Celebrating 125 Years
This December marks the 125th birthday for Leicester’s oldest theatre – On the 5th December 1900 we opened our doors as the Association Hall. We will be celebrating this anniversary with a series of events throughout the year championing the local community and the ethos of the venue.
Young people are at the heart of everything we do, and as part of YMCA Leicestershire we have a vision of every young person having a safe place to call home, and the support they need to create lasting change in their lives. In the theatre we focus on both skills development, and enrichment that develops confidence and communication skills, as well as an opportunity to express yourself. This year, our Big Give campaign focussed on exactly that. Not only are we looking to fund additional support for residents joining our award-winning Front of House team, we are giving the young people a budget to create and explore anything they want to celebrate this momentous year and their place in it. We’ve explored theatre, poetry, circus and podcasting, and we can’t wait to hand them the reigns to create something of their own.
Inclusivity is very important to us, opening the doors to all communities since our inception. We are proud to host a special edition of our Gay Comedy Night as part of Leicester Comedy Festival, the longest running (that we’ve found) comedy night platforming LGBTQ+ comedians. We will be drawing from both recognisable names and up-and-coming midlands talent to create an electric night of comedy with, by and for the queer community.
New Voices have always been key to our events programming, offering opportunities for up-and-coming comedians, rising stars in music, and exciting new stories in theatre. As part of In Good Company, the midlands network of venues championing new work, we will be hosting a scratch night above our usual Rough Draft, championing midlands-based artists ready to take their work to the next level. We will also again be hosting 14/48 Theatre Festival in November bringing together 70 artists from across the region to create 14 new plays in just 48 hours.
History is our legacy, and so we will be using our Heritage Open Day to celebrate in style with a Victorian birthday party. Curated by our young people and supported by our skilled team, you can join the festivities and learn more about the history of our Hidden Gem.
Over the decades we’ve played many roles ourselves: as the Association Hall when we first opened, holding lectures, penny concerts and events for the local community; the YMCA Hut in the First World War providing refreshments, beds and entertainment for over 1 million service men; as the Playhouse building our reputation as a venue for professionals and the community including the YMCA Musical Society for over 40 years. Now as The Y Theatre we are a mainstay in the city’s cultural scene, hosting well-known names as well as artists on the rise, always striving to be a home for our creative community.
Our little but mighty theatre has been at the heart of the city throughout Leicester’s history, so join us in celebrating this hidden gem and the power of community in action.
125th Birthday Events Calendar
Gay Comedy Night – Fri 13 February 2026
ICG Scratch Night – Thu 30 April 2026
Heritage Open Days – Mon 14 – Wed 16 September 2026
