A new, intimate production of Cock is coming to London this spring, running from Wednesday 22 April to Saturday 2 May 2026 at COLAB on Southwark Bridge Road. Following sold-out runs in Canada and tours to Japan, South Africa and Brazil, this staging from Talk Is Free Theatre reimagines Mike Bartlett’s acclaimed 2009 play for a close-quarters audience.
The production places viewers at the centre of the emotional conflict, with only 34 seats per performance. This immersive, arena-like setup restores what the company describes as a sense of risk and immediacy, aligning with Bartlett’s stripped-back script which features no set, no props and no theatrical embellishment.
At the heart of the play is John, a man who must confront long-avoided truths when he unexpectedly falls in love with a woman despite being in a steady relationship with his boyfriend. Cock examines shifting identities and the pressure to define oneself in a world hungry for certainty.
The cast includes Aidan deSalaiz as John, Michael Torontow as M, Tess Benger as W and Kevin Bundy as F. The production reunites the creative team from the company’s previous staging, directed by Dylan Trowbridge.
Director Dylan Trowbridge said, “Despite what its title may suggest, Cock is a play about the human heart. It is about love’s capacity to make us feel euphoric joy, brutal pain, desperate fear and overwhelming confusion.”
Performances run at COLAB, 22 Southwark Bridge Road, with tickets priced at £20 plus VAT and fee. The piece runs approximately 90 minutes with no interval and contains strong coarse language and strong suggestive sexual content.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
