Rocky Horror is back! Out on tour again, Rocky Horror has become a phenomenon, with a huge following and people who know the show word for word. If the costumes on stage weren’t enough the ones in the audience are sure to have you feeling fabulous!
Rocky Horror is so fantastically bizarre it’s hard to describe, with a feeling of wondering what on Earth is happening but thoroughly enjoying every moment. The brain child of Richard O’ Brien The Rock Horror Picture Show has been delighting audiences for over 50 years and never fails to disappoint.
The story begins with Brad (Connor Carson) and Janet (Lauren Chia) getting stuck in a storm with a flat tyre, they walk back to a castle looking to borrow a phone. Here they are let in to the bizarre world of Sweet Transvestite, Frank N Furter (Jason Donovan). They soon realise it’s not going to be as easy as using the phone and getting help, Frank N Furter quickly chooses to give them a tour of the lab where he is growing himself a new play thing, a muscle man name Rocky (Morgan Jackson). This show is completely bonkers with the audience just as baffled as Brad and Janet as to what’s going on.
Jason Donovan, known for his role in Neighbours, and run as Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat among a whole host of other credits, is perfect in the role of Frank N Furter. Reacting to the audience with the smallest gestures having a big impact.
Nathan Catton is fantastic as the Narrator, bouncing of the audience and responding with quick wit from beginning to end, he’s sure to have you laughing out loud.
The rest of the cast is fantastic, with everyone fitting in to the madness to the show and looking like they’re having a thoroughly enjoyable time. The music is sure to have you singing to yourself on the way with a host of iconic songs including Sweet Transvestite, Science Fiction/Double Feature and Damn it Janet.
Rocky Horror is almost indescribable 2 hours of madness, fun, frivolity and hilarity. If you’ve never seen it it’s one to tick of the bucket list but definitely not family friendly with a rating of 15+. The whole audience was on their feet at the end with a rare opportunity in theatre to get up and dance during the show for the iconic Time Warp this show is a real party and one not to be missed.
Sarah Shelton’s darkly funny and powerful family drama Blessings
at Riverside Studios from 30 September to 26 October 2025
Following its acclaimed debut as a shortened piece at last year’s Riverside Bitesize Festival, Sarah Shelton’s Blessings – an emotionally charged exploration of family dysfunction – returns to Riverside Studios for the premiere run of the full play from 30 September to 26 October 2025.
Bold, brilliant and blisteringly honest, Blessings is a must-see new work exploring faith, family, control and the lies we tell to keep everything from falling apart.
Behind the polished front door of the Deacon household, tradition is crumbling, secrets are festering, and change is coming – whether they like it or not. In a small English town in the 1960s, formidable matriarch Dorie Deacon is determined to keep her Catholic family respectable while Frank, her husband, maintains a silence that suggests he sees more than he’s ever let on. But as her children return home to celebrate their traditional family Easter, their carefully constructed image begins to crack. From smug eldest son Martin to razor-sharp Penny, rebellious Frances to watchful youngest daughter Sally, the Deacons are anything but united. And with a new boyfriend on the scene, a family priest who knows more than he’s saying, and plenty of unspoken truths lying under the surface, the household is a pressure cooker ready to blow. As secrets inch toward the surface and confessions are avoided, tension mounts toward a devastating and unforgettable climax. Is truth always the best policy? And what would you do for love?
Writer and director Sarah Shelton said: “At its core, Blessings explores the messy, beautiful, and sometimes painful dynamics of family – something deeply personal and universally understood. I’m thrilled to be bringing it back to Riverside Studios after the incredibly warm reception to that first showing at Bitesize which marked the beginning of the play’s journey. Riverside audiences really embraced Blessings in its shortened version, so it’s a total joy to return to the venue where it all began. Our cast will include outstanding seasoned performers who will be sharing the spotlight with gifted newcomers who are just beginning their careers. With a top-class creative team too, we’re poised to share this timeless story with a wider audience and I can’t wait to do so.”
Blessings is presented by Artful Entertainment. Cast and creatives are to be announced shortly.
Yolanda Mercy writes, co-directs and solo-performs this absorbing, revealing and highly emotive dive into what it takes to succeed not just as a writer of stage and screen, but a female writer and a female writer of colour.
The burden of responsibility weighs heavy on protagonist Ade, whose debut play Day Girl, about her experiences as a scholarship kid at an elite school, wins her acclaim and commissions but also pigeon holes her. She’s the role model now and doesn’t want ‘people like her’ to think their dreams are unattainable.
Yolanda is a compelling storyteller and confidently bounces off the audience to bring us into Ade’s world, inviting our sisterly support as well as our indignation at the micro-aggressions and casual racism and classicism doled out by society. Even more impactful is the heartbreaking way she subtly denigrates herself too. Don’t do yourself down, Ade!
Yolanda is also a wonderful mimic, effortlessly embodying the quirks of her hilarious supporting cast. From the posho tv producers trying to be hip but coming across as painfully clueless, to her situationship hook up, who seems happy to point out how easy she has it as a ‘socialite’ while failing to mention a few vital details about his own life, to her blunt yet caring Nigerian mother and her influencer friends from ends.
This is very much a show about finding your place in a world that seems intent on rejecting you and moulding you into a version of yourself you no longer recognise. Even if you’re a 40-something audience member like myself, allowing the Gen Y and Z references to go over my head and googling “slay” after the show, there’s still plenty of humour to be found and above all, a well-crafted narrative that with a few tweaks could be sensational.
Yolanda is surely a rising star with a magnificent career ahead of her. A powerful, funny and moving tale of perceived failure and recovery in an unforgiving world.
After years of creating gloriously unhinged theatre together, Linus Karp and Joseph Martin – the real-life couple behind ‘Gwyneth Goes Skiing, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story’ and’ The Fit Prince (Who Gets Switched On The Square In The Frosty Castle The Night Before [Insert Public Holiday Here])’ – are heading down the aisle – or rather, onto the Pleasance Grand stage – to get married live during the Edinburgh Fringe.
Yes, it’s really happening. On stage. With an audience of festivalgoers to witness a real legal wedding – live in the middle of the Edinburgh Fringe. In what is believed to be a Fringe first, Karp and Martin will say their vows in front of hundreds, joined by special guests, live performances, and a full dose of queer theatrical joy.
The couple – who co-founded Awkward Productions and have been together for ten years – believe this will be the first legal wedding with a paying audience in the festival’s 78-year history, and likely the first LGBTQ+ wedding to be staged as part of the official programme.
The ceremony takes place on the morning of Saturday 16 August – just hours before that afternoon’s performance of their brand-new show:
A camp, chaotic romcom set in the fictional kingdom of Swedonia, ‘The Fit Prince (Who Gets Switched On The Square In The Frosty Castle The Night Before [Insert Public Holiday Here])’ is a queer parody of the holiday movie genre – with Karp and Martin playing a prince in need of a spouse and the reluctant New York baker drafted in to make his wedding cake. It’s the first time the couple have played romantic leads opposite each other on stage – and now they’ll be getting married for real in the middle of the run.
Expect songs, readings, guest appearances and full queer spectacle – all packed into a gloriously Fergalicious Saturday morning hour.
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story is also returning to this year’s Edinburgh Fringe for a short run (20–24 August), in which Linus plays Diana,, in which Linus plays Diana and Joseph voices Charles. They get married and divorced on stage – a sequence they’ve performed over 150 times. With The Fit Prince running daily, Diana back for a limited run, and a real-life wedding on 16 August, they’ll be tying the knot across stage and life in just about every way possible.
In a joint statement, Linus and Joseph said: “I do.”
Darlington Hippodrome – until Saturday 31st May 2025
Reviewed by Adam Craddock
5*****
It was an absolute pleasure on Thursday night to be invited along to the press night of Tilted Wig Productions’ performance of “Spitfire Girls”, written by and starring Katherine Senior. “Spitfire Girls” follows sisters Bett and Dotty through the middle years of World War Two as they join the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), from starting as rookie pilots to running Spitfires and Hurricanes across the country. While I don’t want to reveal too much about the plot I can wholeheartedly say that this is a piece of theatre masterfully written and performed by an impressive cast. The story has some real weight to it and it is not taken lightly by the fantastic group of 5 on stage.
Katherine Senior is fabulous as Bett. She has a real naturalism to her performance with the stakes of their day to day work all too real to her.Senior has an obvious connection to the material but this felt like it was the first time she experienced these emotions and wasn’t at all formulaic. Samuel Tracey was great as Tom/Jimmy, particularly in the role of the former. Tracey was brilliantly charming yet with a hint of chauvinism that I think really lent itself to the character. Jack Holland was good as Dad/Frank. As Frank he was very relatable as a chap we all new from down the local, more bothered about getting an ale than looking after his kids. As Dad he was strong, although I did feel a slight disconnect with some of his scenes in the first act compared to the rest of the cast, slightly breaking the immersion for a second when I had been on the edge of my seat the rest of the time. Kirsty Cox was great as C.O./Joy, with a real air of authority about her as the C.O., contrasting brilliantly with her jovial Scottish girl Joy. However, the real standout performance for me was Laura Matthews as Dotty. Matthews delivered a real tour de force performance, with her character being brilliantly enthusiastic and relatable. Matthews brought be close to tears on two occasions, and while I won’t spoil any plot points I will say the material was masterfully handled. Bravo!
The set design for the production was perfect, simplistic yet imaginative, with the raised platform almost making it feel like an isolated dream. The lighting and sound design were both spot on and the direction was superb. I particularly enjoyed the choreographed movement of Bett and Dotty getting in their aircraft for the first time and taking off, this was an extremely effective device.
Overall I would highly recommend that you see “Spitfire Girls” before it takes off to its next venue. This is a real and relatable production not to be missed.
The Roald Dahl Story Company today announces the full cast for the wickedly funny family musical based on Roald Dahl’s THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE.
Taya Ming will play The Enormous Crocodile, with Nia Stephen as Trunky the Elephant, Ryan Crellin-Simpson as Humpy Rumpy the Hippopotamus, Alison Arnopp as Roly Poly Bird, Siobhan Athwal as Muggle Wump the Monkey and Eleanor Ambekar as Swing.
Following hit seasons at Leeds Playhouse in 2023 and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 2024, THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE THE MUSICAL will open at Windsor Theatre Royal on 8 August 2025 before returning to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre from 15 August – 7 September 2025.
THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE THE MUSICAL will also play a Christmas season at Lowry, Salford from Tuesday 9 December 2025 until Sunday 4 January 2026. Casting for Lowry’s season is to be announced at a later date.
‘For my lunch today I would like… a nice juicy little child!’
The Enormous Crocodile is weaving his way through the jungle in search of delicious little fingers and squidgy podgy knees… Only the other jungle creatures can foil his secret plans and clever tricks, but they’re going to have to find a large amount of courage to stop this greedy brute.
This mischievous musical based on Roald Dahl’s snappy book has toe-tapping tunes by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, a rib-tickling book and lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, and additional music and lyrics by Tom Brady. Developed and directed by Emily Lim, it features a menagerie of puppets by co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié, with set and costume design by Fly Davis and puppetry co-designed and supervised by Daisy Beattie.
CAST BIOGRAPHIES:
Taya Ming graduated in 2021. Her theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing at the RSC, Slumlord and Innocent Means Not Guilty, both at Theatre Peckham, Robin Hood: The Legend. Rewritten at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Aromatherapy at Talawa Theatre Company, Merchant Of Venice at OVO theatre, the UK tour of Coming To England and Wild Mix at Chapter Theatre Arts.
Nia Stephen trained at The Urdang Academy where she was awarded the Andrew Lloyd Webber Scholarship.Her theatre credits include the UK tour of &Juliet and Cinderella for Imagine Theatre. Her film credits include Google’s ‘Hands Raised’ Film from Uncommon Creative Studio.
Ryan Crellin-Simpson is an actor and singer who recently graduated from Rose Bruford College. The Enormous Crocodile will be Ryan’s second show after graduating, having completed a 2024 run of The Elephant in the Room by Peter Hamilton at Waterloo East Theatre.
Alison Arnopp is an Irish performer and writer. Her theatre credits include The Magician’s Elephant and The Tempest, both at the RSC, Wise Children’s Malory Towers, the 50th anniversary tour of Hair, Les Liaisons Dangereuse at the Donmar Warehouse, and Xnthony’s Oliver Cromwell Is Really Very Sorry, which earned her a ‘Best Performer’ nomination at Dublin Fringe.
Siobhan Athwal is a critically acclaimed actress and WhatsOnStage award-nominee, originating roles in BBC’s EastEnders and Doctors, Channel 5’s The Good Ship Murder and ITV’s Emmerdale. Her theatre credits include roles at the National Theatre, Curve Theatre, Leicester, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Royal Opera House, Piccadilly Theatre, York Theatre Royal, Stratford East and Hachette Audio.
Eleanor Ambekar graduated in 2024 with an MA in Musical Theatre from Guildford School of Acting. Whilst training, her credits included the role of Amélie in Amélie the Musical. The Enormous Crocodile will be her professional debut.
The Enormous Crocodile musical was developed by Emily Lim, Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, Suhayla El-Bushra, Tom Brady and The Roald Dahl Story Company, and originally co-produced with Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Leeds Playhouse.
It’s rare that a story can get to the core of political turmoil and tell it through the personal resilience of women but that is exactly what Khaled Hosseini’s spectacular novel ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ achieves. Playwright Ursula Rani Sarma has adapted Hosseini’s spiritual sequel with both the emotional power and clarity of the original thus bringing to life the tragically heartbreaking but fantastically brave tale of two Afghan women – Mariam (Rina Fatania) and Laila (Kerena Jagpal). Brought together by their common nemesis in the form of their husband, Rasheed (Jonas Khan), these two women form an unlikely bond which becomes a family tie beyond what is mortal but of that which is at a soul level. Mariam’s part of their soul contract is to become a sacrifice for the sake of the happiness of others but, what she gains through Laila and her family is something she has never experienced before – a profound sense of being loved and wanted. Egos soon become set aside as the women realise that they’re on the same side; that of survival. A Thousand Splendid Suns is gripping, filled with emotional highs and lows – difficult to watch at times and will evoke tears of deep compassion. You won’t be able to take your eyes off the stage for a second because it’s a truly mesmerising production from start to finish.
The two leads at the centre of the play, Mariam and Laila, begin as total opposites in age, looks and upbringing. They appear to have no common ground except for being women in a war-torn country and the captives of an abusive husband and a brutal, political regime. Fatania as Mariam conveys an aching vulnerability, the older wife who has been cast aside for the beautiful and young Laila but, as the play develops, she becomes an inspiring tower of strength. Using her wits, growing determination and courage Mariam transforms into being one of literature’s greatest heroines. Jagpal’s Laila enters the story as a bright and bold teenager who through the tragic loss of her beloved father and mother, becomes the enslaved other wife of Rasheed. Despite all the odds, Laila never loses her unique spirit as her husband and the Taliban don’t manage to break her and with her new found friendship with the ‘other wife’, Laila manages to hold on to her children and her life.
Brilliant director Roxana Silbert shows us domestic violence, public executions and the oppressive edicts of the Taliban in this play and at no point are the audience shielded from the darkness but, it needs to be shown in order to shine the light. The beauty that comes through the shadows in the tender moments are in balance with the horrors and indeed outshine them. We need to see and witness the atrocities to be able to appreciate the love, the bond of solidarity between the two women and the ultimate sacrifice one human makes for another. Rina Fatania and Kerena Jagpal’s performances as Mariam and Laila are outstanding and at the heart of the play but alongside them in the form of Rasheed, Jonas Khan’s must be given the upmost praise for the portrayal of his challenging character. Khan plays Rasheed with a brutal honesty – chilling, cruel and depicts misogyny at its very worst. The highly talented ensemble cast – David Ahmad, Jonny Khan, Noah Manzoor, Peyvand Sadeghian, Tahir shah and Humera Syed play multiple roles with authentic depth and a fluidity which keeps the narrative flowing throughout the unfolding timeline. Humera Syed is exquisite as young Mariam and little Aziza – she makes your heart swell and ache with compassion for both characters.
Bringing Kabul to life on stage was the task of Simon Kenny who achieves this by incorporating authentic Afghan carpet designs on the set which are both rich in colour and culture. The staging is extremely clever in how we can feel at ‘home’, at a train station or up in the mountains all in one frame. Lighting (Matt Haskins), sound (Clive Meldrum) and movement (Kuldip Singh-Barmi) all help create memory flashbacks, time shifts and scene changes with dramatic clarity and smooth transitions. A Thousand Splendid Suns takes one on a journey of the intimate struggles of its characters within the backdrop of an inhumane socio-political context. This story offers hope in desperate times, hope that the human race will survive because even though those who have dark agendas appear to be in control, they can never extinguish the divine light of love that we each hold within us – and that love is the stronger force. Through Mariam and Laila, we are offered a glimpse of what it means to be the light and to share the unbreakable bond of what it is to be human. A Thousand Splendid Suns is truly remarkable theatre – unmissable!
FELICITY KENDAL, TRACY-ANN OBERMAN AND TOM STOPPARD FEATURE IN HAMPSTEAD THEATRE’S AUTUMN 2025 SEASON
Hampstead Theatre today unveils its Autumn 2025 season featuring a compelling mix of premieres and a celebrated revival. The season brings together renowned talent including Felicity Kendal, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Tom Stoppard, Richard Greenberg and Jamie Armitage alongside debut writers Nancy Farino and Will Lord. It features three world premieres, a UK premiere and a major revival.
Opening on the Main Stage in October, the UK premiere of Richard Greenberg’s Tony Award-nominated The Assembled Parties stars Tracy-Ann Oberman. A sharply observed portrait of a family grasping for stability at the dawn of a new millennium, it premiered on Broadway to critical acclaim and its run was twice extended. This new production is directed by Blanche McIntyre.
Tom Stoppard returns to Hampstead’s Main Stage, following the recent sell-out successes of Rock ‘n’ Roll and The Invention of Love, with a rare revival of Indian Ink directed by Jonathan Kent. The new staging will star Felicity Kendal who in a poignant turn will take on the role of Mrs Swan, 30 years after originating the role of Flora Crewe for the world premiere. Tom Stoppard wrote the play for Kendal and this will be the play’s first major UK staging since 1995. A Gala performance of Indian Ink will be held on Saturday 24 January to raise funds and help ensure Hampstead Theatre continues to thrive. And following its run at Hampstead Theatre the production will play Theatre Royal Bath.
The Downstairs season showcases three world premieres by two first time playwrights and a returning talent.
Will Lord makes his debut with The Billionaire Inside Your Head, a biting satire questioning the value of motivation and what it may end up costing you. It will be directed by Anna Ledwich, returning to direct her 13th production at Hampstead.
Following his playwriting debut at Hampstead Theatre earlier this year Jamie Armitage returns as writer / director with A Ghost in Your Ear – a chilling and immersive new play using binaural sound technology made in collaboration with Ben and Max Ringham.
Fatherland marks the debut of Nancy Farino, who is about to graduate from Hampstead Theatre’s Inspire programme for emerging playwrights. Directed by Tessa Walker, Fatherland is a sharp, tender and darkly funny new play about the chaos of connection.
Greg Ripley-Duggan, Producer and Chief Executive, Hampstead Theatre said:
“This is a season where legends meet lightning bolts. It places internationally-renowned writers like Tom Stoppard and Richard Greenberg alongside emerging playwrights you’ll be hearing about for years to come, and this underscores Hampstead’s enduring commitment to creative risk and original new work. It’s a joy to welcome Felicity Kendal and Tracy-Ann Oberman back to Hampstead, and I am thrilled that Jamie Armitage will be pushing the boundaries of what is possible in our Downstairs studio with his innovative new show.”
Alongside the autumn programme two accomplished writers will also strengthen Hampstead’s offstage initiatives. Playwright Simon Stephens, newly appointed Programme Director of Hampstead’s Inspire programme, will provide mentorship and development opportunities to emerging playwrights of all ages and backgrounds. And, as part of Hampstead’s Engage programme, playwright Carmen Nasr will lead a creative writing group in collaboration with Wac Arts focused on fostering intergenerational connection – bringing together younger and older participants to explore how theatre can build positive relationships across generations.
Additional shows and casting will be announced in due course.
Tickets for the autumn 2025 season go on sale to Patrons from today, Friday 30 May, and to Friends on Tuesday 3 June. Public booking opens on Friday 6 June.
THE AUTUMN SEASON
MAIN STAGE
UK Premiere
The Assembled Parties By Richard Greenberg Directed by Blanche McIntyre Friday 17 October – Saturday 22 November
‘You would love the apartment – it’s like the sets of those plays you love, with the “breezy dialogue”. They sort of talk that way and everybody’s unbelievably nice and, like, gracious and happy. It’s like you go to New York and you look for New York but it isn’t there? But it’s here…’
Former movie star Julie Bascov insists on taking Christmas seriously – despite her family’s reminders that that they are in fact Jewish. Every year, she and her impossibly well-heeled husband Ben host a feast in their palatial apartment on Central Park West. In December 1980, their son and his best friend Jeff come down from Harvard to join the party, and Jeff is dazzled by the Bascov clan. But when he returns for the same occasion twenty years later he finds that much that was sown in 1980 has been reaped in the intervening years…
Photo by Mark Avery
Richard Greenberg’s virtuosic comedy-drama was such a sensation when it played on Broadway in 2013 that it had to be extended three times. Greenberg, familiar for his plays Three Days of Rain and Take Me Out – both Pulitzer nominees – makes his Hampstead debut.
Blanche McIntyre returns to Hampstead after her productions of Letters from Max, Apex Predator and the record breaking The Invention of Love.
Cast includes: Tracy-Ann Oberman
Indian Ink By Tom Stoppard Directed by Jonathan Kent Wednesday 3 December – Saturday 31 January
‘If you don’t start learning to take you’ll never be shot of us. Nothing else counts. It’s your country, and we’ve got it. Everything else is bosh.’
1930, India. Flora Crewe, a noted Bloomsbury Group poet, undertakes a journey through India for her health. Free-spirited and without social inhibitions she unsettles most people she meets, but secretly captivates Nirad Das, a handsome Indian painter.
1980s England. Flora’s sister, Mrs Swan, is visited by an American biographer trying to uncover exactly what took place on the trip – and then Das’ son appears in her garden with a painting of Flora by his father – a nude…
Satirising the self-importance of both academia and the ruling class, Tom Stoppard’s Indian Ink is an evocative meditation on art and love, exploring how creativity can bridge even the most profound cultural barriers.
Tom Stoppard returns to Hampstead after last year’s sell-out success of The Invention of Love. This is the first major revival of Indian Ink since 1995, when Felicity Kendal created the role of Flora Crewe. She returns to play Mrs Swan in Jonathan Kent’s new production.
Jonathan Kent directs in his first collaboration with Stoppard. His Hampstead credits include House of Games, Double Feature, The Forest and Good People.
Cast includes: Felicity Kendal
DOWNSTAIRS
World Premiere The Billionaire Inside Your Head By Will Lord Directed by Anna Ledwich Friday 19 September – Saturday 25 October
‘There’s a very rich man inside you, Richie. Inside that crazy head of yours. A good man. An ambitious man. A man who knows exactly what it is he’s going to do when he wakes up every morning, and a man who does exactly that.’
Rise. Grind. Hustle. Repeat. And repeat. And repeat…
Lifelong best friends Richie and Darwin are on the lowest rung of the corporate ladder, stuck in the basement together with decades of old case files to work through. Darwin’s morning routine is an episode of Seinfeld and a spliff; Richie’s an ice bath, meditation, and Jack Dorsey’s 7-minute workout.
When an opening becomes available as a Junior Associate, it presents the opportunity to fly up the ranks faster than SpaceX’s latest rocket. The only things that might prevent that awesome LinkedIn update? The voice of Richie’s OCD whose demands are getting harder and harder to keep up with, and the fact that Darwin’s mum just happens to be the CEO calling the shots.
Will Lord‘s debut play is a biting satire questioning the value of motivation, and what it may end up costing you. Anna Ledwich returns to Hampstead, where her previous credits include anthropology, Labyrinth and Olivier nominated productions of Dry Powder and Four Minutes Twelve Seconds.
World Premiere Fatherland By Nancy Farino Friday 31 October – Saturday 29 November
‘Best case scenario we all go with the flow and have an amazing time and eat pies and feel connected to the place from whence we came and maybe meet some people with the same nose as us’
Only good things happen to Winston Smith. Or so he keeps telling himself. Winston loves his job as a life coach, and is even hoping to write a book to share his wisdom more widely. There’s just the small matter of a negligence lawsuit to deal with first…
His daughter Joy is tired. Of holding things together. Of pretending to be okay. And of every relationship in her life demanding more than she has to give.
The solution? A spontaneous road trip to County Mayo, in search of their long-lost Irish roots. On a converted school bus with mood lighting, questionable plumbing, and no clear plan; Winston takes Joy on a search for their past by way of hiding from the here and now.
A debut play by Inspire graduate Nancy Farino, Fatherland is a sharp, tender, and darkly funny new play about the chaos of connection, and how sometimes the only way forward is through a snowstorm on the M6. Tessa Walker’s previous productions at Hampstead Downstairs include Biscuits for Breakfast, Big Big Sky and Ravenscourt.
World Premiere
A Ghost in Your Ear Written and directed by Jamie Armitage A collaboration with Ben and Max Ringham Saturday 6 December – Saturday 24 January
‘The ghost is not real, it is only in your ear…’
You watch an actor arrive in a sound-recording studio.
You put on your headphones so you can listen closely as he records the audiobook of a ghost story.
Yet not every sound in your headphones can be explained. You start to fear that the horror is escaping the world of the story and coming closer towards you.
A Ghost In Your Ear is the new play from the writer/director of the sell-out Hampstead hit An Interrogation. The audience wears headphones as binaural sound technology is used to immerse them in the auditory world of the show made in collaboration with Ben and Max Ringham.
Health warning: this play is intentionally looking to scare its audience. If you are of a nervous disposition, then caution is advised…
TICKETS ON SALE NOW FOR CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE’S PANTOMIME – THE FIRST PRODUCTION TO PLAY IN THEIR NEWLY TRANSFORMED AUDITORIUM THIS WINTER
THURSDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2025 – SUNDAY 4 JANUARY 2026 TICKETS ON SALE NOW
Rachel Tackley, Interim Creative Director and Co-CEO, and the whole team at Cambridge Arts Theatre is thrilled to announce that tickets are on sale now for this year’s Christmas pantomime Sleeping Beauty, the first production in their newly transformed auditorium after closing its doors for redevelopment works in January 2025. Sleeping Beauty will play from Thursday 27 November until Sunday 4 January, with a press performance on Tuesday 2 December.
In an enchanted kingdom Princess Rose is cursed on the day of her christening by the wicked Carabosse. The Princess is destined to prick her finger on a spinning wheel before her eighteenth birthday, falling into a deep slumber for 100 years unless awakened by true love’s kiss.
For her own protection Rose is sent to live deep within the Botanic Gardens, only returning to Trumpington Castle on the eve of her eighteenth birthday. However, Carabosse has other ideas… Who will take the perilous journey to save the kingdom from the evil fairy’s spell, once and for all?
Cambridge Arts Theatre is currently undergoing a transformational redevelopment project, made possible by a generous £16 million gift from Lord David and Dame Susie Sainsbury via the Gatsby Charitable Foundation. The redevelopment project, designed by architect Ian Chalk, includes a total refurbishment of the current 666 seat auditorium, new seating and a redesigned balcony to improve sight lines and audience comfort, improved acoustic performance and a new technical infrastructure.
Sleeping Beauty is directed by Michael Gattrell, who returns after the award-winning production of Cinderella in 2024, which welcomed over 32,000 people achieving a record breaking pantomime run. Harry Howle and Steven Roberts won the Best Sisters Award at the 2025 UK Pantomime Awards for their performances as the Wicked Stepsisters in Cinderella. Further creative team and casting will be announced in due course.
Rachel Tackley said, “Sleeping Beauty marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for Cambridge Arts Theatre. Not only are we bringing this magical story to life with all the sparkle, humour and heart our audiences love, but we’re doing it in our beautifully transformed auditorium for the very first time.
We can’t wait to welcome everyone back through our doors this Christmas to experience a brand-new pantomime in our wonderful new space.
A bold, disabled-led celebration of performance, protest and connection
29 June – 13 July 2025
Camden People’s Theatre is proud to launch Every Body Festival, a two-week celebration of disabled and deaf-led performance, creativity and community. Running from 29 June to 13 July 2025, Artistic Director Rio Matchett’s inaugural programme features a packed line-up of live shows, workshops, digital premieres and panel discussions – all led by disabled and deaf artists pushing at the boundaries of access, artistry and resistance. From one-night-only scratch nights to urgent political debate, the festival is designed to create space for everyone – with access at its heart and artists at the centre.
The festival features new work from FUSE, Deafinitely Theatre, and Paines Plough, alongside streamed performances that extend the programme – and its accessibility – beyond the building. Highlights include For A Palestinian, a ★★★★★ (WhatsonStage) hit performed by Extraordinary’s Bilal Hasna, with a share of the proceeds going to the Ghassan Abu Sittah Children’s Fund, and GRILLS, a ★★★★★ show described by The Reviews Hub as “an archive of queer joy,” developed through CPT’s own commissioning scheme. Both are available to stream on demand throughout the festival, reflecting CPT’s ongoing commitment to digital access and community-led storytelling.
Across two weeks, Every Body Festival brings together one-night-only performances, panel discussions, online meet-ups and live cabaret – all led by artists with lived experience of disability, neurodivergence or deaf identity. From Lighting the FUSE, a new BSL-led theatre piece devised in just five days, to The Only Brown Deaf Man in England, a fierce, funny, and unapologetically bold work-in-progress – one Deaf Bengali man’s journey through racism, rebellion, and resilience from 1970s Brick Lane to post-9/11 Britain; written by Nadeem Islam and created with Fuse Theatre. The programme invites audiences to celebrate joy, challenge power, and reimagine the future together.
One of the festival’s most urgent events is Balancing the Books, a panel discussion on Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Access to Work, and disability rights. In response to Labour’s proposed PIP and Access to Work reforms – which could see thousands of disabled people lose vital support – the panel was added to the programme to create space for direct, creative resistance. Led by disabled artists and activists, it centres the lived experience of those most affected, offering a necessary counterpoint to policy decisions too often driven by selective data rather than dignity.
Every Body Festival puts access at the heart of its design, not just its delivery. All its events have an element of access, whether that’s BSL, captioning, audio description or a relaxed design. From online meet-ups like Queerdos – a space for queer, disabled and neurodivergent people to connect and create – to digital streams, panel discussions and scratch nights, the festival reflects Camden People’s Theatre’s long standing commitment to platforming underrepresented voices and reimagining who gets to make theatre, and how.
Other highlights include FUSE’s panel discussion and workshop, two electric Scratch Nights of brand new work from disabled and neurodivergent artists, and Deafinitely Theatre’s New Writing Sharing, platforming emerging deaf women’s voices. The programme also features Laika, a sci-fi-inflected story of disability and isolation, Characteristics of a Child Ten Days Old, a lyrical new play about medical choice and motherhood, and A Night in Sign, a vibrant BSL-led cabaret celebrating Deaf talent. The festival closes with an inclusive Every Body Party – complete with snacks, a chill-out space, and possibly even Deaf karaoke.
QUOTE FROM RIO MATCHETT, ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF CAMDEN PEOPLE’S THEATRE “Camden People’s Theatre strives to model the future we want to be part of – where there is equal, intersectional access to the arts for both creatives and audiences. The Summer 2025 programme has been my first opportunity to programme a season since joining CPT in October last year, and despite the many systemic challenges facing the industry, it felt vital to use this festival to make a statement of intent.
Alongside platforming voices and stories that continue to be marginalised – or fetishised – by the theatre industry, every event in the festival includes some form of integrated access: from creative captioning and multilingual BSL/English performance to work curated specifically for neurodivergent audiences and artists.
We’re also really proud that, with support from City Bridge Foundation, we’re paying every live artist a guaranteed fee – not a box office split. That felt like an essential political decision at a time when disabled people are being squeezed harder and harder financially. CPT is carrying the financial risk so artists don’t have to – but we need our community to come on the journey with us and buy those tickets.
We’ve been lucky to collaborate with brilliant partners – including FUSE, Deafinitely Theatre and Paines Plough – and I’m so proud to present this as my first season at CPT. The work is genuinely excellent, and the disabled theatre community has been a huge part of my personal support network. This festival is, in many ways, a thank you. And it’s only the beginning.”
QUOTE FROM HARRY JARDINE AND CHRIS FONSECA OF FUSE THEATRE: “We are so gassed to be collaborating with the amazing team at CPT on Every Body Festival – it couldn’t have come at a better time – now, more than ever, we need to have difficult conversations, support each other, laugh together, cry together and tell our stories. This is going to be extremely special and we’re so proud to be a part of it!”
LISTINGS INFO Every Body Festival 29 June – 13 July 2025 Camden People’s Theatre, 58–60 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PY www.cptheatre.co.uk/festivals/EveryBody Accessible venue | BSL-led and interpreted shows | Relaxed performances | Digital streams available
ABOUT CAMDEN PEOPLE’S THEATRE Founded 30 years ago, Camden People’s Theatre is one of Britain’s most influential studio theatres. Its mission is to champion different ways of thinking about the world by supporting emerging artists making adventurous theatre – particularly about issues that matter to people now. Its work is rooted in the communities of Camden and London. Through it, they celebrate the bold, the spirited and the unconventional.
