Unicorn Theatre unveils new season including landmark Bank of England collaboration

The Unicorn Theatre has announced an expansive new season to mark its 20th anniversary at its purpose-built home on Tooley Street.

The programme brings together new devised work, adaptations of acclaimed children’s literature and the return of several popular productions, underlining the venue’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading centres for theatre aimed at young audiences.

Among the first productions to open the celebratory season will be Pocket Money, an interactive show created by Nigel Barrett and Louise Mari. Designed for children aged seven and above, the piece explores themes of value, choice and financial responsibility through participatory storytelling. The project has been developed with support from the Bank of England and the Aberdeen Group Charitable Trust, with a substantial proportion of tickets priced at £3 as part of the theatre’s accessibility commitment.

Also returning to the venue is Home Song, created by Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong. A sensory performance work for babies and toddlers, the piece draws inspiration from journeys between Ghana and the UK, using music and movement to explore themes of home and identity.

For the festive period, the Unicorn will present Santa’s First Christmas, adapted from the picture book by Mac Barnett and Sydney Smith. The production represents the theatre’s first large-scale venture into dance theatre, with direction and choreography by James Cousins and an original score by Harry Blake.

The holiday season will also see the revival of Huddle, Filskit Theatre’s wordless family show following a colony of penguins. The new staging has been refreshed for its return engagement.

In early 2027, audiences can expect The Last Wild, a stage adaptation of Piers Torday’s environmental adventure novel. The production will be co-produced with the National Theatre before embarking on a national tour after its London run.

Running in repertory will be Creatures, a newly devised production for younger children combining puppetry, music and imaginative design to explore the natural world.

The anniversary programme concludes with The Magic Callaloo, a bold retelling of the Rapunzel story drawing on Caribbean folklore and histories of resistance and escape. The piece will be adapted by Trish Cooke and directed by Robin Belfield.

Beyond the stage programme, the Unicorn has also announced the launch of a new public events strand titled Critical Conversations, designed to encourage dialogue between artists, children and families. A fresh partnership with Imaginate, the organisation behind the Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, will further expand the theatre’s national and international reach.