Young, Gifted & Black 2026 | Full Listings
Young, Gifted & Black is an annual season celebrating young Black British brilliance on stage at Theatre Peckham and Canada Water Theatre. It is a platform for powerful, personal and political work that reflects the richness of Black British life and culture.
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.
As we celebrate 40 years of being the place where talent meets opportunity, Theatre Peckham platforms the voices of today. Young, Gifted & Black honours the communities that have shaped Black British life while championing the artists who will shape its future.
Your Stage. Your Story. Your Theatre Peckham.
#TP40 #YGB26
Shows
Week 1
1st October – 4th October
A Young Peckham Production
Written by Lorraine Adeyefa
Written by Munashe Danga
Week 2
5th October – 11th October
Created by Ryan Dre Sinclair
Written by Nana Adjoa Baidoe-Ansah
Written by Joy Kirigo
Week 3
12th October – 18th October
Written by Kyra April
Created by Martin Edwards & Actively SeeK.I.N.G.
Created by Theatre Peckham, Manchester Metropolitan University & Words of Colour
Week 4
19th October – 25th October
Written by Mo Korede
Produced by Imagiphoria Productions
Written by Tobi King Bakare
Week 5
26th October – 30th October
Created by Poetic Unity & Theatre Peckham
Produced by Legacy in Motion
Full Listings
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A Young Peckham Production
1st – 3rd October
Theatre Peckham
Set during Notting Hill Carnival season, this Young Peckham Production reimagines the Shakespearean classic with an unapologetic Black British lens. The production fuses the classical text with modern MLE, celebrating Black art, cultural authenticity, and the full, multifaceted brilliance of the talented cohort. It empowers young Black creatives to own classical stories on their own terms.
Her and the Voice in Her Head
Written by Lorraine Adeyefa
2nd – 3rd October
Studio 1, Theatre Peckham
Her and the Voice in Her Head is a solo performance following a woman in her mid-20s, known only as “Her,” in the aftermath of a recently ended situationship. Set in the emotional comedown of that relationship, the piece draws the audience into her internal world as she cycles through heartbreak, self-doubt, memory, and the first fragile steps toward healing.
A Collection of Conversations
Written by Munashe Danga
2nd – 3rd October
Canada Water Theatre
A Collection of Conversations follows the lives of three young Black women whilst at university. Through late-night conversations, laughter, disagreements, confessions and moments of vulnerability, they navigate friendship, identity, ambition, relationships and the uncertainty of becoming adults. A Collection of Conversations is a funny and heartwarming piece that highlights the beauty of Black sisterhood.
No Photos
Created by Ryan Dre Sinclair
8th – 9th October
Studio 1, Theatre Peckham
No Photos is a spoken word show that explores social anxiety, self-image, and visibility through the lens of a man who never wants to be in the picture. Rooted in humour, rhyme, and storytelling, the show explores the inner life of a young man who avoids the camera at all costs. What starts as social anxiety slowly opens out into an exploration of memory, identity, masculinity, and what we inherit from the generations before us.
Greener Pastures
Written by Nana Adjoa Baidoe-Ansah
8th – 9th October
Canada Water Theatre
When Kukuwa arrives in 1980s London from a privileged life in Ghana, she expects a new life filled with opportunity. But she soon realises that London is not quite what her sister had written about in her letters. As Kukuwa finds her own voice and begins to challenge the life she has been told to accept, her sister Efua is forced to confront how much of herself she has lost trying to survive.
X Marks the Spot
Written by Joy Kirigo
10th – 11th October
Canada Water Theatre
X Marks the Spot tells the story of a teenage graffiti artist on the run from the police, who suffers a head injury that leaves him with memory loss. As he retraces his steps through the now-gentrified Elephant and Castle, he is forced to confront what remains of a place being erased around him – and whether home is a building, a community, or something carried within us.
In My Head
Written by Kyra April
15th – 16th October
Canada Water Theatre
In My Head is a powerful psychological play exploring the hidden thoughts that shape our lives. Through raw storytelling, dynamic movement and deeply human characters, it examines identity, trauma, love and resilience. Challenging perceptions of mental health, the production invites audiences to confront what often remains unspoken and unseen.
Don’t Write Me Off
Created by Martin Edwards & Actively SeeK.I.N.G.
16th October
Theatre Peckham
Don’t Write Me Off is an interactive forum theatre play for young people aged 13+ following Jubal, a Black teenager from London who dreams of becoming a professional musician and entrepreneur. Through Jubal’s story, the play explores the pressures young people can face at home, at school and among their peers. Will others recognise his potential and give him support he needs, or will his peers, teachers and parents write him off and let him down?
The Alex Wheatle Witness Writing Project – Script Sharing
Created by Theatre Peckham, Manchester Metropolitan University & Words of Colour
17th October
Canada Water Theatre
Ten writers. Ten original stories. One dynamic evening of new writing. A sharing celebrating Young Black voices and the stories they bring to the stage. Developed through an intensive programme led by Roy Alexander Weise and guest playwright Roy Williams, ten writers have created brand new scripts that explore contemporary experience. For one night only, extracts from each writer’s work will be performed by Theatre Peckham’s Young Peckham actors, offering audiences an exclusive first look at a new generation of playwrights.
In Her Eyes I’m A Good Man
Written by Mo Korede, Produced by Imagiphoria Productions
21st – 23rd October
Theatre Peckham
In Her Eyes I’m a Good Man is a moving and hilarious exploration of friendship, love and growing up. As lifelong best friends navigate relationships, heartbreak, and expectations, they discover what it really means to stand by someone. Blending sharp humour, party culture, numerous DJ sets and contemporary Black British culture, this coming-of-age story explores loyalty, healing and the courage it takes to choose the people who truly see you.
Before I Go: Marcel
Written by Tobi King Bakare
25th October
Theatre Peckham
Marcel is offered a way out of a life sentence for a crime he did not commit – but it involves snitching. He struggles to decide between his family and community. This battle takes him down a journey of unpacking and self discovery. The show playfully jumps between verse and prose, and runs with a live band that guides the audience through the rhythmic language. It is an exposing, electric and provocative play that speaks to our community values. This production is a powerful prequel to Tobi King Bakare’s hit show ‘Before I Go’.
Poetry Foyer – Young, Gifted & Black 2026
Created by Poetic Unity & Theatre Peckham
29th October
Foyer, Theatre Peckham
Poetry Foyer is a monthly spoken word event that celebrates the powerful voices of emerging talent. As our community comes together for Black History Month, join us for a joyful gathering of Black brilliance as part of Young, Gifted and Black 2026. Join us as we honour legacy, uplift each other, and celebrate a future full of promise through words and rhythm. Open mic sign-up is available on the door.
Legacy After Dark
Produced by Legacy in Motion
30th October
Theatre Peckham
Legacy After Dark is a flagship talent showcase produced by Legacy in Motion, led by Shakeil Edwards and Tyrese Walters. The event is hosted by Wall of Entertainment member Steph not Steve. Celebrating talented young Black artists across London, the event showcases singing, rap, dance, and spoken word, providing a professional platform to build confidence, gain exposure, and connect with audiences while championing the next generation of creative talent.
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