WHAT'S ON at THE HOPE THEATRE
Concise and Easy to use
PISS GIRLS
1st - 5th July, 7:45PM, £10/£16/£18
In the grimy stalls of school bathrooms, Faye and Gemma’s friendship is born—messy, electric, and unshakeable. From their first meeting, the loos become their refuge: a place where secrets spill, hearts break, and the chaos of growing up plays out, one flush at a time. As the years pass, their bond is tested by the push and pull of adolescence, where growing up sometimes means growing apart.
Told through snapshot meetings in bathrooms over several years, Piss Girls is an unsanitary story of friendship, secrets and what it means to be human. After a sellout run in 2024 at Edinburgh Fringe Festival and a sold out night at The Troubadour, Brooke McCloy and Samantha Dilena’s debut play returns to London, ready to delve into the highs and lows of young identity and self-discovery all over again.
‘A must for anyone who’s ever had a weepy reconciliation in a bathroom – or anyone who might still yet have an old friend they want to find their way back to’ - Theatre Weekly ★★★★
NIGHT FALLS ON BURMA
6th - 7th July
7:45PM
£10/£16/£18
Can love come out of hell?
Thrown together in one of the most horrific theatre's of war in human history, three very different young soldiers must bond to ensure the success of the military machine they are part of. If their bonds become closer than expected is it a weakness or a strength?
In a world where many of the freedoms we take for granted are under threat, Night Falls On Burma tells the stories of the people who sacrifices to win those freedoms are seldom celebrated in the official version of history. To mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War Two, writer Paul Stone has researched the experiences of the Indian army and queer soldiers to celebrate our shared history.
BIG SHOES
8th - 12th July
7:45PM
£10/£16/£18
"Is it weird wearing a dead man's nose?"
Two brothers went into comedy, like their absent father before them. Now dad, like their dream of a double act, is dead. If humour can get them through the funeral, it’ll get them through anything – but dad’s shadow stretches further than either brother anticipated.
Weaving theatre with live comedy, Big Shoes is a tender new play about family, community, legacy, and the cost of reconciling with the things that cause us pain.
“Are you proud of me?
You don’t really think about it, do you?”
Longlisted for the Theatre503 International Playwriting Award.
HANGOVER SQUARE
14th & 19th July 7.45pm
£10/£12
20th July 3pm
Based on the novel by Patrick Hamilton
“Click!
Hello. Here it is again…”
London, 1939. George Harvey Bone returns to his boarding house after Christmas, determined that this year he will sort himself out, get back on his feet. Perhaps he’ll finally be able to forget Netta Longdon. Or perhaps he’ll finally be able to get Netta Longdon. If he can just get his head straight… if he can just stop that click…
A new musical adapted from the novel by Patrick Hamilton, Hangover Square follows George in his hopeless infatuation with the cold, unobtainable Netta. As he fights against loneliness, alcoholism, and the unflinching march of the world towards war, can anything put a stop to George’s spiral into darkness?
Subtitled A Tale of Darkest Earls Court, Hangover Square peers into the murky depths of what it is to be human and at war with oneself, whilst exploring the bars, pubs, hostelries, and characters inhabiting the seedy London underworld at the very moment the world as we knew it changed forever.
This rehearsed reading will feature the new and original big band score and the full script. Be part of the show’s development and support new British musicals!
DO ASTRONAUTS MASTURBATE IN SPACE?
15th & 16th July 7.45pm
£10/£12
In a dystopian Britain, reeling from overpopulation, a law called the ‘Parental Act’ requires all couples to apply for a license or ‘Stork Card’ to have children. In this world we follow young, infectiously charming couple Lily and Gareth, who after falling pregnant, are required to attend a ‘Retreat’ where their competency as potential caregivers will be scrutinised. The stakes are high, failing the retreat means forced abortion. Madly, deeply in love, these two are caught off guard by the pregnancy but think the whole process will be a walk in the park.
However, once there, things take a sharp turn. Lily and Gareth discover hidden truths about each other, putting their relationship into question. Over the course of the play they are systematically unravelled by a group of scrupulous social workers and psychologists mandated to determine who is granted the right to a child, and who isn’t. Forever changed and clinging on to their past naivety, their future and life of their baby is left unclear.
I DIDN'T KNOW I WAS POLISH
14th & 19th July 7.45pm
£10/£12
In the city of light, the truth quickly comes into focus.
Kaitlyn has spent the past two years soaking in the magic of Paris - but time is running out. A twist of fate reveals that her grandfather might be the key to extending her stay. As Kaitlyn uncovers an almost-forgotten piece of her family’s history, she learns that borders and identity are not what she had imagined. Will her newfound heritage provide the answers, or is true belonging deeper than native soil?
This Offie-nominated show blends fast-paced comedy with gut-wrenching revelations about borders, self-worth, and what it means to come from somewhere you’ve never been.
Kaitlyn Kelly is a Canadian actor and writer. She holds a BFA in Acting from the University of Windsor and trained with the former SITI Company in New York City. In Paris, she hosted the Spoken Word Scratch Night—a zany cabaret blending music, poetry, stand-up, and sketch—where “I Didn’t Know I Was Polish” was born. As a tour guide, she led over 250 immersive tours of the Paris Catacombs, charming audiences with bone-deep historical insight and shameless puns. Her most recent written work was featured live at the True Story London event at 21Soho.
Running time: Approximately 60 minutes
113
24th & 25th July 7.45pm
£10/£16/£18
No Name. No memory. No Identity. Where to begin?
49 and 64 are in the room. They cannot see each other but they can talk and pass notes. All they
have is questions, wedding veils and dog tags. Who are they? Where are they? What is going on?
And why? And who is J Doe? And why are they watching them?
64 has been there as long as they can remember. So has 49 - but they have seemingly been there
far longer than 64. Over the course of their time together the two do everything they can to
recall, rebuild and reshape their lives. All the while, J Doe appears to them as everything they
can think of and far, far more.
113 focuses in on the ideas of identity and memory. It asks if memory is what makes our identity,
and if we were able to see ourselves objectively, could we change?
An ambitious piece of new writing, it has been shortlisted for Best Play at the University of Oxford New Writing Festival
and has been selected for the National Student Drama Festival.
TOP SHAGGER WIP
26 - 27 July
“You made your mind up when you first saw me.”
The three B’s: Birds, Booze and Basingstoke… (these voicemails can fuck off though).
Join us as we follow Jack, a personal trainer known to his mates as a “top shagger.” His life revolves around gym sessions, nights out, scraps, and increasing his “body count.”.
One night, Jack meets Alarna. An awkward but tender night follows, and Jack finds himself caught off guard by unexpected feelings and he’s forced to confront the emotional walls he’s built.
Alongside the whirlwind chaos of his friendships, rollercoaster romances, and the influence of hyper-masculine figures; letters, emails and voicemails left unanswered are piling up… Behind the banter and bravado, Jack is now forced to confront something much darker.
SIDE QUEST
£10/£12
7:45PM
3rd August
A hilarious fantasy tale where you choose the adventure!
Come merry folk from yonder to craft an original tale with aid from your 'Story Master' and a sprinkle of imagination. Fill in a character sheet, then watch your creations spring to life as they embark on an epic quest… or go way off track. Will they fight a dragon? Save a village of pixies? Or get stuck in a dungeon and eat their shoes? Anything can happen! Your characters, your locations, their fate is in your hands. Come and roll the dice. A fantasy fun filled show for all.
The Dirty 20 are a theatrical comedy group based in Sheffield. A band of improvisers, comedians, musicians and actors. They have been performing together in various shows for over 5 years.
Their latest and most successful show is Side Quest. It is the brainchild of Terri Silver. A comedian and writer who plays the role of the story master. A narrator and helpful guide for the audience, who is a hilarious character themselves. The unscripted show immediately became popular in Sheffield and they soon began performing sell out shows across Yorkshire. A combination of fantasy, tabletop roleplay games and an improvised narrative comedy show.
Before the show, audiences fill out character sheets which the performers then embody. These costumed, larger than life characters then go on a unique journey. The audience gets to control the direction of the story in the style of a 'choose your own adventure'. We have a giant dice for people to roll to determine the outcome of the protagonist's decisions and the very fate of the story. Side Quest has struck a chord with people as they indulge in this whimsical journey of silliness. They are now touring around the UK and have played gaming conventions and festivals.
Side Quest brings in people of all backgrounds and the introverted out of their caves. If you love RPG’s and fantasy then this will not disappoint, but the silliness of Side Quest is infectious to everyone.
The Dream Machine (Monthly Sunday/Monday)
Making your dreams come true…
Welcome to The Dream Machine – Make It Beautiful’s unique, long-form improvisation show, based around audience members’ dreams. This isn’t just a show, it’s an experience of the mind. The Dreamers will build a world full of crazy characters, odd challenges, and heart-warming stories. From one audience member’s dream, comes an entire production.
This hit improv show has had successful runs at many UK theatres, including: the White Bear, the Space, Trestle Arts Base, the Cockpit, the Garage Norwich, the Maltings Theatre St Albans, the OSO Arts Centre and the Golden Goose.
“The Hope are proud to have Make It Beautiful as one of our new associate companies and we can’t wait to see what they get up to each month!” – Laurel & Toby, joint Artistic Directors at The Hope
