14/48 London

In short, 14 plays written, cast, directed, rehearsed, scored, designed, premiered in 48 hours.

In long,

Since 1997, 14/48 has been bringing radically collaborative theatre to cities around the world. Originating in Seattle, it has grown to feature festivals in Texas, Hollywood, Leicester, Vashon Island, and Wolverhampton. The festival has remained fiercely mobile, community-driven, and joyfully chaotic. In April 2026, 14/48 comes to London for the first time at The Cockpit.

Over one weekend, artists from around the city, country, and world will be intived to come and create fourteen brand-new ten-minute plays from scratch in just forty-eight hours. No scripts in advance. No rehearsals beforehand. Not even pairings. Just trust, risk, caffeine, and collaboration.

How it works

Thursday Night
All participants complete the sentence:
“Theatre would be a lot more interesting if there were seven ten-minute plays about _____.”
One theme is selected at random. Seven writers have until 8:00am Friday to deliver entirely new scripts.

Friday Morning
Seven directors randomly draw one script each. Actors are cast by lottery. Designers and musicians join the process. Rehearsals begin immediately.

Friday Daytime
Directors, actors, designers, musicians, and technicians build seven brand-new productions from the ground up. Each play receives a short technical rehearsal before performance.

Friday Evening
The seven plays premiere at 7:30pm and perform again at 10:00pm.
At the first show, the audience selects a brand-new theme for Saturday night.

Then we do it all again Saturday.

By the end of the weekend, fourteen world premieres have been created, rehearsed, and performed in just forty-eight hours.

Why 14/48 matters

14/48 is built on collective creation rather than competition. Professionals, emerging artists, and first-time participants work side by side. The process breaks down hierarchies, encourages creative risk-taking, and builds lasting artistic networks. 14/48 London brings together UK-based and international artists, continuing a long tradition of collaboration, experimentation, and shared resources. The festival is part performance, part community engine, and part joyful theatrical endurance event. And we are committed to 20% Rookies every festival.

https://1448uk.com/london/

Friday 17 April - 7.30pm and 10.00pm
Saturday 18 April - 7.30pm and 10.00pm

Please note: show times are the performance start times. Audiences are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes early. Latecomers may not be admitted due to the layout of the auditorium.