PURPOSE and More Set For The Royal Court Theatre's 2027 Season

The Royal Court Theatre has announced the first part of its 2027 season: one Broadway transfer and six world premieres, including a look ahead to 2028. The lineup will include the European premiere of Branden Jacobs-Jenkins' Purpose.

Royal Court Artistic Director David Byrne said:

“Three years since I became Artistic Director of the Royal Court, and coming out of our 70th anniversary year, this is the most thrilling season we could imagine bringing together. I almost can’t believe it’s ours - but of course it is, because this extraordinary set of knotty, original, adventurous new plays couldn’t be truly at home anywhere else.”

Jerwood Theatre Downstairs

Transferring from Broadway, the European premiere of 2025 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner PURPOSE by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (An Octoroon), a family drama centred on a Black American political dynasty, welcoming the Steppenwolf Theatre Company to London, directed by Phylicia Rashad (16 January - 27 February 2027).​

Internationally-renowned theatre company Complicité return to the Court with the world premiere of THE APOLOGY, written by and starring Tony-winner V, formerly known as Eve Ensler (The Vagina Monologues) as herself alongside Emmy Award-winner Tobias Menzies (The Crown) in an autobiographical reckoning with sexual violence, justice and atonement, directed by Complicité Artistic Director Simon McBurney (The Encounter), with set design by Es Devlin (The Lehman Trilogy), presented in association with Brian & Dayna Lee and Tectonic Theater Project (19 March - 24 April 2027).

The world premiere of THE BRIAR PATCH, a domestic thriller about losing trust in the people closest to you by Ciara Elizabeth Smyth (Lie Low), starring Olivier Award winner Juliet Stevenson (The Doctor) and directed by Royal Court Artistic Director David Byrne, presented in association with Prime Cut and Brian & Dayna Lee (14 May - 26 June 2027).

Oscar winner Jessie Buckley (Hamnet, Cabaret) makes her Royal Court debut in the world premiere of AFTERBIRTH, a story about the disorienting reality of life after birth by Royal Court Associate Playwright Nina Segal (Cow|Deer), directed by Maria Aberg ([BLANK]), designed by Rosanna Vize (The Other Place), co-produced with English Touring Theatre in association with Brian & Dayna Lee (15 January - 26 February 2028).

 The YOUNG PLAYWRIGHTS AWARD FESTIVAL 2027 returns to showcase the best plays by 13-18 year-olds from across the UK, marking the Award’s third year and following the previous announcement of competition dates and expanded national workshop partners (8 - 10 July 2027).

Jerwood Theatre Upstairs

WE’RE GONNA KILL BILLY, a comedic eco-thriller and the professional debut of playwright Alex Medland, winner of the Concord Theatricals Unpublished Playwright Award, directed by Royal Court Associate Director and Olivier Award nominee Aneesha Srinivasan (Godot’s To-Do List) and supported as a case study partnership with ReStage and NT Green Store towards reducing the environmental impact of production (18 February - 27 March 2027).

WAR FACE reunites Stage Debut Award-winner Georgie Dettmer and director Jess Edwards (Are You Watching?) for a new play created with serving and retired soldiers in collaboration with the Chelsea Pensioners and co-produced with Orange Juice Productions, while Dettmer is also named 2027 Jerwood New Playwright, supported by Jerwood Foundation in its 50th anniversary year (22 April - 1 May 2027).

WORKING MEN, a new play by Benjamin Kuffuor about a routine site visit that becomes a defining day for a declining council estate, receiving its world premiere following acclaim as winner of the George Devine Award (4 June - 10 July 2027).

The season will also include the fourth edition of the Royal Court’s week-long OPEN SUBMISSIONS FESTIVAL in partnership with Character 7, platforming the best work by new playwrights discovered from the 3,000+ new plays read every year as part of the theatre’s open script submissions commitment – including The Briar Patch, We’re Gonna Kill Billy and Working Men, which all featured in previous festivals prior to their full productions announced today.

Executive Director Will Young said, “Beyond these new shows, we’re proud that the Royal Court’s role as a national institution is reflected this year in more opportunities than ever to engage audiences across the UK and around the world. Between now and next summer, Rhys Warrington’s Monument plays in Cardiff and Emteaz Hussain’s Expendable in Nottingham; Manfred Karge’s Man To Man tours to Edinburgh, Berlin and New York; Kimberly Belflower’s John Proctor Is The Villain has three months in the West End – and the live capture of Olivier and Tony Award-winner Giant by Mark Rosenblatt will hit 900 cinemas in its global release. Wherever you're watching, we can't wait to welcome you.”

The Royal Court unveils its 2027 season with a music video created in collaboration with British-Chilean artist Naomi in Blue. Starring Naomi alongside performers from across the season including Jessie Buckley, Juliet Stevenson and Tobias Menzies, the video features her new single Who Knows and reveals all seven upcoming shows. The collaboration marks a new approach to the theatre’s season launch, bringing together the Royal Court’s 2027 programme and Naomi’s newly released debut album, Is This Body Mine?.

Sign-Up for News

Get the latest news, discounts & more