Leeds Playhouse has revealed the full programme for its Autumn–Winter 26/27 season, completing Artistic Director Tom Wright’s first season with a wide-ranging visiting programme alongside its own new work — drama, dance, musicals, comedy and live events, running from large-scale productions to intimate studio shows.
Tom Wright said: “My first season begins with a simple idea – that theatre should entertain and challenge in equal measure, and speak directly to the world we’re living in. Together, these productions bring bold new voices, landmark plays and ambitious spectacle to our stages, making Leeds Playhouse a place where some of the most exciting conversations in British theatre are happening.”
Newly announced visiting programme:
- THRUM (Daniel Kitson) — an inventive, lyrical performance on memory, time and loss. Quarry Theatre, 19 September
- A Tale of Two Cities (Charles Dickens, adapted by Terence Rattigan and John Gielgud, directed by Michael Fentiman) — love and sacrifice set against the French Revolution. Quarry Theatre, 22–26 September
- Gary Delaney: Gary on Laughing — a brand-new stand-up show. Quarry Theatre, 29 September
- Bog Witch (Bryony Kimmings) — a darkly comic show on motherhood, survival and the search for happiness. Courtyard Theatre, 30 September – 1 October
- Think Ahead (Alan Davies) — his first tour in a decade. Quarry Theatre, 1 October
- Ballet Nights — a showcase of international ballet stars and live music. Quarry Theatre, 2 October
- Roots to Rhythm: 40 Years of Black Music Festival — an exhibition and panel discussion celebrating Black music heritage in Leeds. Bramall Rock Void, 2–3 October
- Angry Humour from a Really Nice Guy (Nish Kumar) — new stand-up. Quarry Theatre, 3 October
- 5 Mistakes That Changed History (Paul Coulter) — historian-comedian on how small moments shape the world. Courtyard Theatre, 3 October
- Leeds International Festival of Ideas — talks and performances on belonging, climate, parenting and disability, with speakers including Louis Theroux, Elizabeth Day, Evelyn Glennie, Harriet Harman, James O’Brien, Chris Packham and Tim Minchin. 6–10 October
- Brighton ’84 (Philip Stokes) — a real-time thriller recreating the lead-up to the Grand Hotel bombing. Bramall Rock Void, 15–17 October
- The Odyssey (Leeds Conservatoire, adapted by Mary Zimmerman) — Homer’s epic, reimagined. Quarry Theatre, 15–18 October
- A Man for All Seasons (Robert Bolt, directed by Jonathan Church) — starring Martin Shaw, set in the court of Henry VIII. Quarry Theatre, 20–24 October
- Close Enough to Touch (Red Ladder and Silent Uproar, written by Henry Roberts) — a one-person show on hidden desires and secrecy. Bramall Rock Void, 23–24 October
- Rapunzel (Wrongsemble, by Bethan Woollvin) — a family retelling of the fairytale. Bramall Rock Void, 30–31 October
- Once Upon a Time in Sokoto (Inua Ellams) — friendship and freedom set against Nigeria’s formation. Courtyard Theatre, 11–14 November
- Philosophy of the World — an irreverent exploration of cult band The Shaggs. Courtyard Theatre, 17 November
- DYKE Systems Ltd (Fag Packet) — a cabaret take on corporate culture. Bramall Rock Void, 20–21 November
- Woodhill (LUNG Theatre) — documentary theatre on the UK prison crisis. Courtyard Theatre, 24–25 November
- Harry Baker and Hollie McNish — a live poetry event marking ten years of collaboration. Courtyard Theatre, 28 November
- Paranormal Activity — returns to Leeds Playhouse (where it began its journey to the West End and Broadway) with a brand-new story. 9–24 December
- Red Robin’s Winter Song (Tutti Frutti) — a festive tale for younger audiences. Bramall Rock Void, 12–23 December
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep) — based on the novel. Quarry Theatre, 26–30 January 2027
Already on sale, as part of Tom Wright’s inaugural season: Fences, Peanut Butter & Blueberries and Dr Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical.
Produced work, Autumn–Winter 2026:
- little girls alone in the woods (Morgan Rose) — a contemporary take on The Bacchae, performed by Leeds Playhouse Youth Theatre. Bramall Rock Void, 3–5 September
- Fences (August Wilson, directed by Daniel Bailey) — a co-production with Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester, starring Ray Fearon as Troy Maxson, Madeline Appiah as Rose, Michael Ahomka-Lindsay as Lyons and Josh Tedeku as Cory. Courtyard Theatre, 11–26 September
- Peanut Butter & Blueberries (Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan, directed by Sameena Hussain) — following its premiere at Kiln Theatre. Courtyard Theatre, 22 October – 7 November
- Dr Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical (directed by Tom Wright) — the Playhouse’s festive musical. Quarry Theatre, 19 November 2026 – 16 January 2027
Further productions, Spring–Summer 2027 (no dates yet announced):
- Romeo and Juliet — a co-production with Leeds Playhouse, ETT, Royal Lyceum Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse, directed by Chelsea Walker
- Sirens (written and directed by Tom Wright) — set in a London pub cellar during the Blitz, in association with the Belgrade Theatre
- The Secret Garden (Linda Marshall Griffiths, directed by Amy Leach) — reimagined in contemporary Leeds through a young refugee’s journey
- Frankenstein (Jeff James) — a co-production with Rose Theatre Kingston exploring the ethics of artificial intelligence
- Little Shop of Horrors (directed by Jamie Sophia Fletcher) — in association with Oxford Playhouse
