THE sad news that Taunton’s much-loved Brewhouse Theatre is to close (due to financial difficulties) was not only a shock but a problem for Taunton Thespians, who were already into rehearsals for their production of The Haunting of Hill House in mid-November.

But local theatre lovers can still look forward to the spine-chilling experience of this critically acclaimed adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s gothic ghost story, as the production will now be staged at Queen’s Hall Theatre at Queen’s College Taunton, from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th November.

Director Phil Turley has appeared in many productions in the area including as Count Dracula in the Thespians 2024 production of Dracula and as Oberon in the Thespians summer tour of A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream in 2025. The cast includes Phoebe Rees drama award nominees Lorna Evans and Hannah Eden.

The play follows the story of a group of visitors brought together in Hill House, a mansion with a sinister reputation and a history of unexplained events. As tension rise and strange occurrences begin to unfold, the line between imagination and reality becomes increasingly blurred.

The Thespians worked quickly to secure the new location. Producer Nicola Dawson said: “It has been a wild ride since last Monday when the news broke about the Brewhouse. We’ve been planning this show for months and the Brewhouse feels like our second home, so it was devastating to get the news.

“We hope that a way forward can be found for the theatre. In the meantime, everyone in the production has been determined to find a way to save the show. Now we have and we are looking forward to working with the team at Queen’s Hall Theatre.

“We hope that theatre lovers will support the move and help celebrate the resilience of community theatre during this challenging time for the arts. The show must go on!”

Tickets will be on sale from Queens College, via Taunton Thespians’ website and from the Taunton Visitor Centre. Tickets for the opening night (Thursday 12th November) will be at a reduced price. Tickets purchased for the cancelled performances at the Brewhouse will be exchanged – anyone holding a ticket is asked to contact the Thespians via www.tauntonthespians.co.uk