Hull Truck Theatre Announces Exciting 2027 Season With Four New Plays by Northern Women

Hull Truck Theatre has unveiled its spring and summer 2027 season, with four new productions by Northern women writers taking centre stage alongside a fresh interpretation of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet.

Running from January through to July, the programme brings together stories of friendship, motherhood, women's football and community life, with several productions drawing inspiration directly from Hull and the surrounding region.

The new season also marks ten years since Hull became UK City of Culture in 2017, celebrating the city's creative talent while providing opportunities for emerging playwrights, performers and local residents.

Artistic director Mark Babych will direct or co-direct two of the new productions, while the theatre continues its collaboration with Octagon Theatre Bolton and Derby Theatre.

Spiders Brings Hull's Famous Nightclub to the Stage

The season opens with Spiders, a new play written by and starring Hull-born Martha Godber, running in the Godber Studio from 28 January to 20 February 2027.

Inspired by Hull's iconic Spiders nightclub, the drama follows two teenage best friends, Meg and Gabi, whose close relationship is tested when Meg begins a new romance.

Godber plays Meg alongside Chloe McDonald as Gabi, with Tom Saunders directing a production exploring friendship, growing up, coercive control and domestic violence against the backdrop of one of the city's best-known nightlife venues.

The play was previously presented as a rehearsed reading at London's Bush Theatre in 2024, and demand for its Hull production has already resulted in an additional week of performances being added. With several dates selling out, the production is shaping up to be one of the early highlights of the theatre's new season.

Breaking Mum Explores Motherhood and Family Life

Hull-based playwright Hannah Scorer makes her full-length debut at the theatre with Breaking Mum, running from 25 February to 20 March 2027 under the direction of Mark Babych.

The comedy-drama follows Rex, a single mother juggling a full-time job, school runs, friendships and the daily challenge of managing her daughter's screen time while trying to provide the best possible upbringing.

As her daughter Orla grows older, questions about the father she has never known begin to emerge, threatening the carefully balanced family life Rex has worked so hard to create.

The production explores the humour, pressures and emotional realities of parenting, alongside the importance of friendship and the families people build around themselves.

An earlier version of the play was presented at Middle Child's Fresh Ink Playwriting Festival in 2024, making its inclusion in Hull Truck's new season another opportunity to develop locally connected writing.

Romeo & Juliet Returns in a New Production

Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet arrives from 7 to 24 April 2027, directed by Iqbal Khan and presented in partnership with Octagon Theatre Bolton and Derby Theatre.

The production brings the famous story of two young lovers from feuding families to a new generation of audiences, with performances for school groups forming an important part of the programme.

The theatre is also offering relaxed, BSL-interpreted, captioned and audio-described performances, helping make the production accessible to a wider audience.

Women's Football Takes Centre Stage in No Balls

One of the summer's most distinctive productions is No Balls, a new comedy-drama by Lydia Marchant, running from 4 to 26 June 2027.

Set around a fictional Sunday League women's football team in West Hull, the play uses grassroots sport to explore friendship, identity and women's health, including experiences of endometriosis.

Marchant, whose debut play Mumsy was staged at Hull Truck in 2023, developed the new work through conversations with women involved in football across Hull and East Yorkshire.

The production will be co-directed by Mark Babych and Deborah Pugh, combining the growing popularity of women's football with a story examining the experiences of the people who play it.

Arriving ahead of the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup, the play offers a welcome opportunity to celebrate grassroots women's sport while opening conversations about health issues that can often be overlooked.

Slim Club! The Musical Gives Local Performers Their Moment

The season concludes with Slim Club! The Musical, written by Maureen Lennon and directed by Tom Saunders, running from 17 to 24 July 2027.

Set in a local slimming club that has gone spectacularly off course, the new musical promises humour, lively characters and plenty of opportunities for local performers to get involved.

The production will feature a community cast of around 50 participants, continuing Hull Truck's commitment to bringing local people into the creative process.

Further information about workshops, auditions and opportunities to join the production will be announced, giving aspiring performers across Hull a chance to become part of the show.

How to Book Tickets for Hull Truck Theatre's 2027 Season

Tickets for the new season are available through the Hull Truck Theatre website or by contacting the box office on 01482 323638.

With Spiders already attracting strong demand, visitors interested in the opening production may wish to secure their seats early, while anyone hoping to perform in Slim Club! The Musical can follow the theatre's announcements for audition opportunities.