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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 Shirley Hottier.
Cog Cultural Calendar – September 2026
Our August Cog Night took us to see White Rabbit Red Rabbit at The Duchess theatre. You can read Kasia's reviewin our journal. Read on for our mini-reviews, plus recommendations for this month and beyond.
Out and about with the Cog team
Michael spent far too long starring at Stubb's Whistlejacket.
Alex and his dad were wowed by the Met Orchestra and Joyce DiDonato.
A raw exploration of love, loss and second chances. Kasia was moved.
Musicals aren't usually Aoife's thing — but this one was a lot of great fun.
Michael enjoyed Francis Dosoo's unsettling work at Dundee Contemporary Art.
Alex and son enjoyed the giant crows rampaging over Lego City.
This Gothic Revival building is an artistic treasure trove that Michael loved exploring.
Brilliant amateur stand-ups shared some funny stories with Danny.
Green Man Festival Heidi had a magical time dancing the night away in the Welsh valleys.
Design & Disability
V&A DundeeMichael enjoyed this show of Disabled, Deaf and neurodivergent designers.
Francesco Lo Castro
Oliver's Jazz BarDanny loved Francesco's understated guitar playing. Photo ©stevenjamesadkins
Michael admired the willing participants in Lina Lapelytė’s interactive work.
Kasia enjoyed Frieda's vibrant, surrealist paintings the most.
Alex and family explored an immersive trip through the ancient oceans.
Danny appreciated the asters almost as much as this beautiful butterfly.
Sarah Kane's play, exploring violence and suicide was a tough watch for Michael.
It was Aoife's first time in beautiful Norfolk, and she loved this light installation.
Teenage Sex and Death at Camp MiasmaMichael loved this homage to the 80s slasher genre at an early BFI screening.
On right now... Amy Lennox and Rachel Tucker star in Thelma and Louise Young Vic, until 24 Oct
M.C Esher's mind bending optical illusions are on display Somerset House, until 6 Sep
Button Up! - a new exhibition from Ai Weiwei Aviva Studios, until 6 Sep
Greenwich + Docklands Festival is back and brighter than ever Multiple venues, until 6 Sep
Death Note the Musical returns to London Barbican, until 12 Sep
1996: The wildest year of Britain's wildest decade 30 Years On Barbican Library, until 19 Sep
Simon Stephens's new apocalyptic play, A Slow Fire Jermyn Street Theatre, until 26 Sep
For colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf Yard Theatre, until 3 Oct
Rachel O'Riordan directs 10th anniversary production of The Children Lyric, until 3 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
Anish Kapoor's thought provoking sculptures return to the Southbank Centre, until 18 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
Henry Moore, Monumental Nature Kew Gardens, until 31 Jan On this month... Mark Rylance in a new version of Moliere's Tartuffe (Remixed) Marylebone Theatre, 4 Sep – 24 Oct
Tilda Swinton revisits Manfred Karge's Man to Man Royal Court Theatre, 4 Sep – 24 Oct
GDIF 2026 comes to a close in Woolwich with (In)Visible Dancing Woolwich, 6 Sep
Ólafur Arnalds's Falling Apart Together Eventim Apollo, 6 & 7 Sep
Bigfoot Ripped My Dog In Half I Saw It Soho Theatre, 7–26 Sep
IN THE BRAIN performed by Shecther II artsdepot, 9 & 10 Sep
San Francisco Ballet Mere Mortals Sadlers Wells, 9–12 Sep
After Party is a life-affirming show about a life-ending decision Belgrade Theatre, 9–11 Sep
Cog favourite Zoe Wohlfeld: DOG FUNERAL Soho Theatre, 10–12 Sep
Dance of the Nine-Coloured Deer (free performance) Undercroft at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 13 Sep
Shedinburgh is an extraordinary programme of one-offs Young Vic Theatre, 19 Sep – 10 Oct
Gillian Anderson stars in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? @sohotheatre, 21 Sep – 19 Dec
ThisEgg return with a brand new performance, unfortunately Shoreditch Town Hall, 22–26 Sep
Britten's War Requiem with LPO, conducted by Edward Gardener Royal Festival Hall, 26 Sep
See a preview of Paulina Lenoir's A Dying Professional Shoreditch Town Hall, 29 Sep
We're booking early for...
A laughter fuelled afternoon featuring Julia Masli and friends Peckham Playground, 4 Oct
Touring their seventh studio album The Strokes: Reality Awaits London O2 Arena, 6 & 7 Oct
The ever wonderful London Film Festival, 7–18 Oct
Theatre Re's The Nature of Forgetting Hackney Empire, 8 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
Ugly Bucket presents an uncompromising show about food banks New Diorama, 13–24 Oct
Dance meets clay in Baro d'evel's Qui Som (Who Are We?) Queen Elizabeth Hall, 14–16 Oct
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
Ben Duke and Lost Dog present The Last Hamlet Sadlers Wells, 4–7 Nov
Now Not Now is Cade & MacAskill's uncanny new show Queen Elizabeth Hall, 5 & 6 Nov
Audio-visual pioneers Tacit Group present <FrankenTacit> Coronet Theatre, 13 & 14 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
The extraordinary The Butterfly Who Flew Into The Rave Gulbenkian Arts Centre, 19 & 20 Feb
Image creditsShirley Hottier created our fantastic illustration.
See more on their website. Where uncredited, 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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