Three days left to see Wimborne’s stories take centre stage

‘Belonging Our Search for Home’ has been taking place in the gardens of Kingston Lacy this week, with a huge amount of involvement from all sections of the Wimborne community.

Created by Wimborne Community Theatre, it runs until Sunday (27 September), with performances starting at 7pm.

From a traditional opening cry by Wimborne town crier Chris Brown to performances by local schoolchildren, musicians and community members, the production brings Wimborne’s stories, people and history to life. The production opened on Tuesday evening and runs until Sunday. It gives the opportunity to experience the promenade performance created especially for Wimborne as part of its year as Dorset Town of Culture 2026.

The production is the culmination of months of workshops, rehearsals and creative activity across the town.

The evening begins with an interactive fair, where young musicians from local schools are among those performing live music. Audiences are then led through Kingston Lacy’s gardens as darkness falls, encountering characters, stories, performances and music along the way.

At the heart of the production are stories inspired by Wimborne and the history and legends of Kingston Lacy. A teenager prepares to leave the town, an old man has something still unsaid, and figures from the estate’s past emerge from the landscape as audiences travel through its gardens.

Rohan Gotobed, guest director, said: “It’s been wonderful to finally see Belonging come to life at Kingston Lacy and to see audiences experiencing everything that so many people have worked together to create.

“This really is a production made by and for Wimborne. From young people performing and playing music to the huge number of local people appearing throughout the story, the community is at the heart of it. To see them bringing Wimborne’s stories to life in this extraordinary landscape has been incredibly special.”