Bush Theatre today announces productions for the first half of 2024, confirming its position at the forefront of new writing, and reaffirming its dedication to talent development and community engagement.
In the theatre’s main house, the Holloway Theatre, Doctor Who’s Tosin Cole stars in Shifters, the second play from Susan Smith Blackburn Prize winner Benedict Lombe (Lava).
Olivier Award winner Bijan Sheibani returns with The Cord following the success of his 2019 playwriting debut The Arrival.
In the studio, Kwame Owusu’s Mustapha Matura Award-winning play Dreaming and Drowning premieres followed by Sophia Chetin-Leuner’s unflinching NHS drama This Might Not Be It. Also announced today is a new Friends scheme, a partnership between the Bush and the Carers Network, and a new cohort for the theatre’s 18-25 Young Company.
‘As a venue we go from strength to strength’ says Bush Theatre’s Artistic Director, Lynette Linton. ‘This year we’ve packed the building with audiences for August in England, Red Pitch, Pass It On, As We Face The Sun, A Playlist for the Revolution and Invisible prior to it transferring to Off-Broadway.
We’re beyond excited to announce a brand-new season, my first working alongside our new Executive Director Mimi Findlay and with new staff coming on board to help build on our success. We’re also launching a new Friends scheme which will enable many more people to see our shows at an affordable price.
To fulfil our mission to really shake up the theatrical canon and continue to have influence over its future – we hold our artists close and want to support them beyond their debut plays. They are part of the fabric of the Bush. Three of our four new shows are written by previous members of our Emerging Writers Group and two writers are returning for their second main house shows.
Because of the continued impact of Covid and financial pressures on our industry – many theatres are understandably reverting to the safest choices they can make. But for us, it has always been about moving forward. When we think about the programming of a Bush show, we have in mind the legacy that we want to leave behind. This season of shows are not only a good night out but also epic explorations of deeply human stories which force us to ask big questions of ourselves and the world we live in and dig deep.’
Full listings and ticket information can be found here
