Alphabetti Theatre announces Spring Season and new  artist development focus ahead of 2027 relaunch 

Alphabetti Theatre – Newcastle’s award-winning home for fringe performance, artist  development and creative community – today announces its Spring 2026 season,  alongside plans for a shift in programming focus and relaunch in early 2027.

The Spring season showcases the venue’s distinctive blend of new writing, comedy, emerging talent and creative experimentation. Then, from June onwards, Alphabetti will  temporarily reshape its programme to prioritise artist development, regional voices and  experimentation, deepening its support for freelance creatives across the North East.

This transitional period will build towards a full relaunch in early 2027, when Artistic Director Edward Cole will look to write a new chapter in the organisation’s story – inspired by the North East’s creative community.

In a statement, Cole writes: Since arriving at Alphabetti 18 months ago I’ve been guiding the organisation through a  period of thoughtful transition, working alongside our staff and trustees to consider the  best path forward for Betti, and more importantly, for the artists who rely on us.

It has always been my ambition to reimagine and revitalise what fringe theatre can be, and for Alphabetti that will mean a renewed and direct focus on opportunities for artists,  genuine creative nurturing and dedicated idea development.

Spring Season Highlights 

The forthcoming Spring 2026 season is packed with local talent bringing their shows to the Alphabetti stage, with familiar faces, new stories, award-winning comedians and  even the odd Viking invasion sprinkled throughout. 

Headliners

From 5th – 7th March we welcome Our Little Hour, an exciting new musical from Live Wire Theatre in association with Show Racism the Red Card, telling the story of Walter Tull – the first black footballer to play to the highest level and the first non-white British  officer to fight in WW1.

From 29th April – 2nd May, we’re over the moon to be hosting Heaton’s own Sam Macgregor with his brilliant new play, Hold the Line. Following up on Sam’s debut hit Truly, Madly, Baldy; Hold the Line puts us in the middle of an NHS 111 call centre,  untangling the story on both sides of the phone line. 

Other Theatre 

Other theatre highlights include Fixing (27^th – 28^th February) returning to our stage after debuting at Alphabetti Theatre in 2024; Jorvik (19^th – 20^th March), which uses the Viking  sagas to explore the modern day, and Post Traumatic Slay Disorder (22^nd – 23^rd April) – where we welcome Offie-nominated local performer and writer Lois-Amber Tool.  

Works in Progress 

Alphabetti Theatre is providing artist support, rehearsal space and stage time to new ideas in development through its Work in Progress offer, with this Spring season featuring Rhian Jade’s The Whetherman (21^st February), exploring themes of queer  culture.

InterAct Festival 

Alphabetti is delighted to be hosting The Northern School of Art as they present InterAct Festival 2026, with students from BA Acting for Stage & Screen performing Black Teeth and a Brilliant Smile (18^th February), My Mother’s Funeral: The Show (26^th February), and Joseph K (18^th March). 

Comedy 

Award-winning comedians are bookending this season; Sam Nicoresti: Baby Doomer (27^th February) and Ayoade Bamgboye: Swings and Roundabouts (22^nd May). 

Creative Community Opportunities 

Common Thread and Writing Group return for their second year with a new monthly offering of guest-artist led workshops. Meanwhile a new partnership with Live Theatre  introduces a monthly play reading group, Reading Room.

Reimagining Alphabetti Theatre: June – early 2027 

June 2026 will mark Edward Cole’s second year as Alphabetti Theatre’s new Artistic Director. After taking the reigns from founder Ali Pritchard, Cole spoke of taking the organisation through a period of transition, and with this latest announcement, has stated: That transitional period is now approaching its most exciting phase as we move from  imagining the next chapter for Alphabetti, to making it real’. 

From June 2026 until early 2027, Alphabetti will be increasing its offer for artists to experiment and create, while also taking the time to reflect and develop as an organisation ahead of their major 2027 reset. Throughout this period the theatre will be  hosting a series of open houses, conversations and planning events asking audiences  and artists to lend their voices to the future of this organisation. The first of these  events, Story Board, takes place on the 15^th April, and details will be available soon via Alphabetti’s website, mailing list and channels.  

About Alphabetti Theatre 

Alphabetti Theatre is an award-winning, artist-led fringe performance venue in Newcastle upon Tyne. The theatre supports early-career and established artists to  develop and present new work and is committed to making theatre accessible to  audiences and creatives regardless of financial background. 

In 2023, Alphabetti was named Best Cultural Venue at the North East Culture Awards and Fringe Theatre of the Year at The Stage Awards, becoming the first venue outside London to receive the national fringe award. 

Alphabetti would like to acknowledge the support of all their funders, and remain especially thankful to the Backstage Trust.

For further information, please visit here.