Bournemouth Little Theatre Club

The Little Theatre Club sits quietly in Christchurch, easy to miss if you're not looking for it. It's a proper working theatre - the kind where locals turn up to see what's on, not somewhere geared entirely toward tourists. The productions range from contemporary plays to classics, and the intimacy of the space means you're genuinely close to the action. There's real craft on display here, the sort of thing that gets under your skin in a way big regional theatres sometimes don't.

This is absolutely for theatre people. If you're the type who gets excited about fringe productions and sees theatre as part of a proper holiday rather than a tick-box activity, you'll find something worth your time. The seating's tight, the sightlines are good, and there's none of that cavernous feeling you get in purpose-built modern venues.

If you're staying at Meadowbank Holidays or Oakdene Forest Park just up the road, checking what's on at the Little Theatre is worth a quick look before you book your accommodation. Most local productions are reasonably priced, and catching a show gives you a genuine flavour of Christchurch's cultural life rather than just wandering round the high street.

Timing-wise, allow an evening - programmes vary, so you'll need to check what's on and when. The theatre's small enough that word of mouth drives its schedule, so getting details beforehand is essential. It's the kind of place that reveals itself to people who actually look.