Lisa Spirling News

The highly anticipated world premiere of BLOODSPORT: AFTER HELEN OF TROY by Ava Pickett will open in March 2026. This new play explores the aftermath of the Trojan War through a modern lens, promising a fresh perspective on a classic tale.

UK premiere of Here There Are Blueberries, a co-production between Tectonic Theater Project and Stratford East is now running at Stratford East. See what the critics are saying in BroadwayWorld's Review Roundup.

Sometimes a play is far more valuable than what the four walls of a theatre can hold. 2007: history will never be the same after the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum gets a hold of a photo album from 1940s Germany. As the archivists leaf through the pages, the day-to-day routine of Nazi officers stationed in Auschwitz unfolds before their eyes.

THE HARDER THEY COME will return to Theatre Royal Stratford East in 2026 following its 2025 run. The reggae musical is adapted by Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Matthew Xia, with performances scheduled from May 16 through July 4.

HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES will make its UK premiere at Stratford East in early 2026, marking a major new collaboration with Tectonic Theater Project. The production brings Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich’s acclaimed work to London following celebrated runs in the U.S.

Artistic Director Lisa Spirling and Executive Director Hanna Streeter have announced their first season at Stratford East, with exciting plans for the venue as a whole. The new season includes Here There Are Blueberries by Moisés Kaufman and Amanda Gronich, BLOODSPORT: After Helen of Troy by Ava Pickett and Choir Boy by Tarell Alvin McCraney. We had the opportunity to talk with both Spirling and Streeter about their first season at the theatre. We discussed what made each of them want to join Stratford East, some of their favourite shows they’ve seen at the venue and all about about the upcoming season!

Lisa Spirling has announced her first season as Artistic Director and Co-CEO of Stratford East, alongside new Executive Director Hanna Streeter and Associate Artistic Director Jade Lewis.

Stratford East has announced that Bindi Karia has been appointed Chair of the Board of Trustees. This appointment is a natural extension of Bindi's two-decade career at the intersection of innovation, technology, community, connectivity and advisory.

Stratford East has announced this year’s cast and creative team for MAMA GOOSE, with book by Vikki Stone & Tonderai Munyevu, who also co-direct, music by Robert Hyman, and lyrics by Robert Hyman & Vikki Stone.

Stratford East has announced the cast and creative team for the community production of William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet co-produced with Sadler's Wells. Learn more here!

Stratford East has announced the full cast and creative team for the UK premiere of THE HARDER THEY COME, the newly adapted reggae musical based on the cult Jamaican film of the same name.

​With Lovestuck currently running, Stratford East will present its 2025 Open Day, a celebratory event for the venue's 140th anniversary year. Learn more here!

Francesca Moody Productions and Bristol Old Vic has revealed the creative team for their new expanded co-production of hit Edinburgh Fringe musical How To Win Against History at Edinburgh Fringe. Learn more!

Stratford East has announced that Jade Lewis has been appointed Associate Artistic Director. Lewis is currently an Associate Artist at Synergy Theatre Project and has held a number of associateships across the sector.

As part of its 140th anniversary celebrations, Stratford East has announced A RIGHT OLD ROYAL VARIETY NIGHT. The evening is hosted b Kiell Smith-Bynoe (Ghosts, Taskmaster) and Tameka Empson (Eastenders).

All great plays have a moral dilemma buried at the centre. Loyalty, truth, justice, et cetera. The greatest playwrights narrow down these big juicy themes and shape them into a story, making the personal universal and challenging the audience by turning their views against them – it’s a difficult balance to establish. The core of How To Fight Lonelinesshas so much potential. Neil LaBute builds this project around a collection of major arguments, hardly making his characters acknowledge the empirical decisions they face directly. People talk about nothing, saying everything, for over two hours. Assisted suicide, spirituality, lawfulness are the lining of How To Fight Loneliness. Unfortunately, the final product is a redundant show, meaty in its subject but largely exasperating and uninspiring.

Stratford East has announced this year's pantomime, MAMA GOOSE, written and directed by Vikki Stone and Tonderai Munyevu with music by Stratford East pantomime veteran Robert Hyman and lyrics by Vikki Stone and Robert Hyman.

The full cast has been announced for the UK première of Neil LaBute’s How to Fight Loneliness at Park Theatre. Stratford East’s newly appointed Artistic Director, Lisa Spirling directs.

Stratford East has announced that Dame Margaret Hodge will be stepping down as Chair of the Board at the end of February to lead the independent review into Arts Council England.

Francesca Moody Productions and Bristol Old Vic announced the creative team for their new expanded co-production of hit Edinburgh Fringe musical How To Win Against History.