Brave Rival are a rock band on a mission. No gimmicks, no frills - just raw, high-energy, riff-driven rock that demands to be heard. Since forming in 2019, the Portsmouth-based quartet-vocalist Lindsey Bonnick, guitarist Ed ‘the Shred’ Clarke, bassist Billy Dedman and drummer Donna Peters have built a reputation as one of the UK’s most electrifying live acts. Their debut album Life’s Machine (2022) put them on the map, catching the attention of critics, fans, and even Joe Bonamassa, who called them one of his “favourite discoveries.” Their 2024 follow-up, Fight or Flight, upped the stakes, earning a 9/10 review from Classic Rock Magazine, who hailed it as “an album packed with ambition, fire, and killer songs.” With massive hooks, blistering guitar work, and unstoppable energy, the album set the stage for their biggest year yet-festivals, headline tours, and sharing stages with rock legends like FM. Brave Rival are only getting started. Get on board or get out of the way.

An Evening with Jack the Ripper - Whitechapel. 1888. Between August and November, a series of women are brutally murdered. The identity of the killer remains a mystery. Until now..? Its the greatest unsolved case in criminal history. One that continues to confuse and confound. Generating argument, debate and a host of different theories. Who was he? What was his motive? And how did he get away with it? An Evening with Jack the Ripper will delve into the sordid realms of Victorian London in an attempt to finally unmask the man, with the blackest of hearts, who preyed upon the most vulnerable members of society. Award-winning producer and broadcaster Steve Morgan has captivated thousands of people on his celebrated Ripper walks through the East End of London, where he retraces the steps of the notorious killer through the streets he stalked. Now he has adapted the story for the stage and invites you to spend an evening in the company of Jack the Ripper and live to tell the tale.

Laugh until your ribs ache, and chuckle until your cheeks hurt! It's The Cranbrook Comedy Club – THE place to watch live stand-up in Cranbrook! Once again we will be opening "The Queens Bar" early, with special offers on drinks it is surely the cheapest theatre bar around! We will also be welcoming The Bun Buddies [https://www.bunbuddies.co.uk/] lean, mean, burger machine, food truck to serve you up preshow (and interval) Gourmet Burgers, Chicken and Dirty Fries, preordering is recommended. Paul Pirie began his stand-up career in 2006 quickly establishing himself on the Scottish comedy circuit. With a driving force for achievement, Paul worked his way into the London clubs and was launched onto the UK comedy scene, emerging as one of the biggest Scottish acts on the UK comedy circuit. Paul's career has encompassed TV, (appearing in Ikea's April 2011 comedy-based TV advert), Film and Radio alongside his burgeoning skill as a stand-up. His hilarity and comedic ability have earned him huge popularity with comedy goers and bookers across the world, gigging as far abroad as Australia and for diverse audiences such as The Armed Forces. Paul’s work is superbly individual and put simply, delivers a refreshing burst of laugh-out-loud comedy that leaves audiences in raptures. Now living in Essex, Paul Pirie is a unique, vibrant comedian who appears regularly at all the main comedy clubs in the UK. Matt Price is known for having some of the most extraordinary and outrageous stories drawn from the wilder side of life. Hailing from Cornwall; he brings true warmth and heart to the stage whilst finding some audacious laughs in the most unexpected places. Matt’s charm and talent have made him a favourite on the UK and International circuit and whether he is comparing or performing a set, he has the expertise to win over even the toughest of audiences. Mike Gunn’s history is as interesting and entertaining as his comedy. A misspent youth and a series of grim jobs cultivated his cynical outlook on life and a perverse desire led him to the world of stand-up. A self-confessed pessimist, he describes himself as “not a natural choice for a career in laughter”. He has a rare ability to walk close to the line of what audiences find acceptable and yet still remain likeable and funny. His reputation for being a bit unfriendly, a touch dark and even morose is really not true. In real life, he’s loving, warm and philanthropic. Just a bit misunderstood. Thenjiwe is one of the most highly recognised and popular South African stand-up comedians on the road today. The lawyer-turned-comedian has performed for audiences around the world including Vietnam, Thailand, The Philippines and cities in Australia, Europe, North America and Africa. With six comedy specials and two popular South African sitcoms that she wrote, produced and starred in, Judge Thenjiwe Khambule and Meet the Khambules; she is the Queen of African Comedy. She has three YouTube channels with over 180000 subs and over 40 million views. Thenjiwe's debut to the London scene has seen her win the King Gong Comedy at the Comedy Store and The Black Out at Up The Creek. She recently did her one hour show at the Leicester Square Theatre in London where she got a standing ovation. She has acted and starred in many television shows including Imbewu, The Road and Harvest; and appears in the films 10 Days in Sun City, Accidental Spy, Uncovered (all available on Netflix) and various Mzansi Magic Movies. She has a combined social media following of over a million and a half and in 2022 was awarded an honorary Doctorate degree for her community services. Performance: 16th June – 8:00 PM Start – Our Bar opens at 7:00 PM Tickets: £13.50 / £12 for concessions Running Time: Approx 2 Hours (Including interval) Ticketholders must be 15 years old or over! _Please note: that due to the nature of this industry, the Advertised Comedians may change at short notice (if they get offered a TV slot for example), This is very rare and they will usually provide us with 28 days' notice, The Queens Hall theatre promises to provide you with a replacement comedian of the same calibre in this eventuality. _

Mark Simmons combines hilarious one-liners with an irresistible love of performing, to resonate with audiences at virtual and in-person events. His award-winning stand-up is a cut above the rest, setting Mark apart on the booking circuit and leading him to perform on some of the most prestigious comedy stages in the UK.

Simon Yates of Touching the Void Pleasure and Pain NEW SHOW Simon Yates of Touching the Void returns to The Queens Hall, Kent, with his new talk Pleasure and Pain due to phenomenal demand! Touching the Void mountaineer Simon Yates is a veteran of over eighty expeditions to high and remote mountains around the globe. Now in his sixties, he is showing no signs of slowing down! This is his story of the last decade, of new adventures and climbs in the far north and south, along with summits in South America, Central Asia and the Himalayas. In 2023, Simon travelled with legendary British mountaineer Mick Fowler to attempt the unclimbed north face of Patkhor in Tajikistan. Their trip ran smoothly until the first evening on the mountain when they both contracted food poisoning from their freeze-dried food. After some debate, they continued, but this was just the beginning of a series of events that would see them run out of food, retreat below the summit in a storm, and Simon taking a bone-breaking 100m fall during the descent. After two days of lying on the glacier waiting for a helicopter, rescuers finally arrived but were unable to carry Simon down. Somehow, he would need to summon the energy for the painful three-day walk to safety.

Jon Boden has become the 'stand out performer of his generation (The Guardian) of traditional folk artists, but one whose repertoire extends far beyond the boundaries of the genre. He is best known as the lead singer and main arranger of the progressive folk juggernaut Bellowhead who achieved a quarter of a million album sales, seven singles on the Radio 2 playlist and selling out hundreds of venues, notably the Royal Albert Hall. Meanwhile in 2009, Jon founded his band The Remnant Kings, originally formed to perform the album Songs from the Floodplain but which has led them to record a further four albums together. Live, Boden's Waitsian parlour ballads and Napoleonic power-pop, are performed alongside the band's own back-catalogue of traditional and original songs and tunes. Bringing together some of the biggest names in English folk music, it's no surprise that they deliver a deep understanding of traditional music with musical audacity and theatrical brio, and featuring the enormous talents of Sam Sweeney (Bellowhead), Rob Harbron (Leveret), Ben Nicholls (Seth Lakeman Band), Sally Hawkins (Bellowhead) and the vocals and pedal-steel guitar of cult singer-songwriter M.G. Boulter. Ambitious, genre-busting folk ~ The Guardian Resurrects the brassy swagger of Bellowhead ~ The Financial Times

American stand up comedian Russell Hicks is back on tour. It's been a big year  for Russell. He's appeared in multiple feature films including Edgar Wright's The Running Man (2025). You also may have seen his phenomenally successful 'Dear Diary' series on Instagram, which has gained millions of views. Last year's show was about his life in the UK. This year is about.him. He's back. And this time.it's personal.  (As seen on ITV, BBC, Channel 4, Prime Video, and Paramount Pictures. 2x Leicester Festival Best Show Nominee and Winner of the 2024 Prague Fringe Festival)

Actual former members of the legendary band The Kinks getting back together to re-live the good times. This great line-up features Mick Avory (the original drummer), John Dalton (bass/vocals), Ian Gibbons (keyboards/vocals) with Dave Clarke (guitar/vocals). Expect all the hits including: 'You Really Got Me', 'Dedicated Follower of Fashion', 'Sunny Afternoon', 'Lola', 'Waterloo Sunset', 'Apeman', 'Come Dancing' and many more for a great night out!

Letz Zep is not an exercise in nostalgia, but of revolt against the time, a heart-rendering shout against mediocrity and forgetfulness, faithfully recreating the sights and sounds of Led Zeppelin at their awesome best. The band are gathering an international reputation, having been invited to perform, often as headline act, at large festivals in Greece, Italy, France, Spain, Venezuela, Belgium and here in the UK.

This production has been brought to life by KAMTs adult theatre company in just under two weeksan extraordinary feat in musical theatre. In that short time, the cast has learned demanding choreography, complex harmonies and emotionally honest scenes, all while balancing work, family and everyday responsibilities. The intensity of the rehearsal process mirrors the very world of A Chorus Line: fast-paced, demanding, and deeply rewarding. What youll see on stage is not just a performance, but a testament to commitment, teamwork, and the courage to step into the spotlight under pressure.

No country music icon has the depth, enigma and songwriting weight of Johnny Cash, and there's nobody better suited to honour and revitalize this legacy than Australian outlaw country founding-figure and brooding baritone Henry Wagons. Known as the Man in Black, Cash's music has always embraced the existential void and stared downthe darkness head-on. No period of his esteemed career did this more so than his infamous, late-career American Recordings albums recorded with creative guru Rick Rubin. Across the course of these six albums released between 1996 and 2006, Cash's every syllable serves as both a show-down and an embrace of death itself. These American Recordings records were the instigators for Henry Wagons to pick up the guitar and serve as the embryo for an esteemed career playing his own brand of gothic country music over a quarter century. Now, spanning space and time, these two titans of twang, Cash and Wagons, perfectly intertwine in this new show honouring the songs, arrangements and stories behind these perfectly curated songs. In CASH: A JOURNEY THROUGH THE AMERICAN RECORDINGS, HENRY WAGONS will lean into the deep mythology and sound of The American Recordings Albums. Featuring the favourites Solitary Man (Neil Diamond), I Hung My Head (Sting), The Mercy Seat (Nick Cave), Hurt (Nine Inch Nails), One (U2) and more, Wagons and his band The Tennessee Studs will re-create the sonic depth, poise and ominous force of the original recordings, as if you were sitting with Cash and Rubin in the control room.

1991 brought us the final Dire Straits album - On Every Street - and was commemorated by an enormous 2 year world tour that was one of their most successful to date. In On Every Street, Mark created some classic Dire Straits songs such as Calling Elvis, The Bug and On Every Street and the expanded lineup created yet another 'sound' that remained instantly recognisable as "Dire Straits". Over the past years, DS:UK have become the Dire Straits tribute act that the fans deserve - delivering the music with an attention to detail that few tribute bands strive for. The On Another Night show is DS:UK's third tour, representing the final era of Dire Straits' phenomenal career, and brings a genuine and unique experience that will bring fans the tracks they love from On Every Street, alongside the classic Dire Straits songs you love to hear. This will be DS:UK's most packed and exciting set yet... are you and your friend gonna come around?

A charming stranger arrives and the house feels colder. Charm turns to unease as secrets slip through polite conversation. What if danger wore a smile you trusted? Tension tightens with every polite cup of tea. Because sometimes the real terror doesnt come at night its already inside To increase the accessibility of our shows, we are proud to offer Sign Language interpretation at certain performances. For this event a BSL interpreter will be present at the Saturday 2:15pm performance - please choose seats 15-19 in rows D-G (marked on seating plan) Early Bird tickets (12) available until 1st April at which time tickets will increase to 15

Limehouse Lizzy continue to keep the spirit of Celtic rock icon Philip Lynott and his band Thin Lizzy alive, well and dominating stages worldwide. The band have also added a tribute into their show to ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist (and world renowned solo artist) Gary Moore. From their Official PRS award, performing for Virgin Atlantic in Barbados, T.V. appearances (BBC 2’s ‘Arena’ amongst others), and to actually being recruited to record and tour by members of the original Thin Lizzy, Limehouse Lizzy enter their 25th year with their most explosive show and critically-acclaimed line-up yet. The boys are back!

ROGER SAYER: Music from Interstellar and Beyond | Music and stories from the soundtracks original organist. Join Roger Sayer, the organist chosen by Hans Zimmer for the iconic soundtrack to the film Interstellar, for his performance and first-hand insights into one of cinemas most iconic film scores. EARLY BIRD TICKETS AVAILABLE UNTIL 19TH APRIL 2026 USING CODE RSEARLYBIRD AT CHECKOUT FOR 10% OFF ALL TICKETS. Roger brings his extensive experience to the theatre stage in a solo electric organ performance and talk, sharing insights into his experiences of working with Hans Zimmer and Christopher Nolan on the score, performing pieces such as Day One and Cornfield Chase, alongside pieces that inspired the soundtrack. A unique blend of storytelling and performance, this event offers an intimate look at the music that has captivated audiences worldwide and the fascinating instrument at its heart - the organ. An independent performance and talk. No film screening. Not affiliated or endorsed by Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros. Pictures, Hans Zimmer or related parties.

Prior to his evening concert with The Remnant Kings on Saturday 16 May, Jon will be hosting a singing workshop at the Queen's Hall Theatre based on Colourchord, a harmony-singing system which Jon has developed, and which allows any group of singers to sight-sing in four part harmony regardless of experience, using colour-coded lyric-sheets rather than musical notation. Jon will provide all the printed resources required for use by the participants, as well as hands on tuition, for a 30 minute pre-concert workshop which is FREE for ticket-holders of the evening concert. Also, to prevent workshop participants being disadvantage by having to join the back of the queue for the evening show, they will get VIP access into the hall ahead of the queue so that they can choose their preferred seating. Ticket number for the singing workshop are strictly limited and are available on a first come-first served basis. As previously noted, tickets are FREE but remember, you must have a ticket for the evening show to gain entry to the workshop. For more information on the Colourchord system go to: http://colourchord.org

The Wandering Hearts - Following on from the success of Jon Cleary, The Wandering Hearts will be opening CRANFEST 2026 at The Queen's Hall Theatre, Cranbrook. The Wandering Hearts are a London-based Americana/folk trio known for rich three-part harmonies, featuring members Tara Wilcox, AJ Dean-Revington, and Cranbrookian Francesca "Chess" Whiffin. Formed in 2015, they quickly signed with Decca, releasing their #1 UK Americana debut Wild Silence (2018), which topped the UK Americana charts, earning widespread acclaim and the support of Bob Harris at BBC Radio 2. Since then, The Wandering Hearts have toured extensively across the U.S., performing in over 30 states and sharing stages with Ruthie Foster, Lissie, and the late Justin Townes Earle. Theyve played landmark festivals including SXSW, Latitude, Bestival, Belladrum, Secret Garden Party, BST Hyde Park, and Black Deer Festival. Praised for their soaring, world-class harmonies echoing the likes of Fleetwood Mac, CSNY, and First Aid Kit the band released their third album Mother in 2024 on Chrysalis Records. With three acclaimed albums, hundreds of shows, and a growing international fanbase, The Wandering Hearts are rooted in harmony and driven by heart - One of the leading lights of British Folk./Americana. This Event is Presented by: Cranbrook Presents and CRANFEST Please note: The Queens Hall Theatre is selling tickets on behalf of and in aid of CRANFEST 2026, the event organisers.