Ten of the Best - your guide to what to see around Notts in the days ahead

1 Miss Saigon, Theatre Royal, Nottingham, Tuesday March 24 to Saturday April 4

The epic musical flies in to Nottingham. Beginning in the last days of the Vietnam War, when 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For three years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son. Visit trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.

2 Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of the Dubliners, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Tuesday March 24

Performed by a cast of Irish musicians, the show is packed full of classics like Whiskey in the Jar, The Irish Rover and Rocky Road to Dublin, promising to get those toes tapping. The feel-good production celebrates the musical mastery of The Dubliners, spanning more than 50 years. Visit mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre or call 01623 463133 to book.

3 Hamlet, Theatre Royal, Nottingham, until Saturday March 21

The Royal Shakespeare Company is staging Hamlet in Nottingham – with a highly acclaimed actor in the lead role. Hamlet is be played by Ralph Davis, has already played several leading men. He was nominated for the 2023 Ian Charleson Award for playing Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing, appeared as Edmund in King Lear (both at Shakespeare’s Globe), and most recently played Iago in Othello at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, for which he came second in the 2025 Ian Charleson Awards. As well as other theatre credits at the Almeida, Chichester Festival Theatre, Ustinov Studio and elsewhere, Ralph’s RSC credits include Tamburlaine, Timon of Athens, Richard III and King John. His other screen credits include House of the Dragon for HBO, Big Boys for Channel 4, SAS: Rogue Heroes, Life After Life and Steve McQueen’s Small Axe for the BBC.

Hamlet is the Prince of Denmark. After the death of Hamlet’s father, his uncle, Claudius, marries his mother and takes the throne for himself. In one of the most famous scenes in Shakespeare, Hamlet’s father appears to the young prince as a ghost, telling his son that he was murdered by Claudius. Seeking vengeance, he wants Hamlet to kill Claudius, setting off a tragic chain of events.

Shakespeare’s epic family drama of deceit and murder is directed by multi award-winner Rupert Goold. Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.

4 Strong Enough – Tribute to Cher, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Wednesday March 25

Featuring all of the hits including Turn Back Time, I Found Someone, Believe, Strong Enough, Gypsies Tramps and Thieves, her modern Abba remixes and many more, the extravaganza takes audiences on a journey from the Dark Lady days to the rocking ‘80s perm era and the celebration disco hits. Expect costume changes, sequins galore and a full live band and dancers. Visit mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre or call 01623 463133 to book.

5 BBC Concert Orchestra: Verdi's Requiem, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, Wednesday March 25

The choirs of Nottingham Trent University and the University of Nottingham team up with the BBC Concert Orchestra for this performance of Verdi’s Requiem. Given its capacity for shock and awe, it’s not surprising that the Requiem has supercharged the soundtracks for countless films, Including Django Unchained and Mad Max: Fury Road. Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.

6 The ELO Experience: Greatest Hits and More Tour, Mansfield Palace Theatre, Thursday March 26

The show celebrates the music of Jeff Lynne and The Electric Light Orchestra, including Wimp' Don't Bring me Down and of course Mr Blue Sky. The show includes a string section, light show and large screen projection. Visit mansfield.gov.uk/palacetheatre or call 01623 463133 to book.

7 Day Fever, Rock City, Nottingham, Saturday March 21

Forget feeling like those clubbing days are over. Day Fever is a joyous celebration where people from all walks of life come together in the daytime to dance, laugh, and relive the magic of those late nights out. The idea comes from Nottingham actress Vicky McClure, filmmaker and broadcaster Jonny Owen and Jon McClure, frontman of Reverend & The Makers, and celebrates fun, freedom and fabulous tunes. Visit www.day-fever.com to book.

8 Nine Sixteenths, Nottingham Playhouse, Friday March 20

This new play examines a notorious incident at the 2004 Superbowl in which an unexpected amount of Janet Jackson was exposed for nine-sixteenths of a second. It uses that moment in an entertaining way to look at how the media’s treatment of middle aged women has changed since the turn of the century. The show is performed by four black women aged over 40. Creator Paula Varjack said: “Janet Jackson was a tremendous icon to me, at a time when I had relatively few black female artists to look to. She was a game changer in so many ways – and did it on her terms. After her ‘wardrobe malfunction’ the music industry let her down. The show also looks at why role models matter and the lack of older female role models of colour – against the role that the largely white male media executives play in deciding who thrives in mainstream pop culture”. Visit nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk or call 0115 941 9419 to book.

9 Johns' Boys, Majestic Theatre, Retford, Saturday March 21

The only British choir ever crowned Choir of the World, Johns’ Boys Welsh Male Choir return in 2026 with their 10 Year Anniversary Tour, following a year of sold-out concerts across the UK and a triumphant tour of Canada.

Visit majesticretford-tickets.ticketsolve.com to book.

10 Diversity, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, Thursday March 19 and Saturday March 20

The new show from the wildly successful UK dance is based around the technological advancements of artificial intelligence, what the future holds, and what it truly means to be human within the digital age. Diversity rose to stardom after winning the third series of Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. Since then, the dynamic dance group has gone on to sell out multiple tours across the UK and Ireland, performed to the masses with countless television and live show and received the award for ‘Must see Moment of 2020’ at the British Academy Television Awards. Visit www.trch.co.uk or call 0115 989 5555 to book.