Peckham Fringe 2025 Announces Community-Curated Festival Programme Across Southwark

Theatre Peckham’s Ambitious Fringe Expands to Canada Water Theatre for Its Biggest Year Yet

Theatre Peckham has unveiled the full programme for Peckham Fringe 2025, running from 1 May to 6 June, with nearly 30 productions spanning theatre, dance, comedy, spoken word and immersive performance. Now in its fourth year, the festival continues its mission to remove barriers for emerging creatives and underrepresented voices, offering a vital platform for local and national artists to connect with new audiences.

This year marks a significant milestone for Peckham Fringe, as it expands beyond Theatre Peckham’s home venues to include performances at Canada Water Theatre, broadening the reach of this dynamic Southwark-based festival.

A Festival Rooted in Representation and Opportunity

Curated by Theatre Peckham’s community ambassador panel, the 2025 line-up is packed with bold, challenging and often genre-defying work. Highlights include:

• Reparations by Maryam Garad, a solo performance from the Tony Craze Award-winner exploring identity, obsession and social invisibility

• Hoodminster, a physical theatre piece imagining Britain’s first Black female Prime Minister

• Brains, a dark comedy set in a zombie apocalypse

• It’s Your Role, an interactive Dungeons & Dragons-inspired theatrical adventure

• The return of Brother’s Keeper by Selorm Adonu, combining spoken word and Krump dance in an immersive party atmosphere

Many shows tackle urgent themes, from gentrification and class to masculinity, mental health, immigration, and cultural identity—an intentional reflection of the diverse voices and lived experiences that shape the community.

A Proven Launchpad for New Talent

Peckham Fringe has become a trusted incubator for some of the UK’s most exciting emerging theatre-makers. Past productions such as NO ID by Tatenda Shamiso, Bangtail by Lil Wenker, and Sunny Side Up by David Alade have gone on to receive critical acclaim, awards, and transfers to venues including Soho Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe, and the Royal Court.

Acclaimed playwright Roy Williams OBE FRSL, who recently joined Theatre Peckham as a patron, praised the festival’s importance:

“Fringe festivals like Peckham Fringe are essential for nurturing talent and providing a platform for stories that reflect our rich cultural tapestry.”

Led by Community, Driven by Artists

The festival’s unique programming model—shaped by a local panel of cultural ambassadors—ensures its focus stays squarely on community engagement and creative risk-taking.

Suzann McLean MBE, Artistic Director and CEO of Theatre Peckham, said:

“Peckham Fringe is one of the annual highlights in our calendar. It’s a festival for creatives who have something to say and need the support to say it. Our doors are open to new artists, new stories, and new audiences.”

Theatre Peckham: A Home for Socially-Driven Creativity

Founded in 1986, Theatre Peckham is an award-winning venue known for blending artistic excellence with social change. Its productions engage hyper-local audiences while offering essential training and development opportunities for young people and marginalised communities. Patrons include Roy Williams OBE, John Boyega, Jenny Agutter OBE, and Dr. Paulette Randall MBE.

Peckham Fringe 2025 Listings at a Glance

• Dates: Thursday 1 May – Friday 6 June 2025

• Venues: Theatre Peckham (221 Havil Street, SE5 7SB) and Canada Water Theatre (21 Surrey Quays Rd, SE16 7AR)

• Tickets: £5–£15

• Booking: Via Theatre Peckham box office or website

• Transport: Nearest stations: Peckham Rye, Denmark Hill, Canada Water. Bus routes: 12, 36, 171, 345, 436

With a bold, eclectic programme and a commitment to amplifying voices from across South London and beyond, Peckham Fringe 2025 reaffirms itself as one of the most exciting, inclusive and vital platforms for contemporary theatre-making in the UK. Whether you're an artist, a local theatregoer, or a curious newcomer, there’s never been a better time to discover what’s happening on Southwark’s most creative stages.