LATEST NEWS – 6th July 2026

PH: 6th July 2026

• Hairspray – the musical will be back on tour across the UK and Ireland next year! This will mark the second outing for the production directed by Brenda Edwards and Paul Kerryson. The musical is based on the 1988 film by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman, and book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. Neil Hurst will reprise the role of Edna Turnblad for the new tour and the production will feature choreography by Drew McOnie, set and costume design by Takis, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, sound design by Ben Harrison, musical supervision and arrangements by Ben Atkinson, musical direction by Richard Atkinson, projection design by George Reeve, and casting by Grindrod Burton. The associate director is Juliet Gough and the associate choreographer is Shaquille Brush. It will open at Manchester Palace Theatre (2 July to 19 July 2027), before heading to Glasgow Kings Theatre (20 to 25 July), Edinburgh Playhouse (27 July to 1 August), Cardiff Wales Millenium Centre (3 to 7 August), Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (9 to 14 August), Belfast Grand Opera House (16 to 21 August), Southend Cliffs Pavilion (24 to 29 August), New Wimbledon Theatre (31 August to 4 September), Liverpool Empire (13 to 18 September), Bradford Alhambra Theatre (20 to 25 September), Sunderland Empire (27 September to 2 October), Milton Keynes Theatre (4 to 9 October), Malvern Theatres (11 to 16 October), Birmingham Hippodrome (25 to 30 October), York Grand Opera House (1 to 6 November), Leicester Curve (8 to 13 November), Brighton Theatre Royal (15 to 20 November), Woking Theatre (22 to 27 November) and Bristol Hippodrome (10 to 15 January 2028).
• Sherlock Holmes and the Twelve Days of Christmas – will have a festive stint at Alexandra Palace Theatre where it will begin previews on 24 November 2026 and play until 17 January 2027. The Humphrey Ker and David Reed comedy premiered at Birmingham Rep last year and features songs by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The story is set in Victorian London, where in the West End, a series of performers die mid-scene, and Scotland Yard rules out foul play until Sherlock Holmes discovers a link to “The Twelve Days of Christmas”. Holmes races against time to save French Hens, find Gold Rings, and rescue Mother Goose, facing mortal danger along the way. With the help of Dr Watson and detective Athena Faversham, Holmes aims to solve the mystery. The production is directed by Phillip Breen.
• By Royal Appointment – will return for a new tour, and will star Jane Asher as The Queen and Samantha Womack as her Dresser. The play explores the relationship between the monarch and her close confidante and their collaboration in shaping the public image of the late Queen. They will be joined by David Robb as The Designer and Matthew Cottle as The Milliner. The play by Daisy Goodwin, the creator of the ITV series Victoria, is directed by Anthony Banks and has design by Jonathan Fensom. it will open on 21 September at Cambridge Arts Theatre, where it will run until 3 October. After that, it will visit Nottingham Theatre Royal (5 to 10 October), Chelmsford Theatre (19 to 24 October), and York Theatre Royal (9 to 14 November). Into 2027, it will play at Chichester Festival Theatre (18 to 23 January), Edinburgh Kings Theatre (25 to 30 January) and Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (2 to 6 February).
• Stoker Wilde – a new glam-rock musical concert will open the autumn 2026 season in the world’s oldest surviving grand music hall, Wilton’s Music Hall. has announced its upcoming season, which includes theatre, music, opera, comedy, cabaret and festive entertainment. The world premiere of the musical, presented by Jerry Goehring and Andrew House, uncovers the extraordinary rivalry and connection between literary icons Bram Stoker and Oscar Wilde. It will run from 27 to 31 October, the piece by Eric Rosen features music by Rodney Bush and is directed by Séimí Campbell. The season also includes Tom Dugan’s one-person play Wiesenthal, which explores the life of Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal that runs from 1 to 5 September. Also acclaimed illusionist David Alnwick will use Victorian magic to tell Charles Dickens’ classic ghost story The Signalman, on 3 September.The Waterperry Opera Festival in association with Charles Court Opera, presents Donizetti’s classic romantic comedy The Elixir of Love (8 to 19 September), sung in a new Engl ish translation. Visiting work also includes Simon Reade’s stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful, from 21 to 23 September, and Tim Key: Loganberry from 28 September to 3 October. Additional comedy features Avalon presenting Phil Ellis’ Bath Mat (10 October), before Shoddy Theatre and Skedaddle Theatre in association with York Theatre Royal present Mr Bean physical comedy show A Brief Case of Crazy (12 to 14 October). Arthur Hull will make his London debut with his show FLOP! The Best Songs from the Worst Musicals, playing from 24 to 26 September. The season continues with The Duke’s Theatre Company presenting Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet (15 to 17 October), a bold new staging featuring original music by Rob Millett. Further into October, the Players’ Theatre celebrates its 90th anniversary with its 90th Birthday Music Hall Gala (21 October), while Sally Homer and John MacKay present Pea Green Boat by Stewart Lee (22 October). Barb Jungr then leads a company of performers in Soho Songs presented by Cahoots Theatre Company (23 and 24 October). November opens with Highfield Productions presenting Liza Pulman and Joe Stilgoe in Hooray for Hollywood (3 to 7 November), followed by The Salts presenting Songs of the Sea, an evening of folk songs and sea shanties, on 9 November and City of London Sinfonia presents These Memories May Be True on 10 November. The Bradford Opera Festival presents The Marriage of Figaro (23 to 25 November), Mozart’s comic masterpiece performed with a brand-new Yorkshire dialect libretto by Ian McMillan. The season concludes with Arthur Pita’s Olivier Award-nominated The Little Match Girl (3 December 2026 to 2 January 2027), presented by Ballo Arthur Pita. Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s timeless tale, the production combines dance, song and Frank Moon’s evocative live music.
• The Duke of York’s Theatre – is to be renamed the Tom Stoppard Theatre, ATG Entertainment has announced, in tribute to the playwright who died in November 2025 aged 88. The St Martin’s Lane venue has a long association with Stoppard’s work. Rock ‘n’ Roll ran there from 2006 to 2007, and Arcadia played the house in 2009 – the same production whose Old Vic revival currently occupies the theatre. The theatre, which opened in 1892 as the Trafalgar Square Theatre before being renamed in 1895 to honour the future King George V, has changed its name only once in its 130-year history. It seats 640 across stalls, royal circle and upper circle, and is managed by ATG as part of their West End portfolio. The venue’s exterior will be altered over the coming months, while interior signage will be modified in the coming weeks.

LATEST NEWS – 1st JULY 2026

PH: 1st July 2026

The Other Side of Murder – the new comedy thriller from Torben Betts – writer of smash-hit plays Murder at Midnight and Murder in the Dark will be touring to Mayflower Studios in Southampton where it will play from Monday 16 – Saturday 21 November 2026. The producers Original Theatre in association with Theatr Clwyd have announced that the cast will be led by Rufus Hound (One Man, Two Guvnors, Wind in the Willows, The Mesmerist) who will star as TV medium Darius Divine alongside Susie Blake (Victoria Wood, Coronation Street and Torben Betts’ Murder in the Dark and Murder at Midnight) as Miriam, Aisha Jawando (Hamilton the Musical, Tina: The Musical) as Laura, Beth Lilly (The Play That Goes Wrong, Grantchester) as Jen, and Andy McLeod (Murder at Midnight, Cosmic) as Jason/understudy Darius. Completing the cast are Sarah Lawn, Maddy Banks and Oliver Byng. The creative team includes Director Philip Franks, Writer Torben Betts, Designer Colin Falconer, Lighting Designer Jason Taylor, Sound Designer and Composer Max Pappenheim, Illusion Designer John Bulleid, Casting Director Emma Sylvester and Associate Director Joshua Miles. The Production Manager is Brian Watson, the Costume Supervisor is Chrissy Maddison and the Props Supervisor is Katie Balmforth.