
The Old Paint Shop, pictured on its inaugural night on October 5 2024, returns to York Theatre Royal Studio tomorrow
THIS autumn, York Theatre Royal Studio is being transformed once again into cabaret club The Old Paint Shop for a season of comedy, live music, burlesque and more, featuring Paint Shop favourites and exciting new acts.
Seating will be cabaret club style and unreserved, offering an intimate theatrical experience where audience members are encouraged to grab a drink at the bar, sit back, relax and enjoy the show.

Evolution Of Fishermen: Opening new season tomorrow. Picture: Luke Ryan Photography
October 9, Evolution Of Fishermen, 8pm
EVOLUTION Of Fishermen are a contemporary folk band, brought together by a mutual love of storytelling, harmony and original folk songs. Since forming in 2021, they have played Green Note, O2 Academy Islington, Old Blue Last in London and The Crescent in York, plus festival appearances at Wilderness, Deershed, Gate To Southwell, LOOP fest & Sam Lee’s The NEST stage at Medicine Festival.

Nun better than Freida Nipples in the company of The Exhibitionists. Picture: Fake Trash Studio
Freida Nipples presents The Exhibitionists, October 10, 8pm
JOIN York’s international award-winning burlesque artiste Freida Nipples as she welcomes some of her favourite and most fabulous performance artists from across the UK. From burlesque to drag and beyond, be sure to expect the unexpected.

Anna Soden: Talking out of her ass in brain wave of a debut comedy show
Anna Soden: It Comes Out Your Bum, October 11, 8pm
ANNA Soden’s brain is a bum. “Come see all the nice things that come out of it,” says the York-raised, Brighton-based comedian, actor and award-nominated York Theatre Royal pantomime cow.
It Comes Out Your Bum is Anna’s madcap debut comedy hour, full of songs, revenge and talking out your ass. This 2025 Komedia New Comedian semi-finalist has featured on Absolute Radio, iHeart Radio and BBC Upload and attracted more than 11million views on TikTok/Instagram.

Fool(ish) Improv: Talking cobblers
Fool(ish) Improv: Cobbled Together, October 11, 8pm
FOOL(ISH) are delighted to deliver a new kind of improv gig as they return to York Theatre Royal. Inspired by York’s most famous street [Shambles], Cobbled Together is a show where the audience brings its own stories and memories of York to pave the way for some freshly ground comedy.
“All things local are about to get a little bit more ludicrous” say Fool(ish). “Join us for a spontaneous and ‘shambolic’ comedy where everything is made up… apart from the bits that happen to be true!”

Kiki Deville: Amusing tales to heartfelt confessions. Picture: Veronica Vee Marx
An Evening with Kiki Deville, October 17, 8pm
COMBINING a big voice, big humour and an even bigger heart, award-winning cabaret diva Kiki DeVille presents a dazzling night of storytelling, sharp wit and unforgettable moments.
From amusing tales to heartfelt confessions, Kiki serves it all, seasoned with her signature sass and a splash of vintage glam. Expect wonderful songs, side-splitting stories and perhaps a visit from glamorous guests along the way.

The Jazzville Quartet’s singer Raquel Alvaro
The Jazzville Quartet, October 18, 8pm
JOIN York jazz combo The Jazzville Quartet for a joyful celebration of Latin favourites (some sung in the original Portuguese), swing classics and haunting jazz ballads, led fabulous Portuguese jazz songbird Raquel Alvaro.
Accompanying Raquel will be piano maestro, arranger and composer Alec Robinson, saxophone legend Jon Taylor and double bass player Tim Murgatroyd.

Queer Spaces: Imagining a better world through a queer lens
Queer Spaces: Climate Pride, October 22, 7pm
THIS one-off night of sparkling new stories imagines a better world through a queer lens. Written and performed by York LGBTQIA artists trying out new work for the first time, Queer Spaces is presented by Roots in association with York Theatre Royal and the Stephen Joseph Theatre.

Pianist Karl Mullen: Everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson
Karl Mullen, October 23, 8pm
KARL Mullen is a familiar sight to York visitors as the busker with an upright piano playing outside York Minster, jazz fixture at The Phoenix Inn, in George Street, and Pub Piano Champion at the Leeds Piano Competition.
Mullen has a huge repertoire and specialises in virtuosic arrangements of material from The Great American Songbook, classic pop and rock, boogie-woogie and blues. Expect a highly entertaining mix of everything from Chopin to Oasis, via Led Zeppelin and Les Dawson, delivered with a large dose of humour and stories.

Jazz singer and pianist Nicki Allan
The Nicki Allan Quartet, October 24, 8pm
LEEDS jazz outfit The Nicki Allan Quartet are headed by jazz singer and pianist Nicki Allan, whose vocal style blends wholesome blues sound with soulful jazz and a hint of R&B. Together, the quartet plays a lively and varied set of up-tempo music with a fresh, modern sound interwoven with bold improvisation, scat and a deliciously driving feel.

The Isolation Creations: Hosting The Haunted Haus Of Games
The Haunted Haus Of Games with The Isolation Creations, October 25, 8pm
EYES down for a full Haus of spooky shenanigans as drag queen comedians The Isolation Creations return to York Theatre Royal with their Halloween show, full of ghosts and ghoulies!
Join Jamie Honeybourne and Alan Gibbons for an evening of bingo, laughter, games, surprises and cheesy prizes. “Dress in your best spooky fancy dress and you might go home with a trick and a treat,” they say.
Tickets for The Old Paint Shop are on sale on 01904 623568 or at yorktheatreroyal.co.uk.