7 must-watch plays this autumn
From romcoms to family dramas about integration in 1970s Britain, a host of new and returning plays showcase all aspects of Muslim life
Art critic Michael Billington once asked “Where are the plays about British Muslims?” Nearly two decades later, there is an emerging scene of young Muslim playwrights and actors. From romantic comedies to coming-of-age dramas, they have built spaces on stage to showcase contemporary British Muslim life.
Here are Hyphen’s picks for seven must-watch shows this autumn.
Extremism by Anders Lustgarten
Described by Lewisham Islamic Centre as a “powerful depiction of what life is like for Muslims in the UK today”, Anders Lustgarten’s play Extremism returns for its second run.
It is set entirely in a secondary school classroom as a group of students try to understand what has become of their classmate, who is removed from school by police under suspicion of radicalisation. Extremism is a gripping drama exploring identity and the dangers of division in modern Britain.
Extremism is at The Cockpit, London, 29 September-2 October.
Peanut Butter & Blueberries by Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan and Sameena Hussain
The latest showing of Peanut Butter & Blueberries is Leeds playwright and poet Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan’s homecoming.
The romantic comedy follows Hafsah and Bilal, who are both at university in London. They bond over a peanut butter and blueberry jam sandwich but their connection is tested by family, faith and injustice.
Leeds Playhouse will have a dedicated non-alcoholic bar and prayer spaces during the show’s run.
Peanut Butter & Blueberries is at Leeds Playhouse, 22 October-7 November.
The Bridge by Alaa Shehada and Sam Beale
Alaa Shehada, winner of the Scotsman Fringe First Award in 2025 for The Horse of Jenin, returns with new play The Bridge. Recalling Shehada’s formative years in the West Bank, the play’s main character Alaa is tasked with delivering a container of olive oil made from his grandfather’s olive trees in Jenin, Palestine to his aunt in Amman, Jordan.
In any other part of the world the journey would be a few hours by bus. But in the West Bank, it is a humiliating journey through multiple Israeli checkpoints. Alaa uses the road trip to blend physical comedy and dark humour into a show ultimately about family and connection.
The Bridge is at Bush Theatre, London, 28 October-11 November.
Off-Key by Fatima Ali Omar
In a Birmingham grammar school, best friends Sabrin and Ruqqiyah are hiding big secrets. Sabrin is preparing for a music audition and Ruqqiyah is secretly plotting the takedown of a problematic teacher.
Like previous projects from producer Side eYe, the play Dugsi Dayz and BBC comedy short Proper Ladies, Off-Key is a must-watch and witty coming-of-age drama.
Off-Key is on tour in Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Sheffield and London, 30 October-16 November.
East Is East by Ayub Khan Din
East Is East is back on stage for a 30th anniversary tour. Ayub Khan Din’s cultural phenomenon is a semi-autobiographical story of a mixed-race (Pakistani and English) family in Salford in the 1970s who run a local fish and chip shop.
East Is East was adapted into an award-winning film, starring Om Puri and Linda Bassett, in 1999 and at its core remains a seminal piece of British South Asian theatre.
East Is East is on tour in Bolton, Glasgow, Derby and Salisbury until 14 November.
Crush by Hadsan Mohamud
Najma (Hadsan Mohamud) and Zakariya (Mohamed Hashi) meet in an eating disorder clinic in London. It is a difficult place to find yourself, particularly as two young Somali Muslims.
It’s funny and heartbreaking to watch the pair’s weekly run-ins in the clinic’s waiting room. They talk about faith, shame and recovery and bond over books, poetry and Taylor Swift.
Crush is at Playhouse, Sheffield, 23-24 October.
Once Upon a Time in Sokoto by Inua Ellams
“At its core, Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is the story of an extremely unlikely friendship between an enslaved woman and her former mistress,” says playwright Inua Ellams.
Set in pre-colonial Nigeria, the play explores the rise and fall of the Sokoto Caliphate, a 19th century Islamic empire in west Africa. This gripping family drama is told through four characters who are forced to put their differences aside when a new enemy arrives in their homeland.
Once Upon a Time in Sokoto is on tour in Northampton, Oxford, Nottingham, Coventry, Leeds, Brighton and Bristol, 28 September 2026-12 February 2027.
