BASINGSTOKE'S The Haymarket has had a great start to the year, with some stellar performances with many more to come across the coming months.

Kicking off 2023, Blackeyed Theatre gave four performances of Sherlock Holmes: The Valley Of Fear. The bumper, mixed-age audiences were delighted with this new production and showed their appreciation on the night and on social media.

Adrian McDougall, artistic director at Blackeyed Theatre said: “We always love returning to The Haymarket. The staff, audiences and venue are always fantastic, and our visit with The Valley of Fear last week was no different. Having kicked the new season off with Sherlock, I can’t wait to return with the very first touring production of John Godber’s Teechers Leavers ’22 in April. Audiences will be treated to high-octane comedy that’s both hilarious and heartwarming.

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There is plenty more outstanding drama coming to the theatre in the next few weeks including four performances of Wodehouse in Wonderland from March 2 to 4 and a week-long run of Jumping the Shark from March 28 to April 1. 

Wodehouse in Wonderland stars Robert Daws, who played Tuppy Glossop in Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie’s hit TV series Jeeves and Wooster. This new, one-man play is about the life of the great comic author, and full of marvellous tales along with delightful tunes by the likes of George Gershwin and Ivor Novello.

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Jumping the Shark is a new comedy by television sit-com writers David Cantor and Michael Kingsbury, and has a cast of well-known TV favourites including David Schaal (The Office, The Inbetweeners), Harry Visinoni (Coronation Street), Sarah Moyle (Doctors) and Jasmine Armfield (EastEnders). It’s a must for all lovers of this most popular of TV genres, following the progress of five would-be sitcom writers, whose lives turn out to be just as funny as their material.

For more information and to book tickets, visit the Anvil Arts website anvilarts.org.uk, or call the box office on 01256 844244.