This new programme of work at the venue will run from January to April 2026, concluding a vibrant season that has been ongoing over the last year.
Artwork for The Tempest and Deep Azure.
In January, a bold production of Shakespeare's tale of power and freedom, The Tempest, will head to the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. It will be directed by award-winning theatre maker Tim Crouch, who will also play the role of Prospero in the production.
Sam Wanamaker Playhouse will transform into a mysterious island, where Prospero, Miranda, Caliban and Ariel relive a story of past wrongs, revenge, and desire. Audiences can look forward to a fresh perspective from Crouch's unique theatrical vision. He will be joined by Naomi Wirthner, who recently started in the live-action adaptation of How To Train Your Dragon, as Ariel.
Afterwards, in February, the UK premiere of Deep Azure will be held from 7 February to 11 April 2026. Written by late Golden Globe Award winning, Academy Award and BAFTA-nominated actor and writer Chadwick Boseman, this play is inspired by the true events of university student Prince Jones. Influenced by the poetry of Shakespeare and powered by the pulse of Hip-Hop theatre, Boseman's cathartic and lyrical epic will unfold in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse and will be directed by Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu (For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy).
Deep Azure Director Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu says: "It is an honour to be given the opportunity to direct this beautifully precious gem left behind by the great Chadwick Boseman. From when I discovered the story at the beginning of the pandemic, his play was incredibly poignant in speaking about the injustices of police brutality, the unwinding nature of grief, but also the gorgeous brilliance of our Black Souls and exploring every hue they can express on a stage. His love of Shakespeare and of Hip Hop combine to create this layered, ghostly epic that I have been given the privilege and duty to fully realise in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse. Celebrating Global Majority writers on this special stage is hugely important to me, and I'm excited to be exploring how the intimacy of this space can support this grand poetic tale."
Some other delights are heading to Shakespeare's Globe this year, including Twelfth Night, Troilus and Cressida and Pinocchio.
