Brief
Milo Rau’s ‘Pelicot Trial’ to Debut at London County Hall on Nov. 30
The one‑off performance, part of the Young Vic Theatre’s final 2026/7 season, will bring the Avignon trial to the UK stage.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Swiss director and playwright Milo Rau will bring his courtroom‑theatre piece, The Pelicot Trial, to London County Hall on 30 November. The production, based on the 2024 Avignon rape trial of Gisele Pelicot, will feature accounts from the trial, police files, social commentary and psychiatric reports of the 51 men prosecuted.
The event will be performed by 30 actors and public figures and is part of the Young Vic Theatre’s final shows of its 2026/7 season. Young Vic artistic director and chief executive Nadia Fall said the piece “breaks out beyond our theatre walls to County Hall; a piece of confronting event‑theatre which bears witness to the harrowing story of Gisèle Pelicot.”
Pelicot, who waived her right to anonymity, said shame should fall on her abusers, not her. Her ex‑husband, Dominique Pelicot, was jailed for 20 years for drugging and raping her, and for allowing other men to rape her while she was unconscious. Fifty men were found guilty of rape or sexual offences after a three‑and‑a‑half‑month trial that ended in December 2024.
The play will run as a one‑off event on 30 November, with tickets going on general sale on 7 October. It joins other Young Vic productions such as Dissent starring Lashana Lynch, Written and directed by Debbie Tucker Green and a re‑imagining of Kafka’s A Hunger Artist.
Key facts
- The Pelicot Trial will premiere at London County Hall on 30 November 2026 (standard.co.uk)
- The production will feature 30 actors and public figures (standard.co.uk)
- The play is based on the 2024 Avignon rape trial of Gisele Pelicot (standard.co.uk)
- Gisele Pelicot waived her right to anonymity (standard.co.uk)
- Dominique Pelicot was jailed for 20 years for drugging and raping his wife (standard.co.uk)
Background
The play is part of the Young Vic Theatre’s final shows of its 2026/7 season and follows the Avignon trial that concluded in December 2024.
Timeline
- 2024-12-?? — Avignon rape trial of Gisele Pelicot concluded
- 2026-10-07 — Tickets for Pelicot Trial go on general sale
- 2026-11-30 — Pelicot Trial premieres at London County Hall
Why it matters
The production brings a high‑profile sexual‑violence case to the UK stage, offering a public forum for discussion and reflection on abuse and justice.
What happens next
Tickets will be available from 7 October and the performance will run on 30 November.
Sources
- [1] standard.co.uk — originally reported as “Play using evidence from Gisele Pelicot trial to get UK premiere”
