Nottingham Playhouse Announces Unlocked Festival

For a three-week period, this Autumn, Nottingham Playhouse will open its doors to the public for the first time since March to host an exciting and eclectic festival of live and live-streamed events. Nottingham Playhouse Unlocked will bring back the vitality and magic of theatre to an audience who have been starved of it since the beginning of the Covid 19 pandemic six months ago. With a programme that features a mix of world class performers, East Midlands talent, specially created work and work in progress, the festival is a celebration of live performance with its focus firmly on the future.

With a line up including West End stars Jodie Prenger, Rosalie Craig and Sandra Marvin with a programme of songs that made their careers, East Midlands based writer Naomi Obeng's new work about mixed race identity, Mark Gatiss and Jade Anouka reading ghost stories on Halloween, and a new work from playwright James Graham, each of the talents featured has a particular relationship with Nottingham Playhouse and each are excited about bringing live performance back to the main stage.

With social distancing measures in place a strictly limited number of tickets will be available to attend the live events held in the theatre auditorium to ensure that a safe environment is created for audiences and performers alike. All the events will also be streamed live for audiences to attend virtually who are not able to attend in person.

Artistic Director of Nottingham Playhouse, Adam Penford says -

Whilst we've continued to make work online throughout the pandemic, it's time to reengage audiences and artists on stage again. We've curated a programme that combines local theatre-makers and our associate companies, alongside household names, including the world premiere of a new James Graham play, providing employment and encouraging audiences back into the venue. The festival will be stripped-back and simple, top-class talent coming live from the Playhouse stage.

Ensuring the venue is Covid-safe for audiences, staff and freelancers is our first priority and we will follow the latest Government guidelines. It's a financial risk to be programming theatre again in this environment, but we have a responsibility and desire to do so. I can't describe the buzz of excitement at the Playhouse to be producing live theatre again and hope audiences will support us as we navigate how to get theatre back on the road again.

Get Broadway News on WhatsApp

Receive the latest updates, breaking news, and exclusive coverage from Broadway directly in WhatsApp.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Lighting Design - Top 3

1. Jen Schriever, Michael Arden - The Lost Boys

31.9% of votes

2. Kevin Adams - Chess

14.7% of votes

3. Jack Knowles - Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)

7% of votes

Vote Now! View Live Stats