ZOO's new work hub returns with some of the most exiting performance makers in the world showcasing their small scale work across three studios. Outside enjoy the relaxing hidden courtyard bar with local beer and wonderful cocktails. 

Tale of a Potato is an original show set on a wooden table, with dirt, a knife and real vegetables. We follow the life of Protagonist, a potato, observing its feelings and relationships in a world inhabited by other tubers, characters in a quirky and engaging narrative. We see Protagonist being born, falling in love, working: enormous steps, especially for a vegetable. A new immersive tabletop show by Batisfera, authors of the miniature epic drama The Gummy Bears' Great War, a moving tale on the seasons of life.

Tale of a Potato

At dawn, the nation of the Gummy Bears declares war against the nation of the Dinosaurs. There will be a battle, and the gummies will prepare for war, and the dinosaurs will win the fight. But even if the outcome is tragically obvious the question remains: what makes the candies so obstinate? The Gummy Bears' Great War is an object theatre show that takes place on a table, with real candies, small lights and few spectators; an existential tragicomedy about our search for meaning. 'A midget gem of a show' (Telegraph).

The Gummy Bears' Great War

In a twist of fate, an ordinary man finds himself magically transformed into the Queen of the Carnival. With advanced age, abundant body hair and limited talents, he is an unlikely candidate. Praised as a 'whimsical tour de force' (Orlando Weekly), this non-verbal blend of clown, drag and queer joy reminds us it's never too late to embrace your true self. Created and performed by Edu Díaz, a Fulbright-awarded artist from the Canary Islands, A Drag is Born has won five awards, including Best Solo Clown (NYC Fringe) and Best Solo Show (Orlando Fringe).

A Drag Is Born

Ever felt the hand of fate giving you a shove? Andrea Coleman has. In the form of three white guys named John – filmmaker John Hughes, musician John Mayer and rock star Jon Bon Jovi. Which is sorta unexpected because she's an American Black woman from the South. But at major turning points in her life, when she is paralysed with fear, they appear, giving her inspiration and courage. A heartwarming, life-affirming mix of comedy and storytelling about three very unlikely guardian angels.

3 White Guys Named John

Megan is a perfect wife. Or at least, that’s what she tells her followers. But when 15th-century mystic Margery of Kempe starts haunting her, Megan begins to wonder if she’s losing her grip – or if Margery is really there. As their connection grows unnervingly intense, Megan finds herself drawn to Margery in ways she can't explain, where devotion and desire bleed together. In this darkly funny comedy-drama, an internet "trad wife" influencer's carefully curated life unravels in an unexpected clash of past and present. Meg & Marge explores faith, feminism and the perils of performative perfection.

Meg & Marge

Chaos. Rebellion. A city on the brink. But Millie's focused on living life to the full – who wouldn't? Amid the 2019 Hong Kong protests, Millie searches for her sense of home whilst a city fights for its identity. A high-energy, visceral new play inspired by real events. With original sound design blending euphoric techno and the intensity of a Hong Kong riot, enter Millie's world where being an outsider has always been the norm. Written and performed by Mimi Martin, she's bold, rebellious and impossible to resist. 'I can be the foreign devil if they want'.

Youth in Flames

Even amongst the chaos and pain, there are moments of love and light. A one-man (and one puppet) musical journey through a zombie outbreak, combining live performance, puppetry and animation. Ridiculous, dark, sometimes gruesome, warm, funny and sad. Can the undead feel? Can the living understand? Is there a way out of this nightmare? Will you be forced – ultimately – to sing? 'Absurd, eccentric, funny, full of pathos and unforced allegory', 'Probably the most bizarre, clever, hilarious and weirdly endearing thing I've ever seen on a stage' (Audience reviews).

Do Zombies Dream of Undead Sheep?

Can an Asian with a maths learning disability pass Nylon Tusk’s Mars Immigration Test? Welcome to an absurdist testing lab of dystopian speculations. Attempting to move to Mars via the Worker’s Visa, a woman with ADHD and dyscalculia finds herself in SpaceY’s testing lab. She fights through with her wide array of talents – striptease, beer pong and cheerleading – to not be the Asian failure who is just never enough. Is There Work on Mars? had a five-star run at Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and was nominated for Neurodiverse Review’s ADHD Comedy Award.


Is There Work on Mars?

Country singer Marcy Aurora is out of prison after 20 years for murder, and she's ready for a comeback. In the studio recording a new album, she's pissed off and trying to find her voice again. Not taking any shit and singing her guts out, Marcy's going to find her way back no matter how much it hurts. A (nearly) solo show with live songs, it's a raucous journey to Music City. Written and directed by Lee Papa, called "a tornado of a writer" by the New York Times, and starring Kentucky-born and London-based Biz Lyon.

Midnight in Nashville

A celebration of Jewish Identity, girlhood, and community mourning. Can one Jewish comedian relate herself to Anne Frank? Although one of the most famous and recognisable young women in the world, Frank's legacy is often simplified so she can remain a saintly beacon from one of humanity's darkest chapters. Now that we find ourselves in yet another dark chapter, come laugh, celebrate, and mourn as filtered through her nose-job, Bat Mitzvah, and a one-night stand with a German. She's trying to meet the moment but showing up fashionably late (with snacks) instead.

Shiva for Anne Frank

This live docu-series follows the life of Coral and Gil. Two fish, a tank and a rocky relationship! Come dive into the freshwater wreaking with undeniable pheromones, fake plants and many a word left unspoken. Welcome to TANKED: Home? or Habitat. TANKED explores the dichotomy of love and fear within a relationship, through an anthropomorphic approach. Prompting the notion of looking at a relationship through a fishbowl, all of which is captured through a documentarian lens, and clowning style.

TANKED

Sequined seductress Entendre Entendre invites you to the launch of her memoir, SMUT – a riotous recounting of her many (many!) lovers. Through song, striptease and spoken word, Entendre bares it all: the triumphs, the trainwrecks and the toe-curling truths of her romantic escapades. Lucky audience members may leave with a signed copy of her memoir... or an invitation to her boudoir. Written/performed by Bryn Woznicki, directed by Rachel Resnik.

SMUT with Entendre Entendre

In 2023, my dad died. I didn't really talk to anyone cos I was busy playing online poker in my bedroom. Did okay though. I guess? Really. I'm fine now. Honestly. A Fringe debut from new company Don't Know What – How to Win 5 Grand on the Internet is a true, one-man comedy show about not talking, absent fathers, winning money and taking (un)healthy risks.

How to Win 5 Grand on the Internet

Five stars! The winner of 17 awards in six countries. A global Fringe hit, GUMBO takes you on a surreal, hilarious journey through the wild world of WacDonalds. Meet a Japanese businessman, Trump and Krazy Kitty in this absurd, side-splitting comedy you won't want to miss! 'This kooky, edgy, cartoon-like show may be the strangest show' ***** (Edmonton Journal). 'Madcap, off-beat, but bitingly savage in its satirical approach, demonstrating American Globalization' ***** (BritishTheatre.com). 'Japanese Dadaist clowns' (12thNight.ca). 'The savagely surreal satire of Fast-Food Capitalism' (Orlando Weekly). 'The most in-your-face, outrageous, political and subversive show' (Orlando Sentinel).

Are You Lovin' It?

Double Take weaves together stories that encourage us to look closer, think again and delight in the unexpected. Tasha and Becky bring audiences on a journey from a bus stop to the big bang, passing by a mid-flight superhero and returning to a hometown lake at sunset. It celebrates the capacity of the body and imagination, and reminds us of the power of simple storytelling. Join us on an adventure without a single spoken word. Tasha and Becky are founding members of Broken Box Mime Theater in NYC, which reimagines the art of mime for contemporary audiences.

Double Take

Bennie really puts the ghost in ghostwriter. She writes suicide notes for a living. It’s soul-purging work, and her record of seeing people through to the bitter end is less than perfect. After a difficult meeting with HR (Death), she’s assigned a challenge to prove herself and keep her place in the Office. But she's landed an impossible client: beloved chef and TV presenter Anthony Bourdain. Bennie is torn, but Chef has unlocked a secret to the universe and can’t live to keep it. And if Bennie doesn’t see this one out, she’s going Downstairs.

Medium Dead

The Ego is a bold and humorous theatre performance by Anemone Valcke and Verona Verbakel (known from Sirens by Ontroerend Goed). They explore how transgressive behavior, internalised misogyny and #MeToo shape their lives. With two chairs, a screen and sharp wit, they share real stories with shameless honesty. Blending dry humour and tragically comic film clips, the show is both confronting and entertaining. Without blaming victims or pointing fingers at perpetrators, The Ego humorously exposes the dysfunctional system behind such behavior, inviting the audience to reflect on power, complicity and credibility.

The Ego

Georgina Musgrave is Big Red: Queensland's terrifying, hilarious, disgusting, lesbian ex-wrestling sensation!! This adopted Queenslander (via London) brings the pain, maim and brain to the "ring" (stage). Bloody delights, cutting insights and hilarious smackdowns ensue. Expect oversharing, delusion and jokes that make you pause and then go: ohh... ha. The Big Red persona is an exploratory vehicle for the all too true and vulnerable facts of queerness, s*x and trying to survive an acute awareness that modern society's collapse is nigh. 'Musgrave is delightful with her self-deprecating humour' (Clara Santilli, LonelyArchaeologist.wordpress.com).

Big Red

1999. 2005. 2014. This sibling jumps through a timeline of growing up with a brother who has severe learning disabilities. Big Little Sister is a journey through surrealist storytelling, sketches and monologues, accompanied by the ethereal voice of her brother’s communication aid. But what happens when you're made to grow up too quickly? What happens when these memories aren’t all happy? When you are forced to address the future??Holly Gifford’s debut play is a tribute to all glass children. This is a story of shared madness, lack of control and abundant love.

Big Little Sister

The play, staged completely in the dark and performed by a cast composed by both blind and sighted actors, tells the story of a maid and her employer who are undergoing cancer treatment at the same time. The two are at different stages of the disease, with the maid practically cured and the employer starting chemotherapy. Despite the delicate subject, the plot unfolds with great lightness, humour and sensitivity, deepening the discussion about the emotional, social and behavioral aspects of the disease. The plot is all about generosity, empathy, love, fear, overcoming, respect and self-esteem.

Another Sight

When Angelus bells meet Murder, She Wrote: singer Michelle Burke presents a rollicking, poignant tale of devotion, featuring moving statues, nuns and American cousins (with beautiful teeth and magazine hair). Directed by Gerda Stevenson, with songs from Burke's album, produced by Duke Special. From her great-grandfather's imprisonment for Irish independence to Uncle Pat's return on the day Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, Mind How You Go delves into the constraints of religion and strength of women, exploring what it means to be Irish in Scotland and the powerful call of home. Featuring pianist James Ross.

Mind How You Go

A comedy cabaret like no other – exploring the 28-day cycle with music, mischief and menstrual mayhem. The Gynae Guru is on a mission to educate the masses. Come for the laughs, stay for the liberation!

Go With The Flow

Have you got a wild side? Batty has – she dreams of running barefoot, wild swimming, of talking trees and the scent of the seasons turning. In fact she's wondering if she might be a witch... Join Batty and her companion Wildthing for gossip, gay abandon, exquisite tenderness and raucous stories (with a side order of ranting), as they explore the magic and power of ageing. This new production from Victoria Firth and Company explores the wildness – as opposed to madness – of women, and how our feral side can reconnect us to ourselves and our environment.

Batty!

One courier. One impossible delivery. How far will he go to complete his order? Fresh from sold-out performances and five-star reviews at both Perth and Adelaide Fringe, Courier is a gripping dark comedy written and performed by Piers MacKenzie and directed by Rachel McMurray. Based on Piers' time as a Deliveroo cyclist, this solo show dives into a fractured mind where isolation, identity and obsession collide as the brakes come off. Strap on your helmets and grip those handlebars tight – this ride is full of sharp twists, sudden turns and plenty of bumps along the way.

Courier

A darkly comedic tale of Davies' nine years in LA, where she arrives full of comedy aspirations but leaves with absurd stories and survival skills. Stuck in a cycle of cringeworthy auditions, odd jobs and finally, a nanny gig with an Orthodox family in the middle of an expensive divorce. Meanwhile, the relationship with her abusive partner escalates from toxic to terrifying. When stalking, death threats and the prospect of carrying a gun to school pick-ups become her only viable option, Davies decides to escapes the chaos of LA and return to London.

LA Baby

'I think pregnant woman are ugly. Well, not ugly, that sounds bad.' Sophie's stolen a baby. She doesn't even want a baby... but she knows that this baby deserves a good life and a good mother that doesn't deep throat fags and voddy-cokes. A Minor Theft is a comedy and a love letter to all those grieving deaths so painful they upend our worlds. The show is an exploration of infant death, working class on working class judgement and the strange things that grief makes us do.

A Minor Theft

Rita is an immigrant. She works at a mortuary and runs a support forum for people who have been buried alive. But can she practice what she preaches? Because the thing is, she just buried her ex alive. A dark comedy one woman show about grief, love and loss. The choices we make, the decisions made for us and the prices we all pay as a consequence. It won't kill you to get a ticket – we promise!

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