Performing at Pleasance London

Pleasance Islington is currently home to two operational performance spaces, our newly configured Mainhouse (199 capacity with cabaret style seating),  and The Studio (54 seats) for WIP comedy. The Studio is also available to hire for daytime rehearsals and R&D weeks.

At the Pleasance Islington we strive to present a rich and varied programme of quality work, with a clear emphasis on original voices and compelling stories. Our programme is curated by the Theatre and Comedy teams to ensure we bring the spirit of Edinburgh Fringe to audiences all year round.

In the Main House we focus on presenting the best touring theatre, as well as inventive new productions of musicals and plays. As our venue is Cabaret-seating with drinks service throughout, we look for production that explore different relationships between the audience and the stage. It is not a standard black box stage. We also host performances by some of the biggest names in comedy! Main House run lengths vary project to project, and we are looking to receive ambitious, original work with a wide appeal, with the majority fo work being programmed on a 3-week basis, with select slots for one-off shows and performances.

Please note that the Pleasance Theatre Trust is an unfunded charity and we are rarely able to operate as a producing house - as such we are not currently considering proposals based on the Pleasance acting as sole or co-producer. This means we are also unable to accept unsolicited script submissions.

The Studio was set up to provide an affordable and flexible platform for the comedy talent of the future. During the evenings we programme WIP comedy as part of annual seaons and during the day, this space is primarily an R&D and rehearsal space.

Programming Seasons:

For our Theatre Programme, we work on the basis of two Seasons: from January to June each year we are prioritising programming new work by the best emerging and established UK and international theatre makers! Programming decisions for this Season occur July - October (the year prior), although we welcome programming conversations all-year-round.

Our next Season runs October to December, where we bring back the best work, across all genres, from the latest Edinburgh Fringe Festival, as well as our annual Christmas show. Programming for this season takes place during and immediately after the Fringe in August for Fringe transfers.

For our Comedy Programme, it is more fluid, including key Work In Progress (WIP), Edinburgh Preview Seasons and events through-out the year.

If you would like to perform with us at the Pleasance Islington we will need you to provide us with the following information:

- The show you're proposing - treatment or synopsis/script or video/DVD if possible

- A bit about your company - who you are/why this show and review pack if possible

- The dates you're looking for

- The length of run you're looking for

- Which theatre you're interested in

- The (estimated) running time of the show

- The (estimated) size of the cast

- Technical requirements (as known/anticipated)

Once we receive this material we will see what the possibilities are and get back in touch.

Should you wish to find out more or to tell us about your show please contact Nic Connaughton (Head of Theatre) - [email protected] or Ryan Taylor (Head of Comedy) - [email protected] or call on 020 7619 6868.

Rehearsal Bookings

The Studio is available to hire for daytime rehearsals and R&D weeks.

For rehearsal enquiries, please contact Greta Mitchell - [email protected] with your availability.