Dominic Cooke Unveils Ambitious Debut Season at the Almeida Theatre

Dominic Cooke, former artistic director of the Royal Court Theatre, has announced his debut programming season at the Almeida Theatre in Islington, covering 2027 and into early 2028. The slate opens in January 2027 with 'Three and a Bit', an anthology of short plays by the 88-year-old playwright Caryl Churchill, directed by James Macdonald. From March to May 2027 the theatre presents Alexander Zeldin's 'Inequalities Trilogy', a landmark three-play cycle about austerity-era England, staged in repertory so audiences can attend all three. June to July 2027 sees Cooke himself direct 'Musculus', a dark comedy by Jamie Bogyo about a modern couple defying gender norms. August and September 2027 bring 'The Right Woman', Chris Bush's drama about Labour's first female prime minister, with an innovative structure in which audience votes determine which of two alternate second halves is performed. October to November 2027 presents Athol Fugard's 'The Island', directed by associate director Ola Ince. December 2027 to January 2028 brings Terence Rattigan's 'The Winslow Boy' in an experimental production. The season closes in early 2028 with John Osborne's 1957 satire 'The Entertainer', starring David Tennant as a washed-up vaudeville performer. Cooke framed the season as an exploration of British society under pressure, with ambition to reach new audiences while honouring the Almeida's experimental tradition.