Joanna Pickering Will Be Directed by BAFTA-Winner Philip John at Hay Festival

Joanna Pickering will bring her one-act solo play Don't Harm the Animals to Hay Festival, a festival for literature and art, for a series of open-air performances directed by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Philip John (Downton Abbey, Outlander).

Pickering joins the 2026 program, running through 21st -31st May, alongside an extraordinary roster of voices from Emma Thompson, Dawn French, Hugh Bonneville, Greg Davies; authors Ian McEwan, Maggie O'Farrell, Colm Tóibín, Ali Smith, Elizabeth Strout, Matt Haig, as well as activists Malala Yousafzai and Gisele Pelioct among many others.

Don't Harm the Animals will be staged in the Bookshop Garden Marquee, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience powerful storytelling in an open-air setting. Pickering is scheduled for Thursday, May 28 at 6:00 PM, Friday at 7:00 PM, and Saturday at 6:00 PM.

Don't Harm the Animals tells the story of a woman isolated at the top of a mountain, and deals with issues of PTSD in the aftermath of sexual assault. It shines a light on the lack of understanding given to victims and addresses the impact of secondary re-victimization. The play premiered at the Chain Theatre in New York, and has been described as "Scorching writing" and "A powerhouse of a performance".

Director Philip John brings more than 25 years of experience across television and film. A BAFTA winner (Bang), and multi-nominee (Downtown Abbey, Being Human) he has helmed many episodes of major series including ITV's Downton Abbey, Starz' Outlander, as well as Marvel's Iron Fist, Cloak & Dagger, and Runaways. His feature film credits include Wedding Belles and Moon Dogs, the latter earning multiple international festival awards. His upcoming film, The Long Way, is slated to begin production in 2026.

Pickering will also appear on the Global Stage at the festival's Speaking Up for Success: A Spoken Word Gala on Friday, May 29 at 5:30 PM alongside Academy winner Emma Thompson, Larry Lamb, Paterson Joseph, and Cressida Cowell, alongside performances from local schoolchildren. The gala is presented in partnership with Poetry by Heart.

In addition to the performances, Pickering will host a book signing at The Hay festival book store for her trilogy Truth, Lies and Deception on May 28 at 6:30 PM, immediately following the first performance.

Joanna Pickering is a multi-award-winning British actress and playwright whose work focuses on strong female narrative and advocacy for women's rights. Her play Lara's Journey recently live-streamed from New York City to over one million viewers on social media to raise awareness for Ukrainian refugees. Pickering secured an Off-Broadway deal commencing 2026, for her work to be produced by a Broadway award-winning team. Don't Harm The Animals is her debut one-act woman show that premiered in 2023 at Chain Theatre in New York City, under the direction of Melody Brooks.

Hay Festival, run by its president Stephen Fry, brings together diverse voices to listen, talk, debate and create, while tackling some of the biggest political, social and environmental challenges of the times. The charity reaches a global audience of millions each year and continues to grow and innovate, earning multiple awards over the years, including Festival of Sanctuary status from refugee charity City of Sanctuary UK and, in 2020, Spain's Princess of Asturias Award in Communication and Humanities. Former President Bill Clinton, who has attended in the past, called Hay Festival the 'Woodstock of the mind.'

Tickets and further information are available via the Hay Festival website. Don't Harm the Animals contains no graphic or explicit language, but addresses themes of sexual assault that some audience members may find sensitive.