LATEST NEWS – 3rd August 2026

PH: 3rd August 2026

• The Pianist – The full company has been announced for the world premiere of the musical drama at Mayflower Studios, Southampton, from 9 to 12 September, ahead of a transfer to Park Theatre in London opening on 15 October. Written and directed by Thom Southerland, the stage adaptation is based on the memoir by Władysław Szpilman, which inspired Roman Polanski’s Academy Award-winning film. Daniel Krikler will lead the production as Szpilman, who was not only a Holocaust survivor but one of Poland’s most celebrated composers and pianists. In support will be Rosalind Ford as Mother, Oliver Grant as Hosenfeld, TJ Holmes as Father, Mischa Jardine as Janina, Elżbieta Kalicka as Regina, Nitai Levi as Henryk, Melania Maggiore as Halina, and Max Roll as Gimpel/Majorek. The ensemble features Oliver Magor and Erin Rowlatt. Original compositions will be performed by a cast of actor-musicians, depicting the cultural life of pre-war Warsaw and its destruction during the Second World War, alongside new arrangements by Simon Lee. New lyrics come from an international group of writers and musicians, including two-time Grammy nominee Carol Connors, acclaimed songwriter David Batteau, jazz singer Wendy Lands and collaborator Jim Gillard, Grammy-nominated Michael Ruff, Szpilman’s son Andreas Szpilman, and award-winning lyricist Marcy Heisler. The creative team also includes choreography and movement direction by Karen Bruce, set and video design by Andrzej Goulding, costume design by Jonathan Lipman, lighting design by Robbie Butler, sound design by Gareth Tucker for Autograph Sound, musical direction by Malcolm Forbes-Peckham, assistant direction by Josh Whatsize, casting by Ginny Schiller and casting assistance by Ben Armstrong, and executive producing and general management by DEM Productions.
• Dog Man: The Musical – a new musical based on the worldwide bestselling book series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants and Cat Kid Comic Club will be returning on tour in 2027 kicking off at Basingstoke Anvil on 5 February and then visiting Malvern Festival Theatre, Chester Storyhouse, Northampton Royal & Derngate, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Guildford Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Blackpool Grand Theatre, Canterbury Marlowe Theatre, Southampton Mayflower Theatre and ending at Lichfield Garrick Theatre from 10^th June 2027. Best friends George and Harold have been creating comics for years, but now that they’re 10, they figure it’s time to level up and write a musical based on their favourite character, Dog Man, the crime-fighting sensation who is part dog, part man, and ALL HERO!! How hard could it be? Written by Kevin Del Aguila and Brad Alexander and Directed and choreographed by Jen Wineman.
• Donald – casting has just been announced for the UK premiere of the play penned by Stefano Massini, the writer of The Lehman Trilogy. The play will run at Theatre Royal Bath from 6 November to 5 December and traces the rise of Donald John Trump before his entry into politics, focusing on his work in property development, golf, hotels, media and reality television, and the period leading up to his presidency. Elliot Cowan will play the eponymous President of the United States, and will be joined by Oscar Batterham and Jo Herbert as the many other characters in the President’s life. Adapted and directed by double Olivier Award winner Sean Foley, the piece will play in the Ustinov Studio.
• Till the Stars Come Down – the full company for the regional premiere of Beth Steel’s has been revealed. The Olivier Award-nominated play will be staged at Nottingham Playhouse from 5^th to 26th September. Examining family dynamics during a wedding in a former mining town, Steel’s play first premiered at the National’s Dorfman Theatre in early 2024 before transferring to the West End. Set to star in the Nottingham production are Joe Alessi, who plays Uncle Pete, Leah Brotherhead as Maggie, AK Golding as Sylvia, the hopeful bride, Graeme Hawley as John, Ivan Ivashkin as the groom, Marek, Emma Pallant as Hazel, Sadie Shimmin as the outspoken aunt, and Howard Ward as Tony, the patriarch of the family. Ellie Daley, Anya Marshall and Amelia Yates will play the children Leanne and Sarah. The production is directed by Caroline Steinbeis.
• Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d – The Mill at Sonning has announced casting for its upcoming revival scheduled to run at The Mill at Sonning from 4 September to 31 October. Adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, the play centres on Miss Marple as she investigates a death following a gathering at Gossington Hall, uncovering secrets within the village of St Mary Mead. Set to star as Miss Marple is Liza Goddard, perhaps best known for her TV appearances in the likes of Bergerac and Give Us a Clue. Her recent stage credits include The Croft, Noises Off and Relatively Speaking. Joining Goddard on stage will be Sara Crowe (as Marina Gregg), Annie Wensak (as Dolly Bantry), James Mack (as Chief Inspector Craddock), Saskia Strallen (as Lola Brewster), Paul Kemble (as Cyril Leigh/Assistant Director), Jane Quinn (as Heather Leigh), Elysia Showan (as Cherie), Martin Razpopov (as Giuseppe) and Lydia Kirton (as Ella Zielinsky).
• Three Men in a Boat – The Rose Theatre in Kingston has announced the full cast and creative team for the venue’s next production which will run at Rose Theatre from 18 September to 10 October. The new comedy is written by Al Smith, based on the classic novel by Jerome K Jerome, and features original songs by Tony Award nominee Grant Olding. It follows three friends – J, George and Harris – and a dog named Montmorency, who embark on a holiday trip up the River Thames. The cast will include Jonny Weldon (101 Dalmatians) as Jerome, Bronté Barbé (Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!) as Harris, Richard David-Caine (The Witches) as George and Calum Donald-Bruce (Dinosaur World Live) as Montmorency. It will be directed by Christopher Haydon.
• Tristan and Yseult – casting has been confirmed for the Emma Rice Company’s adaptation of the 2003 piece by Kneehigh and Emma Rice, which was last seen on stage in 2017 and is now due to embark on a UK tour. The tour is co-produced with York Theatre Royal and Nottingham Playhouse. John Leader and Nandi Bhebhe lead the cast as Tristan and Yseult. They are joined by Matthew Churcher (as Frocin), Tom Fox (Morholt and Brangian), Jack Heydon (Love Spotter), Stephanie Hockley (Whitehands), Edward Rowe (King Mark) and Nigel Sudarkasa (Love Spotter). In the band are Pat Moran, Stu Barker, Harry Miller, Philippa Hogg and, as alternate for the New York run, Mary Johnson. It will begin performances at Theatre Royal Bath from 11 September and then it will visit Theatr Clywd, Mold (22 to 26 September), Citizens Theatre, Glasgow (30 September to 3 October), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (6 to 10 October), and Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh (20 to 24 October), before playing in New York City at St Ann’s Warehouse in November. In the new year, the tour will recommence at Oxford Playhouse (26 to 30 January 2027), Nottingham Playhouse (9 to 13 February) and York Theatre Royal (6 to 17 April). The play is written by Anna Maria Murphy and Carl Grose.
• Six – has announced a new cast for the musical’s 2026-27 UK and international tour. The new company will take over from 22 September, opening at Edinburgh Festival Theatre before continuing across the UK and Ireland and a visit to the Grand Théâtre de Luxembourg from 5 to 9 May 2027. Joining the production are Sedona Sky as Catherine of Aragon, Eve Humphrey as Anne Boleyn, Billie Kerr as Jane Seymour, Tia Antoine-Charles as Anna of Cleves, Léa Desjacques as Katherine Howard and Amena El-Kindy as Catherine Parr. Rosie Itzel, Eve Parsons and Charlotte Anne Steen will serve as alternates, while Eve Knagg and Lara Vina Uzcatia join as super swings. The cast will be accompanied by the show’s all-female band, The Ladies in Waiting, led by musical director Sara De Sanctis. The musical continues to play at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End and the Lena Horne Theatre on Broadway. Internationally, the show is set to launch a new Spanish-language production in Madrid this September, return to Australia for a national tour, and begin a 12-week engagement in China later this year – featuring the current tour cast. The production is produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy and Andy Barnes, and George Stiles.
• The Last Ship – the musical will run for a limited engagement at Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 22 September to 3 October 2026, with Sting appearing as Jack White in every performance. For two nights he will be joined by Shaggy, the global reggae icon, who will reprise his role as the Wallsend Ferryman in the reimagined 2026 adaptation of the musical. Shaggy will perform on the first performance in the West End on 22 September and at the gala night the following evening. The remaining cast will be announced soon.
• Sunday in the Park with George – Ariana Grande has withdrawn from the 2027 Marianne Elliott musical revival revival ofSondheim’s musical which is due to open next summer at the Barbican. Directed by Tony and Olivier winner Elliott (Company, War Horse) it will be the show’s first major London staging in two decades.
• Underbelly Boulevard Soho – formerly known as the Boulevard Theatre has announced its closure. The theatre will close on 10 January 2027. Ahead of that, the venue will showcase its Edinburgh Festival Fringe transfer season in September, the London premiere of Off-Broadway musical parody Heated Rivalry in October and the return of circus show Sophie’s Surprise Christmas Party that will be the closing production. The theatre opened in October 2023. Across the three years, the venue has hosted over 1700 performances with artists including Steven Frayne (Dynamo), Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Michael McIntyre, Self Esteem, David Letterman, John Bishop, John Cleese, James Acaster, National Youth Theatre, Flo and Joan, Kiefer Sutherland, and Phil Wang.
• The National Theatre – has announced plans to mark five decades of its South Bank home. “Stories Start Here: 50 Stories for 50 Years” will feature personal stories from stars who have performed at the venue, alongside memories from Laurence Olivier, Peter Hall and the NT’s architect Denys Lasdun. They will be shared in a free installation outside the building and via the National’s digital guide on Bloomberg Connects, allowing people around the world to enjoy them. Inside, a story station will also dispense the short stories printed on eco-friendly paper at random so visitors can take away their own memento of the anniversary. Actors confirmed to be involved include Hugh Jackman, Lesley Manville, Lucian Msamati, David Oyelowo, Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter. In addition, a new apprenticeship named in honour of Denys Lasdun has launched to support the next generation of theatre-makers, craftspeople and technicians. For its first 13 years, the National Theatre was based at the Old Vic before moving into its first purpose-built home, which was under construction between 1969 and 1976. Designed by architect Denys Lasdun, the Grade II listed 250,000-square-foot building divided opinion at the time of its construction but is now widely regarded as a masterpiece of brutalist architecture.
• Aaron Tveit – The Tony Award-winning stage and screen performer will return to London for a one-night concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Tuesday 6 October at 7.30pm. He will perform a selection of songs from across his career, including material from productions such as Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Next to Normal, Chess, Wicked, Catch Me If You Can and Schmigadoon! (Tveit starred in the original Apple TV series), Les Miserables (Enjolras in the movie adaptation) alongside music that has inspired him throughout his life. Accompanied by a live band, the concert will also feature stories and reflections from throughout his career. Tveit won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for Moulin Rouge! The Musical and has previously appeared on the London stage in Assassins. Prior to his London visit he will be reprising his role as Christian in the Broadway production of Moulin Rouge at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre from 18^th to 29^th August 2026.
• Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy – the full company has been announced the world premiere of the new play by Ava Pickett which will run at Stratford East from 3 September to 10 October 2026. Michelle Dockery and Laura Aikman will lead the cast playing the roles of Helen and Cee. Joining them will be Olivier Award winner Maimuna Memon as Dani, Gerard Monaco as Mario, Ethan Moorhouse as Messenger, Emma Monnickendam as Hermione, Jay Taylor as Marcus, Ellie Turner as Woman and Joshua-Alexander Williams as Luke.