Rowan Talbot
11 March, 2025
What's On

The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company are back! Touring in Sussex summer 2025

Eastbourne's own professional touring theatre company, The Rude Mechanical Theatre Co, will be hitting the road again for Summer 2025 with their smash hit musical comedy 'Gentle Harry's Farm'. They will be visiting beautiful community venues across East and West Sussex, as they have done since 1999, with their distinctive brand of high energy (and often hilarious) theatre. You'll find them pitching their beautiful mobile stage in numerous locations across Sussex during June, July and August before their week long stint on Eastbourne seafront performing in their iconic Little Big Top tent!

Gentle Harry's Farm - presented by The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company.

This year's offering from The Rudes, as they are affectionately known, will be a new version of their 2011 musical comedy 'Gentle Harry's Farm'....

Agnes Church and her very special friend and neighbour, Minnie Heartfelt, just love their boarding school, The Gables School for Jolly Nice Girls! But domestic science college calls - and husbands after that, steady sorts with prospects (like the Hon Ernest Dartford), and children (one of each, of course), then after that the WI (to be useful). But first under the blissful summer blue of Gentle Harry's Farm, amongst the cows and sheep and the sweet hay with magpies chattering their rhymes above - One for sorrow! Two for joy! - they were going to have such a twiffic summer!   

Then of all things they find some bounders have burst into the bank in Eastbury and nicked the cash! And the place is swarming with coppers! Bliss! Bliss in abundance! What a cackle! It would be such a summer! Meanwhile the brown eyed cows and the other animals chew - and listen. And the magpies chatter. 

The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company present Gentle Harry's Farm.
The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company present Gentle Harry's Farm. Credit: The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company

Tucked under the Downs in the breathless July of 1957 it will buzz with hilarity, sigh with tenderness and chirrup with gentle satire. Bursting with live music and original songs this brand new version of The Rudes’ smash hit musical comedy, first performed in 2011, will be sure to raise a smile….

The Rudes start their 2025 summer outdoor tour of villages and towns of Southern England on Thursday 12th June and will tour until Sunday 10th August with performances across Sussex. They will then perform in The Little Big Top, Helen Gardens, Eastbourne from August 6th - 10th.

Tickets, tour schedule and information are all available now from therudes.co.uk

The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company present Gentle Harry's Farm.
The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company present Gentle Harry's Farm. Credit: The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company.

Book early, bring warm clothes, a camping chair and a picnic!

‘Such A Good Night’ - The Times 

‘A Delight’ - The Independent On Sunday

‘Superbly Done’ - The Stage

‘Highly Entertaining’ - Time Out

National press on The Rude Mechanical Theatre Company.