Citizens Theatre Unveils 2025–26 Season as Part of Historic Reopening Year
New productions of Waiting for Godot, Sweat, The Long Drop, and Saint Joan headline Glasgow theatre’s first full year back since 2018.
By: A.A. Cristi Jul. 07, 2025
As the Citizens Theatre prepares to reopen its doors this August after a major redevelopment, the company has announced the next wave of productions for its highly anticipated 2025–26 reopening year.
Running January to June 2026, the newly unveiled season includes world premieres, contemporary classics, and the return of touring favourites to the Citz stages.
Among the highlights:
-
Matthew Kelly and George Costigan will lead a new production of Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, directed by Citizens Theatre Artistic Director Dominic Hill and co-produced with Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and Octagon Theatre Bolton. The production will run 20 February – 14 March 2026 on the Citizens main stage.
-
A new stage adaptation of Denise Mina’s bestselling true-crime book The Long Drop, adapted by Linda McLean and directed by Hill, will premiere 5–20 June 2026. The play explores the chilling case of Scottish serial killer Peter Manuel in a blend of psychological thriller and dark comedy.
-
Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat, in a new co-production with The Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh, will make its Scottish debut 2–16 May 2026. The piece examines class, race, and economic decline in post-industrial America.
-
A contemporary reimagining of George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan, directed by Stewart Laing with new material by Adura Onashile, will run in the new Studio Theatre 13–28 February 2026. This Raw Material, Perth Theatre and Aberdeen Performing Arts co-production explores themes of youth, gender, and political resistance.
Artistic Director Dominic Hill described the season as “a bold mix of classic and contemporary work—from enduring masterpieces to powerful new writing and gripping Glasgow stories.”
The Citz will also welcome touring productions back to its stages for the first time since 2018:
-
Showstopper! The Improvised Musical will run 5–7 February, inviting audiences to help create a new musical live on the spot.
-
Children’s favourite There’s a Monster in Your Show, based on Tom Fletcher’s picture books, will play 14–15 April.
In the Studio Theatre, two acclaimed Scottish works will visit in autumn:
-
Wonder Fools’ Òran (29 October – 1 November), a hip-hop-infused retelling of the Orpheus myth featuring Owen Sutcliffe and music by VanIves.
-
Vox Motus’ Flight (6–15 November), an immersive miniature theatre experience based on Caroline Brothers’ novel Hinterland, returns to Glasgow after international acclaim.
More visiting productions will be announced in the coming months.
The reopening year marks the Citizens Theatre’s first full season in its historic Gorbals venue since 2018. The theatre will welcome audiences back beginning this August, with full programming running through June 2026. For more information and tickets, visit www.citz.co.uk
Get Broadway News on WhatsApp
Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.
Videos