HAM: Hotter Project's Vegan Hamlet Mashup Premieres at Soho Theatre Before Edinburgh Fringe 2026

The acclaimed performance duo Hotter Project are set to premiere their wildest creation yet: HAM, a darkly comic, ecologically charged reimagining of Shakespeare's Hamlet that pits veganism against carnivorous tradition. The show will preview at Soho Theatre on 28 July 2026 before transferring to Summerhall Arts for a full run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe from 6 to 30 August 2026.

Produced by Speakerphone Productions in partnership with Soho Theatre, HAM promises to be one of the most provocative and entertaining pieces of new theatre heading to Edinburgh this summer. With its irreverent premise and the company's track record of sell-out Fringe seasons, this is a production worth keeping on your radar.

What Is HAM About?

The setup is gloriously absurd. A grief-stricken vegan is consumed by rage following the death of a pig. His response? First, he thinks. For a very long time. Then he blames his mother. And finally, he exacts the ultimate revenge: he puts on a play.

HAM takes Shakespeare's most famous tragedy and transforms it into what the creators describe as a "kinky eco-hijacking" exploring themes of meat consumption, madness, and the corrosive power of shame. The Danish Prince becomes a self-righteous vegan, and his existential crisis morphs into a very modern dilemma. As the promotional material puts it: "As we hurtle towards the end of humankind, every one of us must decide: to eat, or not to eat? Is that the question?"

The piece positions Hamlet's well-known qualities of privilege and moral certainty as the perfect characteristics for an insufferable vegan protagonist. It is a sordid, funny wrestle between ideological conviction and the messy realities of human appetite, wrapped in Shakespearean language and theatrical spectacle.

Who Are Hotter Project?

Hotter Project is the creative partnership of Mary Higgins and Ell Potter, a duo who have built a formidable reputation for devised performance work that is physically bold, politically engaged, and frequently very funny. Previously described as "vividly, viscerally alive" by The Guardian, the pair have been making waves in UK theatre for nearly a decade.

They first burst onto the scene at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2017 with their debut show HOTTER, which went on to enjoy three consecutive sell-out runs and toured extensively across the UK. Subsequent productions included FITTER and The Last Show Before We Die, each building on their distinctive blend of confessional performance, physical theatre, and urgent political commentary.

HAM represents a notable evolution in their practice, marking the first time Hotter Project have created an adaptation rather than a wholly original devised piece. The choice of Hamlet as source material suggests an ambitious expansion of their artistic ambitions, even as it retains the subversive, rule-breaking spirit that has defined their work.

Preview at Soho Theatre Before Edinburgh

Before heading north for the Fringe, HAM will receive its world premiere preview at Soho Theatre on 28 July 2026. Soho Theatre has long been one of London's most important homes for new writing and emerging performance work, and its involvement as a co-presenter signals strong institutional support for the project.

Higgins and Potter have been candid about what audiences should expect from this London outing. "A preview at Soho Theatre will be a chance for audiences to catch a rough and raw first look at the show before we travel to Edinburgh," they explained. For adventurous theatregoers, this offers a rare opportunity to see a show in its earliest public form, before the pressure and polish of a full Fringe run.

The Soho Theatre preview also serves a practical purpose. Edinburgh Fringe shows benefit enormously from having been tested in front of a live audience before the festival begins, and a night at one of London's most discerning venues provides invaluable feedback for the company.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe Run at Summerhall

The main run of HAM will take place at Summerhall Arts in the Old Lab space from 6 to 30 August 2026. Summerhall has established itself as one of the most exciting and prestigious Fringe venues, known for championing experimental, cross-disciplinary work. It is a natural home for Hotter Project's brand of boundary-pushing performance.

Running for almost the entirety of the Fringe, HAM will have ample opportunity to build word-of-mouth momentum, something that proved crucial to the success of HOTTER back in 2017. Edinburgh audiences are famously receptive to bold, challenging work, and a show that combines Shakespeare, veganism, ecological anxiety, and physical comedy seems tailor-made for the festival's adventurous spirit.

In addition to HAM, Hotter Project will also be part of this year's Shedinburgh season with a one-night-only event called An Evening with Hotter Project, which will feature a special compilation drawn from their previous shows. For fans of the company, this offers a chance to revisit highlights from their back catalogue alongside the new work.

Why This Show Matters in 2026

HAM arrives at a moment when questions about sustainability, food systems, and personal responsibility are more culturally charged than ever. The production's central conceit, using the framework of Hamlet to explore the moral complexities of meat eating, feels both timely and provocatively funny. Theatre has always been at its best when it takes big, uncomfortable questions and finds the humour and humanity within them.

What makes HAM particularly intriguing is its refusal to take a simple stance. By casting the vegan protagonist as Hamlet, a character who is simultaneously noble and insufferable, righteous and paralysed by indecision, the show seems to interrogate the very nature of moral conviction. It is not a lecture; it is a dramatic exploration of what happens when deeply held beliefs collide with the messy realities of family, tradition, and desire.

Hotter Project's physical performance style also promises to bring something visceral and immediate to the material. Their previous work has been notable for its raw energy and direct audience engagement, qualities that should serve the Shakespearean source material well while also making the ecological themes feel urgent rather than abstract.

Should You Book?

If you are planning to be in London in late July, the Soho Theatre preview of HAM on 28 July represents an exciting chance to see a promising new show before anyone else. Previews at Soho Theatre tend to sell quickly, particularly for companies with established followings, so booking early is advisable.

For those heading to Edinburgh in August, HAM's near-month-long run at Summerhall gives plenty of flexibility. However, given Hotter Project's history of sell-out Fringe seasons, it would be wise not to leave it to the last minute. The combination of a proven creative team, a brilliantly high-concept premise, and one of the Fringe's best venues makes this one of the standout shows to watch this summer.

Looking for more exciting theatre to see this season? Browse our full list of London shows and discover what is playing across the West End and beyond. From compelling new plays to hit musicals, there is something for every theatregoer at BritishTheatre.com.