Pleasance Theatre in London announces new Downstairs stage

The Pleasance Theatre in London will open its third space, Pleasance Downstairs, on its Islington site in April.

The 80-seater temporary venue, which was previously at the Pleasance Courtyard at the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe (where it was known as Beside), will spend ten months in London every year before returning to Edinburgh in August for the festival. The thrust theatre space will also be used for rehearsals during the daytime.

The new theatre comes with the recent appointment of Nic Connaughton as head of theatre. Connaughton said: "Downstairs will focus on longer-run text-based theatre, presenting both transfers and premieres from the most exciting companies and playwrights."

Connaughton has announced the four shows that form the new space's inaugural season. Award-winning writer Alan Flanagan will premiere new play Bingo, about the modern world of STIs. It runs from 7 June to 24 June, with previews from 5 June.

Tom Ratcliffe (Circa) will present new play Gifted between 14 and 19 May, which tells the story of a couple coping with the fact that their sex life has been put online.

Two shows will transfer from this year's Vault Festival. Matthew Greenhough's Bismillah! (an ISIS tragicomedy) will run at the venue from 27 April to 13 May with previews from 24 April, while Les Foules and Theatre Deli will present The Year of the Rooster Monk from 22 May to 3 June.

Director of Pleasance Anthony Alderson said: "Pleasance London has a new lease of life – we have a newly refurbished main house theatre, foyer and bar and I am delighted to be opening London’s newest theatre and rehearsal room, a fully flexible studio space."