The Yard Theatre reveals first season for new venue, including for colored girls… revival and Ian McKellen

The Yard Theatre has announced the opening season for its new permanent venue in Hackney Wick, with six productions scheduled between July 2026 and April 2027, including a revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, a new adaptation of Mrs Dalloway, and a reimagining of King Lear starring Ian McKellen.

The venue, which first opened in 2011 in a converted warehouse, has been rebuilt on the same site and designed by Takero Shimazaki Architects. The new theatre includes a 220-seat auditorium, expanded backstage and rehearsal facilities, a dedicated artist development space, and sustainability measures including reused brickwork from the original building and a six-storey natural ventilation chimney.

Reflecting on the transition when talking to WhatsOnStage earlier this week, artistic director Jay Miller noted that the original building had “reached the conclusion of its lifespan,” and while it was “not particularly fit for purpose in lots of ways,” he admitted to being “overwhelmed with how much the place related to people.” He explained that the new project is “not revolution,” but rather a process of “taking what we had, taking what was good about what we had and make it better.”

The season opens with Philosophy of the World from award-winning company In Bed With My Brother, running from 14 to 25 July 2026 following its original Edinburgh Fringe run. The production explores the story of outsider band The Shaggs.

From 20 July to 1 August 2026, Malmö Stadsteater will present the London premiere of The World Is Full of Married Men, adapted from Jackie Collins’ debut novel and translated by Lulu Raczka. The production uses dolls and dollhouses to stage the story of ambition, sex and power in 1960s London. Miller revealed that the show has been “performed by Barbie dolls,” resulting in a “gorgeous puppet show” that serves as a “takedown of the way in which that media industry abuses young actresses.” He noted that the “adapted Barbie dolls” leads to a production that is “funny,” “violent,” and “incredibly sexy.”

A new production of Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf will run from 2 September to 3 October 2026, directed by Diane Page with original music by Jammz. The revival marks 50 years since the choreopoem’s premiere and will be accompanied by a series of talks, screenings and events.

Winter 2026 will see Lear, reimagined by playwright Simon Stephens and Miller, with McKellen returning to the stage in the title role. We’ve covered that in detail here.

In January 2027, Sex Education writer Troy Hunter will make his playwriting debut with There’s Something About Adam Black, directed by Tatenda Shamiso. The production follows a man navigating hookups and unresolved trauma.

The season concludes with a stage adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway, adapted by Holly Robinson and directed by Anna Himali Howard, running from 10 March to 10 April 2027.

The Yard has also announced the appointment of writer Dipo Baruwa-Etti as new work associate, overseeing the theatre’s commissioning and artist development programmes.

Miller emphasised that the new Yard aims to remain one of the “most exciting engine rooms in the UK for creating new work,” stating that “we’re keen to evolve but not lose what’s made us successful over the last 15 years.” With builders set to hand over the keys in three weeks, Miller concluded that he feels “a huge responsibility to make those experiences and memories again” in a venue that is now “three times the size.”

Tickets for the newly announced productions go on sale to members from 21 May, with public booking opening on 28 May. Tickets for Lear will be released at a later date.