Vermin is at the Arcola

TRADE at the Pleasance explores the fate of a young woman plunged into an underground world. Jana is dating her first boyfriend and getting ready to leave her war-torn hometown to provide for her family. When she wakes up in a basement in Sarajevo, it’s clear that life doesn’t always follow the plans we make. Ella Dorman-Gajic’s play takes us inside the European sex-trafficking industry, told through the eyes of a young woman. Until Mar 25. pleasance.co.uk/

• After 30 years of working in fringe theatre, Gillian Beak shares a lifetime of theatrical windfalls with whoever might care to munch on them. Beak Speaks, a comedic one-woman play, is at the Hen and Chickens until Mar 25. unrestrictedview.co.uk/

• On Mar 27, Camden People’s Theatre’s double-bill showcases two blind and visually impaired theatre artists: No Future, written and performed by Helena Ascough, is an autobiographical, punk rock-influenced solo show exploring discrimination within the British education system. Ascough offers insights into the difficulties faced by disabled people and encourages audience members to celebrate difference and practice kindness. I Dream in Colour by Jasmin Thien explores memory, loss and the intersection between disability and culture, drawn from her experiences growing up fighting eye cancer and eventually blindness as a Bruneian-born Chinese. https://cptheatre.co.uk/whatson/Extant-Presents-2023

• In Benny Ainsworth’s Vermin, besotted couple Billy and Rachel appear to have a rat problem. But lurking below the floorboards of their first home together is a much darker, deep-rooted horror the couple must confront. An unsettling dark comedy that peels back the layers of unchecked grief. Arcola Theatre, until April 1. arcolatheatre.com/

• The latest season at the King’s Head features diverse and unheard voices, curated by Isabel Adomakoh Young as part of The Takeover. The theatre welcomes four artistic directors – Adomakoh Young, Tom Ratcliffe, Tania Azevedo and David Cumming – mid-career LGBTQ+ artists from various disciplines presenting individual programmes. The eclectic mixture of shows encompass comedy, drag, drama and satire. Mar 27-April 16. kingsheadtheatre.com

• The Flying Bath, based on the book by Julia Donaldson and David Roberts, is playing at the Little Angel until April 23. When everyone leaves the house, the bath toys spring into action. From giving a muddy piglet a shower to extinguishing a fire for a frightened baboon, they have water at the ready for any emergency. This playful and adventurous story includes catchy songs and everyday heroes. Ages 2-5. littleangeltheatre.com/

• In Cordelia Lynn’s Sea Creatures, directed by James Macdonald, four women live in a house made for five. Meals are prepared, stories are shared and the tide breaks on the shore. When only one of their two guests arrives for the summer, it isn’t quite the reunion they were hoping for. Hampstead Theatre to April 29. hampsteadtheatre.com/