Unicorn Theatre unveils new season, featuring co-productions with the RSC and National Theatre

The Unicorn Theatre has announced its spring and summer 2026 season, with a programme that includes new productions, collaborations with major theatre companies, and expanded work in accessibility and environmental awareness.

Among the highlights is a new partnership with the National Theatre, set to begin in 2027. The first production in this collaboration will be The Last Wild, adapted by Jude Christian from Piers Torday’s novel and directed by the Unicorn’s artistic director, Rachel Bagshaw. The production will open at the Unicorn in February 2027 before touring to schools and venues across England.

The Unicorn will also join forces with the Royal Shakespeare Company for the first time on a new adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for audiences aged seven and above. Directed by Bagshaw and adapted by Robin Belfield, the show will run from 21 March to 3 May. Other touring and regional partnerships this season include work with Chichester Festival Theatre, Birmingham Rep and Theatre Hullabaloo in Darlington.

The season opens on 17 January with Squirrel, a production from the Egg, aimed at children aged six months to four years. The show runs until 22 February and is co-written by Kate Cross and Tim Bell, who also directs.

French company Le Cirque Content Pour Peu brings By Trial and Error (Entre le Zist et le Geste) to the Unicorn from 11 to 22 February. This physical comedy performance is aimed at children aged four to ten.

From 6 March to 12 April, Jo Tyabji’s Creatures will introduce children aged three to six to a globe-trotting environmental adventure, using music and storytelling to encourage climate awareness. The production is part of a broader strand focused on sustainability, which also includes a new series of talks and events titled Critical Conversations. Further details will be released later in the year.

From 3 July to 16 August 2026, the Unicorn and Theatre Hullabaloo will present Whatever the Weather, an immersive installation inspired by play patterns in young children. Artist collaborators will be announced in due course.

The Lion Inside, based on the picture book by Rachel Bright and Jim Field, will run from 14 July to 2 August 2026. Adapted and directed by Sarah Punshon, with music and lyrics by Eamonn O’Dwyer, the show is a co-production with Rose Theatre, Nicoll Entertainment, Curve and MAST Mayflower Studios.

Previously announced titles returning to the Unicorn this year include The Three Little Pigs (27 September to 2 November), written by Stiles and Drewe and co-produced with Chichester Festival Theatre. The show is recommended for ages three to seven. Also returning is Anansi the Spider (3 October to 16 November), presented in collaboration with Birmingham Rep and newly directed by Belfield.

November will see the premiere of How Does Santa Go Down the Chimney? (15 November to 3 January), based on the book by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. The production is directed by Told by an Idiot’s Paul Hunter and marks the first co-production between the two companies. The season will conclude with Scrunch (30 November to 4 January), a sensory piece for babies aged six to 18 months, created by Sarah Argent and Kevin Lewis.

Throughout the season, the Unicorn will continue to expand access to theatre through a new £10 ticket band, making over 2,000 tickets available at that price. It will also maintain its programme of free ticket distribution, supported by philanthropic funding, and will continue offering relaxed performances and creative captioning.

The venue will also maintain its programme for schools, offering subsidised tickets and long-term partnerships with local primary schools to support drama in the classroom. Over 15,000 school pupils are expected to attend through this programme in the coming year.