Croydonites Festival of New Theatre

Championing bold new work with roots in Croydon, Croydonites Festival of New Theatre returns for its 12th year in November with its most ambitious programme to date. Hot off the heels of the highly successful Croydonites Fringe Festival in July 2026 and bringing together award-winning Edinburgh hits, theatre, comedy, new writing and film alongside homegrown talent from across the borough, the festival continues its mission to nurture local artists while bringing some of the most exciting new performances from across the UK to Croydon audiences.

The festival will open with Hannah Maxwell’s 2026 Fringe First award-winning Turn Your F*cking Phones Off, a timely exploration of human connection in the information age. Other theatre highlights include the critically acclaimed Man or Bear, inspired by the viral question to shine a light on female survival in an increasingly dangerous world. Fringe legend Victoria Melody will join the festival for the first time with her crucial show about food poverty, Trouble Struggle Bubble and Squeak while Edinburgh stalwart James Rowland returns with Fringe hit Team Viking.

The programme also includes showcases from the Croydonites’ commissioning pathways, designed to give local creatives the opportunity to develop an idea from its earliest stages.