The Great Hall

The Great Hall in Wallingford is a proper working theatre that punches well above its weight for a market town this size. It's the sort of place where you might catch anything from amateur dramatics to touring productions, and the Victorian bones of the building give it real character without being fussy about it.

The venue itself is intimate - you're close enough to the stage to catch the actors' expressions, which matters when you're watching community theatre. Acoustics are decent, and the programme tends toward accessible stuff: pantomime in winter, Shakespeare in summer, comedy nights, concerts. It's not the West End, but that's rather the point. If you're staying at one of the nearby campsites - Ridgeway View is less than two miles away, or Rolling Fields if you want glamping - an evening performance here gives you proper local theatre-going without pretension.

Wallingford itself is a medieval market town with the Thames running through it, so combining a show with a riverside walk or a poke around the town centre makes for a solid evening. Kids will cope fine with age-appropriate productions, though the venue isn't childcare-central. Best bet is checking their current programme before you book your park stay - that way you can plan around what's on. It's the kind of place that reminds you theatre doesn't need to be grand to be worthwhile.