GROSVENOR PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE, CHESTER – UNTIL 23RD AUGUST 2026

REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN

5*****

There is something truly special about the Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre that keeps me coming back year after year. It’s not about elaborate sets or big theatrical spectacle—it’s about the atmosphere, the laughter drifting through the trees, the live music, and that unmistakable feeling of summer. Sitting under the open sky, surrounded by an audience ready to join in the fun, you feel part of something rather than just watching it. And Let the Sun Shine fits perfectly into that joyful, feel-good experience.

Set in the summer of 1969, the story follows Harry, a small-town dreamer caught between family expectations and the lure of freedom, love, and a music festival that quite literally turns his quiet village upside down. I went in knowing nothing about the show—and honestly, that made it even better. Written by Helen Redcliffe, this is easily one of my favourite productions so far this season. From the very first moment, the audience was hooked, and the laughter? Non-stop. Proper, belly-hurting, wipe-a-tear-from-your-eye laughter.

The entire cast was exceptional, and a special mention must go to Owen Ellis and Lauren Lees, who made their professional stage debut as part of Storyhouse Young Company (SYC)—what a moment, and what a brilliant start. Robert Wade as PC Hamer completely stole the show for me. Every time he appeared, desperately trying (and failing) to shut down the festival, the audience dissolved into chaos. One moment in particular—where he sat among the audience, completely zoned out, gently waving a celery stick in the air during a surprisingly serious scene—had me in absolute bits.

Kate Milner-Evans as Joan was brilliant, portraying a woman breaking free from expectations and finding herself (with just a little help from a suspiciously relaxing cup of “tea”). Abigail Middleton’s Puck was a delight—silent but mischievous, bringing a magical energy reminiscent of Shakespeare’s own trickster, and somehow getting the entire audience humming together. And Perry Moore’s Sonny? Pure hippie joy. You couldn’t help but smile every time he was on stage.

Lucas Button’s Harry, meanwhile, had me instantly thinking of Russell from Up—all wide-eyed optimism and slightly awkward charm—which made his journey even more endearing.

And then, of course, the audience participation. During the first half, some brave souls were invited on stage for a Maypole dance, attempting to weave coloured ribbons into a braid. It was gloriously chaotic and absolutely hilarious to watch.

With a soundtrack packed full of iconic 1960s hits—from Hendrix to Aretha—this show is a feel-good, laugh-out-loud celebration of music, freedom, and finding your place in the world. The second of four shows this summer, Let the Sun Shine is exactly what open-air theatre does best: pure, joyful escapism.

Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre – until 25th July 2026

Reviewed by Phil Brown

3***

In The Brain is a remarkably uncompromising, full on work of dance music and dance by Hofesh Shechter, superlatively performed by his Shechter II company of 8 absolutely peerless dancers – four men and four women.   

Rarely have I seen such high energy fluency, grace and harmony sustained so well in a continuously fluctuating ensemble routine, let alone one that continues non-stop for an hour.  It feels as close to perfect execution as you can get.  So hats off to a truly phenomenal group of dancers – Matilde Agostinone, Teige Bisnought, Nagga Baldina, Federica Fantuzi, Woojin Kwon, Armand Lassus, Skiye Nataliah, and Ella Roberts.  Whilst there are occasional, brief moments of individual prominence allowing for some improvisation, plus an amount of repetition, the task of memorising such a long routine, and the hours of rehearsal required to perfect it, is hard to contemplate.  Moreover, the strength, athleticism and endurance required to perform what appears to be the equivalent of a military grade work-out is staggering.  These dancers show exactly why they are the 8 selected from over 1200 international auditionees aged between 18 and 25 for the award-winning Shechter II company, the only paid professional development programme of its kind for emerging contemporary dancers in the UK.  

However, as dazzling and breathtaking as the content was, for me it was too relentless, frantic in places and unstructured, yet repetitive, to really enjoy.  For me, its entertainment value is limited, and some way short of the virtuosic brilliance of the performance.

Anyway, first things first.   I have to confess to not being familiar with Hofesh Shechter’s work.   Born in Israel, but relocated to London in 2002, he is a globally acclaimed choreographer, dancer and composer, awarded an OBE for services to dance in 2018.  He is known for visceral, rhythm-driven, and emotionally intense works, as well as for composing his own cinematic musical scores.  His high energy productions are said to take contemporary dance into the realms of rock concert intensity.

In The Brain was developed from a shorter original work called Cave produced by the Martha Graham Company and Studio Simkin premiered at City Center Dance Festival, New York City in April 2022, and which explored nightlife and human gathering through dance and its transcendental quality.  In The Brain aims to build from that, by transforming the theatre into an immersive, high-voltage celebration of movement, music, and pure, unfiltered energy.

The event blurb describes In The Brain as “Part rave. Part ritual. In The Brain is an invitation to let go – to move, to surrender to the music, and to be swept away in rhythm”.  In a manner that reflects the repetitive elements of the choreography, it goes on to describe it as “a space to break free. To lose yourself. To surrender to the rush of movement, the weight of bass, and the euphoria of bodies locked in Shechter’s signature groove”.   

The dancers certainly unleash. I don’t think they succeed in shattering the barrier between stage and audience, to pull the audience into a  “fevered, all-consuming experience that leaves you craving more”, but that’s an issue with the overall concept, not the brilliant performance.

So, apart from the context for its conception, there is no narrative to In The Brain – just music, lighting and dance, and to someone not from the clubbing generation, it’s certainly a whole different experience.  

The QEH auditorium is already heavily primed with smoke on entry creating a semi-permanent haze throughout the performance.  Tom Visser (lighting) keeps the stage shrouded in a minimalist murky, amber-and-smoky glow with occasional black-outs creating an atmosphere of intimacy, and positively enhancing the mercurial qualities of the choreography.  It can also obscure detail on occasion and make things seem slightly out of focus.  The music, co-composed by Shechter himself alongside tracks from German techno duo Âme, is an unrelenting engine of bass-heavy pulses, industrial and percussive textures and hypnotic rhythms.  I think this is essentially trance music in all its forms and the exceptional marriage of dance and beats renders the whole experience powerfully trancelike.  In this respect we haven’t moved too far away from small scale pre-literate societies.

From the opening moments, eight figures emerge from the darkness rippling through space like a single organism. They fragment into individuals and merge back into the tribal organism repeatedly as the music ebbs and flows in intensity.  The fluid and frequent rapid changes in movement are reminiscent of the trance inducing wonder of avian murmurations.  Frenzied passages of ecstatic release are interrupted by moments of startling tenderness.  The dancers combine technical precision with physical abandon in awe-inspiring fashion.  There is an opening night hunger about this performance.

The show got a very enthusiastic audience reception and the dance company more than earned it.  However, despite fabulous choreography and the bravura performance by the magnificent 8, this is a show to be admired for virtuoso performance rather than enjoyed as compelling entertainment.  I thought the whole point about raves was joining in, not watching others do it from a theatre seat.  The intended shattering of the barrier between stage and audience didn’t happen for me or my plus one.  We were not left wanting more, but as previously mentioned, neither of us are members of the clubbing or rave generation.  With a duration of 1 hour, there is inevitably a degree of monotony and I did sense some audience restlessness creeping in around me after 45 minutes suggesting a shorter piece might be preferred.

Overall, the show may be too uncompromising for universal acceptance outside of clubbing/rave aficionados, but it was a distinct pleasure to see the coming generation of world class dance talent showcase both their heart and their art with such flair.

Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep Present

FULL CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR

THE ROLE OF ‘CHRIS’ TO BE PLAYED BY FEMALE LEADS IN THIS BOLD NEW INTERPRETATION

THE COMPANY JOIN PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED CHARLIE BROOKS AND JOE McFADDEN

www.curiousonstage.co.uk

Adapted from Mark Haddon’s multi-million-selling novel by

Playwright Simon Stephens

Directed by Ned Bennett

Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep today announce full casting for their new production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, inspired by the multi-million-selling, internationally acclaimed novel. This century’s most popular murder, the company of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time will be led by Alex Keenan as ‘Chris Boone’, a role alternated by Imi Price.

Keenan and Price become the first women to portray Chris Boone, bringing a fresh perspective to one of contemporary theatre’s most iconic characters. This new interpretation honours the heart of the original story, inviting audiences to experience it through a new lens.

They join EastEnders’ favourite Charlie Brooks (best known for her long-running role as Janine Butcher in the soap) and theatre credits including The Ocean at the End of the Lane (National Theatre,UK Tour) and Joe McFadden (BBC’s The Crow Road and Holby City, ITV’s Heartbeat and 2017 Strictly Come Dancing winner) who play Chris’ parents, ‘Ed’ and ‘Judy’.

Completing the cast are Bridgette Amofah as Siobhan;Alex Murdoch as Mrs Alexander / Posh Woman / Voice One; Matthew Bulgo as Roger (Mr Shears) / Duty Sergeant / Voice Two / Mr Wise / Man Behind Counter / Drunk One; Jerone Marsh Reid as Mr Thompson /Man with Socks / London Policeman / Voice Three;Carla Garratt as Punk Girl / No. 40 / Voice Five / Information; Tom Clegg asRev. Peters / Uncle Terry / Voice Four / Station Policeman / Station Guard and Robert Penny Voice Seven. Sera Mustafa Mrs Gascoyne / Woman on Train / Shopkeeper / Police Officer One / Voice 6 completes the company, who all perform as ‘Ensemble’.

Opening at Birmingham Rep on Saturday 5 September before embarking on a major UK tour, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is adapted from Mark Haddon’s multi-million-selling novel by acclaimed Playwright Simon Stephens and will be directed by Ned Bennett. The production’s Set & Costume Designer is Eleanor Bull; Lighting Designer, Laura Howard; Composer and Sound Designer, Giles Thomas; Video Designer, Hayley Egan; Movement Director, Jenni Jackson; Costume Supervisor, Izzy Pellow; Props Supervisor, Eve Hall; Casting Director, Abby Galvin, and the Associate Director is Anastasia Osei-Kuffour.

Chris Boone is gifted with a brilliant mind for numbers, but is unsettled by the unpredictability of people and everyday life. When a neighbour’s dog is discovered killed, Chris comes under suspicion. Determined to prove her innocence, Chris becomes both detective and suspect, drawn into a mystery that grows darker and more complex with every clue uncovered. What begins as the search for a culprit soon reveals secrets closer to home, forcing Chris to confront truths that will test her courage, family, and understanding of trust, independence, and the wider world.

After the Birmingham Rep’s engagement (Saturday 5 – Saturday 19 September), the tour then visits Woking, Theatre (Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 September 2026); Brighton, Theatre Royal (Tuesday 29 September – Friday 3 October 2026); Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes Theatre (Tuesday 6 – Saturday 19 October 2026); Nottingham, Theatre Royal (Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 October 2026); Leicester, Curve Theatre  (Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 October 2026); York, Grand Opera House (Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 October 2026); Liverpool, Empire Theare (Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 November 2026), New Wimbledon Theatre, (Tuesday 10 November – Saturday 14 November), Chichester Festival Theatre, (Tuesday 17 November – Saturday 21 November), Bath, Theatre Royal (Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 November 2026); Edinburgh, Festival Theatre (Tuesday 12 – 16 Saturday January 2027); Cheltenham, Everyman Theatre (Tuesday 19 – Saturday 23 January), Leeds Playhouse, Tuesday 26 January – Saturday 30 January Sunderland, Empire Theatre (Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 February), Cambridge, Arts Theatre (Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 February), Richmond, Richmond Theatre (Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 February); Northampton, Derngate Theatre (Tuesday 22 – Saturday 27 February); Manchester, Opera House (Tuesday 2 – Saturday 10 March); Glasgow, Theatre Royal (Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 March); Chester, Storyhouse Theatre (Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 March); Aberdeen, His Majesty’s Theatre (Tuesday 23 – Saturday 27 March); Shrewsbury, Theatre Severn (Tuesday 6 – Saturday 17 April); Sheffield Lyceum, Tuesday 13 April – Saturday 17 April Bradford, Alhambra Theatre (Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 April); Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre (Tuesday 27 April – Saturday 1 May); Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre (Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 May); Southampton, Mayflower Theatre (Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 May), Malvern, Malvern Theatre (Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 May) and Darlington, Hippodrome Theatre, (Tuesday 25 – Saturday 28 May 2027).

Inventive, gripping, and moving, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Timecombines the intrigue of a whodunnit with a powerful coming-of-age story in an unforgettable theatrical event.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time premiered at the National Theatre in 2012 and immediately received widespread acclaim for its groundbreaking theatrical design and emotional storytelling. It remains one of the most successful and acclaimed British plays of the 21st century and has been seen globally by over 5 million people.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is produced by Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep

Tiktok – @curiousonstage

Instagram – @curiousonstage

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I LIKE YOU VERY MUCH –

– APART FROM THE SWEARING, AND THE NUDITY, AND THE VULGUAR JOKES AND THE VERBAL DIARRHEA –

NO, I LIKE YOU, THE OTHER PALACE CHRISTMAS PARODY VERY MUCH, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE 

RUNNING AT THE OTHER PALACE STUDIO

FROM 13 NOVEMBER 2026 – 3 JANUARY 2027

Nothing can distract Jodie Prenger and Neil Hurst from their dedication to the pursuit of the best Christmas production in London. They won’t even pop to the shop quickly for some ciggies.

Following the successful parody Homo Alone in 2024 and last year’s Lovers Actually, which is The Other Palace Studio’s best-selling show in the venue’s history, Jodie Prenger (Coronation Street, I’d Do Anything) is back for a fourth time alongside Neil Hurst (Fat Friends The Musical, Casualty) with a new festive fan favourite, Frigid Jones’s Diary: The Unauthorised Comedy Parody. 

One diary. One frigid thirty-something. One outrageously unforgiving large pair of spanks.

The world’s most famous British love triangle is coming to The Other Palace this festive season, so join Frigid Jones and a tremendously talented bunch of performers as she blunders her way through this hysterical musical parody.

Packed with larger-than-life characters and enough awkward social encounters to power Dolly Parton’s hair curlers, this gloriously British Christmas comedy proves that the writers are people who should never be left unsupervised at Christmas. Whether you’re Team Mark Darkly or Daniel Sleever, prepare for a night of belly laughs, questionable life choices, and the tightest spanks in the West End.

Featuring live music, powerhouse vocals and the occasional triangle solo (yes, they really are that talented), Frigid Jones’s Diary: The Unauthorised Comedy Parody is a gloriously silly musical parody packed with larger-than-life characters and the sort of humour you’re unlikely to repeat to Grandma over Christmas dinner.

And just to be clear, we are absolutely not encouraging anyone to turn up dressed as a Playboy Bunny. We’ve all seen how that turns out.

Prenger has said, “Let’s be honest, it was about time Bridget Jones got The Other Palace Christmas parody treatment! This is based on one of the most iconic rom coms of all time and is packed with all of the best bits – Love triangles, reindeer jumpers, blue soup and plenty of vodka. Whether you’re a tragic spinster or a smug married, you don’t want to miss Frigid Jones’s Diary: The Unauthorised Comedy Parody this Christmas.”

Frigid Jones’s Diary: The Unauthorised Comedy Parody is written by Jodie Prenger and Neil Hurst. Cast and creatives to be announced.

A NEW MUSICAL IN DEVELOPMENT

A NEW BRITISH MUSICAL ABOUT 5 YOUNG RADICALS

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY BASTILLE’S DAN SMITH

Melting Pot is thrilled to announce the development of a new musical with music and lyrics by Bastille’s Dan Smith. Young Romantics is a coming-of-age musical about five complicated friends chasing creative and romantic freedom, but at what cost?

It’s a dark and stormy night at The Villa Diodati – a grand house on the shores of Lake Geneva – where five young and notorious friends – Mary Godwin, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron, Claire Clairmont and Dr John Polidori – are caught in a complicated web of love triangles. Exiled from London’s polite society and sheltering from terrible storms, the Young Romantics spend one fateful week together that will have repercussions that reach us today.

When Byron suddenly challenges them all to write and share a brand-new horror story, no one realizes this little game will set in motion a dramatic night that changes all of their lives, inspiring the creation of two celebrated works of literature that will outlive them all: Frankenstein and The Vampyre.

Dan Smith, Music and Lyrics says: “The events of that summer are famously fascinating – this collision of huge, young personalities, stuck together inside a big house while storms rage outside – and the more you delve into the story, the wilder and more unbelievable it becomes. Beyond the sex, fame, heartbreak, and horror stories lies a deeper exploration of youth on the edge of adulthood – full of hope, creativity, chaos and the desire to escape. Our characters are trying to make sense of the world and themselves through art, all while confronting grief, trauma, inequality, and the pressure to conform.

These events unfolded over 200 years ago but feel strikingly modern; the more we explore this story, the more it becomes a mirror to the world we live in now. At the heart of “Young Romantics” are issues that feel increasingly pressing in 2026: freedom of speech, the right to love who you choose, gender equality, impossible beauty standards, self-representation and artistic integrity.

Our protagonists assert their agency and act on impulse, reminding us that people in the past were every bit as bold, conflicted and reckless as we are today.”

Melting Pot Producers Simon Friend and Hanna Osmolska continue: “We are so thrilled to be working with Dan Smith on his exciting take on the Young Romantics story. It has been an artistically invigorating experience. With his band Bastille, Dan is one of the most distinctive voices in British music, and pairing it with a story so thrilling, mysterious and sultry is the kind of artistic creation that drives us. Looking afresh at what might’ve happened on this fateful week in which two of the world’s most famous fantasy stories were brought to life, Dan promises to give British musical theatre a vital shot in the arm.”

Dan Smith is a Grammy-nominated and Brit Award-winning singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer.

Smith is the creative force and lead singer of BASTILLE, who have sold over 11 million records, had three number 1 albums on the UK charts and have been streamed over 7 billion times.

Smith’s screen compositions include collaborating with Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer on the theme and score of BBC’s “Planet Earth III”, alongside a symphonic rearrangement of the band’s hit “Pompeii”. He wrote original songs and scored this year’s IFTA-winning and BAFTA-nominated “Nostalgie” and wrote “Eurydice” for the original Netflix series KAOS, and “World Gone Mad” for the Netflix Feature film Bright. He composed for Leonardo DiCaprio executive-produced documentary short, “From Devil’s Breath”, and Pippa Bennett-Warner’s BAFTA longlisted “22+1”.

Dan is also developing “Annie Oakley Hanging”, a feature film with producer Shannon McIntosh, based on original story songs written with Ralph Pelleymounter inspired by Annie Oakley, and is working on several as-yet unannounced theatre projects.

Young Romantics is produced by Simon Friend & Hanna Osmolska for Melting Pot.

Further details will be announced soon.

He’s Behind You! presents the biggest ball of the
festive season in their new adult panto Cinderella:
Buttons Undone!
Saturday 21st November 2026 – Saturday 9th January 2027
Charing Cross Theatre, Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NL

The award-winning pumpkins He’s Behind You! (Special Recognition Award, 2025’s UK Pantomime Awards) return to Charing Cross Theatre with another magnificently outrageous fairytale strictly for adults. Following last year’s smash-hit Beauty and the Beast: A Horny Love Story, the company brings its trademark blend of sharp humour, queer joy and original songs to Cinderella: Buttons Undone!, a wickedly funny deconstruction of the classic. This all-new adult pantomime swaps royal courts for tennis courts, fairy godmothers for fortune tellers, and proves that happily ever after can take more self-work than finding Prince Charming.

Set in the faded seaside resort of Lob-on-Sea, this madcap panto follows hotel maid Cindy, who puts the “slay” into modern day slavery and whose gangster stepmother Ida Bigschitt returns to make her and her stepsiblings Mercedes and Bentley’s lives miserable. Opportunity is served when the town’s inaugural tennis open is won by Smellarus’s Ivan Yassandvich, a bachelor playboy who is suddenly looking for a bride. Cindy longs for escape, Mercedes wants out of the family business, and hapless Bentley thinks he can get a break kickstarting his party planning career with an engagement ball.

But game, set and matchmaking go awry when Cindy’s gay and only friend Buttons slips into her shoes and into Ivan’s bed. Determinedly single until now, all he wants is to swap ends and play again.

Returning as the company’s incomparable dame is the sublime (The Guardian) Matthew Baldwin as Mercedes, and the excellent (Time Out) Chris Lane as her brother Bentley, a sibling pairing that promises big laughs and heated rivalry.

Co-written by Jon Bradfield (Animal, Park Theatre, Hope Mill Theatre; Queers, BBC) and Martin Hooper (Ghosted, The Other Palace, Norwich Playhouse), and featuring original songs by Bradfield, this obnoxiously gay extravaganza is directed by Andrew Beckett (Dr Seuss’ Cat in the Hat, UK and International tour; Come Dine with Me: the Musical, Underbelly, Norwich Playhouse) with musical direction and orchestrations by Aaron Clingham and choreography by Carole Todd, whose extensive panto career includes directing Lily Savage in Snow White.

Journeying from the musty sea-view rooms of the Royal Palace B&B to lavish ballroom splendour, Cinderella: Buttons Undone! is brought to life with set design by award-winning David Shields (Heathers The Musical; 2026 Offie Award and Fringe Theatre Award winner for Beauty and the Beast: A Horny Love Story); costumes by Robert Draper; lighting by Matt Hockley; sound by Andrew Johnson; and is produced by Oli Sones for He’s Behind You!

With a festive farce full of gangsters, disguises and romantic confusion, He’s Behind You! shakes the dust off another classic: smartly stupid, joyfully chaotic and full of traditional pantomime spirit.

Co-writer and composer Jon Bradfield comments, We’ll be celebrating all the famous Cinderella moments, but not quite as you’d expect! We’ve had huge fun creating our version so that our wonderful muse Matthew Baldwin can bring his legendary dame skills to Mercedes with our brilliant regular collaborator Chris Lane as her brother Bentley.

Making theatre that people look forward to with friends as their Christmas treat each year is a joy, especially when you can make it with a team that you respect, love and trust. Adult panto doesn’t just allow us to make the kind of toxically rude jokes that I feel embarrassed about if I have family watching. It gives us the freedom to tell gay-centred stories within a big, shiny, magical, epic, popular and uniquely theatrical form.

Further casting to be announced soon and previous praise for He’s Behind You! includes:

an absolute blast – ★★★★★ Gay Times
Outrageous, affectionate and gloriously stupid – ★★★★★ West End Wilma
The hit of the festive season – ★★★★★ The Stag

With almost 90,000 tickets sold
Burlesque the Musical
celebrates UK tour launch
as London return moves to 2027

The producers of Burlesque the Musical are delighted to confirm that the show’s highly anticipated UK tour will officially launch this summer, with almoast 90,000 tickets already sold and almost £4 million in advance box office.

Following final technical preparations, the production will now officially open in Sunderland, before visiting 24 venues across the United Kingdom.

To give our creative team the time needed to deliver the spectacular production of Burlesque the Musical audiences adore, our planned opening performances in Woking will move to 3rd to 7th November 2026. Audiences holding tickets for the original performances will be contacted by their point of sale regarding exchanges or refunds.

The UK tour marks the beginning of an exciting new global chapter for Burlesque the Musical, with additional international productions already in the pipeline, including Australia, together with Germany, Austria and Switzerland in Europe, with further international announcements expected in the coming months.The future of Burlesque has never been brighter, and we look forward to sharing the next stage of that journey with audiences around the world.

The producers have confirmed that the tour is fully financed and on a secure footing, as verified by third parties, allowing the company to focus entirely on delivering the highest-quality production possible for audiences nationwide.

The producers have also confirmed that Burlesque the Musical’s planned London engagement will now take place in 2027. “This is absolutely a postponement, not a cancellation. We are already exploring opportunities for a major London return in 2027 and look forward to announcing our future West End home in due course. This is a strategic decision designed to ensure the production returns to London exactly as we want it to… with all the fabulosity, concert-like experiential quality and razzle-dazzle that our audiences deserve!”

The producers are proud supporters and investors in The Arts at Marble Arch: powered by TodayTix, having invested a substantial sum in its development. They continue to believe strongly in its future and are delighted to see it successfully welcoming audiences, with productions such as Heathers enjoying an excellent run. 

The producers stated: “The relationship with the theatre is important to us. We backed the vision for The Arts Theatre at Marble Arch because we believed London deserved another exciting commercial theatre, and we remain incredibly proud to have played a part in helping bring it to life.”

The producers would like to thank the show’s audiences, cast, creative team, investors, partners and supporters for their continued belief in Burlesque.

They look forward to welcoming audiences across the UK throughout the tour before bringing the production back to London in 2027 as one of the world’s most celebrated musical brands.

ABOUT BURLESQUE THE MUSICAL

Based on Steven Antin’s iconic Golden Globe-winning and Best Picture-nominated film starring Christina Aguilera and Cher, Burlesque the Musical is a glittering, high-voltage theatrical event packed with powerhouse vocals, jaw-dropping choreography, and outrageous glamour.

Step inside a club where sequins shimmer, seduction sparkles, and a single song can change your life forever. When Ali heads to New York searching for her mother, Tess Richarde, she is swept into a dazzling underground world of ambition, temptation, music, and desire – discovering not only her extraordinary voice, but the family she never knew she needed.

Featuring songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia, Diane Warren, Jess Folley, Todrick Hall, and Steven Antin, Burlesque the Musical is a scintillating celebration of self-discovery, empowerment, and unapologetic fabulousness.

With a creative team led by Producer, Writer & Creative Director Steven Antin, it is directed by Racky Plews (I‘m Every Woman The Chaka Khan Musical, Green Day’s American Idiot) with choreography by Robin Antin (creator of The Pussycat Dolls).

Producers: Christina Aguilera, Adam Paulden & Jason Haigh-Ellery, Steven Antin, Clint Culpepper and In Fine Company. Associate Producer: Toby Brewer.

BURLESQUE THE MUSICAL  2026/2027 UK TOUR DATES

2026

SUNDERLAND
Sunderland Empire
Thursday 6 – Saturday 22 August (2 weeks)

STOKE ON TRENT
Regent Theatre
Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 August

CARDIFF
Wales Millennium Centre
Tuesday 1 – Saturdav 5 September

GLASGOW
King’s Theatre
Tuesday 8 – Saturday 19 September (2 weeks)

BRADFORD
Alhambra Theatre
Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 September

SOUTHEND
Cliff’s Pavilion Theatre
Tuesday 29 September – Saturday 3 October

BIRMINGHAM
The Alexandra
Tuesday 6 – Saturday 17 October (2 weeks)

SHEFFIELD
Lyceum Theatre
Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 October (2 weeks)

WOKING – REVISED DATE
New Victoria Theatre
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 November

AYLESBURY
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 November

LIVERPOOL
Liverpool Empire
Tuesday 24 November – Saturday 5 December (2 weeks)

BLACKPOOL
Winter Gardens
Monday 21 December – Saturday 2 January (2 weeks)

2027

MANCHESTER            
Opera House
Wednesday 6  – Saturday 23 January (3 weeks)            

NORTHAMPTON        
Royal & Derngate
Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 January      

NOTTINGHAM
Theatre Royal
Monday 1 – Saturday 6 February    

EASTBOURNE  
Congress Theatre
Monday 8 – Saturday 13 February  

EDINBURGH              
Edinburgh Playhouse      
Tuesday 16 – Saturday 27 February (2 weeks)          

HULL                              
New Theatre  
Tuesday 2 – Saturday 26 March  

YORK                              
Grand Opera House
Tuesday 23 March – Saturday 3-April (2 weeks)              

WOLVERHAMPTON  
Grand Theatre
Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 April  

ABERDEEN
His Majesty’s Theatre
13  – 17 April                    

OXFORD                        
New Theatre
Tuesday 27 April – Saturday 8 May          

WIMBLEDON              
New Wimbledon Theatre
Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 May      

CANTERBURY
Marlowe Theatre
Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 May

BERNADETTE BANGURA

WILL JOIN THE UK AND IRELAND TOUR

OF THE

SMASH HIT ROMANTIC MUSICAL COMEDY

AS ‘BECKY’

FROM MONDAY 24 AUGUST 2026

Producers Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian for Crossroads Live are delighted to announce that Bernadette Bangura will join the UK and Ireland tour of the smash hit romantic musical comedy WAITRESS, as Becky, from Monday 24 August 2026 at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre. Sandra Marvin’s final performance will be Saturday 22 August 2026.

Bernadette Bangura’s theatre credits include the UK tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Moulin Rouge! at the Piccadilly Theatre, Once On This Island at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum and on its UK tour, Jesus Christ Superstar at the Barbican, and UK tours of Hairspray and Sunset Boulevard.

The production currently stars Carrie Hope Fletcher as Jenna, Sandra Marvin as Becky, Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn, Les Dennis as Joe, Dan Partridge as Dr Pomatter, Mark Anderson as Ogie, Mark Willshire as Earl and Dan O’Brien as Cal.

The company is completed by Will Arundell, Yochabel Asante, Alice Croft, Jamie Doncaster, Daniel George-Wright, Will Hardy, Bayley Hart, Olivia Lallo, Emma Lucia, David Mairs-McKenzie and Ellie Ruiz Rodriguez.

Carrie Hope Fletcher’s final performance will be Saturday 29 September 2026.

Emma Lucia is scheduled to play the role of Jenna for Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre (24-29 August) and Hull New Theatre (1-5 September). Lucie Jones is scheduled to play Jenna for King’s Theatre, Glasgow (6-10 October), Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield (13-17 October) and Lowry, Salford (27-31 October).

WAITRESS is based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelly. Music and lyrics are written by GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter sensation Sara Bareilles. With a book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Tony-award winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Lorin Latarro, Waitress has garnered multiple awards and nominations in both America and the UK, receiving acclaim from both audiences and critics alike.

Celebrating 10 years of production, WAITRESS opened on Broadway on 24th April 2016 at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre, where it ran until 5th January 2020. Waitress celebrated its official opening night at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End on 7th March 2019. The show has gone on to global success with further productions in North America, Japan, Holland, a French language production in Canada, a Spanish language production in Mexico, and coming this spring of 2026 an Australian production in Melbourne and Sydney.

WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness. But Jenna must find the courage and strength within herself to rebuild her life. This beautiful musical celebrates friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

Book by Jessie Nelson

Music and Lyrics by Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles

Based upon the motion picture written by Adrienne Shelly

Directed by Tony Award-winner Diane Paulus

WAITRESS was originally produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and Norton and Elayne Herrick. The tour is produced by Barry & Fran Weissler and David Ian for Crossroads Live.

LISTINGS

WAITRESS UK & IRELAND TOUR 2026

MONDAY 20 – SATURDAY 25 JULY 2026

LEICESTER CURVE

https://www.curveonline.co.uk/

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 28 JULY – SATURDAY 1 AUGUST 2026

GRAND OPERA HOUSE, BELFAST

https://www.goh.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 4 – SATURDAY 8 AUGUST 2026

BRISTOL HIPPODROME

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome

ON SALE NOW

MONDAY 10 – SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2026

ROYAL CONCERT HALL, NOTTINGHAM

https://trch.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

MONDAY 17 – SATURDAY 22 AUGUST 2026

VENUE CYMRU, LLANDUDNO

https://www.venuecymru.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

MONDAY 24 – SATURDAY 29 AUGUST 2026

BOURNEMOUTH PAVILION THEATRE

https://www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 1 – SATURDAY 5 SEPTEMBER 2026

HULL NEW THEATRE

https://www.hulltheatres.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

MONDAY 7 – SATURDAY 12 SEPTEMBER 2026

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 22 – SATURDAY 26 SEPTEMBER 2026

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 6 – SATURDAY 10 OCTOBER 2026

KINGS THEATRE, GLASGOW

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre-glasgow

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 13 – SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER 2026

SHEFFIELD LYCEUM

https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 27 – SATURDAY 31 OCTOBER 2026

LOWRY, SALFORD

https://thelowry.com

ON SALE NOW

The Cockpit, London – until 28 July 2026

Reviewed by Mike Linane

3***

Transit is an evocative show about migration. It is an award-winning, genre-bending investigation of identity, belonging and migration. Told through a series of vignettes utilising physical theatre, multilingual performance, poetry, dance, multimedia, practical lights and music, Transit delicately navigates the feeling of being ‘too foreign for here, too foreign for home.’

From the endless cycle of unpacking and repacking to wondering when you can stop being considered ‘a foreigner’ to building community and hope admist uncertainty, this deeply human piece is a love letter to anyone who has ever moved away from home.

It is based on true stories gathered from migrants across the UK, Transit asks: what does it mean to settle in the space between languages, cultures and identities? The five performers Ting-Ning Wen, Bethany Monk-Lane, Aijamal Nasirdinova, Niamh Smith and Danlu Peng all have their own moments in the spotlight to shine and recount their own experiences of being a migrant.

So, how do you pack a life into your luggage allowance of 23 kilograms? One item at a time. The audience are asked to decide between various items that one of our travellers wishes to bring with them.

The language barrier and trying to get used to British food when you have lived all of your life eating exotically are two more dilemmas covered in this thought-provoking experience not to mention having to “hold on your call is important to us” when needing to speak to someone at the Home Office Immigration Department when you are number 495 in the queue and when you finally get through you discover you are talking to a chat bot which doesn’t understand that you need to speak to a “human agent”. What exactly do you do when you finally speak to someone who although they are speaking English seem to be speaking a totally different language to you because they talk in “official-speak” and you just want to explain your own dilemma and have them help sort it out for you.

This is a short but fun show (running at 75 minutes) that will have you laughing and crying and all stages of emotion in between. There is some audience participation for those that aren’t the faint-hearted type in the form of a Home Office television quiz show which is great fun – win the show and you’re allowed to stay in the UK, lose it and …. Well, I think you can guess what’s likely to happen to you.

This production will appeal to audiences of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Certainly the audience that attended last night was one of the most diverse I have seen in a theatre in a very long time and I recommend it to anyone looking for a different sort of night out at the theatre that will make them stop and think about what it is really like to be a migrant in a foreign country.

Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until Saturday 1st August 2026

Reviewed by Chris Jarvis

5*****

Oh my goodness – what a show!

I can’t find enough words to describe the completely crazy collection of characters, costumes and music played by the actors appearing on stage tonight. Over 80 different characters and costumes were portrayed by these 5 amazing actors, many appearing more than once, meaning each actor was changing character and back again numerous times. The spontaneity and fluidity of these changes was mind blowing!

It was made even more crazy by the cross-gender casting – I’d just about got used to Hester Leggatt being played by Jordan Pearson when he’d appear as another character of a different sex!

The Nottingham Theatre Royal website describes Operation Mincemeat as the 2024 Olivier Award-winning Best New Musical. It was first performed in London in 2019 in an 80-seater studio. By 2023 even with the pandemic causing havoc to live theatre, it became London’s biggest hit with over one hundred 5* reviews, making it the best-reviewed show in West End history. Now also a Tony Award winning musical on Broadway!

The programme gives a brilliant timeline of the show’s incredible success as well as some very interesting information on the people who pulled off this true mission. I don’t usually feel a programme is worth having but I’d suggest buying this one.

Operation Mincemeat was the codename given to a WW2 espionage mission in 1943 coordinated within MI5 by ‘The Twenty Committee’ – named from the number twenty in Roman numerals – XX or “double cross”! Their role was to manage double-agents and plan deceptions. Operation Mincemeat was the brainchild of one of a group of 5 people who were portrayed on stage tonight – Ewen Montagu (Katy Ellis), Charles Cholmondeley (Sean Carey). John Bevan (Jamie-Rose Monk), Jean Leslie (Charlotte Hanna-Williams) and Hester Leggatt (Jordan Pearson).

Charles, a nerdy scientist, came up with the idea but had no confidence with which to share it. After confiding in the aristocratic, egotistical Ewen Montagu, this crazy plan was shared, agreed by Sir Winston Churchill and became their next mission. The plan being to dress up a corpse, give him an identity as a British pilot, drop him in the ocean off Spain with a briefcase full of fake invasion plans, in the hope that it would find its way to Hitler! What could go wrong??? Sounds like a brilliant subject for a farce or musical comedy but believe it or not – IT WORKED and probably helped us win the war!

The set changes were simple but totally on target, the 20 songs performed with great gusto by the 80 or so characters. I didn’t know the songs but they told the story and I felt as though I did. The lighting was exciting and the clever use of hats and torches to swap to ‘life on the ocean’ was brilliant. The costumes were both true to life and full of sparkle.

The acting was “something else”! I loved them all and could easily pick each of them as my favourite. I imagine they are mentally and physically exhausted after every performance as they gave their all! They must also be exhilarated at the standing ovation from the Nottingham audience that I imagine is repeated every night.

Don’t miss it! It’s a great night’s entertainment and my congratulations to the four University friends who formed SpitLip and portrayed this amazing mission as a musical comedy that is becoming a global phenomenon.