The Yard Theatre has revealed the first season of productions for its new permanent home in Hackney Wick, featuring a revival of for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf and a reimagined King Lear starring Ian McKellen. The six-show line-up runs from July 2026 to April 2027, signalling a major new chapter for the east London venue.

The Yard Theatre, originally opened in 2011 in a converted warehouse, has been rebuilt on the same site with a new design by Takero Shimazaki Architects. The new venue includes a 220-seat auditorium, expanded backstage and rehearsal facilities, a dedicated artist development space, and sustainable features such as reused brickwork and a natural ventilation chimney.

Artistic director Jay Miller described the redevelopment as an evolution rather than a revolution, aiming to retain what worked in the old building while making it better. Miller acknowledged the original theatre “reached the conclusion of its lifespan” and was “not particularly fit for purpose in lots of ways,” but emphasised its strong emotional connection to audiences.

The opening production is Philosophy of the World by award-winning company In Bed With My Brother, running from 14 to 25 July 2026. The show explores the story of outsider band The Shaggs and follows its initial run at the Edinburgh Fringe.

From 20 July to 1 August 2026, Malmö Stadsteater will stage the London premiere of The World Is Full of Married Men, an adaptation of Jackie Collins’s debut novel. The production uses dolls and dollhouses to depict ambition, sex, and power in 1960s London, described by Miller as a “gorgeous puppet show” featuring “adapted Barbie dolls” in a performance that is “funny,” “violent,” and “incredibly sexy.”

The season’s highlight includes a new production of Ntozake Shange’s for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf, directed by Diane Page with original music by Jammz. Running from 2 September to 3 October 2026, the revival commemorates the choreopoem’s 50th anniversary with accompanying talks, screenings, and events.

Winter 2026 will see a reimagining of King Lear, adapted by Simon Stephens and Miller, with Ian McKellen returning to take on the title role. Following that, January 2027 will feature Troy Hunter’s playwriting debut There’s Something About Adam Black, directed by Tatenda Shamiso, which explores themes of hookups and unresolved trauma.

The season closes with an adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs Dalloway by Holly Robinson, directed by Anna Himali Howard, running from 10 March to 10 April 2027.

Alongside the season announcement, The Yard appointed writer Dipo Baruwa-Etti as new work associate to oversee commissioning and artist development. Miller stressed that the new venue aims to remain one of the “most exciting engine rooms in the UK for creating new work,” while growing without losing the qualities that have defined The Yard over 15 years.

With the new building handed over shortly, Miller expressed the “huge responsibility” to recreate the memorable experiences in a space now three times larger. Tickets go on sale to members from 21 May, with public bookings from 28 May. Ticket details for King Lear will be confirmed later.