Derek Jacobi at Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds
Theatre Royal’s Life Patron, Dame Judi Dench will be appearing on stage in Bury St Edmunds with Sir Derek Jacobi this October, in a fundraising event to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the reopening of Theatre Royal.
The Suffolk theatre is a presenting and producing theatre, and the only working Regency playhouse in the UK. It was purchased by Greene King in 1920 and continued running it until 1925, at which time falling sales made it financially unviable.
For the next 40 years, it became a barrel store.
Over the years, the existence of the theatre was largely forgotten, until a chance conversation between a former actress named Ethel Groat and her friend, county drama co-ordinator Olga Ironside-Wood. Mrs Ironside-Wood and Air Vice Marshall Stanley Vincent, a member of BSEAODS, soon realised that they had an ideal performance space on the doorstep and launched a campaign to support the restoration of the theatre.
Numerous events were held to raise funds for the project - from coffee mornings to jumble sales. The campaign also gained wider support from Lord Euston, who as chairman of the appeals committee brought together an advisory panel of the great and good, including the poet and architectural critic John Betjeman, composer Benjamin Britten, award winning theatre designer Oliver Messel, architect Hugh Casson, actress Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies and Sir Peter Hall, founder of the Royal Shakespeare Company who was born in Bury St Edmunds.
The Ministry of Works also made a small grant for the restoration, but the majority of the £40,000 needed was raised by the local community, with volunteers carrying out much of the actual refurbishment themselves.
The work took six years of tireless fundraising and huge community efforts, but all that hard work, determination and passion for theatre led to the reopening of Theatre Royal in 1965.
Ahead of the official reopening, the newly refurbished theatre hosted Noel Coward’s play Blithe Spirit, an achievement topped off two years later when Coward himself came to watch a performance of his play Private Lives, remarking that he couldn’t ‘recall seeing it played better’.
The final seal of approval was granted in 1968 with a visit from HRH The Queen Mother.
Last year, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds saw over 74,500 audience members through its doors.
Now, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Derek Jacobi are returning to its stage - together! - to mark this special point in its history and raise vital funds for the future.
THE DETAILS:
Dame Judi Dench and Sir Derek Jacobi in conversation with Richard Clifford takes place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
To secure a ticket now to this exclusive event, become a Patron of Theatre Royal by visiting HERE.
Priority booking for all members will then open on September 24.
To become a Friend or Donor Friend of the theatre and have access to priority booking, visit HERE.
Some tickets will be offered for general sale from September 26. General sale will be facilitated via a ballot, open to all.
Sign up to the ballot at www.theatreroyal.org from September 26 until October 2.
Tickets will be allocated on a random basis.*
Terms and Conditions of Ballot
*Inclusion in the ballot limited to one per person (duplicates will be removed).
A single entry into the ballot is for up to 2 tickets.
Ballot opens September 26 and closes October 2.
Successful ballot entrants will be contacted on October 7 to purchase their tickets.
Unsuccessful ballot entrants will be notified on October 7 and automatically be added to a waiting list.
Standard Tickets: £60.
Premium Tickets: £120 (include exclusive post-show reception on stage with Dame Judi and Sir Derek).
This event is generously supported by Churchgates and Greene King