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Sweat - Announcing our new co-production with The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh
We are thrilled to announce our latest collaboration—this time with the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh—bringing Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat to Scottish audiences next year.
This gripping drama, shines a stark and emotional light on the economic hardship faced by the working-class community in small-town America at the turn of the century. It’s an intensely powerful and timely exploration of friendship, resilience, and the impact of industry decline—and one that resonates deeply with audiences across the world.
First staged in 2015, Sweat quickly earned a reputation as a new American classic – drawing comparisons to the work of Arthur Miller and Tennessee Williams for its raw, compassionate look at working-class lives. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and earn a Tony nomination alongside a successful Broadway run, before making its London debut in 2018 with an Olivier Award nomination.
Premiering at the Citz in May 2026, Nottage’s play follows the collapsing hopes of Tracey and Cynthia in a small Rust Belt Pennsylvanian town. When rumours of layoffs in the factory they work in grow, opportunity turns into betrayal, communities are fractured, and their sons, Jason and Chris, inherit the fallout of a broken system with dire consequences.
Citizens Theatre and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh have a shared history of creating theatre that engages and challenges audiences, and we’re delighted to be working with the Lyceum again for this production. This partnership allows us to continue bringing unforgettable theatre to Scotland while supporting stories that need to be heard.
Sweat reinforces our dedication to amplifying diverse voices, exploring contemporary themes, and celebrating powerful storytelling.
Sweat is a contemporary classic from one of America’s most important living playwrights. With great characters, a compelling story, and humour as well as tragedy it has everything you would want from a great night out at the theatre. As the Citz reopens its doors after seven years it feels imperative to me that, alongside the classic plays for which we are well-known, we tell more of the stories that come from and reflect our current world.
Artistic Director Dominic Hill.
Sweat will be playing at the Citizens Theatre from Saturday 2 May to Saturday 16 May 2026 , and at the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh from Tuesday 3 June to Friday 20 June 2026.
This production will be part of our January-June 2026 Programme, which will be announced on 8 July. Pre-sale tickets for our members and supporters will be available from 23 July, with general sale available from 30 July.
Sweat
Citizens Theatre - Main Theatre
02 May 2026