Ripon Theatre Festival

The Lost Bus
2026-07-11 11:00 - 11:30, 2026-07-11 12:00 - 12:30, 2026-07-11 14:00 - 14:30, 2026-07-11 15:00 - 15:30 UTC | Kirkgate, Kirkgate, Ripon, HG4 1PB, United Kingdom
An Audio Adventure from Ragged Edge Productions
An interactive audio show for kids, their grown ups and grown ups who still think they’re kids.
Hop on board, pop on some headphones and enjoy the adventure!
Gary the driver is always getting lost – where on Earth will we end up next? Don’t worry – Mike the Conductor is there to help.
A fun adventure in sound for everyone to join in with.
Please note: children must be accompanied by an adult.
The bus is stationary throughout – even if the story takes us elsewhere!
About the company:
Ragged Edge Productions is a Cumbrian-based theatre company dedicated to creating entertaining and engaging theatrical shows that reflect and celebrate life in its region and across the North. The company tours its productions to community venues throughout the country, reaching audiences in rural areas, towns, and cities.
About the bus:
Vintage coach and mobile bar hire from The Last Stop in Bedale.
The lovely vintage bus is a 1947 Leyland Tiger PS1 Half Cab with a Plaxton body. It was the first chassis of the production line after the second world war. It has 33 seats.
FREE EVENT
11.00am 11.30am Kirkgate
12.00pm -12.30pm Kirkgate
2.00pm – 2.30pm Kirkgate
3.00pm – 3.30pm Kirkgate

Peelers on the Prowl
2026-07-11 11:00 - 11:45 | Kirkgate, Kirkgate, Ripon, HG4 1PB, United Kingdom
Ripon Museums Theatre Group presents Peelers on the Prowl
The return of the Workhouse Walkabouts. Come and meet Ripon’s overworked Peelers as they deal with drunks and ne’er-do-wells and maybe chase a thief or poacher through the streets.
FREE EVENT
11am-11.45am Kirkgate
1-1.45pm Kirkgaate

Out of the Blue
2026-07-11 11:00 - 11:45, 2026-07-11 14:15 - 15:00 | Ripon Marketplace, Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
Out of the Blue
Fra Martó
All the way from Turin! Wash away your troubles and immerse yourself in laundry, laughter and bubbles with Italy’s leading female clown. Never has trying to keep the house clean been so much fun.
About the performer:
After studying Art History at the University of Bologna, Francesca joined the Circus World, first at Carampa Circus School in Madrid and then graduated in Circus Arts at theNational Centre for Circus Arts, London in 2007 and has been working as a performer since then.
She specialized in clowning and juggling with many maestros: Fraser Hooper, Mick Barnfather, Philippe Gaulier, Angela de Castro,…just to name a few.
FREE EVENT
11.00am 11.45am Market Place
12.30pm -1.10pm Kirkgate (walkabout version)
2.15pm – 3.00pm Market Place

Puppetry for Beginners
2026-07-11 11:00 - 12:00 | Allhallowgate Methodist Church & Halls, Victoria Grove, Ripon, HG4 1LG, United Kingdom
Meet some puppets and learn some basic techniques with Mark Edwards from Puppet Power North. Create a simple puppet and learn how to make it move.
Mark Edwards has honed his puppetry skills over the last decade working with amateur societies, schools and youth groups. Mark frequently directs productions for RAOS Musical Theatre Company, including their recent 9 to 5 at Harrogate Theatre and Avenue Q at Ripon Arts Hub in 2023 when his puppetry skills came to the fore. He is directing No Strings Attached- a Puppet Cabaret specially for Ripon Theatre Festival on Sunday 12 July.
No previous experience necessary.
Participants must be aged 8+ & under 16s accompanied by an adult.
All Participation Zone events are Pay What You Can Events (PWYC). You can just turn up, but places are limited so advance booking is recommended. You are encouraged to choose a small amount to pay on booking your place then consider donating to the Festival at the end of the session. Thank you!

Count Ocular
2026-07-11 11:15 - 11:30, 2026-07-11 13:45 - 14:00 | Minster Gardens, Minster Road,, Ripon, HG4 1QS, United Kingdom
A captivating, gothic vaudeville piece for the whole family like no other, featuring table-top puppetry, close-up magic and enchanting original music to transport audiences back to the bizarre delights of vaudeville and variety. Join the loveable enigma that is Count Ocular as he defies the laws of physics through laughter, skill and mystery.
Presented by Tatwood Puppets
About the performers:
Born from a love of puppetry and music, Tatwood Puppets have been creating weird and wonderful visual theatre since 2017. specialising in marionettes, original music, table-top puppetry and stage magic. Tatwood is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK but is available for touring nationwide and internationally.
FREE EVENT
11.15am 11.30am Minister Gardens
12.00pm -12.45pm Ripon City Centre (Various)
1.45pm – 2.00pm Minster Gardens

Ripon Youth Theatre
2026-07-11 11:45 - 12:15 | Ripon Marketplace, Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
A volunteer-run youth musical theatre group providing inclusive, affordable access to the performing arts for 8-18 year olds. Support and leadership from previous members, enthusiasts and industry experts offers a welcoming space for creativity, confidence-building and skill development. Saturday morning sessions at the Ripon Arts Hub, nurture talent, foster friendships, and inspire a love for theatre in a fun, non competitive and supportive environment. On stage or behind the scenes, every young person has the chance to shine. To join our waiting list, please email; ryt@raos.co.uk
FREE EVENT
11.45am-12.15pm Ripon Market Place

Ye Birdz
2026-07-11 11:45 - 12:25 | Kirkgate, Kirkgate, Ripon, HG4 1PB, United Kingdom
A magical walkabout act featuring stunning stilt costumes, live percussion and a soundtrack by BORG. Two beautiful birds have travelled far from a time long, long ago.
In search of song and dance and drums and a meadow where yellow flowers grow.
On their way a drummer they found who vowed to tag along and entertain the people they meet with drums and dance and song!
Presented by Chicks on Sticks
About the performers:
Chicks on Sticks provides stilt walkers, living statues, fire acts, walkabout performers, and children’s workshops. Its stilt walkers bring excitement and high visibility to festivals, wearing exuberant and colourful costumes that stand out above the crowd.
Rachel Hyde, Creative Director, previously left a career in graphic design to pursue life in the circus, where she tours extensively performing trapeze and aerial acts worldwide, as well as creating costumes and devising performances.
FREE EVENT
10-10.40am Ripon City Centre
11.45am-12.25pm Kirkgate
3.15-3.55pm Kirkgate

Around the World with Phileas Fogg: Day 79
2026-07-11 12:00 - 12:30 | Ripon Marketplace, Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
Join Phileas Fogg and his valet Passepartout as they attempt to circumnavigate the world in just 80 days. The year is 1872 and it’s day 79 of the journey. Our intrepid adventurers are just hours away from crossing the finish line, if they can just coerce their hot air balloons to go in the right direction they stand to win a grand prize.
From the makers of Baba Yaga’s House, The Giant Balloon Show (a hit at RTF 2024), The Tiny Travelling Tightwire Show and Falconry Dismay comes a hilarious roam-about fusing modern technology and the classic adventure novel by Jules Verne.
Presented by Dizzy O’Dare
About the performers:
From the weird to the wonderful, the silly to the sublime. The company has produced over 20 shows and walkabouts, toured extensively and delighting audiences across the globe.
Dizzy O’Dare was formed by Alana Jones and Michael Imerson. After meeting while filming one of Michael’s short films they started working together, Alana as the only female pofessional tightwire dancer in the UK at the time and Michael as her guitarist. This relationship soon led to the creation of ‘From the Inky Deep’ an ambitious circus show in 2009 for the Medway Fuse Festival and the company was born.
Alana Jones gained a degree in Dance Theatre at Laban, and then went on to gain a second degree in Circus Theatre at The Circus Space, specialising in tightwire.
FREE EVENT
10-15am 10.45am Kirkgate
12.00pm -12.30pm Market Place
2.30pm – 3.00pm Kirkgate

Astro Norma and the Cosmic Piano
2026-07-11 12:00 - 12:45 | Ripon Library, The Arcade, Ripon, HG4 1AG, United Kingdom
A musical comedy that’s out of this world!
Blast off with ASTRO NORMA on a madcap, musical quest to find Grandpa’s lost star. But beware! The sneaky Silencer is hot on her trail, ready to silence the tunes! Packed with awesome aliens, rib-tickling robots, and interplanetary puppets, this joyful space odyssey will have kids reaching for the stars…
Astro Norma is the brand-new show from BBC Popcorn New Writing Award nominated FLADAM (Flo Poskitt and Adam Sowter) best known for their hit shows GREEN FINGERS and HALLOWBEAN. Following a successful UK tour and a joyous run at Glastonbury Festival, the duo can’t wait to touch down in Ripon this summer!
“…the most amazing, hilarious musical comedy duo” BBC Radio
“Imagination, catchy songs and big personality” The Scotsman
Performances at 10.30am & 12 noon, running time approximately 45 mins
Age Guide 3-10
Tickets £6

Count Ocular
2026-07-11 12:00 - 12:45 | Ripon City Centre (Various locations), Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom

Do What Ya Mamma Told Ya!
2026-07-11 12:15 - 12:45, 2026-07-11 15:00 - 15:30 | Ripon Marketplace, Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
Comedy circus and cooking from mother and daughter duo. A joyous journey of plate spinning, food juggling and fire blazing! Will clumsy assistant, Tiny T finally get to taste the food? A feast of food fusion across geography and generations.
Presented by Just More Productions
About Just More Productions:
Just More Productions is a physical theatre & circus company, using food history and circus to educate and entertain, vibrant and friendly performances, bringing culture and communities together.
This is a genuine mother/daughter collaboration. The company have a close relationship having toured together in Nofitstate Circus from the early years – in 2005. Blaze was just 15 when her mum the cook ran away with the circus. Having both toured it was then time to bring the family kitchen and its recipes to life!
FREE EVENT
12.15pm -12.45pm Market Place
3.00pm – 3.30pm Market Place

The Museum of Memorable Trees
2026-07-11 12:15 - 13:00 | Minster Gardens, Minster Road,, Ripon, HG4 1QS, United Kingdom
Take a visit to The Museum of Memorable Trees and let the curator guide you around this miniature exhibition on wheels. Discover amazing stories of great trees that have woven themselves into people’s lives and memories. Listen to evocative tales and calming soundscapes as you explore behind every door. There’s plenty of space left, have you got a fantastic tree you can add to the museum?
About the performer:
Harry Pizzey is a multi-disciplinary designer based in Cardiff, Wales. After studying an undergraduate degree at the Bartlett School of Architecture he went on to graduate from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama with a master’s degree in Design for Performance in 2019. In the same year he was also a finalist for the Linbury Prize for Stage Design, with work displayed in the National Theatre. Since then he has gone on to work with a range of organisations including English Touring Opera, The Watermill Theatre, The Handlebards and Longborough Festival Opera.
FREE EVENT
10-30am 11.15am Minster Gardens
12.15pm -1pm Minster Gardens
1.45pm – 2.30pm Cathedral Forecourt

Out of the Blue (Walkabout)
2026-07-11 12:30 - 13:15 | Kirkgate, Kirkgate, Ripon, HG4 1PB, United Kingdom
Out of the Blue (Walkabout)
Italian clown Fra Martó brings her laundry with her – laughter and bubbles on the move.
About the performer:
After studying Art History at the University of Bologna, Francesca joined the Circus World, first at Carampa Circus School in Madrid and then graduated in Circus Arts at theNational Centre for Circus Arts, London in 2007 and has been working as a performer since then.
She specialized in clowning and juggling with many maestros: Fraser Hooper, Mick Barnfather, Philippe Gaulier, Angela de Castro,…just to name a few.
Catch the full Out of the Blue show in the Market Place at 11am and 2.15pm
FREE EVENT
12.30pm -1.15pm Kirkgate

Hodman and Sally
2026-07-11 12:45 - 13:15 | Ripon City Centre (Various locations), Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
Enchanting and heart-warming puppetry walkabout. Hodman and Sally have lived happily by themselves for hundreds of years, blissfully unaware of the changing world around them. Now they have ventured out in search of fame, fortune and friendship, enjoying a second youth touring the world with their possessions strapped to their backs.
Presented by The Flying Buttresses
About the performers:
Danielle Richards and Rupert Parry met when studying theatre and formed The Flying Buttresses in 2001. They found they shared a love of making people laugh and making rubber monsters. Their highly detailed and expertly crafted creations are brought to life by their skills in improvised comedy, puppetry performance and characterisation.
FREE EVENT
12.45pm -1.15pm Ripon City Centre
2.00pm – 2.15pm Kirkgate
3.30pm – 4.00pm Ripon City Center

Tony and Ray Find Their Feet
2026-07-11 12:45 - 13:25 | Ripon Marketplace, Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
Friendship, rivalry, work tools, tomfoolery and dance as a pair of workers become distracted from their tasks. Slapstick, eccentric dance, clowning and squeak wrangling inspired by the golden era of silent movies and comedy double acts. Unexpected, uplifting and undeniably funny.
Presented by Rudkin and Hicks
About the performers:
Rudkin & Hicks is a physical comedy and street theatre duo consisting of Matt Rudkin and Jon Hicks. Drawing inspiration from traditional Vaudeville and Variety acts, they are known for their wordless performances that blend eccentric dance, props, and comedic storytelling.
Based in Brighton, Rudkin is a versatile theatre maker with a background in art and design. His career includes drumming, puppetry, and clown training with Philippe Gaulier.
A seasoned performer and “dynamic speed painter,” Hicks has appeared on television programmes like The Graham Norton Show. He is known for combining magic, juggling, and bizarre contraptions in his solo and collaborative work.
FREE EVENT
12.45pm -1.25pm Market Place
3.15pm – 3.55pm Market Place

Stories with Liv
2026-07-11 12:45 - 13:30 | Little Ripon Bookshop, 12-13 Westgate, Ripon, HG4 2AT, United Kingdom
The story of Jack and the Flumflum Tree (Julia Donaldson) in the backroom of our favourite bookshop.
Jack’s Granny is sick with a bad case of the moozles! The only cure grows on the faraway Isle of Blowyernose.
Olivia Corbin-Phillip is a popular professional storyteller from Leeds. She leads regular sessions at Leeds Playhouse and across the region.
Age guide 3-7
A FREE event – donations encouraged at the door.
Liv will also be popping up in the front room of The Unicorn (Wetherspoons) from 10.45-11.30am and at Minster Gardens from 2.30-3.15pm with The Mischievous Monkey.

Peelers on the Prowl
2026-07-11 13:00 - 13:45 | Kirkgate, Kirkgate, Ripon, HG4 1PB, United Kingdom
Ripon Museums present Peelers on the Prowl
The return of the Workhouse Walkabouts. Come and meet Ripon’s overworked Peelers as they deal with drunks and ne’er-do-wells and maybe chase a thief or poacher through the streets.
FREE EVENT
11.00am 11.45am Kirkgate
1.00-1.45pm Kirkgate

Frankie Magilligan
2026-07-11 13:30 - 14:05 | Ripon Marketplace, Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
The man, the myth…the leg end!
Hailing from the North Coast of Ireland, Frankie has packed his lunch box, filled his flask and given his teeth and extra special polish!
A show filled with comedy, juggling, music and the tallest unicycle in Ireland!
Farmers weekly – “Frankie has recently acquired the national trust endorsement as an area of outstanding natural beauty”.
Festival of Fools – “Like a piece of art he should be hung in a gallery for all to see”.
Presented by Tall Paul
FREE EVENT
10-15am – 10.50am Marketplace
1.30pm – 2.05pm Marketplace

The Museum of Memorable Trees
2026-07-11 13:45 - 14:30 | Cathedral Forecourt, Minster Road, Ripon, HG4 1QT, United Kingdom

Hodman and Sally
2026-07-11 14:00 - 14:15 | Kirkgate, Kirkgate, Ripon, HG4 1PB, United Kingdom

Yorkshire CREATE - Orpheus
2026-07-11 14:00 - 14:30 | Minster Gardens, Minster Road,, Ripon, HG4 1QS, United Kingdom
Yorkshire CREATE presents Orpheus
Yorkshire CREATE is a Knaresborough-based arts organisation dedicated to making creativity accessible to all. They deliver inclusive arts opportunities that support well-being, build confidence, and empower people of all ages and backgrounds to express themselves through creative activity.
This youth performance of the new musical Orpheus showcases young talent re-imagining a timeless myth. The production will be presented at Edinburgh Fringe in August.
FREE EVENT
2.00-2.30pm Minster Gardens

Astro Norma (Walkabout)
2026-07-11 14:00 - 14:30 | Ripon City Centre (Various locations), Market Place, Ripon, HG41BP, United Kingdom
Meet Norma from Fladam Theatre’s intergalactic musical adventure as she explores the streets of Ripon.
FREE EVENT
2.00 -2.30pm The Arcade and City Centre
Fladam are performing Astro Norma and the Cosmic Piano in Ripon Library at 10.30am and 12 noon in Ripon Library.

Around the World with Phileas Fogg: Day 79
2026-07-11 14:30 - 15:00 | Kirkgate, Kirkgate, Ripon, HG4 1PB, United Kingdom

The Mischievous Monkey
2026-07-11 14:30 - 15:15 | Minster Gardens, Minster Road,, Ripon, HG4 1QS, United Kingdom
Join storyteller Olivia Corbin-Phillip (Stories with Liv) in this interactive outdoor storytelling event, perfect for children aged 3-7.
Crocodile is not well and needs some monkey liver soup to get better. He concocts a cunning plan.. .but sometimes even tricksters get tricked!
FREE EVENT
2.30-3.15pm Minster Gardens
Liv will also be sharing stories for children in The Unicorn (Wetherspoons) from 10.45-11.30am and at The Little Ripon Bookshop from 12.45-1.30pm.
