A show that uncovers the human stories behind the world’s most influential firearms.
ALL DATES ON-SALE NOW HERE
Have you ever considered how a single weapon could change the course of history? What stories lie behind the guns that shaped empires, wars, and even criminal underworlds? How did these firearms influence not just battles, but entire societies?
Acclaimed TV historian David Olusoga, known for his powerful BBC series A House Through Time and Black and British: A Forgotten History, has announced 2026 dates for his A Gun Through Time show.
As he is currently appearing on Celebrity Traitors, and fresh from interviewing Barack Obama on stage at The O2 in London, David is preparing to take this brand-new show on tour for the first time through November, asking the question of how a single weapon can change history.
Further dates have been added throughout April & May 2026, with tickets for all shows on-sale now via www.fane.co.uk/david-olusoga.
In A Gun Through Time, David takes audiences on a gripping journey into the hidden stories behind three firearms that changed the world. Each gun carries a complex legacy, entwining conquest, survival, and social upheaval.
This show couldn’t be timelier. With Europe witnessing the return of mechanised warfare, the echoes of past conflicts feel all too present. Young Ukrainians are now fighting in trenches eerily like those from a century ago, and here in Britain, politicians discuss rearmament and a potential expansion of the military—history, it seems, may be poised to repeat itself.
David explains his fascination, “My first passions as a boy—when I first got into history—were the First and Second World Wars. But I was always much more interested in the experiences of ordinary people caught up in those great events than I was in the speeches and strategies of politicians and generals. So this is not a show about guns and how they work technically, nor is it about the tactics of battle. It’s about the cultures that emerged from the millions of people for whom these weapons became part of their lives.”
Why now? David continues: “I come from a generation that, unlike our ancestors, has had little contact with firearms. This makes us incredibly fortunate and unique, living in a rare era of peace. In the last century, two generations were conscripted into massive armies, with millions bearing arms in wars. Today, most of us have never even seen a gun, thanks to strict gun laws and a smaller military.
This show explores how guns were once integral to life, shaping our history and culture. Yet, as conflicts re-emerge, the peace we’ve known feels fragile, with echoes of the past returning to modern battlefields and a renewed call for defence readiness in Britain”.
David will bring four legendary firearms onto the stage, each with its own world-changing story: the Thompson Sub-Machine Gun, which transformed from a WWI “wonder weapon” to the notorious “Tommy Gun” of Prohibition-era America; the Maxim Gun, used to subdue African territories and later causing unimaginable devastation on the Western Front -a weapon still seen on today’s battlefields in Ukraine. The Lee-Enfield Rifle, the soldier’s companion in both World Wars and a legacy passed through two generations of British families. And going back to the 18th and 19th Centuries the British Brown Bess flintlock musket – the weapon British soldiers took to Waterloo and that American rebels used to win independence for the United States.
In this powerful live experience, you’ll get to see these historic artifacts up close, understand their hidden social histories, and ask David your own questions about the stories behind them. Don’t miss this chance to experience history like never before, one weapon, one story at a time.
*NEWLY ANNOUNCED 2026 DATES
14 April Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells
16 April Charter Hall, Colchester
19 April Leeds Grand Theatre
20 April Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
21 April Town Hall, Birmingham
22 April Nottingham Playhouse, Nottingham
26 April Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
27 April G Live, Guildford
28 April Anvil Arts, Basingstoke
5 May Derngate Theatre, Northampton
7 May Richmond Theatre, Richmond
11 May Cadogan Hall, London
12 May The Alban Arena, St Albans
15 May Grand Opera House, York
18 May Hall for Cornwall, Truro
19 May New Theatre, Cardiff
Tour Dates 2025
2 November Beacon Hall Bristol
3 November Barbican Hall, London
4 November Theatre Severn, Shropshire
7 November Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
9 November Storyhouse, Chester
10 November Lyric Theatre, Lowry, Salford
13 November The Apex, Bury St Edmunds
15 November Corn Exchange, Cambridge
16 November Norwich Theatre Royal
20 November Tyne Theatre and Opera House, Newcastle
22 November Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh (Matinee)
22 November Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh
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Fane connects you with the most exciting names in culture and entertainment. Whether it’s a book tour, live podcast, or engaging Q&A, Fane offers exclusive access to bestselling authors, cultural icons and emerging talent – in person and online.
From intimate theatre settings to large-scale tours, we curate, produce, and promote live shows, bringing you closer to the people you love, and creating lasting experiences that tap into the conversations of the moment.
Fane is trusted for its distinctive and dynamic programming, offering something for everyone. Highlights include Miriam Margolyes, Cher, Andy Murray, Trevor Noah, Dolly Alderton, Tom Hanks, Rebecca Yarros, Nigella Lawson, Candice Brathwaite, Rory Stewart, Dame Judi Dench, Bernie Sanders, Sir Grayson Perry, Margaret Atwood, and Alice Oseman.
Since launching in 2017, Fane has grown into an industry leader with a global operation. With offices in London and Sydney, Fane events reach audiences in Europe, Australia, USA, Canada, and New Zealand.