The Off-West End venue has announced the launch of its third theatre space – the eighty seat ‘Downstairs’.
Having been a part of London’s theatre community for over twenty years, the Pleasance Theatre in Islington has undergone a refurbishment to open its latest space to help develop and showcase new work.
The theatre’s new space has now been launched with a varied new season that will present four new productions including the transfer of the critically acclaimed Bismillah! (an ISIS tragicomedy) by Matthew Greenhough and world premiere of Bingo by award-winning writer Alan Flanagan.
Also in the programme will be The Year of The Rooster Monk, Les Foules’ hypnotic and spooky meditation on race, gentrification and 90s film Ghost, which is supported via a new partnership with London and Sheffield based Theatre Deli, starring Daytime Emmy-winning actor Giselle Gant. This season also includes Tom Ratcliffe’s (Circa, Circa Theater de Meervaart, Amsterdam and The Vaults) new play Gifted.
Talking about the new season Nic Connaughton, Head of Theatre at Pleasance said: “This is an exciting time for the Pleasance in Islington with the launch of our new 80-seat thrust venue – Downstairs. This new space will complement our existing StageSpace and Main House, each with a unique and distinctive flavour. Stage Space will remain the home of adventurous companies and artists, taking risks with new ideas and stories. Downstairs will focus on longer-run text-based theatre, presenting both transfers and premieres from the most exciting companies and playwrights.”
For more information about the new season, visit: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/