New Diorama Theatre has announced the full cast for the world premiere of Orlando: A Pornobiography, the new production from award-winning theatre-makers piss / CARNATION.
Joining creators and performers Charli Cowgill and Laurie Ward will be Sharon Le Grand, Macy Seelochan and Mary Malone.
Running from 10 November to 12 December 2026, Orlando: A Pornobiography is a bold new reimagining of Virginia Woolf’s landmark novel Orlando, described by the company as a “brazen anti-adaptation”.
Commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, the production follows a restless journey across centuries, blending historical upheaval, queer encounters and surreal storytelling into a contemporary exploration of identity, desire and transformation.
The ensemble of transfemme performers will take audiences from the frozen River Thames of the sixteenth century to the chaotic realities of the twenty-first, in what the company describes as part pornographic bildungsroman and part frosted fever dream.
Cowgill and Ward have built a reputation for provocative, interdisciplinary theatre exploring transfemininity. Their previous work has been presented at venues including Soho Theatre, Camden People’s Theatre and New Diorama Theatre, with accolades including the Edinburgh Untapped Award 2024 and the Binge Fringe Queer Performer’s Award for Ugly Sisters.
Emma Clark, Head of Programme at New Diorama Theatre, said: “This winter, we cannot wait for audiences to join us on the frozen river and step back into the world of piss / CARNATION. This is a young company that should be on everyone’s radar, and we’re thrilled to be on the journey of this show in partnership with them. piss / CARNATION’s artistic vision is utterly contemporary, fiercely intelligent, and totally intoxicating — the production promises to be an unforgettable night at the theatre.”
The production opens at New Diorama Theatre on 10 November, with a press night scheduled for 18 November.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
