The sun is beginning to strengthen, and the light nights are lengthening. Late spring and early summer are here, and with it is a whole host of unmissable theatre, arts, music and culture events in our Early Summer Arts and Culture Guide 2026.
APRIL
Down to Chance and Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs)
The Pleasance Theatre, London (April 22 to May 9)
Critically acclaimed theatre company and Pleasance Associate Artists, Maybe You Like It, will make their London debut at Pleasance Theatre, London this Spring with a double bill of incredible shows – historical comedy drama Down to Chance and hilarious PowerPoint farce Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs). Following rave sell-out runs for both at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, this double bill will offer London audiences the chance to experience ‘terrifically exciting’ (The Stage) Maybe You Like It’s celebrated productions.
Book Tickets
Nasser Bouzida’s Grimm’s Fairy Tales Experience
The Louisiana, Bristol (April 25)
From the genius mind of Nasser Bouzida (BIG BOSS MAN) comes a series of short films celebrating the legendary stories of the GRIMM FAIRY TALES originally written by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in 1812. These short films have been imaginatively re-created to capture a more 60’s psychedelic feel. Filmed in true bongo-vision, Nass takes us on a journey through the first 2 humorous twisted tales, capturing the vibe perfectly. With original soundtracks from BIG BOSS MAN and camera work and visuals by Nass SNOW WHITE A-GO-GO & RED RIDING HOOD are must-sees for lovers of the tales and the early to late 60’s musical genre.
Summer Arts and Culture Guide 2026
MAY
Brighton Fringe Festival
Brighton and Hove (May 1 to 31)
Brighton Fringe Festival has unveiled its spectacular line-up of comedy, theatre and dance ahead of its return this May. Now in its 21st year, Brighton Fringe aims to stimulate, educate and entertain through a diverse programme that welcomes local, national and international performers and audiences, showcasing creativity across Brighton, Hove and beyond.
Brighton Fringe Festival theatre programme highlights include Jonny Woo’s Suburbia (award-winning drag storytelling), Are You Even Indian? (intimate dance-theatre on identity and migration), MAN!FEST (drag boyband comedy), Custard Club (camp queer exploration), and NIUSIA (a powerful piece on legacy and identity).
Take Flight (National Tour)
Various Locations (May 9 to July 5)
A multi-sensory aerial theatre show for babies aged 0–2 and their adults, Take Flight is the uplifting story of a baby bird finding its wings and exploring the world. Two performers in bright feathers fly and swing on colourful silks, accompanied by gentle, playful music. Developed in collaboration with developmental psychologist Dr Valentina Sclafani from Lincoln University, the show supports babies’ neurological and motor skills development while encouraging strong connection and bonding between babies and their grown-ups. As mother and baby bird set out to explore, the show navigates early independence, making friends, overcoming challenges, and, eventually, being supported in leaving the nest and taking flight.
Newbury Spring Festival
Newbury, Berkshire (May 9 to 23)
Newbury Spring Festival is one of the UK’s leading regional music festivals, presenting a wide-ranging programme of classical, jazz, choral and world music across West Berkshire each May. Now in its 47th year, the festival brings together internationally recognised artists and emerging talent across more than 45 events in over 20 venues, from major concerts at St Nicolas Church and the Corn Exchange to performances in rural churches and historic houses. Alongside its artistic programme, the festival maintains a strong commitment to community engagement, young artists and accessible live performance.
Top Gun 40th Anniversary Screenings
Nationwide from May 13
Top Gun (1986) is an action-packed, pop video-inspired love letter to a decade of bravado, confidence and capitalism. Now, Top Gun 40th Anniversary screenings give you the chance to feel the need, the need for speed on the big screen in IMAX and Dolby.
There is no doubt that Top Gun heralded the arrival of a new, Reagan-inspired vision of the American military following the anti-war movies of the 1970s. But it also wrapped this bold, star-spangled vision of combat in MTV-inspired pop. Designing a film for the new MTV generation was inspired; Top Gun didn’t need a detailed story, just a killer soundtrack, sex appeal and an emotional hook.
Top Gun was the first in a new wave of music-video movies. These movies would prioritise their soundtracks over their stories, bathing us in perfect bodies, skimpy tops, fast action, and full-blooded Americana. Was Top Gun a homoerotic bromance? A brazen advert for the US military? A feature-length music video? A hormonal teenage dream? Or an opportunity to cash in on the sex appeal of a young Tom Cruise? It was, in essence, whatever you wanted it to be.
Early Summer Arts and Culture Guide 2026
The Harder They Come
Stratford East, London (May 16 to July 4)
After a triumphant run last Autumn, hit reggae musical The Harder They Come returns to Stratford East. Based on the cult Jamaican film produced and directed by Perry Henzell and co-written with Trevor Rhone, the stage adaptation is by Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Olivier Award-winner Matthew Xia.
The Harder They Come tells the story of Ivan, an aspiring singer who arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, determined to live out his dreams on his own terms and make it as a music superstar. This unmissable show transports audiences to 1970s Jamaica and asks: “What is the personal cost of fighting against systemic injustice?”
Tenet in 70mm
BFI IMAX, London (May 17 -21)
Follow an agent known only as ‘The Protagonist’ as he is recruited into a top-secret mission to prevent WWIII; globe-trotting with world-class criminals and confirming their connection to inversion crimes of the past/present/future, only to prevent a disaster of the highest order. Tenet features the time-twisting narrative that has come to define Christopher Nolan’s films, as well as brilliant action sequences that sit alongside a high-concept story. Don’t miss this chance to sit back and revel in the wonder of all of Nolan’s (very) big-screen 70mm experience.
Fish in a Kettle
Fabric Studios, Liverpool (May 25 – 30)
Fish in a Kettle takes place in Liverpool, battered by waves and engulfed by tides, at a gathering where fish, people, and everything in between collide. In this devised show, audience members move through the party and choose whom to follow, watching a series of shifting predictions as the hosts explore what is probable and possible in the future. This strange and voyeuristic experience floats between theatre, scientific research, and the voices of Merseyside, while challenging audiences to hold darkness and hope simultaneously.
The show imagines the City of Liverpool, either boiling or slowly being swallowed by the sea in an urgent reckoning with the future. It was developed in collaboration with marine scientist Dr Marta Payo Payo from the National Oceanography Centre in Liverpool, whose research shapes the work. Fish in a Kettle questions the audience’s complicity by examining our denial, acceptance, and response. It promises a sensory experience, playing with movement-based imagery and sound. Audiences experience different versions of the future on the same night. The party is uncomfortable and seductive, while asking: Will we sink or swim?
Early Summer Arts and Culture Guide 2026
Woolwich Works celebrates Pride Month
Woolwich Works, Royal Arsenal, London (May 30 – July 11)
Woolwich Works will celebrate Pride Month with a vibrant programme of live performance celebrating queer creativity, identity and expression – from boundary-pushing circus and cabaret to sharp, joyful stand-up comedy.
From late May into early July, South East London’s most-connected venue presents a variety of distinctive events that highlight the breadth and brilliance of LGBTQ+ artists working across disciplines, bringing together established voices and emerging talent in a spirit of celebration, provocation and fun.
Events include
SIZZLING HOT CIRCUS (30 MAY)
BEAUTIFUL THING 30TH ANNIVERSARY SCREENING (6 JUNE)
DIVAS KARAOKE (12 JUNE)
QUEER EUPHORIA (19 JUNE)
CLARE SUMMERSKILL: PRIDE AND JOY (21 JUNE)
PROUD TOGETHER (27 JUNE)
DRAG STORYTIME (28 JUNE)
DRAG & FAB (11 JULY)
JUNE
Lykke Li at KOKO London
KOKO, London (June 11)
In the wake of two iconic performances at Coachella and in celebration of her new album The Afterparty out May 8th, pop’s trailblazing disrupter Lykke Li announces her return to London to headline KOKO on Thursday, June 11th. This show will be Lykke Li’s first time playing in London since 2022 and falls amid a run of European shows that include both festival slots and high-profile slots, with performances alongside Nick Cave, Robyn, and Wolf Alice.
Harry Styles’ Meltdown at The Southbank Centre
The Southbank Centre, London (June 11 to 23)
In case you missed it, the 31st Meltdown curator at London’s Southbank Centre is … Harry Styles!
Known for his iconic self-expression and creative curiosity, Harry will bring together 11 days of music, dancing and community at a landmark edition of Meltdown – the world’s longest-running artist-curated music festival – for its 75th anniversary.
Announced acts for Harry Styles’ Meltdown include the captivating four-piece LA band Warpaint, who conjure their own dreamlike world through intricate guitar lines, hypnotic vocals, and driving rhythms, and the pulsating indie-rock vibes of the sizzling London trio Bar Italia. Plus, multi-instrumentalist and jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington will pay tribute to John Coltrane and Miles Davis in celebration of their 100th birthday. Full listings are available on the Southbank Centre website. Details for Harry Styles’ headline show are announced at a later date.
Early Summer Arts and Culture Guide 2026
Ron
Riverside Studios, London (June 13 to July 5)
RON is a bold and genre-defying new solo show written and performed by Ted Walliker; an absurd, violent, genre-bending queer odyssey exploring the nature of unrequited love. Blending razor-sharp comedy with hair-raising tonal shifts, RON pushes at the boundaries of storytelling and performance. At its centre is a magnetic, unpredictable performance from Walliker, whose writing moves between the hilarious, the unsettling and the unexpectedly tender.
Cyrano de Bergerac
Noël Coward Theatre, London (June 13 to September 5)
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s critically acclaimed production of Cyrano de Bergerac transfers to the West End. Adrian Lester reprises his role as Cyrano alongside Susannah Fielding as Roxane and Levi Brown as Christian. Director Simon Evans co-adapts this thrilling new version with Debris Stevenson, bringing new life to Edmond Rostand’s lyrical tale of love and lies, longing and disguise.
Poet, soldier and philosopher. Cyrano de Bergerac burns with brilliance. He’s fiercely funny and urgently romantic – but behind the veil of wit is one large problem: his nose. Haunted by doubts and too proud to beg, he watches from the shadows as Roxane – bold, beautiful and seemingly unreachable – falls for another man, Christian. But this handsome, tongue-tied young suitor knows his only hope of charming Roxane is to seduce her with words. And only one person can help…
Hot Pot 火鍋
Playhouse East, London (June 16 to 21)
Following four university friends reuniting at a hot pot restaurant after the Covid pandemic, Hot Pot at Playhouse East begins with easy laughter and then slowly settles into a more searching conversation that honours the complexity of friendship, identity and survival.
Drawing on East Asian lived experiences, the play explores gay identity with honesty and nuance against a cultural backdrop that can be hostile or indifferent. Hot Pot is the debut production from new theatre company Auka Productions, founded by Struan Davidson and Windson Liong.
Hongwei Bao, writer, said, “Hot Pot is a play about friendship, relationship and love. It is about how some of these significant relationships have changed over time, and how others remain strong ties in our lives. It is also a play about dreams, ambitions, and the joys and pains of growing up; about how one can live an authentic life despite societal pressures and others’ expectations. It is a story that everyone can relate to”.
Miraculous
King’s Head Theatre, London (June 16 to 20)
“Imagine like having the power to create the entire world with a handful of sentences, or remotely impregnate a fourteen-year-old virgin, or parting a sea, or any of those like massive, real things, and then like, retiring.”
When a youth pastor preoccupied with mercy and a teenager hungry for justice are thrust into the same room, will their fellowship end in communion or collision?
In Miraculous, it’s Josh (LUKE STILES), a high schooler brimming with arrogance, insecurity, and theological angst, versus Paul (DIEGO ZOZAYA), a devout young father wrestling with the challenges of spiritual leadership. Over the course of a week of mentorship meetings at a Christian sleep-away camp, they fight to stress-test their faith. When their cage match about sex, sin, and salvation asks whether grace has limits, who breaks first?
Olivier Nominee Toby Clarke directs Luke Stiles’ debut play, Miraculous — “a devastating piece of work” (The Peg) — a Wiggle Room Production produced by Brock Looser.
Early Summer Arts and Culture Guide 2026
Blue Mist (National Tour)
Various Locations (June 17 to July 30)
Interrogating the media agenda around young Muslim men, the Olivier Award-nominated Blue Mist follows an aspiring journalist struggling to balance his ambition with his values whilst catering to the media industry’s agenda. Chunkyz Shisha Lounge is home away from home for Jihad, Rashid and Asif, a space where community whispers are heard, jokes are shared, and new hustles are born. When Jihad wins the chance to make his own documentary, he sets out to give voice to his community and challenge the usual stereotypes that fill the airwaves. But in a media landscape that profits off fear, how far can one voice really go?
Monarchs Anonymous
The Other Palace, London (June 23 to 28)
Ceridwen Theatre Company’s Monarchs Anonymous is a riotous comedy that dares to put history’s most powerful rulers firmly in their place. This play throws pompous Kings, flamboyant Queens and sassy socialites into a hectic group therapy session at The Other Palace, delivering moments of heart and pathos alongside the laughs. In Monarchs Anonymous, infamous rulers face uncomfortable truths as viral historian Dr Kat Marchant from the YouTube channel ‘Reading the Past’ plays therapist Dr Thompson – a historical breakdown like no other.
Co-writer Joshua Poole said, “Monarchs Anonymous started as a lockdown project on YouTube and has grown to a fully-fledged stage show thanks to Ceridwen Theatre Company. We have tried to bring these famous and important historical figures into a new light through the medium of modern therapy. It is often said that you can’t judge the past with today’s standards – well, we can, and we have! With a few surprises, beautiful costumes and incredible pace, the show does just this. Bringing history kicking and screaming into our world. Enjoy!”
The Lady Boys of Bangkok (London)
Shepherd’s Bush Green, London (June 27 to July 12)
The Lady Boys of Bangkok will bring their brand new show, Full Moon, to Shepherd’s Bush Green this June and July. Staged inside the glamorous Sabai Pavilion – a custom-built heated pink cabaret tent complete with plush carpeting, table seating and well-stocked bars – the production blends high-energy choreography, comedy, pop anthems and around 400 dazzling costumes in a fast-paced celebration of glamour, performance and escapist fun.
Produced by Gandey World Class Productions, the show has entertained more than one million audience members since its 1998 premiere, becoming a long-running fixture at the Edinburgh Fringe and touring internationally across the UK, Australia and South Africa.
EARLY JULY
Pride in London
Central London, July 4, with lead-up events across the capital during June
Born of defiance, Pride in London dates back to 1972, when approximately 2,000 people took to the streets for the UK’s first official Gay Pride Rally. This historic march was a direct response to the 1969 Stonewall Uprising, transforming a grassroots protest into a cornerstone of British activism. Over the decades, this vital act of visibility has evolved from a small, courageous walk into a massive global event, ensuring that the original message of liberation continues to reach millions. Pride in London 2026 will once again transform the capital’s most iconic squares, streets and spaces into a city-wide festival of performance, protest, and community.
From the high-energy atmosphere of the Main Stage in Trafalgar Square to the vital grassroots activism of the Trans and Non-Binary Stage in Soho Square, each area is curated to honour our intersectional community.
Whether you are experiencing the rich cultural showcase of the Global Majority Stage in Golden Square, celebrating the incredible talent of the Women’s Stage in Leicester Square, or enjoying the inclusive Family Area, these spaces offer a platform for every voice.
From world-class headliners and local cabaret to safe spaces for quiet reflection, Pride in London 2026 ensures that every identity has a place to be heard, seen, and celebrated.
Early Summer Arts and Culture Guide 2026
Big Dork Summer 2026
London, Nottingham, Bristol and Manchester (July 4 to August 8)
Big Dork Summer 2026 is bringing together some of Dork’s favourite artists for a packed run of live shows across London, Bristol, Nottingham and Manchester this July and August.
Presented alongside CloseUp, Scruff of the Neck and DHP, the series kicks off with a pair of Paint By Numbers shows at Bristol’s Thekla and Nottingham’s The Bodega on 4th and 5th July respectively, before heading into a packed month of gigs.
There are loads of familiar Dork names involved, too. Former cover star Caity Baser headlines London’s 100 Club on 17th July, while longtime fave Hatchie leads the bill for Dork’s Day Out at Colours Hoxton on 1st August and Manchester YES on 8th August, with more still to be announced.
Fast-rising newcomers Truthpaste will headline Sebright Arms on 8th July, while Balancing Act tops a 100 Club bill on 15th July, joined by Esmeralda Road and Humane The Moon. Daydreamers follow at the same venue on 16th July, before Coach Party return to Sebright Arms on 21st July.
Witch Fever rounds out the July run with an Upset takeover at Sebright Arms on 29th July alongside Venus Grrrls.
Big Dork Summer is heading to the fields, too, with the Dork’s Big Latitude Opening Party at Latitude Festival’s Alcove Stage on Thursday, 23rd July. The lineup is set to be announced ‘soon’.
JULY
4 Bristol, Thekla – Paint By Numbers: Ticket Link
5 Nottingham, The Bodega – Paint By Numbers: Ticket Link
8 London, Sebright Arms – Truthpaste: Ticket Link
15 London, The 100 Club – Balancing Act: Ticket Link
16 London, The 100 Club – Daydreamers: Ticket Link
17 London, The 100 Club – Caity Baser: Ticket Link
21 London, Sebright Arms – Coach Party: Ticket Link
29 London, Sebright Arms – Witch Fever: Ticket Link
AUGUST
1 London, Colours Hoxton – Dork’s Day Out: Ticket Link
8 Manchester, YES – Dork’s Day Out: Ticket Link
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