King’s Head Theatre has unveiled its Autumn 2026 season, bringing a mix of international work, political drama and queer storytelling to its Islington stage.
The season explores themes of technology, politics and identity, asking what lies behind the public face.
Opening the programme is the London premiere of the award-winning South Korean musical You & It, running from 20 August to 26 September.
Written by Seoeun O and Q Lee, the musical is set in a near-future world where humans coexist with artificial intelligence, following a grieving widower who encounters an AI version of his late wife.
The production arrives in London following acclaimed runs across South Korea, Taiwan and the Edinburgh Fringe, where it built a strong international following.
Next, the critically acclaimed The Gang of Three returns for a limited run from 1 to 11 October before embarking on a UK tour.
Written by Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky and directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward, the play examines the political rivalry between Roy Jenkins, Denis Healey and Tony Crosland in 1970s Britain.
The production features Alan Cox, Hywel Morgan and Colin Tierney, and was previously nominated for an Off West End Award.
Completing the main programme is the transfer of tell me straight and aggy, running from 15 October to 14 November.
Written by Paul Bradshaw, the double bill explores modern queer life in London, tackling themes of identity, desire, race and authenticity.
Bradshaw will star in tell me straight and co-direct aggy with Imogen Frances, who also directs tell me straight.
The season concludes with the theatre’s annual pantomime, Dick Whittington, running from 21 November to 3 January 2027.
Ahead of the autumn programme, King’s Head Theatre will stage the world premiere of Here Comes J. Edgar, starring Bryan Batt, from 11 July.
Zoe Weldon said: “I am delighted that King’s Head Theatre’s Autumn season features such exciting, topical and critically acclaimed work. This programme reflects our ongoing commitment to bold storytelling and to championing artists who are finding new and innovative ways to connect with audiences. It is especially exciting to be collaborating with talent from across the world, including our first partnership with South Korean artists on ‘You and It’. We are also delighted to welcome back ‘Gang of Three’, which broke our box office records last year and from the writing duo who brought us ‘In the Print’, earlier this year. It also feels particularly meaningful to welcome back ‘tell me straight’, a production that originally ran for just one week in our pub theatre. Supporting writers throughout their journey and seeing their work grow is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do, and we are thrilled to present it alongside ‘aggy’ as a compelling double bill. This season celebrates both where we have come from and where we are going, and we cannot wait to see these productions flourish on our stage.”
Alongside the season, the theatre will continue its Golden Bells scheme, offering free tickets to underprivileged children and families, as well as Pay What You Can performances and subsidised ticket schemes.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
