Riverside Studios Reveals Spring Theatre Programme Initial Details

Riverside Studios has announced the first details of our spring theatre programme, launching in a landmark year as the iconic West London venue celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Opened in 1976, Riverside has built a reputation for excellence and innovation across theatre, dance, visual art, television, comedy and music, something we're incredibly proud of. This spring season reflects that legacy while championing the bold, adventurous work that defines us today.

The first shows feature an eclectic mix of emerging artists, international shows, and award-winning Edinburgh Fringe gems, spanning intimate stories, daring theatrical experiments, and sharp comedy, with many more announcements to come as they celebrate 50 years of Riverside Studios, honouring our past while looking ahead to an exciting new chapter.

Francis Dunnery: Tales of the Council House Kid (28  February) is a powerful, nostalgic theatre show and living memoir by musician Francis Dunnery. Through vivid, heartfelt stories and unforgettable songs, the show traces life growing up on English council estates in the 1960s and '70s — a world of camaraderie, grit and romantic dreams — celebrating the humour and resilience forged in small towns, cities, tower blocks and beyond. Featuring some of Dunnery's old songs alongside new material that brings the past into the present, Tales of the Council House Kidpromises an evening of raw, beautiful storytelling and music.

SALT (3 – 15 March) plays in Studio 3 from pioneering Great Yarmouth company Contemporary Ritual Theatre. Set on the East Norfolk coast in 1770, SALT is a dark and visceral tale of ancient fisherfolk, following violent young fisherman Billy, his domineering mother Widow Pruttock, and the arrival of travelling singer Sheldis, whose supernatural gifts ignite obsession and fear. Told by three performers in an immersive in-the-round setting, the production weaves sea shanties, folk hymns and raucous dance into a stark, mythic world ruled by superstition and the relentless beat of the sea. Written and directed by Beau Hopkins, SALT culminates its UK tour at Riverside Studios. 

Tumble down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland (27 March – 12 April), an internationally celebrated family production that brings Lewis Carroll's fantastical world to life. Joining Alice on her unforgettable adventure, the story follows her she shrinks and grows, meeting peculiar characters at every turn. Who will she encounter next? Will the mischievous Cheshire Cat guide her through the madness? Can the hurried White Rabbit help her uncover the secrets she's searching for? And could the Queen of Hearts cause her to truly lose her head? With creative stagecraft that will leave you spellbound, this visually breathtaking experience is a “must-see” for families seeking an enchanting escape.

Best friends Claire and Dan make a drunken pact at university that comes back into focus ten years later when Claire asks Dan to become her sperm donor in Eggs Aren't That Easy to Make (30 March – 12 April). Written by Maria Telnikoff and directed by Lauren Tranter, this queer rom-com follows best friends Claire and Dan, who make a drunken pact at university that comes back into focus ten years later when Claire asks Dan to become her sperm donor. Presented by Big Sofa Theatre, Eggs Aren't That Easy to Make is a funny and heartfelt exploration of family, friendship and what it really takes to make life work.

From 7 April – 9 May, audiences are invited to an intimate and unusual dinner party in Ionesco/Dinner at the Smiths, where Mr. and Mrs. Smith request the pleasure of your company “at their home on the riverside of the Thames”. From the company behind French Toast, this absurdist theatrical experience asks guests to take a seat at — or around — the long table, meet unexpected visitors, and let them titillate your senses in a feast of surreal humour. 

Managed Approach (13 – 25 April) is a semi-verbatim play exploring the UK's first legalised red-light district in Holbeck, Leeds. Focusing on a mother and daughter whose opposing views mirror the community's divided response, the production interweaves verbatim interviews with sex workers to reveal the realities of modern sex work. Managed Approach has received five-star critical acclaim across its debut and 2025 Edinburgh Fringe run. The play functions as Coyle's love letter to her hometown and the strong Northern women who live there.

Szalony Zielony Bez / Green Wild Elderflower (14 – 19 April) is a vibrant musical journey following a woman from Warsaw in search of freedom and her dreams, navigating the colourful contrasts of the capitalist West and the grey, yet humorous, realities of communist Poland. The production weaves the iconic songs of Agnieszka Osiecka with poetry and sharp storytelling to explore migration, identity and belonging, reflecting the experiences of Poles who have built lives in the UK and beyond. Directed by Mateusz Mirek with musical direction by Jan Tabęcki, the show returns after sold-out London performances and a Boston festival run, earning five-star praise for its emotional energy and powerful vocals. Performed in Polish with English subtitles.

Player (11 – 31 May) from No Pictures Please is a sharp black-comedy written by Matthew Lyon that explores the trials and tribulations of the unemployed actor. Told through a series of soliloquies and skits, the play shines a light on the absurdities of life in the theatre, drawing stylistically from Lyon's Broken and nodding to Steven Berkoff's Actor. Player is a witty and inventive reflection on ambition, rejection, and the relentless cycle of auditioning.

From 12 – 24 May, Assata Taught Me returns in a revival of Kalungi Ssebandeke's award-nominated debut play. Set in 2016 Havana, the story follows 21-year-old Fanuco, who believes he has found a benevolent American teacher, only to discover she is Assata Shakur, former Black Panther and FBI's Most Wanted Woman. This gripping two-hander explores generational resistance, political legacy and how histories are reinterpreted across time.

Head of Programming Rhys Williamson said, We're excited to welcome spring with a programme that reflects the creativity and ambition of Riverside Studios. From bold new writing to inventive theatrical experiences, this season brings together experimental theatre, storytelling, and moments of humour. And there is lots more to come – watch this space!”