Bush Theatre announces Spring 2024 season

Bush Theatre continues to be a hub of creativity that champions new and diverse storytelling, offerring a dynamic platform for emerging playwrights and artists.

Bush Theatre has confirmed its season for the first half of 2024, which includes four new plays. The new season will see the return of popular writers and directors, as well as new commissions.

"In order to fulfil our mission to really shake up the theatrical canon and continue to have influence over its future — we hold our artists close and want to support them beyond their debut plays. They are part of the fabric of the Bush," said Bush Theatre’s Artistic Director, Lynette Linton, in a statement. "Three of our four new shows are written by previous members of our Emerging Writers Group, and two writers are returning for their second main house shows."

Doctor Who's Tosin Cole will star in Benedict Lombe's Shifters in the theatre's main house from 16 February to 30 March 2024. Des and Dre have drifted apart. But when tragedy strikes, the pair are forced to reunite, unearthing new secrets and old scars in this surprising romance. Bush Theatre Artistic Director Lynette Linton (August in England, Clyde’s) will direct.

Also in the main house from 12 April to 25 May 2024, Olivier award-winning writer and director Bijan Sheibani will debut his new play The Cord. Follow Amir, played by Irfan Shamji, in this relatable exploration of parenthood and the complexities of family dynamics.

In the Bush Theatre Studio audiences can see Dreaming and Drowning from 28 November to 23 December 2023. Malachi, a young student at university, faces recurring nightmares and an unsettling, invisible menace that plagues his existence. The play, written and directed by Kwame Owusu, offers an intimate exploration of the challenges experienced by a young Black queer man grappling with anxiety.

From 29 January to 2 March 2024, This Might Not Be It will premiere at the studio, written by Sophia Chetin-Leuner, a former Bush Emerging Writers' Group member. A new NHS hire, Jay is determined to fix a broken system. The play candidly addresses the challenges faced by NHS mental health services, offering a stark portrayal of lives impacted by the system.

Photo credit: Bush Theatre. (Photo courtesy of Bush Theatre)