The Royal Exchange’s pop-up mobile theatre space The Den returns to Stalybridge Civic Hall in Tameside, every weekend from 9 May until 1 June 2025.

 The Den Festival: Exchanging Culture, Community and Creativity in Tameside will be full of joy, surprises and celebrations, where audiences can expect music, workshops, shows, comedy, dance, drama, family mornings and much, much more. 

Festival highlights will include NO SUCH THING AS ORDINARY, a beautifully crafted play about Tameside created from the stories of the people who live there and performed by local residents. The play follows six characters as they explore their relationship with the borough’s history, community, and their memories of the place they call home. The production is directed by Andy Barry, Royal Exchange Associate Director (interim).

The programme also features BEST MATES, TOP BINS & VENGA VENGA, the Royal Exchange’s collaboration with Tameside primary schools and local writers Lekhani Chirwa and Lauren-Nicole Mayes.  Directed by Tori Burgess each play has been created with the aim of amplifying children’s voices in Tameside. The plays will be performed by a professional cast. 

HER Productions are remounting their highly successful rendition of one of Shakespeare’s most polarising comedies, THE TAMING OF THE “SHREW”, and carnival and outdoor arts organisation Global Grooves are offering drumming workshops throughout the weekends to culminate in a joyful public performance at the end of the festival. 

Jane Martin, one Tameside Ambassadors, said,  

“Being a part of putting together the programme for The Den Festival in Tameside has been challenging at times – the needs and wants of the borough being as varied as the nine towns. I am really excited by the end result, which is truly inclusive, providing something for everyone regardless of background, age or ability.

Each weekend in the festival has something wonderful to offer:

Opening Weekend: Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 May
The opening weekend features circus skills, an interactive pub quiz-cum-theatre show and lots of dance!

Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 May
This weekend sees Grooves in the Den kicking off with the first of the drumming workshops, a play all about Tameside and a day for Tameside Creatives.

Saturday 24 & Sunday 25 May
See the work of budding young playwrights in Tameside on this weekend, as well as HER Productions’ remount of their highly successful rendition of one of Shakespeare’s most polarising comedies.

Closing Weekend: Saturday 31 May & Sunday 1 June
This weekend brings the festival to a close as we laugh together at the Den’s comedy night, before we invite all of Tameside one last time to see the biggest show in the Den yet and celebrate all that has been achieved over the festival.