Taunton Brewhouse (previously The Brewhouse) is the largest theatre and arts centre in Taunton, the county town of Somerset, England.

The theatre opened on 28 March 1977, on the banks of the River Tone, and offers a 352-seat auditorium, a 60-seat studio space for performances, classes and conferences, and an exhibition space. It hosts a programme of live professional and amateur theatre productions; live folk, rock, and pop music; comedians; popular and independent cinema; live broadcasts from major international venues, such as London's National Theatre and The Royal Opera House; and visual arts exhibitions.

Its first professional production was Alan Ayckbourn’s The Norman Conquests, starring the then-unknown David Jason.

In September 2026 it was announced that the Theatre would close at the end of October due to financial difficulties; an appeal was launched to enable it to re-open.

Building The Brewery House

The Westward Room and administrative offices are located in the Old Brewery house, a Georgian Grade II listed building, which gives the theatre its name.

The Main Auditorium

The main house is a proscenium arch theatre with a trapezoidal apron, which can be reconfigured to include a central vomitorium, and includes a flexible orchestra pit. The Studio Theatre

The Studio Theatre is a fully equipped performance space with black-out and conference facilities. Removable seating can host up to 60 with playing space for an end-on show, or larger groups for meetings and other events. Workshops and classes benefit from the sprung floor and mirror wall.

The Studio Theatre was fully renovated in 2023 thanks to a grant from Theatres Trust. Creative Hub This adaptable teaching space hosts workshops, rehearsals, and classes. Located under the saw-tooth roof of the modern wing, the Creative Hub receives natural light and includes sink facilities. For large group hires of performance spaces, it can also serve as an additional backstage or breakout room.

Gallery The Gallery is a white cube with high ceilings, natural light and black-out facility used for exhibiting visual arts, film, photography and sculpture. Funding Like many provincial theatres, the Brewhouse Theatre has suffered several financial setbacks over the years.

In 2005, Arts Council England announced that it would cut regular funding to The Brewhouse from 2006, following a drop in artistic output. In September 2005 a new director Robert Miles was appointed to lead the artistic re-invigoration of the organisation. It was also the first theatre, apart from the Royal Court Theatre, to stage Caryl Churchill's controversial play Seven Jewish Children.

In 2009, ongoing under funding, combined with the impact of recession and a subsequent threat of cuts meant the venue was once again put under threat of closure. With support from its stakeholders Taunton Brewhouse overcame these immediate funding concerns, and in March 2010 it was announced that the organisation had been awarded £487,500 from Arts Council England's Sustain fund to allow it to continue to programme arts and participatory activities during the economic downturn.The Stage web site - "Young Vic receives biggest theatre Sustain grant of £1.2m"

However despite this local success the Conservative Government brought in the austerity programme and Somerset County Council completely cut their arts funding by 100%. The venue subsequently closed in February 2013 and went into administration.

The venue reopened in April 2014 by independent arts charity Taunton Theatre Association Ltd (TTA), having been granted the lease from Taunton Deane Borough Council, who bought the 61-year lease of the site and its contents from administrator BDO.

In 2020 Taunton Theatre Association were awarded a significant grant as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery Fund.

The venue now receives regular funding from Arts Council England and Somerset West and Taunton Council.

In 2024 significant funding cuts were announced by Somerset Council. The theatre issued a statement confirming that it is working closely with both Somerset Council and Taunton Town Council to develop a plan for long-term sustainability. The council has pledged to support the theatre's future with the help of Taunton Town Council and Taunton Theatre Association who manage the venue. The theatre's board believes that the outcome will ensure a secure future for the Brewhouse.https://www.wsfp.co.uk/news/brewhouse-theatre-issues-statement-after-council-announces-funding-cuts-729873https://www.somersetcountygazette.co.uk/news/24672420.taunton-brewhouse-working-secure-theatres-future/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-somerset-68029346

In September 2026 the theatre issued a statement saying that it would close at the end of October, though it was hoped that this closure would be temporary. Difficult trading conditions had been exacerbated by the prolonged summer heatwave. The Taunton Theatre Association set up an appeal for pledges of support, aiming to raise £150,000.

History

The area on which the Brewhouse Theatre stands was known as Coal Orchard, due to its use as an orchard and as a location where coal was unloaded on the bank of the River Tone. In the 19th and early 20th centuries, the site was used as a brewery.

A campaign to establish a theatre in Taunton was launched in the 1970s, led by John Wilkins, secretary of the Taunton Theatre Trust.

In 1975, the premises were leased to the Taunton Theatre Trust. After a lengthy period of fundraising, construction of the new theatre began, alongside the Old Brewery House. The building was designed by a local architect, Norman Branson, who also designed the Merlin Theatre in Frome. The theatre opened in 1977.

The design of the new theatre, featuring warm brown bricks and concrete dressings, complemented the historic Old Brewery House, which was repurposed to include a kitchen, bar, restaurant, and meeting rooms. The theatre itself, with a 352-seat auditorium designed with raked tiers and a flexible orchestra pit, represented a blend of modernity and tradition.

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