LATEST NEWS – 14th September 2026

• West Side Story – the National Theatre will produce a revival of the musical in 2027 which will make the 70^th anniversary of its Broadway premiere at the Winter Garden Theatre on 26^th September 1957. The production will be co-directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, who previously collaborated on Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic, in the West End and on Broadway. Jerome Robbins’ choreography for the musical will be reproduced and adapted for the stage by performer and choreographer Julio Monge, who has a longstanding relationship with the show after working on the choreography for the film. Casting and dates will be announced shortly.
• Sunday in the Park with George – following the departures of stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey from the revival, the planned 2027 production of the musical at the Barbican will no longer proceed. It has not had a major London production in almost two decades, though a West End production had been slated for 2020. That was cancelled due to the pandemic lockdowns. The new production had been set to be directed by Marianne Elliott, who is also set to co-direct West Side Story at the National Theatre.
• StarKid’s Nerdy Prudes Must Die – will return to London in 2027 playing the Apollo Theatre from 6 February to 7 March. The production, written by Nick and Matt Lang with music and lyrics by Jeff Blim, will feature the musical’s entire original company from its 2023 Los Angeles premiere. Lauren Lopez directs and choreographs. The cast comprises Will Branner as Max Jägerman, Mariah Rose Faith Casillas as Steph Lauter, Bryce Charles as Detective Shapiro, Corey Dorris as Mayor Lauter, Angela Giarratana as Grace Chasity, Lopez as Ruth Fleming, Jon Matteson as Richie Lipschitz, Curt Mega as Officer Bailey, Joey Richter as Peter Spankoffski and Kim Whalen as Miss Mulberry. Set at Hatchetfield High, the musical follows a group of students who accidentally unleash an ancient evil in the form of a murderous spirit with a vendetta against nerds. Nerdy Prudes Must Die follows StarKid’s 2026 West End run of The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals. The company previously made its UK debut at the London Palladium in May 2024 with It’s StarKid Innit, returning to the venue in April 2025 with I Can’t Believe It’s Been a Little Less Than a Year. StarKid has built an online following through its musical theatre productions and the Hatchetfield series, with more than 360 million views across its YouTube channel.
• Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – Megan Hilty and Rachel Tucker will star in a new concert production of at the London Palladium on 26 March and 27 March 2027. Hilty will play Lorelei Lee and Tucker Dorothy Shaw in the production, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Warren Carlyle. The musical opened on Broadway in 1949, with Carol Channing originating the role of Lorelei. It was adapted into the 1953 film starring Marilyn Monroe as Lorelei and Jane Russell as Dorothy and features music by Jule Styne, lyrics by Leo Robin, and a book by Anita Loos and Joseph Fields. Set aboard an ocean liner travelling to Paris, it follows Lorelei Lee and Dorothy Shaw. The score includes “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, “A Little Girl from Little Rock” and “Bye Bye Baby”. Hilty previously played Lorelei in the New York City Center production presented as part of Encores!.
• Alan Finch – managing director of Cameron Mackintosh Limited, has died aged 61. He led exceptional teams of theatrical talents across the three international companies over the last ten years. Alan joined in 2016 and immediately took the lead role in ensuring that the huge reconstruction and expansion of the Victoria Palace Theatre could be completed in time for the opening of Hamilton. In 2005, Finch joined Chichester Festival Theatre as executive director, where together with his long-time friend and colleague Jonathan Church, he saved the theatre from closure. Not only was he instrumental in restoring CFT to artistic and financial health, he also established its future prosperity. Born in Mansfield, Finch began his career at Mansfield Civic Theatre, now Mansfield Palace Theatre, aged 16 as a trainee theatre electrician. He joined Nottingham Playhouse as an assistant electrician in 1986 before becoming production manager at Bolton’s Octagon Theatre. He returned to Nottingham Playhouse in 1992 as production manager, working with artistic director Kenneth Alan Taylor. Finch went on to become technical director at Theatre Royal Plymouth before being appointed general manager in 1999. During his time there, he oversaw the creation of TR2, an £8 million production facility.
• A Little Night Music – The Royal Exchange Theatre has announced the full cast for Stephen Sondheim’s musical, which will run from 5 December 2026 to 30 January 2027. Directed by artistic director Selina Cartmell, the musical has music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, with a book by Hugh Wheeler, and is suggested by a film by Ingmar Bergman. It was originally produced and directed on Broadway by Harold Prince and is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International. Michelle Gomez will play Desiree Armfeldt, with Michael D. Xavier as Fredrik Egerman, Gillian Bevan as Madame Armfeldt, Marley Fenton as Henrik Egerman, Liv Andrusier as Anne Egerman, Oliver Thornton as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, WhatsOnStage Award-winner Courtney Bowman as Petra, Laura Harrison as Countess Charlotte Malcolm, Kaya Farrugia as Fredrika Armfeldt, Esme Laudat as Mrs Anderssen (Quintet), Carolina Alegria as Mrs Nordstrom, Michael Robert-Lowe as Mr Lindquist (Quintet), Sam Kipling as Mr Erlanson and Monique Young as Mrs Segstrom. David Ouch and Chloe Taylor complete the cast as ensemble.
• Don Black’s From The Heart – Shona McGarty and Frances Mayli McCann have joined the cast in the production at the Garrick Theatre from 8 to 18 October 2026. The musical returns to the West End following concert performances in 2025. The production is directed by Nick Winston and the cast also includes Caroline O’Connor, Clive Rowe and Michael D. Xavier. The production celebrates Black’s career and his connection to the New York cabaret scene, featuring new songs written with composers including Gary Barlow, Natasha Bedingfield, David Arnold, Debbie Wiseman and Mike Batt. Joe Church is musical director, with arrangements and musical supervision by Nick Barstow. Each performance will feature a surprise special guest, followed by a medley of songs from Black’s career, including “Born Free”, “Ben”, “Love Changes Everything”, “With One Look”, “To Sir With Love” and “As If We Never Said Goodbye”. The show will also feature a selection of Black’s James Bond songs, including Diamonds Are Forever, Thunderball, The Man With The Golden Gun and The World Is Not Enough.

• Glorious Madness – a new British musical will premiere in the National Theatre Dorfman next spring. featuring music and lyrics by Joan Armatrading, with a book by Iman Qureshi and direction by Phyllida Lloyd. The production is a co-production with KPPL Productions and uses Armatrading’s songs within an original love story.
• Ballet Shoes – the National Theatre’s adaptation will embark on a tour across the UK following its premiere run at the Olivier Theatre in London. The tour will visit Aylesbury Waterside Theatre (19 to 21 August 2027), Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London (25 August to 11 September 2027), Norwich Theatre Royal (14 to 18 September 2027), The Marlowe in Canterbury (21 to 25 September 2027), Nottingham Theatre Royal (5 to 9 October 2027), Birmingham Hippodrome (12 to 16 October 2027), Edinburgh Playhouse (19 to 23 October 2027), King’s Theatre in Glasgow (26 to 30 October 2027), Chichester Festival Theatre (4 to 13 November 2027), Bristol Hippodrome (16 to 20 November 2027), Sunderland Empire (30 November to 4 December 2027), The Lowry in Salford (8 December 2027 to 2 January 2028), New Theatre Oxford (5 to 8 January 2028), Liverpool Empire (11 to 15 January 2028), Milton Keynes Theatre (18 to 22 January 2028) and Mayflower Theatre in Southampton (22 to 26 February 2028). Katy Rudd directs the production, which brings Noel Streatfeild’s 1936 novel to the stage. Adapted by Kendall Feaver, the story follows the lives of three adopted sisters, Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil, as they navigate their ambitions, talents, and training at the Academy of Dancing and Stage Training in London. Rudd is joined on the creative team by set designer Frankie Bradshaw, costume designer Samuel Wyer, choreographer Ellen Kane, composer Asaf Zohar, dance arranger and orchestrator Gavin Sutherland, lighting designer Paule Constable, sound designer Ian Dickinson for Autograph, video designer Ash J Woodward, illusions Chris Fisher and the casting director is Bryony Jarvis-Taylor.
• The Gate Theatre – is to close at the end of October 2026, bringing an end to nearly 50 years of producing international theatre in London. The decision has been attributed to a combination of increased competition for trust and foundation funding, rising production costs, the lack of regular subsidy and the loss of the company’s former permanent home in Notting Hill. Founded in 1979 above a pub in Notting Hill, the Gate was established to bring international theatre to London audiences. The company went on to become a platform for international artists, writers and directors, as well as supporting the careers of UK theatre practitioners. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Gate left its Notting Hill venue and took up residence at Theatro Technis in Camden in July 2022. Later that year, it was announced that the company would no longer be a National Portfolio Organisation from April 2023, resulting in the loss of its Arts Council England funding. The Gate continued to operate as a producer-led organisation, developing work outside a permanent building. Recent productions included Wish You Were Here, which was staged at Theatro Technis in 2024 and sold out, achieving 150 per cent of its financial projection. The company says 89 per cent of the audience attended the Gate for the first time. In 2025, Scenes from the Climate Era, directed by artistic lead Atri Banerjee at the Playground Theatre, received multiple four- and five-star reviews and won an OffWestEnd Award for Best Production. Despite this activity, the Gate says that maintaining the organisation through short-term grants and fundraising has become unsustainable. The company will spend its remaining months celebrating its artists, audiences, staff, partners and supporters. A private event marking the Gate’s history will take place at the Royal Court Theatre on Sunday 20 September.
• Death Note: The Musical – will return to London’s Barbican Theatre from 23 March to 15 May 2027. The announcement comes as the show approaches the end of its sell-out season at the venue this year. Based on the bestselling manga series created by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Death Note: The Musical features music by Tony, Grammy and Emmy Award nominee Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Tony nominee Jack Murphy, additional lyrics by Morgan Reilly and a book by Emmy nominee Ivan Menchell. The production broke the Barbican record for the highest grossing single week of a musical, before breaking the record for the highest grossing single performance of a musical five consecutive times. The story follows Light Yagami, a gifted high school student who discovers a mysterious notebook known as the Death Note, which has the power to kill anyone whose name is written in it. As you can imagine, chaos ensues. The new production is directed by Stephen Whitson, while Fabian Aloise is choreographer, with Jon Bausor as set designer. The musical was originally produced by HoriPro in 2015, with the production subsequently staged in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and London. The musical has also previously been presented in concert at the London Palladium.
• Back to the Future The Musical – has announced its full cast for the upcoming UK tour, which opens at the Bristol Hippodrome on 8 October 2026. Roger Bart and Brian Conley will share the role of Doc Brown, with Axel Duffy playing Marty McFly. Bart will play Doc Brown in Bristol from 8 October to 21 November 2026, Edinburgh from 2 December 2026 to 2 January 2027 and Liverpool from 12 January to 6 February 2027. Conley will then take over for the Milton Keynes run from 9 to 27 February 2027. Joining them are James Oliver as George McFly, Danielle Rose as Lorraine Baines, Brandon Lee Sears as Goldie Wilson and Marvin Berry, Toby Shellard as Biff Tannen, Tash Bacarese-Hamilton as Jennifer Parker, Rhys Owen as Strickland, Katrina Stenning as Linda McFly and Blake Jordan as Dave McFly. The company also includes Chloe Bell, Nicole Carlisle, Tilly Ducker, Rebecca French, Tia Gyngell, Kai Harris, Katie Hutton, Keir Hylands, Arthur Janes, Stephen Lewis-Johnston, Zachary Miller, George Olney, Trézel Sergeant and Lashane Williams. Janes will also play Marty McFly at selected performances. The production will subsequently visit Birmingham from 9 March to 10 April 2027, Sunderland from 13 April to 8 May, Bradford from 11 May to 5 June, Southampton from 8 June to 3 July, Manchester from 13 July to 21 August, Plymouth from 24 August to 11 September and Cardiff from 19 October to 13 November, with further venues to be announced.The musical premiered in London’s West End in 2021 and played its final performance at the Adelphi Theatre on 12 April 2026 after a five-year run.
• My Fair Lady – the revival, presented by Pitlochry Festival Theatre in association with Sonia Friedman Productions will run from 21 November to 31 December 2026. Verity Power will play Eliza Doolittle opposite Alan Cumming as Professor Henry Higgins in the new production directed by Maria Friedman. The Pitlochry production will be the closing show of Cumming’s inaugural season as artistic director. Further casting and creative team for My Fair Lady will be announced soon.
• New Forest Open Air Theatre – is launching a fundraising campaign to create a new 300-seat seasonal woodland theatre on the Hinton Admiral Estate near Burley in Hampshire, with the venue planned to open for the 2027 summer season. The project will establish a permanent home base for the company, which was founded in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic and has since staged outdoor productions including Shakespeare, family theatre and seasonal events across the New Forest. The new theatre will be situated in a naturally occurring woodland basin on the 5,500-acre Hinton Admiral Estate. Designed by local architect Natalie Skeete of Forest Architecture, with theatre consultants Charcoalblue and designer James Turner, the structure will be built using coppiced timber from the surrounding woodland. The theatre will be dismantled at the end of each performance season, with the design intended to minimise its impact on the woodland. The site will make use of existing estate infrastructure including parking, utilities, catering and visitor facilities.
• The company is seeking to raise the remaining funds required to deliver the project and has launched a new membership and patron scheme alongside opportunities for support from individuals, businesses, charitable trusts and foundations. The campaign is supported by cultural figures including Mark Rylance, Judi Dench, Derek Jacobi, Lenny Henry, Dan Snow, Geraldine Somerville and Candida Meyrick. The company also plans to develop community participation, outdoor learning, wellbeing and engagement with nature as part of its longer-term work.

LATEST NEWS – 7th September 2026

• Million Dollar Quartet – will embark on a new UK tour in 2027, opening at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff from 26 to 30 January, before travelling to the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend from 3 to 6 February, Liverpool Playhouse from 9 to 13 February, the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow from 15 to 20 February, the Churchill Theatre in Bromley from 22 to 27 February, Ipswich Regent from 2 to 6 March, the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham from 8 to 13 March, Darlington Hippodrome from 16 to 20 March, the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford from 22 to 27 March, Theatre Royal Windsor from 30 March to 3 April, Derby Theatre from 5 to 10 April, Devonshire Park Theatre in Eastbourne from 12 to 17 April, Wyvern Theatre in Swindon from 19 to 24 April, His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen from 4 to 8 May and Kings Theatre in Portsmouth from 10 to 15 May, BEAM in Hertford from 18 to 22 May, The Sands Centre in Carlisle from 24 to 29 May, Crewe Lyceum from 31 May to 5 June, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 8 to 13 June, Fareham Live from 14 to 19 June, Winter Gardens Blackpool from 22 to 26 June and Chelmsford Theatre from 28 June to 3 July. The tour concludes at Malvern Theatres from 12 to 17 July. The production, directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, follows the production’s season at the Barn Theatre in Cirencester and its current London run, where it is booking until 6 December 2026. Million Dollar Quartet has a book by Colin Escott and Floyd Mutrux and is based on the recording session that brought Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins together at Sun Records in Memphis on 4 December 1956.
• Billy Elliot the Musical – has announced four further venues for its upcoming UK and Ireland tour, extending the production into 2028. The musical will play the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff from 10 to 28 August 2027, followed by the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin from 14 September to 9 October 2027. The tour will then visit the Alhambra in Bradford from 19 October to 6 November 2027, before heading to the Bristol Hippodrome from 1 to 26 February 2028. The newly announced dates follow the production’s previously confirmed engagements at Sunderland Empire from 4 to 28 November 2026, the Palace Theatre Manchester from 2 December 2026 to 9 January 2027 and Edinburgh Playhouse from 19 January to 6 February 2027. The production will then return to the West End for the first time in more than 10 years, playing a limited season at the Adelphi Theatre from 12 February to 31 July 2027. Further touring dates are expected to be announced. The musical has a book and lyrics by Lee Hall, music by Elton John, direction by Stephen Daldry and choreography by Peter Darling. The production features scenic design by Ian MacNeil, costume design by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting design by Rick Fisher, sound design by Paul Arditti and hair, wig and make-up design by Campbell Young. Musical supervision and orchestrations are by Martin Koch. The tour is directed by Simon Pollard, with associate choreography by Jeroen Luiten. Leading the company will be Spencer Collins (13 years old from Los Angeles), William Gurney (12 years old from Berkshire). Noah Mannion (12 years old from Stockport), and Rafferty Smale (12 years old from Leigh-on-Sea), while one of the thee original Billy Elliots, Liam Mower, is set to return to the show to play Older Billy. Newly announced are Annette McLaughlin, reprising the role of Mrs Wilkinson having played the part in the show’s last UK and Ireland tour, Deka Walmsley, returning to the role of Dad having following both his West End run and screen appearance in Billy Elliot the Musical Live, Jack Bandeira as Tony and Lesley Joseph as Grandma. Alternating the role of Billy’s best friend Michael will be Harper Etienne (10 years old from Derbyshire), Dalton Jones (9 years old from South Yorkshire), Theo Kamande (12 years old from London) and Oisin-Luca Pegg (13 years old from Birmingham). Joining them will be Lola Cant (10 years old from Durham), Paige Cook (10 years old from Durham) and Scarlett Gardener (9 years old from Sunderland), who are all set to alternate the role of Debbie. Rounding out the adult company are Tanesha Aba, Marc Akinfolarin, Natasha J Barnes, Robbie Boyle, Lydia Bradd, Jack Bromage, Jennifer Caldwell, Alex Christian, Adam Crossley, Natalie Durkin, Nathan Elwick, Ian Gareth-Jones, Shirley Jameson, Jenny Legg, Jay Luca Allan, Charlie R Miller, Lewis Mortier, Perry O’Dea, Matt Overfield, Mark Pearce, Aidan Stuart and Lucy Warway. Finally, playing the Ballet Girls will be Vivien Abreu, Ivy-Rae Battams, Chloe Boyle, Mikeila Buljan-Bakotic, Rose Butler, Ella Collins, Willow Crabtree, Amari Dumbuya, Ava Evans, Daisy-Mae Ford, Kyla Fowles, Lux Hardy, Marian Nguema Ndjondjo, Zizha Nguema Ndjondjo, Jessica Pipe, Eva Ramtohul, Mia Raggio and Anabelle Tran.
• Ceilidh – the UK premiere of the new musical by Scottish writing duo Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie, has announced its full cast and tour dates. Directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton, the production will open at Pitlochry Town Hall from 7 to 17 October, as part of Alan Cumming‘s first season as artistic director at the nearby Festival Theatre. It will then play Shoreditch Town Hall from 23 October to 13 November before touring the UK visiting High Wycombe Old Town Hall from 18 to 22 November, Eastbourne Winter Gardens from 24 to 29 November, Fareham Live from 1 to 5 December and Brighton Dome Corn Exchange from 15 to 20 December and Guildford G Live from 29 December to 2 January 2027. In 2027 the tour continues to Edinburgh Corn Exchange from 4 to 9 January, Aberdeen Music Hall from 19 to 23 January and Dundee Caird Hall from 25 to 29 January, returning to Shoreditch Town Hall from 2 to 26 February, followed by Bradford Ballroom from 2 to 7 March, Glasgow Barrowland from 13 to 15 March and Liverpool St George’s Hall from 23 to 27 March. The cast will be led by Gilmour as Ramsay, with Kyle Gardiner as alternate Ramsay, David Rankine as Leo, Kirsty Findlay as Euna and George Drennan as Older Leo. Annie Grace will play Older Euna, Lady Buchanan and Moira, while Star Penders will play Granny Maclavaney and Maria. Rori Hawthorn plays Rowan, Jerome Lincoln is Lucas and Laura Lovemore plays Yvonne. Charlie West will play Fiddles, Duncan the Stout and Darren, with Harry Ward as Dave and Lord Buchanan. Leo Shak, Elinor Peregrin and Helen Logan will make up the ensemble, with Robin MacKenzie playing Piper and joining the ensemble. The musical follows a family gathering at a ceilidh, with the story unfolding through original songs and traditional Scottish music. Gilmour and McKenzie, who work together under the name Noisemaker, have written the book, music and lyrics. Ceilidh was previously staged in Baltimore and is co-produced by Alan Cumming, Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Grove Entertainment, Barbara Whitman and Eilene Davidson Productions.
• Jesus Christ Superstar – will release more than 7,000 £25 on-stage standing tickets for its upcoming West End run at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The production, starring Sam Ryder as Jesus, has just completed a sold-out summer season at The London Palladium. It will transfer to Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 16 October 2026 to 9 January 2027, before embarking on a UK tour from February 2027. Tyrone Huntley confirmed to return will play Judas six performances a week, with Matty J performing as an alternate Judas on Thursdays. Matty J will also continue to play Annas at other performances. Eric Lewis will play Simon. The full cast also includes Desmonda Cathabel as Mary Magdalene, David Thaxton as Pontius Pilate, Bob Harms as Caiaphas, Phil King as Peter and Matthew Harvey as standby Jesus. The role of King Herod will be shared by a series of guest performers: Matt Bomer will play the role from 16 to 31 October, followed by Rob Brydon from 2 to 7 November, Reece Shearsmith from 9 to 14 November, Bob The Drag Queen from 16 to 21 November, Michael Ball from 23 November to 5 December, Simon Russell Beale from 7 to 12 December, Omid Djalili from 14 to 19 December and Layton Williams from 21 December to 2 January. Casting for the final Herod, from 4 to 9 January, is yet to be announced. The company also includes Koko Alexandra, Jasmine Jules Andrews, Courtney Arango, Amy Barker, Alistair Beattie, Daniel Bowskill, Jahlil M Burke, Martha Burton, Marcelo Cervone, Sarah Freer, Sebastian Goffin, Alexander Kranz, Owen Lloyd, Milo McCarthy, Dan Moore, Cherece Richards, Kyle Richardson, Olivia Saunders, Toyan Thomas-Browne, Charley Warburton and Lillie-Pearl Wildman. The production is based on the 2016 staging at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which was also directed by Sheader, choreographed by McOnie and designed by Scutt. Following the London run, the production starring Sam Ryder will tour the UK from 11 February 2027, with further casting to be announced.
• Troubadour Ealing Broadway Theatre – a temporary 1,200-seat venue to be constructed in Ealing’s Walpole Park will launch in April 2027 for a three-year period, following a three-month build phase starting in January 2027. De-rigging will take three months following the conclusion of the lease in March 2030. Under the agreement, Troubadour Theatres Ltd will fully fund, develop, and operate the structure while paying a fixed lease fee directly to the local authority. Proposals state the council, would invest this fresh income directly into the provision and improvement of parks and open spaces right across the borough, including areas that faced recent funding cuts. Beyond direct venue revenue, the project promises a substantial boost to the local economy, driving footfall and visitor spending across Ealing Broadway and West Ealing town centres to support local high streets. Former projects by Troubadour, such as their venue in King’s Cross, delivered £17.5 million to the surrounding local area. The venue will also create more than 40 full-time equivalent local jobs across management, front-of-house, and stage roles, alongside incentive schemes to encourage theatergoers to dine at local businesses. The venue itself would host over eight performances a week inside a fully accessible, climate-controlled space, supported by a box office, lobby bar, merchandise shop, and local food vendors. Ealing Summer Festival events previously held in Walpole Park will be relocated across the borough to broaden access. Troubadour have a flurry of other venues being built – with two major venues set to sit next to the Thames in Greenwich, opening next year.
• Fourteen Again – the London premiere of a new musical featuring music and lyrics by Victoria Wood with a book by Everybody’s Talking About Jamie writer Tom MacRae, .is set to open at the Menier Chocolate Factory on 2 December, with previews from 21 November, and will run until 27 February 2027. The piece follows Peggy, who reconnects with her former best friend Lou at a local slimming club, exploring friendship, nostalgia and renewal through Wood’s songs. The world premiere took place at the Victoria Wood Theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere this spring and the London premiere will reunite original cast members Ria Jones (as Lou) and Sally Ann Triplett (as Peggy). Both performers had worked alongside Wood, with Triplett originating the role of Miss Berta in the West End production of Acorn Antiques and Jones performing in The Angina Monologues. Complete casting will be announced shortly. The creative team includes director Jonathan O’Boyle, musical supervisor, arranger and co-orchestrator Nigel Lilley, choreographer Sammy Murrray, set designer Roger Glossop, costume designer Caroline Hughes, lighting designer Jason Taylor, sound designer Sam Glossop, musical director and co-orchestrator Archie McMorran, and associate designer Caroline Dalton.
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Nikolai Foster’s Curve Leicester 2026 Christmas production will move into the West End at the London Coliseum from 4 June to 18 September 2027. Michael Ball will take over the role of Willy Wonka for the London run. It was last seen in the West End in 2017, having spent three years playing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in a production directed by Sam Mendes. The production will have choreography by Ebony Molina, set design by Leslie Travers, costume design by Katrina Lindsey, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Adam Fisher and video design by George Reeve. Campbell Young Associates will provide wigs, hair and make-up design, with illusion design by Chris Fisher, puppet design by Rachael Canning and prop supervision by Marcus Hall Props. Stephen Brooker is musical supervisor, with orchestration adaptations by George Dyer and musical direction by Isaac McCullough. Casting is by Olivia Laydon for Jill Green Casting, while Jordan Isaac is associate director, Ollie Durrant is associate sound designer and Dale White is associate choreographer. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is produced by ROYO, Fiery Angel, Gavin Kalin Productions and Curve.
• Strangers on a Train – a new UK and Ireland tour of Craig Warner’s stage adaptation will open at Theatre Royal Windsor on 15 January 2027 before visiting Canterbury, York, Birmingham, Mold, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Richmond, Peterborough, Aberdeen, Brighton, Dublin, Cheltenham, Bradford, Guildford and Darlington. Further stops are planned for June to November 2027. Based on Patricia Highsmith’s novel, which was also adapted into Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 film, the production will be directed by Roxana Silbert. The production is dedicated to the memory of Craig Warner, who died earlier this year.