Among the reasons to be cheerful as 2021 dawns is the chance to take in a show at one of our beloved theatres. Louise Cummings looks at a medley of top-class musicians, actors and comedians set to appear on stage in Bury St Edmunds

Beat the January blues with a trip to The Apex in Bury, which promises a feel-good mix of comedy, music and drama to kick off 2021.

Soulful acoustic singer-songwriter Jon Gomm – who creates drumming beats, tapping chords and striking harmonics in his innovative virtuoso guitar act – is first up on January 6.

Catch BAFTA nominated performer Richard Digance, January 10 to 11, when he’ll be raising spirits with an enchanting assortment of timeless songs and cleverly-crafted stories based on life’s rich tapestry.

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West End hit, Simon & Garfunkel Story, will take music-lovers on a trip through time on January 14, with huge projection photos, original film footage, and a live band performing hits including Mrs Robinson, Bridge Over Troubled Water, and Homeward Bound.

Expect an electrifying show from Legends of Swing, packed with incredible energy and musicianship, courtesy of mini big band, Down For The Count Swing Orchestra on January 17. Feel the beat as they recreate classic tunes from the swing era, with sublime vocal performances, irresistible humour and bags of joie de vivre.

Doctor and the Medics vocalist, the Rev Dr Clive Thomas Jackson, arrives with his hilarious two-man show on January 21. The Doctor Will See You Now brings together moments from his ‘bizarre, idiosyncratic and at times, ridiculously funny’ career as a stand-up comic, compere, actor and singer.

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Internationally-renowned violinist Omar Puente closes proceedings on January 27 with a fiery and exuberant set, fusing traditional Cuban, classical and jazz music, in a programme rich in energy, colour and creative arrangements.

All the January Apex shows will have reduced capacity, with socially distanced seating, so you can sit back and enjoy the entertainment in a safe environment. Organisers stress that if Bury St Edmunds were to be placed into Tier 3 coronavirus restrictions, the acts would be postponed to another date, but tickets would remain valid.

Find out more about what’s on at The Apex in Charter Square, Bury St Edmunds, at theapex.co.uk