Latest News & Opportunities
Albatross workshops coming up
February 17th 2026: The first of our Albatross workshops hit the road next week, with one at the University of Suffolk and one in Thomas Gainsborough School, Sudbury. Director Patrick Morris will take students through the process of exploring BIG questions in small spaces.
And coming up, we’ll be announcing the cast and creative team behind the production - keep an eye out!
New Production for 2026 - Albatross by Martha Loader
December 19th 2025: The dates are booked, the venues are confirmed, and we’re good to go! Menagerie will tour Martha Loader’s new play, Albatross, for 4 weeks, opening April 28th at Colchester Mercury Theatre. Albatross takes us to the very boundaries of love in the age of climate catastrophe, asking the fundamental question: what does one generation owe the next? Taking in venues all over the East of England, before a week at London’s Omnibus Theatre, it’s the latest work by this award-winning writer and we’re so proud to be producing it. Full tour dates HERE
Martha Loader wins George Devine Award
December 12th 2025: We’re delighted to share the news that Martha Loader, writer of our upcoming production, Albatross, has just been announced as the Winner of the George Devine Award 2025. The award is for her play ‘The Town’ and is given each year to a promising playwright. Congratulations Martha!
Albatross - Development time at UEA
November 8th 2025: We’ve been recent guests at the University of East Anglia (UEA), developing our next production, Albatross, by Martha Loader. Thanks to the efforts of Steve Waters - Professor of Scriptwriting at UEA - we were in residence there in early November.
With the stellar cast of Caroline Rippin, Agnes Lillis and Mike Bernadin, we presented a reading of the latest draft to an invited audience of students, staff and folk from Norfolk & Norwich Festival. The tour dates are now out, so head to our Productions page for full info about where you can catch Albatross during April and May 2026.
Menagerie Young Writer Alumnus, Emma Jo Pallet, wins UK Theatre Award for Best New Play!
Emma’s play Flumps, produced by and staged at the Mercury Theatre, Colchester (in association with The Thelmas) this past June, won the UK Theatre Award for Best New Play.
Flumps is a dark comedy following two siblings who have been abandoned in their caravan home for the summer holidays, hatching an unconventional plan to survive.
Emma was on the Menagerie Young Writers’ Workshop in 2024, during which she developed a play titled Soliders Don’t Tell.
Emma pictured during her time on the Young Writers’ Workshop, 2024.
Menagerie Young Writer Alumnus, Daisy Miles, wins a Bruntwood Prize!
Daisy was awarded the North West Original New Voice for her first ever full length play, R Lady’s. For this, she was awarded a £10,000 prize, along with an additional £10,000 fund dedicated to her professional development at the Royal Exchange Theatre during a 12-month residency.
A massive congratulations to Daisy, who is Menagerie’s second Young Writer alumnus to win a Bruntwood Prize (following Martha Loader winning the Judges Award in 2022 for her play Bindweed). Find out more about Daisy’s play, R Lady’s, and the rest of the shortlisted plays, on the Bruntwood website.
Daisy, pictured second from the right, holding her award.
Menagerie needs YOU! Be part of our Archive Project.
2025 officially marks 25 years of Menagerie theatre and we want you to help us celebrate this very special birthday!
We have worked with and supported thousands of creatives over our 25 years and we want to hear from you - what memories do you have of working with us? What is your favourite Menagerie show you’ve seen? When did you first work with us? We want to hear all of your memories as we gear up for this once in a lifetime event!
Share your #MenagerieMemories by filling out our short Google Form, or emailing Sarah at sarah@menagerie.uk.com
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Funding also provided by: The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust