National Youth Theatre has unveiled Nail Bar, a new immersive comedy-drama staged inside a disused shop on Holloway Road as part of its annual new writing festival, StoryFest.
Now in its third year, StoryFest showcases bold new storytelling, with Nail Bar placing audiences directly inside the action in a specially transformed former retail unit near National Youth Theatre’s north London headquarters.
Co-written by Afsaneh Gray and Kelly Jones, Nail Bar is described as an episodic comedy-drama inspired by classic soap operas. The empty shop has been transformed into Well Gel Nails, a colourful nail salon where the story unfolds around the audience.
The production centres on a nail bar that has become a refuge for those seeking to hide, including its owners, who are prepared to do whatever it takes to protect the business they have built.
The project also shines a light on the growing number of vacant retail units across the UK. According to figures cited by National Youth Theatre, more than 17,000 stores closed during 2025, while footfall on high streets and in shopping centres continued to decline.
Through Nail Bar, the company is advocating for disused retail spaces to be repurposed as cultural venues, creating opportunities for young people to make and share new work.
National Youth Theatre Chief Executive Paul Roseby said: “Hopefully this should inspire more organisations and more people to open up those existing empty shops and fill it with culture, young people and popular stories for every single audience out there.”
Nail Bar is directed by Natasha Haws and runs until 24 July 2026.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
