Kemble’s Riot

About the Show

We’re delighted to announce a brand new co-production Adrian Bunting’s (BOAT’s founder) seminal play Kemble’s Riot, in a co-production with Brighton Open Air Theatre.

Kemble’s Riot uproariously dramatizes the 66-night riot in 1809 when, having rebuilt the Covent Garden Theatre after a fire, its manager John Kemble and his sister-star Sarah Siddons put the entry price up by sixpence to pay for it. Kemble’s Riot won the Best Play Award on its debut at Brighton Fringe in 2011 and rave reviews followed from its run at Edinburgh Fringe in 2012. 

Sadly, Adrian died in 2013, but his dream of a permanent open-air theatre in Brighton was realised by his friends as a result of his legacy, and Kemble’s Riot subsequently closed BOAT’s inaugural Summer Season in 2015. You can read more about Adrian here.

Kemble’s Riot is the ideal play for BOAT. The audience is actively involved in the story, and the script leaves plenty of room to utilise the unique performance space to fully submerge them in the world of the play. The themes of corporate greed, cancel culture and artistic gatekeepers are as relevant today as when it was written, and the communal nature of the play makes it a truly immersive theatrical experience. 

We’re delighted to be able to work on our first ever co-production with Brighton Open Air Theatre. We are ideally placed to approach Kemble’s Riot with a fresh perspective and align with Adrian’s enduring values of open access and community-first approach. BOAT’s tenth season promises to be their biggest yet, and this is the perfect way to kick it off, with a reminder of where it all began.

Performance Times

3rd - 4th May 2024 at 7pm (gates open for picnics at 6pm)

4th - 5th May 2024 at 2pm (gates open for picnics at 1pm)

TICKET PRICES

Full Price: £15

Concession: £13.50

Group of 4: £54