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We commission a new illustrator every month to provide the header image for these emails. This wonderful illustration was created (without the use of AI) by Pat Thomas.
Cog Cultural Calendar – October 2026
Our September Cog Night took us to see Holy Fool at The Park theatre.
You can read Danny's review in our journal. Read on for our mini-reviews, plus recommendations for this month and beyond.
Out and about with the Cog team
'Whooa we're halfway there', is what Danny sung, stuck in the crowd on the way home.
Everyone says Tilda Swinton is utterly mesmeric. Michael agrees. She really is.
Kasia particularly enjoyed the variety of 'fun house' mirrors and immersive sculptures.
Lucy McCormick & FriendsThis is the fourth time Michael has seen the show, this time at Shedinburgh at Young Vic.
Nick was taken aback by this raunchy parody opera about the popular gay dating app.
Simon Stephens' apocalyptic play captured Michael's sense of existential dread.
Michael was excited to see his favourite soap stars, away from Ambridge.
Kasia found the insightful talk at the Southbank Centre full of hope.
Mark Rylance hams it up in Inter+Mission's modern retelling. Michael enjoyed it.
Michael was back in the shed as comedian Nic Helm performed poetry.
Laura's ventured north of the border for this queen-rich musical sensation.
Michael had a blast at this exceptional celebration of everyone's favourite Swedes.
It's been ages since Rash Dash performed together and Michael was there for it.
Danny came out feeling as though he had been through the fourth dimension.
Aoife and Michael enjoyed this wonderful anniversary adaptation.
Danny saw 'the century's best comedic work' as Zachery explained his place in history.
Sarah Pascoe's dad is a jazz musician. Michael enjoyed her turning that into stand-up
Kasia was mesmerised by a futuristic ballet exploring AI performed at Sadlers Wells.
The modern day retelling of Aeschylus was enthralling. Michael was in awe.
Paulina Lenoir & Patricia Langa became professional mourners. Michael joined in.
Danny sang his silly songs to an appreciative Monday night crowd in Clapham.
On right now... For colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf Yard Theatre, until 3 Oct
Jasmin Vardimon Company's new show Lullaby is on tour, including Liverpool Playhouse, 9 Oct
Thrilling production, led by Cate Blanchett Electra / Persona National Theatre, until 10 Oct
The Sixteen's The Choral Pilgrimage 2026: Lead, Kindly Light Nationwide tour, until 17 Oct
Gossip and bad behaviour fuel Much Ado About Nothing Shakespeare Globe, until 24 Oct
A first, to be made entirely from brick Serpentine Pavilion Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, until 25 Oct
Avant garde couture creations in Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art V&A, until 1 Nov
Attitudes towards ageing explored in The Coming of Age Wellcome Collection, until 29 Nov
Gillian Anderson stars in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? @sohotheatre, until 19 Dec
Henry Moore, Monumental Nature Kew Gardens, until 31 Jan On this month... A wonderful new production of East is East Derby Theatre, 2 – 24 Oct
A laughter fuelled afternoon featuring Julia Masli and friends Peckham Playground, 4 Oct
Ockham's Razor's pared down dance work, Collaborator ArtsDepot, 7 Oct
Touring their seventh studio album The Strokes: Reality Awaits London O2 Arena, 6 & 7 Oct
Two super-fans ask, What Would Jarvis Do? Omnibus Theatre, 6–16 Oct
Inspired by The Seagull, NINA is a meta theatrical fever dream Battersea Arts Centre, 6 –24 Oct
August Wilson's Fences, directed by Daniel Bailey Lyric Hammersmith, 6–13 Oct
The ever wonderful London Film Festival, 7–18 Oct
The first major UK exhibition of Cecilia Vicuña: Living Threads Whitechapel Gallery, 7 Oct – 14 Feb
Theatre Re's The Nature of Forgetting Hackney Empire, 8 Oct
Mamela Nyamza's The Herd/Less (part of Dance Umbrella) Sadlers Wells, 8–10 Oct
MOURN: a staged journey through grief Stone Nest, 8–10 Oct
A murderous spree of cis men in Trans people are awful Camden Arts Centre, 8–17 Oct
New work from Forced Entertainment: Cold Sweat Purcell Room, 9 & 10 Oct
Pearl Mackie performs Baby, a new play by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti Brixton House, 9– 31 Oct
Anatomy of Survival is a wonderful psychology lesson come dance work The Place 13 Oct
Ugly Bucket presents an uncompromising show about food banks New Diorama, 13–24 Oct
Conor McPherson, The Seafarer is a whiskey-soaked Dublin play Greenwich Theatre, 13–24 Oct
Cindy Sherman debuts her Fabric Matrons series Hauser & Wirth London, 13 Oct – 23 Dec
Dance meet clay in Baro d'evel's Oui Som (Who Are We?) Queen Elizabeth Hall, 14–16 Oct
Ibsen's The Master Builder in a version by David Edgar Arcola Theatre, 16 Oct – 21 Nov
Hokusai: 'Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji' Dulwich Picture Gallery, 20 Oct – 17 Jan
London Philharmonic Orchestra: The Firebird Royal Festival Hall, 23 Oct
RSC's Radiohead crossover: Hamlet Hail to the Thief Barbican Theatre, 31 Oct – 23 Jan
The Hungry Ghost by Mei Leng Yew Battersea Arts Centre, until 31 Oct
Room 13 explores the remnants left behind by the BAC fire Battersea Arts Centre, 16 – 1 Nov
Stakes are high in Drag Queens vs Vampires Underbelly Boulevard, 16 & 23 Oct
Lady Bolognese are bringing their Class War to the capitol, Soho Theatre, 21 – 24 Oct
B-Movie homage, I Was A Teenage Bisexual by Polis Loizou Nottingham Playhouse, 24 Oct
Little Shop of Horrors Lighthouse Poole, 20 – 24 Oct / Belgrade Theatre, 27 – 31 Oct
Batty! is a show about womanhood and witchiness Lakeside Arts, 30 Oct
Rosie Holt: The illegal Aliens Have Landed Marlowe Theatre, 30 Oct
The Triumph of Death is farce about the holy trinity Pleasance Theatre, 30 & 31 Oct
Master and his royal servant Gregor must perform The Ritual Soho Theatre, 30 & 31 Oct
The cult 90s TV dungeon adventure, on stage: Knightmare Live Leicester Square Theatre, 31 Oct
Stewart Lee vs The Man-Wulf is very sweaty and tenuously horror-based Lighthouse Poole, 31 Oct
We're booking early for...
The always excellent and experimental Viola Festival, 2 – 22 Nov
Ben Duke and Lost Dog present The Last Hamlet Sadlers Wells, 4 – 7 Nov
Croydonites Festival has a wonderful line-up of fringe favourites, 4 – 21 Nov
Now Not Now is Cade & MacAskill's uncanny new show Queen Elizabeth Hall, 5 & 6 Nov
A Mouthful of Tongues' is about what a body can hold Battersea Arts Centre, 7 Nov
Cog favourite, Frankie Thompson: Horrible Things Soho Theatre, 9 – 21 Nov
Audio-visual pioneers Tacit Group present <FrankenTacit> Coronet Theatre, 13 & 14 Nov
The incredible Philosophy of the Worldis on tour Leeds Playhouse, 17 Nov
Haruki Murakami's Jazz at Peter Cat: a Japanese Jazz Night Barbican, 21 Nov
Figs in Wigs restage their reimagining of Little WimminSoho Theatre Walthamstow, 2 & 3 Dec
A radical mis-remembering of Nirvana unplugged – No Apologies Brixton House, 2–12 Dec
Jim Cartwright's modern classic The Rise and Fall of Little Voice National Theatre, 2 Dec – 23 Jan
A winter solstice triple bill: Snapped Ankles, Mermaid Chunky, and TaliaBLE Earth, 17 Dec
Roger Allam & Freddie Fox star in both King Lear and Richard II Orange Tree, 15 Feb – 10 Apr
The extraordinary The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave Gulbenkian Arts Centre, 19 & 20 Feb
Image creditsPat Thomas created our fantastic illustration.
See more on their website. Other images are provided by members of the Cog team, with due credit to those who created the works we have photographed.
Cog Design Cog Design is a digital design agency. We partner with exceptional arts organisations to inspire audiences. We mostly design branding and websites that ease interactions, demand attention and prompt action. But it's nice to commission illustration and share our cultural recommendations.
CogDesign.com / @Cog_Design
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