Tag Archive: families

1. October Half Term at Exeter Phoenix 2026

   October 9, 2026 10:45 am Comments Off on October Half Term at Exeter Phoenix 2026

   This Autumn half-term, we've got film screenings, theatre shows and spooky family workshops that everyone can enjoy. From the silly world of Pantomime to zine-making to the beautiful worlds of Studio Ghibli, there's something for everyone in our family programme.

   Film

   

   Arietty (U)

   Sat 17 Oct - Mon 19 Oct

   A gorgeous Studio Ghibli adaption of the classic story The Borrowers. Arietty is intrigued by the human world and one day when she is exploring, she is discovered by the human boy Shawn and they begin to form a friendship.

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   

   Cat Video Fest 2026 (U)

   Fri 23 Oct - Sat 31 Oct

   Our favourite family-friendly cat-themed film event is back this October with the finest selection of cats on film.

   What’s more, every ticket benefits local cats in need!

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   

   Wildwood (12A)

   Fri 23 Oct - Thu 29 Oct

   From the makers of Coraline, Wildwood is a tale of a girl’s desperate quest to save her baby brother unfolds into a spectacular, high-stakes adventure through a forbidden forest full of enchanted creatures, endearing allies, and formidable adversaries.

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   

   Whisper of the Heart (U)

   Fri 30 Oct - Wed 04 Nov

   Discover the brilliance of this heartwarming 1995 coming-of-age classic from the legendary Studio Ghibli. A chance encounter with a mysterious cat sends Shizuku, a girl with her head in the clouds, on a quest for her true talent.

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   Theatre

   

   Jack & The Beanstalk (Sort Of)

   Mon 26 Oct | 11.30am & 2pm

   Family theatre and rock star legend Kid Carpet is back with a totally brand new show! A lo-fi, hi-tech, big-beat bonkers panto stuffed with songs, silliness and surprises.

   Kid Carpet doesn’t care for panto. The Noisy Animals absolutely love it.
   So guess what they’re doing? Yep. A panto. Now there’s a beanstalk in the middle of everything, and nobody’s quite sure what’s going on.

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   Watch the trailer here>>>

   Workshops

   

   Brickfilm: Lego Animation

   2 Day Workshop

   Mon 26 Oct - Tue 27 Oct | 10am - 4pm

   Use stop motion animation techniques to design, plan and shoot a short film using your favourite Lego from home.

   SOLD OUT

   

   Sketch A Skeleton

   Thu 29 Oct | 10.30am - 1pm

   Get up close to a replica skeleton and draw the bare bones of the human body. This is a great way to develop your observational drawing skills as well as creating some frighteningly good portraits of our resident Skelly!

   Find out more and book your space here>>>

   

   Model a Monster

   Thu 29 Oct | 2pm - 4.30pm

   Learn some techniques for sculpting in clay and create a character inspired by legendary creatures, gargoyles, folk tales and your own imagination.

   Find out more and book your space here>>>

   

   Create a Spooky Zine

   Sat 31 Oct | 10.30am - 1pm

   Join us for a hauntingly fun spooky zine making workshop and craft atmospheric mini magazines perfect for Halloween or any other ghostly occasion.

   Find out more and book your space here>>>

    

   Set your alarms

   

   It's almost time for Yeti...

   Exeter Phoenix and Quirk Theatre Present a hilarious, heartwarming festive show for all the family, exploring friendship, courage and what it means to truly belong.

   Showing from Sun 13 Dec to Sun 27 Dec

   We recommend booking tickets early to avoid disappointment.

   Find show times and book your tickets here>>>

2. Spooky Season at Exeter Phoenix

   September 16, 2026 3:48 pm Comments Off on Spooky Season at Exeter Phoenix

   The leaves are falling from the trees, the nights are drawing in and the pumpkin-spiced lattes are everywhere! Looks like it's that time of year again! A time for monsters, mischief and magic approaches...

   Get ready to celebrate all things ghoulish, ghostly and freaky at Exeter Phoenix. From spooky zine making to cult-classic horror films to freaky fringe theatre, we've got something for everyone this Halloween...

   Theatre and Performance

   

   Barleycorn

   Sun 20 Sep | 7.30pm

   Acclaimed folk theatre company Riddlestick Theatre present a new musical comedy inspired by English lore, folk horror, and ‘wyrd’ 1970s telly, featuring traditional and original music and dance.

   Age guidance: 12+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

    

   Batty!

   Mon 28 Sep | 7.30pm

   Have you got a wild side? Batty has. She dreams of running barefoot, wild swimming, lighting fires and talking to trees. In fact she’s starting to wonder if she might be a witch…

   + post-show Q&A

   Age guidance: 14+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   Creator of Batty!, Victoria Firth will also be hosting a themed Craft and Chat session on Sat 26 Sep. Find out more here>>>

   

   

   Lovett

   Thu 08 Oct | 7.30pm

   Newly widowed, Mrs Lovett ‘recalibrates’ her relationship with God. The scales of social justice may be tipped against her, but Eleanor has counterweights of her own: creativity, a can-do spirit, and a dream of joys to come. A fascinating, darkly comic tale of her life before she met Sweeney Todd.

   Age guidance: 14+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   Paper Swans

   Thu 15 Oct | 7.30pm

   Groundhog Day meets Waiting for Godot.

   Paper Swans is a one act play set in a closed park at night. A security guard on patrol finds a young woman in a ballet dress sitting on the bench making paper swans. He tries to question her to find out the reason behind her actions. That locks them in a continuous never ending loop of having to encounter each other again and again to find out the meaning behind those paper swans.

   Age guidance: 12+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   

   

   Forget About Me

   Mon 19 Oct | 8.30pm

   Designer-performer Dylan Howells weaves psychological illusions and fragmented memories into a magical, chilling tale of a home that won’t stay still.

   Age guidance: 12+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   This show is part of a double bill with Copycat. Book for both shows and get an exclusive discount.

   Spork! Poetry Halloween Special

   Fri 30 Oct | 7pm

   Join Spork! this Halloween for another spectacular & spooky spoken-word event, featuring the annual “Dead Poets Slam,” and the gruesome twosome of silly poetry; Chris “Ghostly” White, and Edward “Dead Wood” Tripp.

   Age guidance: 12+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   

   

   Period Drama

   Tue 17 Nov | 7.30pm

   Period Drama by Olga Kaleta (with integrated BSL by Sherrie Eugene-Hart) is a surreal, episodic dark comedy about mental health, identity and recovery that mixes autobiographical storytelling with bold physicality. A deep dive into the question of wellness through a feminist lens, via slasher flicks, bloody knickers and the existential dilemmas of insects.

   Age guidance: 16+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   Film

   

   Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (15)

   Fri 09 Oct - Thu 15 Oct

   From the director of the instant cult classic I Saw the TV Glow, Jane Schoenbrun, comes a new kind of horror remake, starring Hannah Einbinder (Hacks) and Gillian Anderson (The X Files, Sex Education).

   Friday 08 Oct screening will be co-hosted by Dolly’s Film Club and Out There Fest, costumes encouraged (think: final girl – or just a bloody hot mess), prizes and shenanigans available.

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   Dolly’s Film Club Presents: Rocky Horror Picture Show (12A)

   Auditorium Takeover

   Mon 26 Oct | 7.30pm

   They're back! And ready to let they freak flags fly. In honour. In reverence. In celebration… Maximum Frank, Maximum Freak. Rocky Horror Picture Show is back in the Exeter Phoenix auditorium!

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

    

   

   Family Workshops

   

   Sketch A Skeleton

   Thu 29 Oct | 10.30am - 1pm

   Get up close to a replica skeleton and draw the bare bones of the human body. This is a great way to develop your observational drawing skills as well as creating some frighteningly good portraits of our resident Skelly!

   Age guidance: 6+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   Model a Monster

   Thu 29 Oct | 2pm - 4.30pm

   Learn some techniques for sculpting in clay and create a character inspired by legendary creatures, gargoyles, folk tales and your own imagination.

   Age guidance: 6+

   Find out more and book your places here>>>

   

   

   Create a Spooky Zine

   Sat 31 Oct | 10.30am - 1pm

   Join us for a hauntingly fun spooky zine making workshop and craft eerie, atmospheric mini magazines perfect for Halloween or any other ghostly occasion.

   Age guidance: 6+

   Find out more and book your tickets here>>>

   There's something for everyone here at Exeter Phoenix! You can find our full programme of events here>>>