Theatre and Cinema

Culture

Theatre on the Isle of Wight centres on several venues that punch above their weight for a small island. Medina Theatre in Newport is the main venue, seating around 500 and hosting a programme of touring productions, concerts, comedy and pantomime. Shanklin Theatre is a smaller venue with a strong programme of summer shows, music and comedy, catering particularly to the holiday audience.

The Apollo Theatre in Newport is a newer addition, providing a mid-size venue for music and performance. The Quay Arts Centre in Newport stages smaller theatrical productions, spoken word events and film screenings. Community theatre groups are active across the island, staging productions in village halls and community centres.

The Ventnor Fringe festival, held each summer, transforms the town into a performance venue, with shows in pubs, shops, gardens and unconventional spaces. It attracts performers from across the UK and has built a reputation as a testing ground for new work.

Cinema on the island includes Cineworld in Newport (the island's only multiplex) and the Commodore Cinema in Ryde, an independently owned single-screen cinema that retains much of its original character. The Quay Arts Centre and other venues screen independent and arthouse films. Open-air cinema screenings are held at various locations during summer months.