Rhum + Clay revive Mistero Buffo — a radical solo return to the stage
This autumn, award-winning company Rhum + Clay brings its acclaimed solo adaptation of Dario Fo’s Mistero Buffo back to London — with a timely revival that blends physical theatre, political satire and raw theatrical imagination.
Running from Tuesday 23rd September to Saturday 11th October 2025, the production will launch the new season at Pleasance Theatre, London, with a press night on Friday 26th September.
Created by Julian Spooner and Nicholas Pitt, this revival of Mistero Buffo reimagines Fo’s 1969 modern classic — once banned by the Catholic Church — through the lens of the gig economy. The lone storyteller, played by Spooner, now appears as a Deliveroo driver stealing a moment between shifts to deliver his own gospel: one of rage, humour and resilience in the face of systemic inequality.
Performed solo by Spooner — who won The Stage Award for Acting Excellence for this role at the Edinburgh Fringe — the show features over a hundred characters in a virtuosic, physically charged performance that asks the audience to suspend disbelief and enter a stripped-back space of theatrical communion.
The production, originally staged in 2018, has toured to critical acclaim across the UK, France, and Australia. This new iteration is freshly adapted to reflect a changed and more volatile world — one where satire, resistance, and laughter still carry political weight.
“Feels like a good time to bring back a show that is full of riotous anger and satirical humour,” say co-creators Julian Spooner and Nicholas Pitt. “We’re hoping we can bring people active hope, respite in laughter, and maybe fire them up a bit too.”
Featuring design by Emily Bates, lighting by Geoff Hense, sound by Jon Ouin, and stage management by Lauren Wedgeworth, this 75-minute production remains a rallying cry for the exploited — and a celebration of storytelling that punches upwards.
Dates: Tuesday 23rd September – Saturday 11th October 2025
Location: Pleasance Theatre London, North Road, London N7 9EF
Box Office: https://www.pleasance.co.uk/event/mistero-buffo
Prices from £10.00
Running Time 75 minutes
Guidance 12+
Elena Leo is the Arts & Lifestyle Editor of Ikon London Magazine.
