Empire

The Empire is Ipswich's proper old-school theatre, the kind of place where you can still feel the ghosts of a century's worth of pantomimes and touring productions. Built in the early 1900s, it's got that red velvet interior and ornate plasterwork that makes you sit up straighter in your seat the moment you walk in. You'll catch everything from ballet and musicals to comedy acts and local drama productions - the programme shifts constantly, so there's genuine variety across the year.

It's a solid choice if you're staying at one of the nearby parks like Priory Park or Bucklesham Park and fancy an evening out that doesn't involve screaming kids at a theme park. The theatre itself is intimate enough that you're never sat too far from the stage, which matters for comedy especially. Fair warning though: if you're after cutting-edge modern stagecraft, you won't find it here. This is about the experience of theatre itself - the anticipation, the audience, the slightly creaky seats that remind you this place has history.

Getting hold of ticket prices and current opening hours means ringing them direct or checking what's on before you book your holiday accommodation. Allow a good two hours for a show including interval. Ipswich isn't the flashiest town in Suffolk, but for a rainy evening or a cultural breather between park days, the Empire does exactly what it's meant to do. Real theatre without the pretension.