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Stratford East

A buzzing community theatre with an impressive history.
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  • Stratford
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Time Out says

Talk about having a lot to live up to: in the '50s and '60s Theatre Royal Stratford East was arguably the most influential theatre in London, thanks to the presence of the visionary Joan Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop.

These days, its output tends to send fewer shockwaves around the world. But the theatre, now known only as Stratford East, still has a lively and diverse programme with a breadth and eclecticism somewhat comparable to the National Theatre’s.  

Artistic Director Lisa Spirling (formerly of the small but influential Theatre 503) took over in 2025 and has already started to make waves with a revival of Choir Boy by playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney (probably best known for his hit film Moonlight) and US playwright Moisés Kaufman's Pulitzer-nominated docudrama Here There are Blueberries. Her own directorial debut comes later in the year with Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy, the newest play from playwright of the moment Ava Pickett.

Details

Address
Gerry Raffles Square
Stratford
London
E15 1BN
Transport:
Rail: Stratford International; Tube/DLR: Stratford
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What’s on

Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy

Combining two of 2026’s hottest trends – the aftermath of the Trojan War and the playwright Ava Pickett – Bloodsport is a follow-up to the Iliad that sees Helen come home from battle and immediately reopen old wound with her old friend Cee, who seems less than happy she’s returned. Pickett’s first play to be staged in London since the sell out West End run of her smash debut 1536, it’s not quite clear if the play will be a period drama (like its predecessor) or a more modern take on the story – the contemporary costumes in the publicity photos suggest the latter. Starring Michelle Dockery and Laura Aikman, we can at the very least expect it to be fresh, feminist and fiery.
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