The Lagos International Theatre Festival 2026 returns to the MUSON Centre in Lagos on November 14 and 15, bringing together theatre practitioners, performers and audiences for two days of Nigerian and international productions. The festival will feature artists and performances from Nigeria, Kenya, Canada and Brazil, with additional international contributions from Norway.
Now in its 2026 edition, the Lagos International Theatre Festival (LITF) has become an established event on Lagos’s cultural calendar. The festival attracts more than 25,000 attendees across its programme days and provides a platform for professional theatre practitioners, independent performers and emerging creatives to present their work.
This year’s edition carries the theme “The Masks We Wear”, accompanied by the statement “The Stage Is Everywhere”. The theme examines the different identities and roles people adopt in their personal and public lives, using theatre as a way to explore how people present themselves and relate to the world around them. It also challenges the idea that theatrical expression belongs exclusively within a conventional theatre building.
International productions will form an important part of the programme, bringing different cultural and theatrical perspectives to Lagos. Among the featured works is Under The Mango Tree, presented by LeRa Entertainments from Canada and produced by Lennette Randall. Productions and artistic contributions from Norway, Kenya and Brazil will also feature, giving audiences an opportunity to encounter performances beyond Nigeria’s theatre scene.
The Nigerian programme will showcase productions from Lagos, Abuja, Enugu and Abeokuta. Featured works include Monkey Laundry, directed by Olarotimi Fakunle; tHERapy, directed by Tosin Adeyemi; What You Have Become, directed by Lanre Adediwura; and Behind Closed Doors, directed by Bolanle Austen-Peters. The festival will also give younger and emerging theatre makers an opportunity to present their work through productions from Atlantic Hall, Evergreen College and Children’s International School.
Although the main festival takes place over November 14 and 15, the wider programme begins several days earlier with events across Lagos. On November 9, Theatre Meets Food, hosted by Hilda Baci, will bring together artists, cultural leaders, partners and members of the city’s creative community for an evening combining food, theatre and conversation.
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The programme continues with Embassy Nights on November 10 and 11, bringing together diplomatic representatives, artists and creative industry leaders to celebrate international cultural exchange. An Opening Night Gala is scheduled for November 13, setting the stage for the main festival weekend at the MUSON Centre.
LITF 2026 is supported by the Lagos State Government, LekOil, Pillar Oil, Afrexim and Amstel, alongside a growing network of international and cultural partners.
Festival founder Bolanle Austen-Peters said the theme reflects the different roles people assume in their everyday lives and the opportunity theatre provides to examine those identities.
“The Masks We Wear is a theme that speaks to all of us. We all play different roles in our lives, and theatre allows us to examine those roles, question them, and perhaps see ourselves differently. This year, we are also reminding audiences that theatre is not confined to a theatre building. The stage is everywhere,” she said.
Festival Director Vanessa Jev also highlighted the range of international and Nigerian voices represented in this year’s programme. She said the participation of artists from Kenya, Canada and Brazil alongside Nigerian performers would give audiences opportunities to experience different cultures and artistic perspectives.
Founded by Bolanle Austen-Peters, the Lagos International Theatre Festival was established to celebrate theatre and performance, showcase Nigerian creative talent and encourage collaboration between artists from different countries. Its 2026 edition continues that focus, bringing local productions and international performances together in Lagos over a programme that extends beyond the main festival weekend.
