Theatre Peckham celebrates 40 years with festive show A Ladd In Peckham

Theatre Peckham turns 40 this year, and the south London venue has been celebrating in style. Since 1986 it has championed artistic excellence and social change, describing itself as the place where talent meets opportunity.

Theatre Peckham is a charity and a community and learning theatre. It runs a 200-seat theatre in Peckham and also manages the 150-seat Canada Water Theatre, and it provides training for aspiring artists, from children in its Academy for three to 16 year olds to the young performers of Young Peckham.

The anniversary year opened with a community day for everyone who has passed through its doors, with food and drink, archive displays, crafting, workshops and music, all under the banner Your Stage, Your Story, Your Theatre Peckham. It was followed by the fifth Peckham Fringe, a festival of new writing, musicals, immersive theatre and spoken word across both venues.

This autumn the theatre presented the eighth Young, Gifted & Black season, an annual celebration of young Black British talent supported by Southwark Council. The programme included new theatre, spoken word and performance exploring identity, belonging, friendship, mental health, migration and community.

The year closes with a new festive show, A Ladd In Peckham, running from 4 to 23 December 2026. It follows Al, a dreamer with big ambitions, whose life changes when a mysterious stranger and an extraordinary genie arrive. Expect original music, comedy, audience interaction and plenty of south London community spirit.

The production brings professional artists and young performers from the Academy together on the same stage. Writer and lyricist Geoff Aymer said: "At its core, the show is about believing in yourself, valuing your community, and recognising that the greatest gifts in life can't be granted by a genie."

Dr Suzann McLean MBE, the theatre's chief executive and artistic director, said the show "captures everything that makes Theatre Peckham so special", calling it part of a legacy the theatre has been proud to champion for over 40 years.

Previous Theatre Peckham Christmas shows have earned OFFie nominations, and the venue offers specially priced Peckham Local tickets. Tickets for A Ladd In Peckham are available from the theatre's website.