Following an election year – with the country in turmoil – there’s only one comedian who can kill the mood even further… Nish Kumar – one of The Guardian and The Telegraph’s 50 Best Comedians of the 21st Century – is back on tour with his brand new politically-charged stand-up show, Nish, Don’t Kill My Vibe, with extra dates now added due to phenomenal demand. Expect jokes about climate collapse, income inequality and the emotional sensation of being a British Indian man who didn’t vote for a British Indian Prime Minister. Sweet, sweet vibe killing. As seen and heard on The Mash Report, Taskmaster, Pod Save the UK, Live at the Apollo, Hold the Front Page and your favourite tabloid newspaper. Presented by Plosive Live in association with PBJ Management.

By Katori Hall Directed by Nathan Powell Presented by arrangement with JOSEF WEINBERGER LIMITED. After making his monumental ‘I’ve Been to the Mountaintop’ speech against the advice of his colleagues on Wednesday 3rd April, 1968, Dr Martin Luther King checks into room 306 of the Lorraine Motel. Exhausted, conflicted and alone, he orders room service, but instead finds himself served with some unexpected questions from the audacious waitress who unflinchingly cross-examines the makings and misgivings of a hero. THE MOUNTAINTOP explores the place where hope and history converge in this captivating, emotional and heart-stopping retelling of Dr. Martin Luther King’s last night on this earth.

Culture wars, the environment, British foreign policy and social justice: these are just a few of the topics that Jack spectacularly fails to address (or even mention for that matter) in his brand new show. Instead, for reasons known only to him, he doubles down on his fascination with the meaningless small things of life like Zoom protocol, what’s new in the world of radiators and the worst careers advice office in the world. Join Jack as he guides you through his varied life and career with his customary charm and well known gift for talking absolute rubbish on any given subject.

Through puppetry and animation, Handspring Puppet Company reimagine Faust's downfall and reframe the classic tale to confront colonialism and the climate emergency. Would you strike a reckless deal with the devil for power, pleasure or profit? Faustus in Africa! reimagines the timeless tale of Faust’s downfall, reframing it to confront the catastrophic costs of colonialism and the climate emergency. Directed by William Kentridge, this bold re-working of the Handspring Puppet Company’s multi-award-winning 1995 production combines puppetry with Kentridge’s celebrated animations. It follows Faustus on a reckless journey through greed and excess, set on an African safari. The haunting score, featuring Warrick Sony and the late James Phillips, ramps up the drama, while Handspring’s extraordinary puppetry (of War Horse fame) brings a surreal quality to the stage. Eleven years on from Ubu and the Truth Commission - praised for confounding all kinds of expectations’ (The Times) - Kentridge and Handspring return to the International Festival. With enduring relevance, 30 years after its original premiere, Faustus in Africa! explores the moral trade-offs and compromises that shape our world. Handspring Puppet Company William Kentridge Director, Designer & Animation Lara Foot Associate Director Adrian Kohler & Basil Jones Puppetry Directors from Handspring Puppet Company Enrico Dau Yang Wey Associate Puppetry Director Adrian Kohler Puppets & Set Designer Hazel Maree, Hiltrud von Seidlitz & Phyllis Midlane Puppet Costume Designers Simon Dunckley Special Effects Designer Robert David Macdonald Translator Lesego Rampolokeng Additional text James Phillips & Warrick Sony Music Wesley France Lighting Designer Tebogo Laaka Sound Engineer Cast Eben Genis, Atandwa Kani, Mongi Mthombeni, Wessel Pretorius, Asanda Rilityana, Buhle Stefane & Jennifer Steyn The 2025 version is produced by Quaternaire/Paris and restaged with support from co-commissioner Théâtre de la Ville/Festival d'Automne (Paris). Co-producers: The Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town (Cape Town), Centre d'art Battat (Montreal), Cité européenne du théâtre - Domaine d’O - Montpellier / PCM2025 (Montpellier), Fondazione Campania dei Festival - Campania Teatro Festival (Naples), Grec Festival (Barcelona), Kunstenfestivaldesarts (Brussels), Thalia Theater (Hamburg). There will be a post-show talk on 21 Aug. Post-show talks are an informal opportunity for you to connect further with artists. It will begin 10 minutes after the performance ends and is expected to last no more than 30 minutes. You are welcome to stay for as little or as long as suits you.

UK premiere Ancient Chinese myths inspire Huang Ruo's opera, confronting humanity's complex relationship with nature. A giant tries to capture the sun. A drowned princess seeks revenge on the ocean. Ten suns compete to light the Earth. Huang Ruo, one of the most exciting figures of contemporary opera, reimagines ancient Chinese myths, first transcribed in the fourth century BC, through the lens of today’s environmental challenges. This 21st-century adaptation explores our complex relationship with the natural world, blending music, puppetry and mythology to reflect on humanity’s role as caretakers of the Earth. Directed by Basil Twist, the Olivier Award-winning designer of My Neighbour Totoro, the performance features the Danish choir Ars Nova Copenhagen, joined by an exceptional ensemble of percussionists and puppeteers. With timeless myths of creation, water and elemental forces, Book of Mountains and Seas reminds us of the pressing need for a collective respect for nature. Huang Ruo Composer & Librettist Basil Twist Director & Production Designer Miles Lallemant Music Director Ayumu Poe Saegusa Lighting Designer Co-Produced by Beth Morrison Projects, The Big Sing, Ars Nova Copenhagen, and Soundstreams. Commissioned by Beth Morrison Projects, Ars Nova Copenhagen, Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech, Toronto Soundstreams, Koorbiennale, Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival, and Linda and Stuart Nelson. There will be a post-show talk on 15 Aug. Post-show talks are an informal opportunity for you to connect further with artists. It will begin 10 minutes after the performance ends and is expected to last no more than 30 minutes. You are welcome to stay for as little or as long as suits you.

The Australian dancer fuses sexy choreography and touching theatricality to take a stand against ableism. His whole life, the Australian disabled dancer Dan Daw has been told that he’s brave’ or an inspiration’. Now, he’s turning the spotlight inward, to find his own truth through a subject that holds the power to both challenge and liberate: kink. This daring International Festival debut fuses sexy choreography and touching theatricality to take a stand against the disabling forces of society. Joined by collaborator Christopher Owen, Daw reclaims power through domination and submission - on his own terms. Through the lens of identity, kink becomes an act of defiance and radical self-acceptance in this hybrid work directed by Mark Maughan. Nominated for multiple dance awards, The Dan Daw Show peeps into the push-pull of living with shame while bursting with pride. Exploring intimacy and resilience, this is an uplifting performance about letting go and reclaiming yourself. Dan Daw & Christopher Owen Performers & Collaborators Mark Maughan Director Thyrza Abrahams Assistant Director Sarah Blanc Movement & Rehearsal Director Emma Bailey Designer Nao Nagai Lighting Designer Guy Connelly Composer & Sound Designer Brian Lobel Dramaturg Dr Kate Marsh Artistic Peer Support There will be a post-show talk on 3 Aug. Post-show talks are an informal opportunity for you to connect further with artists. It will begin 10 minutes after the performance ends and is expected to last no more than 30 minutes. You are welcome to stay for as little or as long as suits you.

UK premiere FC Bergman's latest piece reckons with what is lost when our bond to the earth fades. Birth, life and death converge at the heart of this visually spectacular performance, as theatre collective FC Bergman seeks the truth about our place in the wider world. Their latest wordless piece blends stunning imagery, movement and music to explore our connection with the land we inhabit. Journeying from ancient times to the present, the play cycles through the seasons and fundamental human rites of passage. The ingenious set design exposes the actors to all the elements - from fire to water. The magnificent visuals nod to famous pastoral paintings, all told with FC Bergman's signature humour and pathos. Accompanied by on-stage musicians playing original music inspired by Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, the performance transports you to a time when the land was everything, and our existence was inseparable from it. Supported by Sir Ewan and Lady Brown Stef Aerts, Joé Agemans, Thomas Verstraeten & Marie Vinck (FC Bergman) Directors, Dramaturgs & Set Designers Joachim Badenhorst & Sean Carpio Composers & Musicians An d’Huys Costume Designer Stef Aerts, Joé Agemans & Ken Hioco Lighting Designers Cast Stef Aerts Joé Agemans, Susan De Ceuster Geert Goossens Fumiyo Ikeda Maryam Sserwamukoko, Thomas Verstraeten Marie Vinck Produced by Toneelhuis FC Bergman Co-produced with Piccolo Teatro di Milano - Teatro d’Europa and Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg. There will be a post-show talk on 8 Aug. Post-show talks are an informal opportunity for you to connect further with artists. It will begin 10 minutes after the performance ends and is expected to last no more than 30 minutes. You are welcome to stay for as little or as long as suits you.

With over 100M views online see the longest running panellist from BBC Scotland’s “Breaking The News” live in his first national tour! Stuart Mitchell is now regarded as one of the UK’s top comedians and social media stars with over a 100M views online. You’ve seen him online and now you can see him on his first ever national UK tour, Tips Not Included. Join the longest running panellist of BBC Scotland’ Breaking The News as he shares his amazing life story.