Bush Theatre announces further shows as part of 2026 season

Sweetmeats and Heart Wall will run in the Bush Theatre's main space, the Holloway Theatre, in 2026. The announced productions are the last to be programmed by outgoing Artistic Director Lynette Linton.

Summary

• The final productions commissioned by the Bush's outgoing Artistic Director Lynette Linton have been revealed
• Sweetmeats and Heart Wall will play in the venue's main Holloway Theatre
• Farah Najib makes her Bush Theatre debut with Maggots in the Studio

The Bush Theatre has announced more shows as part of its 2026 season. They are the last productions to be programmed by the venue's outgoing Artistic Director Lynette Linton.

Sweetmeats, a collaboration between the Bush and Tara Theatre, will head to the theatre's main house, the Holloway Theatre from 7 February to 21 March 2026. Karim Khan's play is described as "an intimate love story between two South Asian elders" and will be directed by Tara Theatre’s Artistic Director Natasha Kathi-Chandra, as part of her inaugural season.

Also in the Holloway Theatre is Heart Wall by Bush Writer’s Group alumnus Kit Withington. The production will be a tender exploration of the long tail of grief and the fickleness of memory. It will be directed by Bush Theatre Associate Director Katie Greenall, and will run from 7 April – 16 May 2026.

In the Bush Theatre’s Studio, Farah Najib makes her Bush Theatre debut with Maggots, a play that explores the importance of human connection and questions what it really takes to build community. It will run from 27 January to 28 February 2026. I’m Not Being Funny by Piers Black, a new play about hope, endings, and how to survive if a knock-knock joke hits you in the gut will then run from 7 May to 6 June 2026. It will be directed by Traverse Theatre Associate Artist Bryony Shanahan.

Taio Lawson, the Bush Theatre’s Artistic Director, said: "It is an honour to oversee the rest of Lynette’s programming. It feels more important than ever that the Bush continues its proud tradition of finding, developing, and platforming writers and practitioners who strive to create resonant and affecting experiences for our audiences. I’m excited that we’re partnering with some fantastic companies and producers to introduce theatregoers to stories they will be thinking about, long after the performance ends."

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Photo credit: Artwork for I'm Not Being Funny. (Courtesy of production)