The season will include the return of Niall Moorjani‘s Fringe First and Charlie Hartill Fund–winning historical satire Kanpur: 1857, and the Fringe sell-out Clean Slate, the acclaimed dark comedy about domestic violence.
With the Pleasance London turning 30, the theatre has announced its Spring/Summer theatre season filled with new voices, returning favourites and the the Fringe.
The season will kick off in February with innovative new partnership with Camden People’s Theatre for DREAM BIG – a development takeover celebrating imaginative, risk-taking work from creatives moving from Studio to midscale. Continuing with the theatre’s mission to champion emerging talent is MAKE SPACE (4th Feb), an artist development evening for theatre-makers of all experiences and disciplines designed to spark connections and form creative collaborations.
This will then be followed by The Charlie Hartill and UNTAPPED Winning Week (11th – 13th Feb), welcoming Niall Moorjani’s Fringe First Award winning Kanpur: 1857, the historical satire on the Indian uprising of 1857, and Pigs Fly Easy Ryan, a wild and unapologetic flight-fantasy for the end of the world. Artists can also pitch new work for
Pleasance’s flagship fund at the Charlie Hartill Try Outs (23rd, 24th Feb), an opportunity
for theatre makers and comedians to develop and showcase ambitious new work for Edinburgh Fringe.
Meanwhile, to mark mark LGBTQIA+ History Month, the theatre will feature a wide range of queer stories and voices. On Valentine’s Day, immersive queer gig-theatre-meets-late-night-rave with CODACHROME: a live DJ set about the time I fell in love with a [trigger warning] – an addictive exploration of love and healing with rhythm and movement. Returning for the Lunar New Year is the drag, cabaret talent showdown Search For The Next Dragon Boi (17th – 19th Feb), packed with sweat, sequins and spectacular showmanship. Wrapping up this month is the return of the sizzling Magic Mike parody Magic Dyke (20th Feb). Led by Jamie Fuxx and an all-star Drag King lineup, this high-energy performance is hilarious.
Elsewhere in the season will be Brother Act: A Sister Act Cabaret (2nd Apr), a special drag homage to the iconic Sister Act! and Big Fat Cabaret (18th Apr) makes it return to Pleasance, hosted by Mitzi Fitz.
The season will also include Project People (11th -14th Mar) featuring Smalltown Boy, a
heartbreakingly joyful play about Drag Queen Edie growing up queer in a rural community, and the Fringe sell out Clean Slate, an immersive one-woman show presenting a dark comedy on domestic violence. Then Maybe You Like It bring their smash-hit double bill to London for three- weeks (22th Apr – 9 th May): Down To Chance, ahigh energy story of a radio broadcaster caught in America’s biggest earthquake, and the comedy Sorry I Broke Your Arms and Legs, a riotous and painfully funny comedy of a school election that goes wrong. Rounding off this takeover of Fringe shows is Fishing 4 Chips (27th -30th May) presenting their sell-out show Burning Down the Horse, a comedy set inside a Trojan Horse and It’s Gonna Blow!, a historical immersive comedy set in Pompeii 79 AD, the day Mount Vesuvius blew. Plus, a further Fringe favourite, the award-winning House Party (27th -30th May) returns to Pleasance, a sharp witted and heartfelt one-women show hosting one last unmissable party amidst the housing crisis.
The London 50-hour Improvathon (27th Feb – 1st Mar) by Showstopper Productions is back for the annual 50-hour improvised marathon. Wild, unpredictable and hilarious, this insane continuous performance will see a cast of top improvisers and guest stars
create a live soap opera packed with twists, chaos and cherry-pie-fuelled drama.
Ellie Simpson, Head of Theatre at Pleasance London, said: “Three decades on, Pleasance is still buzzing with the same energy that started it all – a home for imagination, collaboration and joyful nights at the theatre. This season sets the tone for a celebratory year of creativity and unmistakable Pleasance spirit, with more to come later in 2026. Here’s to the next act.”
To find out more visit: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/events/location/London