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The Barbican has announced new programming take place in the Theatre and The Pit this autumn and winter. The schedule includes exceptional international work across both theatre and dance.

Following a successful summer launch with High Society and the upcoming Death Note, the Barbican’s upcoming programme will feature several prominent premieres from two of the most highly regarded auteurs in literature and dance, as well as a standout production at the 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.

Autmn/winter programme highlights include:

  • European premiere of Haruki Murakami’s End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland, as well as a rare appearance from Haruki Murakami in conversation with Simon McBurney
  • The London premiere of acclaimed Brazilian production Tom at the Farm
  • The UK premiere of Pam Tanowitz Dance’s Pastoral
  • The London premiere of Omar Rajeh’s Dance is Not for Us as part of Dance Umbrella 2026
  • The much-anticipated return of Engruna Teatre’s Univers in The Pit
  • Royal Shakespeare Company’s annual residency in the Barbican Theatre, including Hamlet Hail to the Thief with more to be announced soon

Haruki Murakami at the Barbican

Making its European premiere at the Barbican is End of the World and Hard-Boiled Wonderland, a new work directed by Philippe Decouflé. It is the adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s cult novel and will be performed in Japanese with English surtitles.

Set in a dystopian vision of Japan, the story follows the protagonist’s descent into a dark Tokyo underworld. The production stars Tatsuya Fujiwara (Battle Royale, Death Note), who made his international stage debut at the Barbican aged 15 in 1997.

Murakami is set to make a special and rare in-person appearance, reading aloud from his book The City and Its Uncertain Walls and appearing in conversation with actor and theatre-maker Simon McBurney.

Radiohead and the RSC at the Barbican

Also announced as part of programming is the Royal Shakespeare Company’s annual winter residency at the Barbican. Details on the full program are under wraps, but it was announced last week that Hamlet Hail to the Thief would premiere at the Barbican in October.

This dynamic new version of Hamlet aligns Shakespeare’s words are with Radiohead’s celebrated album Hail to the Thief, in collaboration with Thom Yorke, Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett. Hamlet Hail to the Thief was produced at the RSC last year and played to sold out houses.

An Edinburgh Fringe premiere in London

Making its London premiere as part of the autumn winter season is psychological thriller Tom at the Farm, fresh off a highly successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last summer.

The play follows a young man who attends his boyfriend’s funeral, only to discover that the family knew nothing about either their relationship or his sexuality. Based on a 2011 play by Michel Marc Bouchard, this new work has been translated from Québécois into Portuguese and reimagined through a Brazilian lens.

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Main photo: Pam Tanowitz's 'Pastoral.' Photo by Maria Baranova

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