Dates: 01/05/2026
📍 Theatre: Stephen Joseph Theatre
Stephen Joseph Theatre, Westborough, Scarborough YO11 1JW
Scarborough,
Tickets: £15
Innocent fishermen or international drug smugglers?
In 2011, five fishermen on the Isle of Wight (Jamie Green, Jon Beere, Daniel Payne, Scott Birtwistle and Zoran Dresic) were sentenced to a total of 104 years for conspiracy to import £53m worth of cocaine. They have always professed their innocence in a tale that has long divided the Isle of Wight community.
This powerful play seeks to present the case and its events on their merits, exploring the state of our coastal communities. Inspired by the wildly popular Guardian Today in Focus podcast, The Freshwater Five incorporates spectacular storytelling, verbatim accounts, inventive stagecraft, poetry and song, delving into historical and contemporary smuggling, deteriorating coastal communities, immigration and folklore.
Award-winning Isle of Wight company Deadman’s debut, fresh from sell-out tours, is now arriving on a national 2026 tour. Led by IOWers artistic director Samuel Bossman, playwright Liam Patrick Harrison’s full-length debut is a detailed and rich theatrical investigation into the men’s tragic downfall and coastal communities.
THE FRESHWATER FIVE, a debut play about Isle of Wight fishermen convicted of drug smuggling who maintain their innocence, comes to Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre on 1 May as part of a 2026 national tour.
Seven more new visiting shows have been announced for 2026 by Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre. Learn more about the lineup which includes Meet Fred, Dial 1 for UK, and more.
What shows are coming up next at Stephen Joseph Theatre ?
Where is Stephen Joseph Theatre located?
What shows have played recently at Stephen Joseph Theatre ?
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Steve Steinman''S Fuel Injected MAgic! 50th Anniversary Concert The SSE Arena, Belfast (10/22-10/22) |
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Trainspotting The Musical Theatre Royal Glasgow (3/15-3/20) |
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Steve Steinman''s BAT - Bat Out of Hell 50th Anniversary Tour Vaillant Live, Derby (11/04-11/04) |
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The Amy Winehouse Band: Back To Black 20th Anniversary Tour Victoria Theatre Halifax (10/24-10/24) |
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Disney Princess - The Concert Bradford Live (4/03-4/03) |
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New Love Madlenianum (12/16-12/01) |
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Trevor Nelson's Soul Christmas The Royal Albert Hall (12/17-12/18) |
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Bat Out of Hell: 50th Anniversary Utilita Arena (9/25-9/25) |
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Count Arthur Strong - And Its Goodnight From Me! Lawrence Batley Theatre (5/22-5/22) |
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Jack the Ripper Theatre show - Budleigh Salterton Budleigh Salterton Public Hall (12/05-12/05) |
