Dominic Cooke's Bold Political Almeida Season with David Tennant 2026

Dominic Cooke's boldly political first season at the Almeida Theatre is set to feature David Tennant and Caryl Churchill, as the new artistic director declares 'the world is falling apart'. The season promises to be one of the most politically charged in the theatre's history, with Cooke asserting that 'it's hard not to be political nowadays'.

A Season of Political Urgency

Cooke, former artistic director of the Royal Court, has curated a programme that responds to what he sees as a critical moment in global and national politics. 'I don't believe in art telling people what to think but I do think that we should be putting situations on to stage, into culture, that aren't being looked at,' he said. 'The world is falling apart and to not talk about that would be an abdication of responsibility.'

The season includes a revival of John Osborne's The Entertainer, starring David Tennant, which Cooke describes as 'a radical repositioning' that 'could really speak to our times'. He adds, 'It has a lot about English identity and the empire. It's all about that moment in the 50s when England viewed itself in a certain way.'

David Tennant and Caryl Churchill Headline

Tennant, a long-term friend of Cooke, will take on the role of Archie Rice, a washed-up music hall performer. Cooke says, 'I have known David since he was a drama student; I once stayed at his flat when I was doing a show in Edinburgh. I was so taken with his rigour and his intelligence.' The production aims to rescue a play that Cooke believes deserves renewed attention. Context on how this played out before sits in Caryl Churchill's Triumph: A 20-Minute Skewering of Trump-Era Power.

Alongside Tennant, the season features a series of new plays by Caryl Churchill, one of the most influential political playwrights of our time. Churchill's work will explore contemporary issues with her trademark experimental style, further cementing the Almeida's reputation for bold programming. The background to this story is set out in David Tennant Stars in Brutally Brilliant Prison Drama Time. A related thread runs through Time Series 3 Review: David Tennant and Siobhan Finneran Shine.

Key Takeaways from the Season

• Political focus: Cooke's season directly addresses global crises and British decline.
• Star power: David Tennant leads The Entertainer, a revival with contemporary resonance.
• New writing: Caryl Churchill contributes a searing series of new plays.
• Artistic vision: Cooke emphasizes theatre's role in reflecting unexamined realities.

Comparison of Cooke's Season with Previous Almeida Programming

Cooke's Vision for the Almeida

Cooke's appointment signals a shift towards more overtly political theatre at the Almeida. He believes that theatre should not shy away from difficult subjects. 'We should be putting situations on to stage... that aren't being looked at,' he reiterates. This season will test that philosophy, with plays that confront issues of national identity, power, and societal breakdown. Earlier coverage in Time Review: David Tennant's Furious Drama Is Essential Viewing shows how the argument developed. A closer look at the same subject appears in Celebrity: latest articles.

The revival of The Entertainer is particularly timely, as it examines the decline of British influence and the hollowing out of public life. Cooke's radical repositioning aims to draw parallels between the 1950s and today, making the play a mirror for contemporary audiences. Anyone following the wider picture can start with King Lear Review: David Threlfall's Moving Performance as Lear. The same theme surfaces in Trump Rallies: Insults, Odd Obsessions and Rambling Thoughts, which takes a different angle.

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