Royal Court unveils 2024/25 season

The Royal Court Theatre has unveiled its 2024/25 season, the second under artistic director David Byrne.

The Jerwood Theatre Downstairs (the Royal Court’s larger space) will host Robert Icke’s Manhunt (28 March to 3 May 2025), co-produced with Sonia Friedman Productions. This world premiere examines the infamous 2010 Raoul Moat manhunt, a case that gripped the UK, and marks Icke’s debut at the venue.

Also playing in the downstairs space is Amy Jephta’s A Good House (11 January to 8 February 2025), a satire set in a suburban gated community, which explores neighbourhood politics as a mysterious shack appears and speculation grows. Co-produced with Bristol Old Vic and the Market Theatre in South Africa, the play is directed by Nancy Medina.

Sutara Gayle, also known as reggae artist Lorna Gee, will perform in The Legends of Them (5 to 21 December 2024), an autobiographical journey through her life and family history, from Jamaica to the Brixton uprising, accompanied by original music. The production is in association with Hackney Showroom and Brixton House.

Khawla Ibraheem’s A Knock on the Roof (21 February to 8 March 2025), a co-production with New York Theatre Workshop and directed by Obie Award winner Oliver Butler, will offer a story of survival in Gaza, where protagonist Mariam prepares for an impending attack. The show was previously seen at the Traverse Theatre this summer.

At the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, the season will feature the return of Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis (12 June to 5 July 2025), marking the 25th anniversary of its debut. The original cast and creative team, including director James Macdonald, will revisit Kane’s seminal exploration of mental ill health. There’s more detail about the show here.

Theatre-makers Joel Tan and emma + pj will bring the world premiere of Scenes from a Repatriation (25 April to 24 May 2025), which delves into the politics of cultural artefacts, as a Chinese statue at the British Museum stirs debate about repatriation.

The season also includes More Life (6 February to 8 March 2025), a sci-fi gothic horror from Kandinsky’s Lauren Mooney and James Yeatman. Set in 2075, it explores the implications of transhumanism as a woman is revived in a synthetic body decades after her death.

The Royal Court will also introduce a new annual event with its Open Submissions Festival (7 to 12 April 2025), offering staged readings of promising new scripts from its open submissions programme, providing a platform for emerging voices in theatre.

In line with its commitment to accessibility, the Royal Court is expanding its offering of Babes in Arms performances, hosted in partnership with Bump and Baby Club, as well as Age UK performances, which will be free for Age UK members and include pre-show tea and biscuits. Other accessible performances, including captioned, BSL-interpreted, and audio-described shows, will continue throughout the season, with the addition of pre-show familiarisation tours for audiences.

Tickets for the season go on sale to Royal Court supporters from 12 noon today, to Friends from 23 October, and to the general public from 12 noon on 28 October 2024.