WHAT'S ON at THE HOPE THEATRE
Concise and Easy to use
THE SWITCHBOARD PROJECT
September 2nd - 13th £10/£16/£18 7:45PM
“You know, it’s terrible that a woman should have to sit there and say ‘Gay Switchboard’. Why isn’t it ‘Lesbian and Gay Switchboard’?”
It’s 1985. Above a bookshop in King’s Cross, volunteers answer calls from across the country. There's been a vicious queer-bashing in Leeds, a young man in Bristol dreads his HIV test, and a breathless voice really wants to know what they're wearing. For Lou, Joan, Nana and Jackie, it’s just another shift. Battling phone line outages, understaffing, and vanishing pens, these four lesbians are determined to answer the call to connect their divided community.
‘The Switchboard Project’ is a new dramatic comedy that brings often-ignored stories out of the archive and onto the stage. Inspired by real phone calls and interviews with ex-Switchboard volunteers, this play celebrates the important role lesbians have played in gay liberation, battling the AIDS crisis, and building the queer community as we know it today.
Previous praise for ‘The Switchboard Project’ includes:
"The piece is alive, questioning and resonant [...] a highly polished one-hour production that goes by in an instant" (★ ★ ★ ★ ★, Theatre & Tonic)
THE SUPERMODEL IN THE CAFF
Tuesday 14th October 2025 - Saturday 18th October 2025
Nessa’s drinking a cuppa she probably can't afford.
ding-a-ling — someone walks into the caff. (That’s caff, not café.)
Wait, isn’t that...?
Emma Bentley’s latest solo show cracks open the heads of four women, wanting and questioning, whose search for comfort leads them to the fried embrace of the greasy spoon. Take a seat in the world of tea in white mugs and having a cheeky Kit Kat for breakfast pudding. This is the place you can show up how you like, whether that’s in your scruffiest hoodie or your Fred Perry queer armour.
Directed by Moses Gale (FAKE, Damien Nettles) and returning to London after a sold-out run, the supermodel in the caff is “bonkers, warm, relatable” — and a chance to people-watch without looking away.
LIFE WITH OSCAR
Sunday 5th October 2025 - Monday 6th October 2025
What would you do for an Oscar? Actor and filmmaker Nick Cohen relives his desperate Hollywood years.
Nick flees South London to live as a permanent guest on Sunset Boulevard with a double Oscar-winner, a man who worked regularly with Orson Welles, who promises to get Nick’s film nominated, provided he follows exact instructions...
Life with Oscar upends Hollywood in a confessional rollercoaster ride through its dark, twisted underbelly.
Life With Oscar comes to Islington for two night's only as part of its tour of the UK and USA, having previously performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, Arcola Theatre, Philadelphia Fringe and many more.
‘Nick Cohen is a theatrical and comedic genius… A one-man army… This is a must see.’ Broadway Baby ★★★★★
‘This autobiographical show will keep you laughing for 60 minutes straight’ The Broad Online ★★★★★
‘A very powerful and engaging piece of theatre… one that I would highly recommend.’ One4Review ★★★★
‘A poignant vision of the demands of economic value over artistic vision’ Varsity ★★★★
Running time: Approximately 60 minutes
Tuesday 21st October 2025 - Saturday 8th November 2025
In your darkest hour, what would you wish for?
In Edwardian London, newlyweds John and Jenny White set up home together. They look forward to a happy and prosperous life, their home echoing with the laughter of their children. As the years pass, things do not turn out the way they had hoped. Living in an isolated cottage on a pitch-black street, with a world war rumbling away in the background and the price of everything going through the roof, John and Jenny face the ravages of poverty and childlessness.One day, a mysterious, ancient object comes into their possession, a ghoulish talisman that seems to grant wishes. Could this be the remedy for all their troubles? Or is it something more sinister, with the power to plunge them into far deeper miseries?
Adapted from the macabre Edwardian ghost story by W. W. Jacobs, we bring you a re-imagining of The Monkey's Paw: a spine-tingling warning of the dangers of meddling with fate and a chilling reminder to be careful what you wish for.
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
