The Town Is the Stage

Totnes Fringe doesn’t really do “venues”.It does possibilities. Last year audiences found theatre, comedy, spoken word and dance popping up all over town, in pubs, gardens, halls, and spaces that had absolutely no business becoming theatres until someone decided they should be.

In 2026 the Fringe Festival is going further. New spaces joining this year include St Mary’s Church, Totnes Cinema, The Mansion, The Guildhall and The Dartmouth Arms, each bringing their own flavour, from soaring ceilings to snug side rooms.

Meanwhile, some brilliant venues from the first year are back for more: The Barrel House, The Seven Stars, the Civic Hall, Rotherfold, and Leechwell Gardens, which proved last year that a good audience and a bit of courage can turn almost anywhere into a theatre.

Over at The Bay Horse, expect live music curated during the weekend — the perfect Fringe combination of musical moments while holding a pint.

And because this is a Fringe, a few stages are slightly unusual. The telephone box returns as the smallest stage in the festival.  And the launderette is back, once again transforming spin cycles into theatre. Somewhere in town someone is opening their home for a performance, because nothing says Fringe like 20 people squeezed into a living room.

And then there’s Totnes Castle which hosted Fringe shows last year and may well return in 2026.

Other spaces around town are also being considered as the Fringe has a habit of spreading. From churches to pubs, gardens to front rooms, Norman castles to telephone boxes, Totnes itself becomes the venue from 9-12 July 2026. .

The joy of a Fringe is setting out to see one show and ending up discovering three more along the way. To find out more about the Totnes Fringe Festival as it evolves, sign up for its newsletter, ‘Stage Whispers’ at https://totnesfringe.uk/