The Cultch unveils lineup for second annual Warrior Festival, February 11 to March 29
Six fierce, funny shows are in store, ranging from Australian artist Leah Shelton’s Batshit to The Search Party’s People, Places & Things
SPONSORED POST BY The Cultch
UPU. Photo by Andi Crown
The Cultch has just announced the second annual Warrior Festival, taking place on all three of its stages—the York Theatre, Historic Theatre, and Vancity Culture Lab—from February 11 to March 29, 2026.
The Warrior Festival celebrates the strength of artists who are reclaiming space, rewriting narratives, and advocating for justice. It invites audiences to be part of something bigger than entertainment. This year, six fierce and funny shows—from local, national, and international companies—take centre stage to spotlight acts of defiance with radical joy. Viewers are invited to envision a liberated future with these trailblazing theatre artists.
Leah Shelton in Batshit. Photo by Pia Johnson
Opening the festival from February 11 to 15 is Batshit, a deeply intimate reckoning with the myths and misconceptions of female madness. Created and performed by Matilda Award–winning Australian artist Leah Shelton and directed by Olivier Award–winning British theatremaker Ursula Martinez, this one-woman show draws on personal stories, in-depth research, and pop culture to unpack how psychiatry has been shaped by gender bias.
UPU, running February 17 to 21, dives into immersive storytelling through spoken-word pieces by 23 poets, including young activists, poet laureates, and literary-prize winners. Curator Grace Iwashita-Taylor, a celebrated New Zealand poet, brings the Pacific Ocean and its people together using the upu (meaning “words”). Enhanced by evocative lights, projections, and a multilayered soundscape, the show bridges stories across decades and cultures, all connected by water.
Red Like Fruit. Photo by Riley Smith
Joining the Warrior Festival for limited runs is Red Like Fruit from February 18 to 22 and the frank theatre company’s Tomboy (Chłopczyca) from March 4 to 8. In the former production, which is by Halifax’s 2b theatre company, Governor General’s Award–winning Canadian playwright Hannah Moscovitch brings her signature sharp wit and emotional depth to a gripping account of life in the post–#MeToo era. And local creative Anais Mateusz West’s Tomboy redefines masculinity in a new dance-theatre piece inspired by the upiory (vampires of Slavic folklore); a non-binary historian looks back in a performance that redefines eroticism and masculinity with a dark, supernatural twist.
Calder White (left) and Rae Takei in Tomboy. Photo by Kimberly Ho
The Search Party returns to The Cultch from March 10 to 22 with the Vancouver premiere of People, Places & Things, a critically acclaimed play about an emerging actress’ struggles with substance use and time spent in rehab. Emma’s first step is to admit that she has a problem—but when intoxication feels like the only way for her to survive the modern world, she must reflect on how it will be possible to sober up.
Tess Degenstein in People, Places & Things. Photo by Emily Cooper
Wrapping up Warrior Festival 2026 is The Horse of Jenin by Amsterdam’s Troupe Courage, running March 25 to 29. Constructed from fragments of Palestinian actor and comedian Alaa Shehada’s own memories, The Horse of Jenin examines a sculpture of the same name and its symbolic meaning. Shehada’s performance is an ode to the power of imagination and the resilience it brings.
At The Cultch’s Warrior Festival, joy is resistance and every artist is a warrior. Learn more about the festival lineup and purchase tickets to all six shows here.
Post sponsored by The Cultch.
The Horse of Jenin. Photo by Kamerich & Budwilowitz
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