Golda Rosheuvel and Letitia Wright, and More Set for Bush Theatre 2025/26 Season

The Bush Theatre has revealed its programme until early 2026 which includes some of the country’s most exciting new writing alongside ongoing initiatives for community engagement and talent development. This will be the final season programmed by outgoing Artistic Director Lynette Linton following six years of programming the best of new British and Irish writers.  The theatre has recently announced its new Artistic Director and Co-CEO, Taio Lawson will join in the summer.

Bush Theatre’s new season
 
In the Holloway Theatre 
 

Miss Myrtle’s Garden

Written by Danny James King
Directed by Taio Lawson
Set and Costume Design - Khadija Raza
Movement Director and Intimacy Coordinator - Yarit Dor
Lighting Designer - Joshua Gadsby
Sound Designer - Dan Balfour
Dramaturg - Olivia Poglio-Nwabali
 
31 May - 12 July
Monday - Saturday at 7.30 pm
Wednesday matinees - 11, 18, 25 June, 2, 9 July at 2.30 pm
Saturday matinees - 14. 21. 28 June, 5. 12 July at 2.30 pm
Relaxed performances - 14 June at 2.30 pm, 4th July at 7.30 pm
Captioned performance - 19 June at 7 pm, 28 June at 2.30 pm
Audio-described performances and touch tours - 21 June at 2.30 pm, 27 June at 7.30 pm

 ‘I don't visit the past. The past visits me.’ Miss Myrtle is a sharp-tongued woman with an unkempt garden in a rapidly changing neighbourhood. To top it off, her grandson Rudy and his ‘close friend’ Jason need a place to stay, and local drunk Eddie keeps relieving himself against her garden wall. 

Rudy is pushing for answers about the past, but Myrtle doesn’t want to be troubled by duppies - she just wants some peace and quiet. As her brain starts to fight against her, far more complicated questions about grief, love, and understanding demand to be confronted; but she’s running out of time.Miss Myrtle’s Garden is a wonderfully warm, witty, and life-affirming exploration into how we acknowledge the past, as a means to confronting life head-on in the present.  A world premiere production by Danny James King, Directed by Taio Lawson.
 

Bush Young Company 

Bush Theatre 14 - 17 Young Company presents

8 & 9 August at 7.30 pm
Saturday matinee - 9 August at 2.30 pm

A brand-new devised piece from the 14 - 17 Bush Young Company

Bush Young Company is generously supported by John Lyon's Charity, Buffini Chao Foundation, Hammersmith United Charities, Christina Smith Foundation, and Idlewild Trust.

Make Me Feel

Bush Theatre 18 - 25 Young Company presents

Written by Will Jackson
Directed by Bush Theatre Associate Director, Katie Greenall

19 - 23 August at 7.30 pm
Saturday matinee - 23 August at 2.30 pm
Press Night - Thursday 21 August at 7.30 pm 

BWG alumni, Will Jackson, returns with Make Me Feel, a rapid and riotous exploration of how young people find connection, directed by Bush Theatre Associate Director Katie Greenall.
 

Superwoman Schema

Written by Emma Dennis-Edwards
Directed by Lynette Linton
Created by Emma Dennis-Edwards and Lynette Linton
Set and Costume Designer - Alex Berry
Lighting Designer - Jai Morjaria
Sound Designer - Max Pappenheim
Movement Director - Shelley Maxwell
Composer - XANA
Video Designer - Gino Green
Vocal Coach - Hazel Holder
Dramaturg - Deirdre O’Halloran
Cast - Golda Rosheuvel and Letitia Wright
 
6 September- 25 October
Monday - Saturday at 7.30 pm
Wednesday matinees - 17. 24 Sept, 1, 8, 15, 22 Oct at 2.30 pm
Saturday matinees - 20, 27 Sept, 5, 11, 18, 25 Oct at 2.30 pm
Relaxed performances - 20 Sept at 2.30 pm, 10 Oct at 7.30 pm
Captioned performances - 26 Sept at 7.30 pm, 4 Oct at 2.30 pm
Audio-described performances and touch tours - 27 Sept at 2.30 pm, 3 Oct at 7.30 pm
Press Night - Friday 12 September at 7 pm 
 
‘Everything thrown at me I should be able to handle.’ In the aftermath of the death of their matriarch, Joyce and her daughter Erica struggle with what to do next. She was the glue that held everything together, so what now?

Joyce thought she’d set Erica up for a better life, given her everything she never had. But Erica wonders if despite the therapy, the journalling, the recycling - maybe she is no different from her mum after all. Or her mum’s mum. 

Maybe they didn’t break the cycle. Maybe the cycle can never be broken. 
Starring celebrated actors Golda Rosheuvel (Bridgerton) and Letitia Wright (Black Panther), Superwoman Schema is a world premiere production from Emma Dennis-Edwards, directed by Bush Artistic Director, Lynette Linton (Shifters).
 

After Sunday

A Bush Theatre and Coventry Belgrade Theatre co-production

Written by Sophia Griffin
Directed by Corey Campbell
 
10 November - 20 December
Monday - Saturday at 7.30 pm
Wednesday matinees - 19. 26 Nov. 3, 10, 17 Dec at 2.30 pm
Saturday matinees - 15. 22. 29 Nov, 6, 13, 20 Dec at 2.30 pm
Access performances will be announced at a later date
Press Night - Wednesday 12 November at 7 pm 
 
After Sunday is an honest and heartening new co-commission with Coventry Belgrade Theatre, set in a Caribbean cooking class in a secure hospital. 
 

Sweetmeats

A Bush Theatre and Tara Theatre co-production

Written by Karim Khan
Directed by Natasha Kathi-Chandra
 
7 February - 21 March 2026
Monday - Saturday at 7.30 pm
Wednesday matinees - 18. 25 Feb, 4, 11, 18 Mar at 2.30 pm
Saturday matinees - 21, 28 Feb, 7, 14, 21 Mar at 2.30 pm
Access performances will be announced at a later date

South Asian elders Liaquat and Hema meet each other in a Type 2 diabetes workshop where they learn to count carbs and manage their metformin - but find themselves navigating the sparks of a new forbidden love.

HEART WALL

A Bush Theatre and Oldham Coliseum Co-commission

Written by Kit Withington

4 April - 16 May 2026
Monday - Saturday at 7.30 pm
Wednesday matinees - 15, 22, 29 April 6,13 May at 2.30 pm
Saturday matinees - 18, 25 April 2, 9,16 May at 2.30 pm
Accessible performances will be announced at a later date
Press Night – Friday 10 April at 7 pm

A captivating play by Bush Writer’s Group alumni Kit Withington that delves into family secrets and the challenges of growing up when returning home as an adult.
 
In the Bush Theatre Studio
 

Insane Asylum Seekers

Camille Koosyial in association with Bush Theatre presents

Written by Laith Elzubaidi
Directed by Emily Ling-Williams
Set and Costume Design – Liam Bunster
Sound Design – Riwa Saab
Lighting and Video Design – Gillian Tan
Cast - Tommy Sim'aan
 
8 May - 7 June 2025
Monday - Saturday at 8 pm
Wednesday matinees - 14, 21, 28 May, 4 June at 3 pm
Saturday matinees - 17, 24, 31 May, 7 June at 3 pm
Chilled performance - Wednesday, 21 May at 8 pm
Captioned performance - Tuesday 27 May at 8 pm
Audio-described performance and touch tour - Wednesday 28 May at 8 pm 
 
“At 27, my dad had escaped multiple bloodthirsty dictatorships. I’m 27, I had a panic attack watching the final episode of ‘Succession’.”

Laith is in serious trouble- but he can’t tell you why. He’s spent years keeping a secret, perfecting the art of hiding it. But now, it’s catching up with him. 

And as if that weren’t enough, Laith’s mum won’t stop throwing things at seagulls, and his dad keeps wandering off during life-threatening situations. 

Laith’s parents escaped Iraq 30 years ago, which he reckons is the reason he’s in this whole mess to begin with. 

Side-splittingly funny and deeply moving, Insane Asylum Seekers explores the complexities of the British-Iraqi refugee experience. Written by Laith Elzubaidi and directed by Olivier Award-nominee Emily Ling Williams (A Playlist for the Revolution), this is the world premiere production of the 2023 Tony Craze Award-winner.

Horse of Jenin

Written and performed by Alaa Shehada

20 November - 20 December
Monday - Saturday at 8 pm
Wednesday matinees - 26 November, 3, 10, 17 December at 3 pm
Saturday matinees - 29 Nov, 6, 13, 20 Dec at 3 pm
Chilled performance - 3 Dec at 8 pm
Captioned performance - 9 Dec at 8 pm 
Audio-described performance and touch tour - 10 Dec at 8 pm 
 
‘The horse in Arabic is a symbol of freedom. But to us, this horse is much more. This horse is us.’

Built from the debris of a major invasion, the Horse of Jenin sculpture became a constant presence in Alaa’s life growing up in Occupied Palestine. It stood proudly in the centre of the city for twenty years, symbolising hope and resistance.

Then, on 29 October 2023, an Israeli bulldozer entered the city, ripping the sculpture from its place — and from its people.

Now, Alaa is left wondering… What happened to the horse?

Constructed from the fragments of Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada’s own memories, Horse of Jenin is an ode to the power of imagination and the resilience it brings.
 

Maggots

Jessie Anand Productions in association with Bush Theatre presents

Written by Farah Najib
 
27 January – 28 February 2026
Monday - Saturday at 8 pm
Wednesday matinees – 4, 11, 18, 25 Feb at 3 pm
Saturday matinees - 7, 14, 21, 28 Feb at 3 pm
Accessible performances will be announced at a later date
 
Dark, warm, and unexpectedly humorous, Maggots follows a lonely group of neighbours forced to blur the boundaries of their usually private lives to investigate the foul smell coming from next door.
 

I’m Not Being Funny

Prentice Productions in association with Bush Theatre

Written by Piers Black

7 May – 6 June 2026
Monday - Saturday at 8 pm
Wednesday matinees – 13, 20, 27 May 3 June at 3 pm
Saturday matinees - 16, 23, 30 May 6 June at 3 pm
Accessible performances will be announced at a later date
 
Tender and razor-edged, I'm Not Being Funny follows a couple trying to make a room full of people laugh out loud after their daughter goes quiet.
 
The ALT B season
 
Unique events from the most exciting up-and-coming talent. ALT B (aka Alternative Bush) is a platform for creatives, makers, and performers across artforms.  It sees the Bush hand over its spaces to a diverse range of artists including musicians, poets, spoken word and drag artists, hosting events that pop up all over the building.
 
 

7th, 8th & 9th April 
23, 24, 25, 26 & 27 June at 7 pm

Talking People
In the Bush Studio

5* ‘Improvisational acting is back with a vengeance’ Breaking The Fourth Wall
5* ‘Outstanding theatre’ - Everything Theatre
 
After five sell-out shows, the five-star hit Talking People returns, and for the first time, with a trio of performances, where true spontaneity takes centre stage.
 
Each night will delve into three individually unique scenarios that explore connection, emotion, and the universal truths that unite us all.
 
Crafted in real time, each performance merges the boundless creativity and talent of each cast with the invaluable input of the audience. Together, they will create characters and watch stories unfold that are as raw and real as they are unforgettable. While laughter is inevitable, Talking People isn’t a comedy show. Expect grounded moments and raw emotion as characters collide and impact one another in ways that are as unpredictable as they are powerful. Three shows, endless possibilities with some of the industry's finest actors.
 
Director - Richard Vincent
Producer - Elina Saleh
Actors - Milly Zero, Zack Morris, Olivia Benjamin, Ayoola Smart, Holli Dempsey, Keturah Chambers, Aliyah Odoffin, Mohammed Mansaray, Stevie Raine, Clea Martin, Ketty Chambers, Landry Adelard and Jason York. 
 
Tickets - from £20 (concessions available)
 

Thursday 10 April at 8 pm

How Crazy Can You Get? (Cantonese Comedy)
In the Bush Studio
 
Amusing anecdotes, audience participation, and lots of laughs.
In this hilarious performance, comedian Mr So shares funny anecdotes from his life, engaging the audience in reflections on life and its deeper meaning.
 
Tickets - from £15 (concessions available)
 

Friday 11 April at 8 pm

Bomb Factory Theatre: Annual Showcase of New Writing
Produced by Merle Wheldon and India Peppe
In the Bush Studio
 
At this year’s Annual New-Writing Showcase Bomb Factory Theatre are breaking down creative boundaries—no themes, no restrictions—just great storytelling. Bomb Factory Theatre is dedicated to amplifying the voices of women and non-binary writers, providing a platform for fresh, unexpected stories that challenge the status quo. 

The industry still has a long way to go in achieving equality, and they are proud to take meaningful steps towards that change. Bomb Factory’s annual showcase is a celebration of the next generation of playwrights, offering a space for emerging writers to experiment, take risks, and bring their bold ideas to life on stage.
 
Tickets - from £15 (concessions available)
 

Wednesday 30 April at 7 pm
Saturday 31 May at 7 pm
Wednesday 18 June at 7 pm

I L X I A H presents Open Floor
Produced by Lara Grace Ilori and Caleb Obediah
In the Bush Attic and Studio

Unlike traditional open mics, Open Floor provides people with the opportunity to share their practice through any creative medium. Open Floor is an open forum for creatives of any discipline to showcase or talk about their work – whether it’s a scene, a dance, a poem, a painting, or even from presenting a PowerPoint to talking through an idea you’ve been mulling over in your head and need to share out loud. Come share your work, check out what’s brewing in others’ practices, and meet other creatives in a relaxed, supportive environment! 

To further enrich the Open Floor experience, ILXIAH are excited to include guest practitioners who will lead the first half of each session. These experienced artists will share their insights, techniques, and creative processes, providing valuable learning opportunities for all attendees.
Sign-up slots available at the door - the floor is yours!

Tickets - £15 (concessions available)
On sale from April 16

Wednesday 25 May at 7 pm

Lost in Pavilion - Muslim Poetry Night
Produced by Mohammedally Al-Hashemi
In the Alen-Buckley Script Library at Bush Theatre

Lost in Pavilion is a vibrant celebration of Muslim storytelling, poetry, and performance, bringing together diverse voices from across the literary and artistic landscape. This special night showcases an inspiring lineup of writers, spoken word artists, and nasheed performers, creating a space where words and melodies intertwine to tell powerful stories of identity, faith, and creativity.  

From thought-provoking poetry and immersive storytelling to soul-stirring nasheeds, the evening highlights the richness and depth of Muslim expression. Whether through rhythmic verses, heartfelt prose, or melodic devotion, Lost in Pavilion offers a platform for both emerging and established artists to share their craft in an intimate and welcoming setting.  
More than just a performance, this event is a celebration of community, creativity, and cultural heritage. Join Lost in Pavillion for an unforgettable night of words, rhythm, and resonance, where voices rise, stories unfold, and connections are made.
Line up to be announced. 

Tickets £15 (concessions available).  If you’re feeling generous - £20 
On sale from April 16

Friday 30 May and Saturday 28 June at 8 pm

Come As You Are 
Produced by Yemi Yohannes
In the Bush Studio

An intimate, stripped-back showcase celebrating raw talent and lending a platform to emerging artists across a variety of disciplines. Curated and hosted by Yemi Yohannes, this evening features a lineup of poets, singers, movement artists, musicians, rappers, monologues, and more.

The theme of this event is vulnerability, inviting artists to share work that’s personal and close to their hearts, making for a night of togetherness and authenticity. 

THEGDNEWSCHANNEL, believe in the power of human connection over status and profile, creating a space where we are all people first and foremost. There are two wildcard slots available for anyone who wishes to perform. Sign up at the door for your chance to take the stage.

Join Come As You Are for a memorable evening of exceptional talent, live music, and the opportunity to make meaningful new connections. Swap your living room for ours! Come as you are and be part of something special.

Tickets £10 (concessions available).  If you’re feeling generous - £15 
On sale from April 16

Thursday 19 June at 8 pm

A Letter to My Unborn Child: Slugs, Snails, and Puppy Dogs' Tails (P.S. Please Don't Become a Serial Killer)
Produced by Mama Courage
In the Bush Studio

Emma is pregnant and it's weird. Not at all like they showed on the telly or in the films. Less glow-up, more throw(up). But aside from all that, how is she going to raise a boy in this modern world full of incels, dating apps and constantly evolving gender roles? Join Emma to see her try and work this out and more than likely have a little breakdown. 

Tickets £15 (concessions available).  If you’re feeling generous - £20 
On sale from April 16
 
Development Department

The Bush Theatre is dedicated to developing the artists and audiences of the future. Each year it introduces over 1000 young people to professional theatre for the first time, runs community engagement initiatives alongside each production, and programmes stories which cannot be seen elsewhere.

As a new writing hub, the Bush is proud to provide pathways into theatre for British and Irish artists, with a particular focus on Black and Brown voices. Through year-long development programmes such as the Bush Writers’ Group, seed commissioning, Research & Development opportunities and bespoke dramaturgical support, the Bush provides year-round activity which launches, establishes, and sustains the most exciting new voices. 

However, despite sold-out performances, two recent West End transfers, and a passionate community of supporters, many of these vital programmes are under threat due to spiralling costs and a real-terms reduction in government funding,

Artists have been at the heart of this small and mighty organisation for over 50 years, launching the careers of luminaries including Waleed Akhtar, Richard Gadd, James Graham, Arinzé Kene, Benedict Lombe, Tyrell Williams, and Victoria Wood. 

Fundraising will continue this year to ensure the Bush can continue to evolve the theatre canon, and ensure the future of British theatre reflects the city, and world, we live in. The Bush would like to invite any prospective supporters to connect with their Head of Development, jocelyncox@bushtheatre.co.uk for more information about the Bush community, and an invitation to a Supporter Evening. 
 

Literary Department

Bush Theatre has renamed its Emerging Writers’ Group as the Bush Writers’ Group and the 2025 cohort has been announced as:

Wisdom Charis, a writer and actress based in London, hailing from just outside Hull. With a passion for character-driven work showcasing facets of day-to-day humanity, and stories that combine the funny with the sad. Wisdom was a chosen member of the BFI Screenwriting Residential, part of RADA and Stratford East’s young actor cohorts, and in the RADA, Guildhall, and Theatre Peckham’s Originate cohort. Wisdom has had her work performed at the Royal Court. In 2020, she was named by Elle Magazine as one of the ‘Names and Faces of Tomorrow’. Wisdom is also currently Roundhouse Resident artist.

Sara Dawood, a British-Iraqi Actor and Writer from West London. Sara studied Performing Arts at Bath Spa University, and since graduating has continued to develop her work as a theatre maker. She was part of the inaugural 18-25 Bush Theatre Young Company and has worked as an actor across venues including the VAULT Festival, Bush Theatre, and The Barbican. Sara has also developed work as a writer with Soho Writers Lab. Sara will be developing her second full-length play as part of the Bush Writer's Group.

Josh Dhillon, a writer/director from South London. He started in the accounts department of Marvel Studios’ Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ and Loki, before moving over to Sid Gentle Films, where he still works part-time in development. He is a graduate of the Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab, where his play, The Chair, was longlisted for the Tony Craze Award. He is also a BAFTA Connect member. He has written and directed his own short films, with his debut, Lootin’ premiering at the Emerging Talent Film Festival in 2024, as well as commercial work for Daytimers and Tribal FC. He has both an original TV series and a film in development. 

Ashlee Elizabeth-Lolo, a writer, dramaturg, award-winning journalist, and drama practitioner from Birmingham. She has collaborated with various arts organisations, including The National Theatre, The Birmingham Rep, Beatfreeks, Talawa Theatre, Women and Theatre, and Birmingham Hippodrome. Her projects also include work with Slanguages (Oxford University, Birmingham City University, and Punch Records) and Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. An alumna of English Touring Theatre’s ‘Nationwide Voices’ programme (2023) and the 2024 BBC Writers Voices cohort, Ashlee crafts stories that explore cultural identity, sociopolitical themes, and life’s big questions. Her writing blends mythology, technology, and playfulness, appealing to both adult and young audiences. Her debut play, Blueprints, was performed at The Pleasance Theatre in London and Edinburgh (2023). Passionate about her local community, she hosts a weekly radio show celebrating Birmingham’s creativity. 

Kathryn Golding, a writer-performer of British and Chinese Malaysian heritage from London. Their work focuses on what it means to be from the British Isles. Hopeful and humorous stories with all the joy, rage, and sadness of modern life; particularly around identity, relationships, and belonging. They’ve written short plays for Bush Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, English Touring Theatre Company, Paines Plough, and Tamasha and, in their spare time, they like learning languages.

Roberta Livingston, a writer/performer and facilitator of Caribbean heritage from East London. Her play Sweet Smoke was long-listed for the Women's Prize for Playwriting in 2023. Her radio play Precious Little Thing produced by Talawa, feralinc, and Radio 4 was nominated for a BBC Audio Award.  She has also participated in writers’ groups with Tamasha, Almeida Theatre, and BBC Writers London Voices. Recently, she served as dramaturg for the Almeida Theatre's Young Company production Beyond Her Years. She is a recipient of the BFI’s Young Audiences Content Fund and was selected for SkyArts and Creative UK's shortFLIX, a programme for emerging filmmakers. As a performer, her credits include Dear Elizabeth (Gate Theatre), The Fourteenth Stop (Arcola Theatre), and Small Island (National Theatre).

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