Northern Broadsides to bring production to Leeds for 2026 tour of Crime and Punishment
Halifax theatre company Northern Broadsides is delighted to announce a new production of Dostoyevsky’s Crime and Punishment, adapted and directed by Artistic Director Laurie Sansom. It will tour to studio venues in Spring 2026.
The production highlights the novel’s strikingly modern themes, exploring how poverty and social isolation can affect mental health and drive people to desperate actions. It resonates with contemporary stories such as the TV series Adolescence, which has sparked widespread discussion about the challenges facing young men today.
Alongside the tour, Northern Broadsides will work with audiences and local groups, particularly young people, to explore these themes and their modern relevance.
In the heart of a bustling city, a penniless student murders in cold blood. He is caught in a spiral of paranoia and delusion as a cunning detective circles. Only the chance of love offers a way out.
What drives a young man to murder? This powerful production explores a society where some people will do anything to survive.
Northern Broadsides bring their bold and playful style to Dostoyevsky's classic novel, his huge canvas of larger-than-life characters brought to life by just three actors.
The cast and creative team are still to be announced.
The production will tour to five venues, each offering an intimate way for audiences to experience the story’s intensity.
Tour dates:
Cast, Doncaster: Thu 5 – Sat 7 March
Leeds City College: Thu 12 – Sat 14 March
HOME Manchester: Thu 19 – Sat 21 March
Victoria Theatre, Halifax: Wed 25 – Fri 27 March
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh: Wed 1 – Sat 4 April
Northern Broadsides is excited to return to Cast, where they performed As You Like It in 2022, and to bring their work to HOME, Manchester for the first time. At the Victoria Theatre in Halifax, the show takes place with the audience seated on the stage for a more intimate experience.
The company is also collaborating with Leeds City College as part of a new talent development programme, providing opportunities for students on acting, stage management and technical courses to work alongside professional artists and learn from the company’s creative process.
This announcement marks the return of Northern Broadsides’ touring productions after the extraordinary success of their two-year community project, Iron People, for Calderdale’s Year of Culture (CultureDale).
Artistic Director, Laurie Sansom, said: “Crime and Punishment is a story that asks profound questions about morality, obsession and survival.
"Now more than ever, we’re seeing young people grappling with the pressures of poverty, social isolation and uncertainty about their future.
"This production looks those issues squarely in the eye - asking what happens when someone feels they have nothing left to lose.”
For tour information and links to book tickets, visit: