The Little Theatre

The Little Theatre sits on a quiet street in Nairn, a proper working playhouse that punches well above its weight. It's the sort of place where you actually see real people doing real theatre - amateur productions, professional touring shows, the occasional film screening - rather than being herded through a visitor experience. The space itself is intimate without feeling cramped, with decent sightlines and that particular atmosphere you only get in a theatre where the audience and performers can practically make eye contact.

It works well if you've got family members who enjoy live performance but don't want the stuffiness of a big regional theatre. Kids tend to perk up here rather than zone out, partly because there's genuine energy in the room. Nairn's a lovely base for a Highland holiday, and the theatre gives you something proper to do on an evening that isn't just dinner or another coastal walk. The surrounding Moray coast has decent holiday parks - Barrow Campsite is just three miles away and well-regarded if you're after somewhere to stay.

Check their schedule before you arrive; programming varies and you don't want to turn up expecting Shakespeare only to find they're dark. Admission is reasonable, nothing extortionate, though you'll need to ring ahead to confirm what's on when you're visiting. Allow an evening for a show, or a couple of hours if there's a daytime event. It's the kind of place that feels genuinely part of the community rather than a tourist tick-box.