YOUNG, GIFTED & BLACK to Return to Theatre Peckham for 40th Anniversary

Theatre Peckham has announced the return of its Young, Gifted & Black season, a month-long celebration of young Black British creativity taking place throughout Black History Month 2026.

Running from 1 to 30 October across Theatre Peckham and Canada Water Theatre, the eighth Young, Gifted & Black season is supported by Southwark Council to present bold new theatre, spoken word and performance that explores identity, belonging, friendship, mental health, migration and community. Young, Gifted & Black is presented within Black History Month's 2026 theme of Honouring Our Communities, which invites us to recognise the role of Black communities in shaping British society.

In its 40th anniversary year, Theatre Peckham celebrates the voices of today and the generations of young people who have gone on to shape creative culture across the UK. It is a powerful reflection of Theatre Peckham's belief that when talent meets opportunity, life-changing things happen.

Speaking about the season Theatre Peckham's CEO and Artistic Director Suzann McLean says “As we celebrate our 40th year and start our new long-term management of Canada Water Theatre we enable young artists from Southwark to create work that reveals the richness of Black British life. Theatre Peckham has long been a place where young people discover their voice, and Young, Gifted & Black demonstrates what happens when they are given the stage.”

The season opens with a Young Peckham production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (1-3 October). Set during Notting Hill Carnival, the production reflects a generation of Young Peckham creatives who are no longer asking where they fit within the theatrical canon. Confident in their place on the stage, they bring Black British culture, identity and creativity to the forefront, creating a bold interpretation of Shakespeare that speaks directly to their peers. As artists with every right to see their experiences reflected on stage, the cast unapologetically reimagine this play. Their vision creates a fresh and joyful production that celebrates the power of young people to make timeless stories relevant to a new generation and tell them in their own voice.

From spoken word plays Her and the Voice in Her Head by Lorraine Adeyefa and Ryan Dre Sinclair's No Photos, to Intrusive Theatre's In My Head, several productions examine the internal worlds of young people navigating self-image, relationships and mental wellbeing.

Questions of migration, memory and place run throughout the season. Greener Pastures reflects on migration and expectation, while X Marks the Spot explores gentrification and belonging through the changing landscape of Elephant and Castle. A Collection of Conversations captures the experiences of young Black women negotiating identity and adulthood.

Tobi King Bakare returns to Theatre Peckham with his prequel Before I Go: Marcel; Mo Korede returns with comedy In Her Eyes I'm a Good Man; and schools' audiences will enjoy the interactive forum theatre play Don't Write Me Off. Together these plays examine friendship, responsibility, resilience and the choices people make when navigating unequal systems.

Theatre Peckham's commitment to developing artists is highlighted through the Alex Wheatle Witness Writing Project, delivered in partnership with Manchester Metropolitan University and Words of Colour, which showcases ten new playwrights inspired by the legacy of award-winning writer Alex Wheatle. Meanwhile, Poetry Foyer, championed by the Esmee Fairbairn foundation returns with its Black History Month edition as part of the Elevating Spoken Word Theatre project.

The season concludes with Legacy After Dark, bringing together some of London's most exciting young Black artists. Produced by Legacy in Motion, founded by Shakeil Edwards and Tyrese Walters, the showcase celebrates the creative ambition and talent driving the next generation of Black culture. Through music, dance, rap and spoken word, it provides a platform for artists to gain visibility and build the networks and recognition needed to thrive.