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.
The Choir of Man is a show that is very much á la mode. On its first national tour, I keep hearing about it… And what I’m hearing is very positive, with everyone loving it. So my expectation level was very high.
“Welcome to the Jungle” was the opening song – and a fitting one given that the fictional pub was, naturally, called The Jungle. It’s worth pointing out that there is no actual storyline. The whole show is a series of monologues that highlight the joy of pubs, male bonding and choirs, interspersed with songs and dance routines and massive globules of comedy. Being, myself, a man in a choir I can appreciate the ethos.
The cast is varied and I think changeable – since the programme showed more people than we saw tonight. Tonight we had Sam Ebenezer (Swing), Rob Godfrey (Beast – my favourite as he was on guitar throughout), Joshua Lloyd (Barman), Ben Mabberley (Joker), Gustav Melbardis (Maestro), Aaron Pottenger (Bore), Jack Skelton (Handyman), Levi Tyrell Johnson (Hard Man) and Sam Walter (Romantic). All brilliant.
The opening monologue showed how inspired the Monolgues Writer Ben Norris is (like a cross between Benjamin Zephaniah and John Cooper Clarke). It was refreshing to actually hear some positive male bonding and to explore the complex world of masculinity. This theatre piece fulfills the same function as men’s sheds and the like. Worth having in this world if only for that alone!
Principally, though, it comes down to the music and performance of the same. Big anthems are sprinkled throughout, nestling in among the lesser known hits and some genuine curve-balls like “The Impossible Dream”, which was given a welcome outing as far as this reviewer was concerned. An early peak.
The quick changes kept coming – trainers to tap shoes (I didn’t think I would ever enjoy tap dancing so much!), pop into jazz (with a knowing “it’s a different version” refrain from one of the stars) and from rousing ensemble set-pieces to intimate (ahem) trios at the (ahem) urinal! This scene is hilarious btw, and my definite highlight of the entire show. In the second half “Dance with My Father” was another emotional peak.
If you’re so inclined to see a theatre from the stage, get to the show early to catch the chance to enjoy the functioning on-stage bar, grab a pint (sadly no Licor 43, but you can’t have everything) and shmooz with the cast. They seemed to be having a genuinely wonderful time with their public and who can blame them – it really does look like the perfect job to have.
This show truly does have something for everyone. It reminded me of watching Sammy Davis Jr on TV – inspirational hits, tap, dance, vaudeville… All in all a very enjoyable night of all-round entertainment. The crowd were up on their feet and in fine voice – and I know as I had some ladies behind me who were extremely loud (my ears are still ringing!). So, yes, ladies totally got into it too. We all did. Those saying it was amazing were right. I cannot recommend this show highly enough.
Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – Tuesday 21st July 2026
Reviewed by Steph Lott
5*****
Some shows you appreciate. This one you feel somewhere deep inside.
Aakash Odedra’s Songs of the Bulbul, which made its Cambridge debut this week as the final stop of the company’s UK tour, is breathtaking, unusual, and genuinely extraordinary — the kind of performance that goes beyond dance into something closer to ritual. It lasts just 55 minutes, and not a second is wasted.
It begins with astonishing restraint: single rays of light falling onto an empty stage, light bleeding through gauze. Nothing more is needed. From this quiet opening, Odedra draws us into the ancient Sufi myth of the bulbul — a songbird caught and caged, who sings more sweetly as death nears, until one final, piercing song at the moment of release.
What makes Odedra such a rare artist is his economy of movement. He conjures the bird not through grand gesture but through the smallest details — a curl of the fingers, a flicker of the feet, a tilt of the head — each one utterly precise, utterly alive. When the bird is trapped, that precision turns to panic: the frantic beating of wings against an invisible cage, a creature yearning for freedom and light, which becomes almost unbearable to watch. It’s tragedy distilled into gesture.
Though it’s a solo piece, it never feels like the work of one person alone — it’s clearly a collaboration between many gifted artists working just out of sight. Rani Khanam’s choreography and Rushil Ranjan’s Kathak-and Sufi-rooted music feel inseparable from one another. And in the quieter sections, where the music falls away almost entirely, the silence is so complete you can feel the whole audience holding their breath. Fabiana Piccioli’s otherworldly lighting and Emanuele Salamanca’s spare, clever set design do the rest — together they build a dreamlike world around Odedra, one that feels both ancient and timeless.
The final sequence is the crescendo of the piece. As the bulbul is blinded, Odedra stumbles forward, cloth over his eyes, cradling small lamps of light. Light shimmers through gauze once more, echoing the opening — a sense of coming full circle, captivity and death folding back into the same luminous stillness the piece began with. It’s a devastating and beautiful way to close, and the audience clearly felt it: Odedra received a full, well-deserved standing ovation.
This is not a show only for those who already love dance. It speaks to something more universal — grief, longing, the cost of captivity, the strange sweetness of an ending. See it if you get the chance. You won’t just watch it. You’ll carry it with you.
Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man, presented by New Adventures at the Lyceum Theatre Sheffield, is nothing short of stunning. Brilliantly directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, with a thrilling score by Terry Davies incorporating Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite (after Bizet’s Carmen), this electrifying production is filled to the brim with passion, desire and danger. While it doesn’t follow the original Carmen storyline, it captures the same intoxicating emotions of lust, fate, fatal attraction and burning obsession. Bourne’s ingenious reinvention even begins with the title itself – The Car Man – transporting the action to an Italian-American community in a small Midwestern American town during the 1960s. The production has a wonderfully raw, spit-and-sawdust atmosphere, enriched with stylish hints of classic European cinema that give it a gritty, sensual edge.
The arrival of the mysterious and irresistibly alluring Luca (Harrison Dowzell) immediately changes the lives of everyone in town. Employed as a mechanic at the local garage, Luca soon finds himself irresistibly drawn to Lana (Cordelia Braithwaite), who works in the neighbouring diner. Unfortunately, Lana is already involved with Dino (Danny Reubens), the owner of both the garage and diner, but their fatal attraction proves impossible to resist. Their chemistry burns with intensity from the moment they meet. Without revealing too much of this fascinating and cleverly unfolding storyline, Luca also becomes entangled in another relationship, creating a toxic love triangle that ultimately leads to devastating consequences. Every twist grips the audience tighter, making this an edge-of-your-seat theatrical experience from beginning to end.
The storytelling through dance is simply spectacular. Not for a single moment can the audience take their eyes off the stage as the production surges forward with high-energy choreography, non-stop drama and breathtaking performances. Every sequence is technically flawless, with each lift, step and movement executed with astonishing precision. Standout moments include the sensual, intimate duets between Luca and Lana as their passion begins to consume them, alongside the beautifully romantic and deeply moving dances shared by Angelo (Leonardo McCorkindale) and Rita (Kurumi Kamayachi), whose heartfelt performances bring genuine emotion and poignancy to the production. Every member of the company is first-class, delivering outstanding performances that perfectly balance athleticism with emotional storytelling.
Visually, the production is every bit as impressive as the performances. Lez Brotherston’s superb set and costume designs perfectly evoke the smoky garages, bustling diner and small-town America of the 1960s, while Chris Davey’s atmospheric lighting creates the ideal mood throughout, shifting effortlessly from moments of romance to scenes of mounting tension and tragedy. This New Adventures production is a masterclass in dance theatre—thrilling, seductive, emotionally charged and utterly unforgettable. The Car Man is a wonderful, highly entertaining production that deserves every accolade. You won’t be disappointed.
THE WORLD PREMIERE OF THE KING’S RANSOM BY STUART SLADE
& A MAJOR REVIVAL OF HAROLD PINTER’S NO MAN’S LAND
WITH SIMON RUSSELL BEALE AND RUPERT EVERETT
ALSO ANNOUNCED TODAY –
THE FULL CAST FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF DANNY LEE WYNTER’S ILFORD BOY
AND THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2026 THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET WRITERS AWARD
With the critically acclaimed The Guilty running at the theatre, the Donmar Warehouse’s Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch today announce further programming for the 2026/2027 season.
In December, the Donmar will present the world premiere of a new play by Bruntwood Prize-winning playwright Stuart Slade – The King’s Ransom. Directed by Matthew Dunster, who returns to the Donmar after the sell-out critically acclaimed revival of Dealer’s Choice, the play is inspired by one of the strangest crime stories in American history – the plot to steal the earthly remains of The King of Rock and Roll.
The Donmar will then stage a major revival of Harold Pinter’s No Man’s Land, directed by Patrick Marber who continues his creative collaboration with the Donmar following After Miss Julie, Don Juan in Soho, his adaptation of Trelawny of the “Wells”, and the recent revival of Dealer’s Choice. Marber directs Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Everett, Olivier Huband and Jay Simpson.
Credit and copyright: Helen Murray ; www.helenmurrayphotos.com
Also announced today is the full company for the world premiere of Danny Lee Wynter’s Ilford Boy. Donmar Artistic Director Tim Sheader directs Lindsey Coulson (Eileen), Cary Crankson (Trevor), Gershwyn Eustache Jnr (Ken), Aaron Gill (Raj), Charlotte Jaconelli (Ann), Sinead Matthews (Jackie), Craig Stein (Patrick), Leo Whitfield-Harris (Ted), and Ria Zmitrowicz (Tillie).
Azuka Oforka and Rafaella Marcus have been selected as the recipients of the 2026 Theatre Royal Haymarket Writers Award, presented in partnership with Access Entertainment, owner of the Theatre Royal Haymarket. Established to support the development of outstanding playwrights and help bring new voices to the UK’s major stages, the Award commissions two writers each year to develop a new play. Recipients receive a full commission alongside access to the Donmar’s artistic team, who support the research and development of their work through readings, workshops and collaboration with professional actors.
Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch said “We are delighted today to announce two new shows coming up at the Donmar. We know Matthew Dunster is going to thrill audiences over the festive season with Stuart Slade’s new play The King’s Ransom based on an outrageous and hilarious true crime story. And in 2027 we look forward to welcoming Patrick Marber back to the Donmar to direct Harold Pinter’s masterpiece No Man’s Land with Simon Russell Beale, and Rupert Everett making his Donmar debut. And we are also so pleased to be able to announce today the cast for Danny Lee Wynter’s Ilford Boy. We look forward to welcoming audiences this Autumn and Winter to experience these productions in our powerfully intimate space.”
Public booking for The King’s Ransom and No Man’s Land opens at 12pm Friday 31 July
Generously supported by Charles Holloway OBE, Season Supporter.
Director: Tim Sheader;Set Designer: Peter McKintosh; Costume Designer: Ryan Dawson Laight; Lighting Designer: Aideen Malone; Sound Designer: Tony Gayle; Choreographer & Intimacy Director: Ebony Molina; Composer & Music Supervisor: Eamonn O’Dwyer; WHAM Designer: Carole Hancock; Voice Director: Barbara Houseman; Dialect Coach: Hazel Holder; Associate Director: Phillippe Cato; Resident Assistant Director: Jessy Roberts; Fight Director: Kate Waters; Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG; Casting Associate: Lilly Mackie
10 October – 28 November 2026
The boy lives in Ilford, of course he’s depressed.
Mixed-race teenager Ted Martin is growing up in 90s East London in a house full of chaos, laughter and tough love.
One day Patrick arrives, shaking the foundations of Ted’s life with his sense of style, humour and love of show tunes. Another way to live explodes into view. One filled with art, possibility and people who see him clearly for the first time.
Directed by Donmar Artistic Director Tim Sheader, Danny Lee Wynter’s Ilford Boy is a funny, moving drama about the ghosts that follow us, the families we choose, and the Streisand that helps us survive.
Lindsey Coulson returns to the Donmar to play Eileen – she previously appeared in Small Change. Her other theatre work includes Three More Sleepless Nights (National Theatre), Snake (Hampstead Theatre), Blame (Arcola, York Theatre Royal), Hamlet (Shaw Theatre), Trafford Tanzi (Grand Theatre Swansea), Stags and Hens (Grand Theatre Swansea) and The Canterbury Tales (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch). Her television work includes Waterloo Road, The Diplomat, The Bay, Bulletproof, The Level, Murder Investigation Team, Doctor Who, The Street, Clocking Off, Manchild, Danielle Cable: Eye Witness, The Girls Who Came To Stay, Stretford Wives, She’s Gone, Every Time You Look At Me, New Tricks, Feather Boy, Material Girl, Inspector Lynley Mysteries, The Stepfather, Out Of Hours, Paradise Heights, The Last Detective and EastEnders – as series regular Carol Jackson, winner of British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance. For film, her work includes AKA, Funny Cow and Walk Like a Panther.
Cary Crankson plays Trevor. His theatre work includes The Talented Mr Ripley, Oliver!,La Ronde (UK tours), Death of England (National Theatre, Soho Place), Country Music – OFFIE award for Best Lead Actor (Omnibus Theatre), Time is Love (Finborough Theatre), All My Sons (Nottingham Playhouse), A View from the Bridge (Wyndham’s Theatre), Abigail’s Party (Curve Leicester), Dealer’s Choice (Royal & Derngate), The Saints (Nuffield Theatre Southampton), Thebes,The Robbers, Hamlet, Mary Stuart, Miss Julie, Twelfth Night (New Diorama), Wasted (Roundhouse and Paines Plough tour), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Faction Open Air), Othello (Faction Open Air), Chapel Street (Underbelly, Old Vic New Voices), Sea Wall (Salisbury Playhouse, Paines Plough tour), Mad Blud (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Othello (Rose Theatre Bankside), Children of Darkness (Leicester Square Theatre), Desire Under the Elms (New Vic Theatre), The Bitch from Brixton, Coriolanus (Jack Studio Theatre), The Rover (Southwark Playhouse), Exit Signs (Royal Court Theatre – Rough Cuts), Flight Path (Bush Theatre, Out of Joint tour) and Silverland (Arcola Theatre, 59E59 Theaters, New York). His television work includes The Peripheral, and Wild West; and for film, Scrapper, Silent Night, and Rock and Roll F*ck ‘n’ Lovely.
Gershwyn Eustache Jnr plays Ken. His theatre work includes Alterations,Small Island, Pinocchio, Home, Nut (National Theatre), Pass Over (Kiln Theatre), Anatomy of a Suicide, A Profoundly Affectionate Passionate Devotion to Someone (Royal Court Theatre), The Royale (Bush Theatre) and The Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare’s Globe). For television, his work includes Wahala, Capital, Silent Witness, Joan, Andor, Get Millie Back, A Spy Among Friends, Stephen, I am Maria, I May Destroy You, Small Axe, Britannia, Fortitude,Legends, Peter and Wendy and Run; and for film, In The Shadows, The Man in My Basement,The Yellow Birds, Second Coming and Starred Up.
Aaron Gill plays Raj. His theatre credits include Indian Ink (Hampstead Theatre), East is South (Hampstead Theatre) and The Empress (RSC). His television work includes The Other Bennet Sister, Piglets, Smothered.
Charlotte Jaconelli returns to the Donmar to play Ann – she previously appeared in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include Midnight (Sadler’s Wells East), Burlesque,Sunset Blvd (Savoy Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC), Assassins (Chichester Festival Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Sheffield Theatres), Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World (The Other Palace), The Wizard of Oz (Curve Leicester), Into the Woods (Theatre Royal Bath), The Boy in the Dress (RSC), Heathers the Musical (West End), and She Loves Me (Landor Theatre). Her television credits include Call the Midwife.
Sinead Matthews returns to the Donmar to play Jackie – she previously appeared in The Wild Duck.
Her other theatre credits include Till The Stars Come Down (National Theatre, Theatre Royal, Haymarket), Mad House (Ambassadors Theatre), The Antipodes, Absolute Hell, Hedda Gabler, Evening at the Talk House, Blurred Lines, Our Class, The Mandate, Women of Troy, The Antipodes (National Theatre), The Starry Messenger (Wyndham’s Theatre), Loot (Park Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Royal Albert Hall), Giving; Wasp; Ecstasy (Hampstead Theatre), The Hudsucker Proxy (Nuffield Theatre, Liverpool Everyman), Pests (Royal Exchange Theatre, Royal Court Theatre and UK tour), Trout Stanley (Southwark Playhouse), A Time to Reap (Royal Court Theatre), The Changeling, The Glass Menagerie (Young Vic), The Way of the World, The Crucible (Sheffield Theatres), The Master and Margarita (Barbican), Lulu (Gate Theatre), Eigengrau, His Ghostly Heart and Little Dolls (Bush Theatre), The Birthday Party (West End) and Spoonface Steinberg (GBS Theatre). Her television work includes The Party, The Dream Lands, Down Cemetery Road, Things You Should Have Done, Murder Is Easy, Hullraisers – as series regular Paula, The Power, Sick Of It, The Crown, Hang Ups, Chewing Gum, In The Dark, Toast of London, Inside No. 9, The Smoke, Way To Go, Black Mirror, In Love with Barbara, Ideal, Half Broken Things, Trial & Retribution, A.K.A. Divorce, Terry Pratchett’s Hogfather, He Knew He Was Right and Viva Las Blackpool; and for film, Brides, Happy New Year, Colin Burstead, Self-Help: A Serial Killer’s Guide To Life, This Family, Jellyfish, Kaleidoscope, Daphne, The Gift, Mr. Turner, Wreckers, Nanny McPhee 2, The Boat That Rocked, Spring of 1941, Happy Go Lucky, Pride and Prejudice and Vera Drake.
Craig Stein plays Patrick. His theatre work includes The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,Fela!, Nation (National Theatre), Doctor Faustus, Rent (Duke of York’s Theatre), Fatherland (Frantic Assembly), Neighbors (Nuffield Theatre Southampton), 5,6,7,8, Wig Out (Royal Court Theatre), Ghost (Piccadilly Theatre), The Harder They Come (Nottingham Playhouse), and Wicked (Apollo Victoria). His television credits include Heajastallan, Industry, Death in Paradise, Homeland, Song for Jenny, Law and Order, Love Matters and Down to Earth; and for film, Wicked, The Little Mermaid, Tom and Jerry, Lake Placid: Legacy, Mary Poppins Returns and Soft Lad.
Leo Whitfield-Harris makes his professional stage debut as Ted.
Ria Zmitrowicz plays Tillie. Her theatre credits include The Welkin (National Theatre), The Doctor, Three Sisters, Dance Nation (Almeida Theatre), The Glow, Gundog, Bad Roads,X (Royal Court Theatre), The Waves (Jermyn Street Theatre), Plastic (Ustinov Studio, Bath Theatre Royal), The Crucible (Royal Exchange Theatre), Arcadia (English Touring Theatre), Four Minutes Twelve Seconds (Hampstead Theatre, Trafalgar Studios), Chapel Street (Bush Theatre, Edinburgh Underbelly and Liverpool Everyman), God’s Property (Soho Theatre) and Skanky (Arcola Theatre). Her television credits include Sherwood, The Power, Make That Movie, Through The Gates, Three Girls, Mr Selfridge, Outlaws, Youngers, Nightshift, The Midnight Beast, Murder on the Home Front, Whitechapel and The Third Day: Autumn; and for film, Misbehaviour, Teen Spirit, Entebbe, Jellyfish, and Kill Your Friends.
Danny Lee Wynter‘s debut play Black Superhero opened at the Royal Court Theatre in March 2023. As an actor, he has worked extensively in theatre, film and TV – he most notably received an Olivier Award Nomination for his role in The Normal Heart (National Theatre). He was the founder of Act For Change, the UK campaign group that helped change representation across the live and recorded arts.
Tim Sheader is Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of the Donmar Warehouse where he has directed When We Are Married and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 which was nominated for six Olivier Awards. He was previously Artistic Director of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre where he directed over 20 productions, including the Olivier and Evening Standard Award-winning musicals Into the Woods (also Central Park’s Delacorte Theater), Hello, Dolly!, Crazy For You (also West End), and Jesus Christ Superstar which, following two sold-out seasons at Regent’s Park and a transfer to the Barbican, toured the US for three years, followed by a world tour, and is currently running at The London Palladium ahead of a run at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and a UK tour. His critically acclaimed production of To Kill a Mockingbird also toured the UK ending with a sell-out run at the Barbican. Committed to taking the company’s work to as wide an audience as possible, he oversaw further UK tours of productions including Pride and Prejudice, Lord of the Flies and Running Wild. His other stage work includes The Monstrous Child (Royal Opera House), My Fair Lady (Aarhus Theatre), Barnum (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Magistrate (National Theatre), Don Pasquale (Opera National de Lorraine, Lausanne and upcoming in Nice and Toulon).
The World premiere of
THE KING’S RANSOM
By Stuart Slade
5 December 2026 – 6 February 2027
Director: Matthew Dunster; Set Designer: Anna Fleischle; Costume Designer: Jean Chan; Lighting Designer: Sally Ferguson; Sound Designer: Holly Khan; Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG
Stealin’ dead folk’s the American Dream?
Well, it’s always been an incredibly elastic concept – so yes.
The plan is simple: Kidnap Elvis Presley’s corpse. Stash him in a chest freezer. Collect the million-dollar ransom.
Memphis, 1977. When an enigmatic criminal mastermind offers small-time crook Vince Black the opportunity of a lifetime, Vince assembles a crack team of misfits and dropouts to attempt the heist of the century: swiping the earthly remains of The King of Rock and Roll.
Inspired by one of the strangest crime stories in American history, The King’s Ransom, a new play by Stuart Slade, is a Southern-fried dark comedy about grief, redemption and spectacularly bad decisions. Matthew Dunster directs this outrageous, heartfelt heist caper about the little guys taking one last shot at the American Dream.
Stuart Slade’s plays include Glee & Me – Winner of the Judges’ Award – The Bruntwood Prize (Royal Exchange Theatre), Reality (Royal Court Theatre and RWCMD), BU21 (Trafalgar Studios, and across over twenty countries worldwide), and Cans (Theatre503); and for film, Pulse and Capable People.
Matthew Dunster returns to the Donmar to direct – he previously directed Dealer’s Choice for the company. He is a theatre and film director and writer. Previously an actor, he has directed or written over sixty theatre shows, often with major national companies (including RSC, National Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Young Vic, Royal Exchange, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Bridge), as well as directing on the West End, Broadway and internationally. He has been the Associate Director of The Young Vic and Shakespeare’s Globe. His most recent productions include The Hunger Games, Hedda, 2:22 A Ghost Story, which ran in the West End for 694 performances; Shirley Valentine and The Pillowman, both at Duke Of York’s Theatre; The Homecoming at the Young Vic. Dunster has been nominated for four Olivier Awards and his Broadway production of Hangmen was nominated for five Tony Awards. Other directing credits includes: True West (Vaudeville Theatre), Oedipus (Bunkamura Theatre, Tokyo), Hangmen, Liberian Girl (Royal Court Theatre), The Seagull, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Love’s Sacrifice (RSC), The Lightning Child, Doctor Faustus (Shakespeare’s Globe), The Love Girl & the Innocent, You Can Still Make a Killing (Southwark Playhouse), Mametz (National Theatre Wales), Before the Party (Almeida), A Sacred Flame (English Touring Theatre), Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (Royal Exchange Theatre), Mogadishu (Royal Exchange Manchester and Lyric Hammersmith), The Most Incredible Thing (Sadler’s Wells), The Two Gentlemen of Verona (Royal & Derngate, Northampton).
Harold Pinter’s
NO MAN’S LAND
13 February – 10 April 2027
Cast: Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Everett, Olivier Huband, Jay Simpson
Director: Patrick Marber; Designer: Rae Smith; Lighting Designer: Zoe Spurr;
Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG
No man’s land, which never moves, which never changes, which never grows older, which remains forever icy and silent.
Hirst, an acclaimed writer, brings a down-at-heel poet, Spooner, back to his Hampstead home for a nightcap.
As the night draws in, the alcohol flows and they contest memories false and true. Fact and fantasy blur until the arrival of two younger men transforms the evening entirely.
Directed by Patrick Marber, Harold Pinter’s funny and haunting masterpiece stars Simon Russell Beale, Rupert Everett, Olivier Huband and Jay Simpson.
Simon Russell Beale returns to the Donmar to play Hirst – he previously appeared in Temple, ThePhilanthropist,Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night. His theatre credits include Venus and Adonis (UK tour), Titus Andronicus,The Tempest, King Lear, Ghosts, Richard III, The Seagull, Edward II, Troilus and Cressida, The Man of Mode, Restoration (RSC), A Christmas Carol, John Gabriel Borkman (Bridge Theatre), The Lehman Trilogy (Piccadilly Theatre and The Armory, New York), The Lehman Trilogy, King Lear, Timon of Athens, Collaborators, London Assurance, A Slight Ache, Major Barbara, Much Ado About Nothing, The Alchemist, Lifeof Galileo, Jumpers, Humble Boy, Hamlet, Battle Royal, Candide, Summerfolk, Money, Othello, Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead, Volpone (National Theatre), Mr Foote’s Other Leg (Hampstead Theatre and Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Hothouse (Trafalgar Studios), Privates On Parade (Noël Coward Theatre), Bluebird (Atlantic Theatre, New York), The Cherry Orchard, The Winter’s Tale (BAM, world tour, The Old Vic), Monty Python’s Spamalot (Palace Theatre and Schubert Theatre, New York), Julius Caesar (Barbican and international tour); Richard II, Macbeth (Almeida Theatre), Jumpers (Piccadilly Theatre, Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York), Jumpers (Piccadilly Theatre), Humble Boy (Gielgud Theatre), Invention of Love (Hampstead Theatre), and the forthcoming Jesus Christ Superstar (Theatre Royal Drury Lane). His television work includes House of the Dragon, Douglas is Cancelled, Mary & George, Vanity Fair, Charlie Brooker’s Weekly Wipe, Penny Dreadful, Under The Covers, Monteverdi,Legacy, Park, Henry IV Parts 1 and 2, God’s Country, Symphony, Spooks, Sacred ChristmasMusic: American Experience, Dunkirk, Great Historians, Gibbon and A Dance to the Music of Time; and for film, Firebrand, Radioactive, The Outfit, Benediction, Mary Queen of Scots, Operation Finale, The Death of Stalin – winner of 2017 British Independent Film Awards for Best Supporting Actor, Museo, My Cousin Rachel, Tarzan, Savannah, Into the Woods, The Deep Blue Sea, My Week with Marilyn and Hamlet.
Rupert Everett plays Spooner. His theatre credits include A Voyage Round My Father (Theatre Royal Bath), The Judas Kiss (Hampstead Theatre, Royal Alexandra Theatre Toronto and BAM), Amadeus (Chichester Festival Theatre), Pygmalion (Garrick Theatre), Blithe Spirit (Broadway), Don Juan, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Heartbreak House (Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre), Some Sunny Day (Hampstead Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest (Theatre National Paris), The Milk Train Doesn’t Stop Here Anymore, Mass Appeal (Lyric Hammersmith), The Vortex (Glasgow Citizens’ Theatre and Garrick Theatre), and Another Country (Queen’s Theatre). His television work includes Rivals, Emily in Paris, The Serpent Queen, Gray, Everybody Loves Diamonds, Funny Woman, Adult Material, Quacks, The Musketeers, Parade’s End, Rosamund Pilcher, The Other Wife, Black Mirror, And Quiet Flows the Don, Boston Legal, Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Silk Stocking, Dangerous Liaisons, Mr Ambassador, Mama’s Back, The Far Pavilions, Arthur the King, Princess Daisy, The Agatha Christie Hour, Play for Today and Strangers; and for film, The Resurrection of the Christ, Judas’ Gospel, Mad Fabulous, Legend Has It, Napoleon, My Policeman, She Will, Warning, The Warrior Queen of Jhansi, The Happy Prince, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Altimara, A Royal Night Out, Rosenn, Justin and the Knights of Valour, Hysteria, Wild Target, St Trinians 2: the Legend of Fritton’s Gold, St Trinians, Stardust, Shrek the Third, The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Separate Lies, A Different Loyalty, People, Stage Beauty, Shrek 2, To Kill a King, Unconditional Love, The Wild Thornberrys Movie, The Importance of Being Earnest, South Kensington, The Next Best Thing, Inspector Gadget, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, An Ideal Husband, Shakespeare in Love, B. Monkey, My Best Friend’s Wedding, Dunston Checks In, Cemetery Man, The Madness of King George, Prêt-à-Porter, Inside Monkey Zetterland, The Comfort of Strangers, Heart of Fire, The Right Hand Man, The Gold Rimmed Glasses, Duet for One, Dance with a Stranger, Real Life and Another Country.
Olivier Huband returns to the Donmar toplay Foster – he previously appeared in Henry V. His theatre work includes A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), A Doll’s House, Romans (Almeida Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (RSC), Our Country’s Good (Lyric Hammersmith), Humour in the Water Coolant (The ICA), The Duchess of Malfi, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe), Barefoot in the Park (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Such Filthy F*cks (The Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh) and An Enemy of the People (The Playground Theatre). His television work includes Moonflower Murders, This England, A Discovery of Witches, Becoming Elizabeth, I Hate Suzie and Informer; and for film, The Way of the Runner and Mission Impossible: Fallout.
Jay Simpson plays Briggs. His theatre work includes Othello, Scenes from an Execution, Mother Clap’s Molly House, Battle Royal (National Theatre), Arden of Faversham, White Devil, The Witch of Edmonton (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Firm, The Good Samaritan (Hampstead Theatre), Dealer’s Choice (Menier Chocolate Factory and Trafalgar Studios) Afters, Hummingbird, Centre Stole my Giro (Old Red Lion). His television work includes Day of the Jackal, The Hack, Suspect: The shooting of John Charles de Menezes, Chernobyl, Pistol and The Firm. His film work includes Blitz, The Critic, Rush, Shifty and The Holiday
Harold Pinter was born on 10 October 1930 in East London, playwright, director, actor, poet and political activist. He died 24 December 2008. He wrote twenty-nine plays including The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming, and Betrayal, twenty-one screenplays including The Servant, The Go-Between and The French Lieutenant’s Woman, and directed twenty-seven theatre productions, including James Joyce’s Exiles, David Mamet’s Oleanna, seven plays by Simon Gray and many of his own plays including his latest, Celebration, paired with his first, The Room at the Almeida Theatre, London in the spring of 2000. He was awarded the Shakespeare Prize (Hamburg), the European Prize for Literature (Vienna), the Pirandello Prize (Palermo), the David Cohen British Literature Prize, the Laurence Olivier Award, the Legion d’Honneur and the Moliere D’Honneur for lifetime achievement. In 1999 he was made a Companion of Literature by the Royal Society of Literature. He received honorary degrees from eighteen universities. In 2002, Pinter was made a Companion of Honour by the Queen for services to Literature; and in 2005, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
As a director, Patrick Marber’s work includes The Producers (Menier Chocolate Factory/Garrick Theatre), Glengarry Glen Ross (productions at both The Old Vic and Palace Theatre, New York), Habeas Corpus (Menier Chocolate Factory), Leopoldstadt (Wyndham’s Theatre and Broadway – Tony Award for Best Director of a Play and Outer Critics’ Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Play), Travesties (Menier Chocolate Factory/Apollo Theatre/Roundabout Theatre Company’s American Airlines Theatre, NYC), Steve Coogan/John Thompson in Characters (Edinburgh/Purcell Room/Touring), and his own plays Dealer’s Choice (National Theatre/Vaudeville Theatre), Closer (National Theatre/Lyric Theatre/Broadway), Howard Katz and Three Days In the Country (both National Theatre). Other productions include 1953 (Almeida Theatre), Blue Remembered Hills (National Theatre), The Old Neighborhood (Royal Court at Duke of York’s Theatre), The Caretaker (Comedy Theatre) and I Remember (devised piece at Royal Court). For television, he directed After Miss Julie and The Curator (both for the BBC). As a writer, his other work includes The Musicians (NT Connections), After Miss Julie,Don Juan in Soho, Dealer’s Choice (Donmar Warehouse/Wyndham’s) and The Red Lion (National Theatre). For television, his work includes: co-writer of The Day Today,Knowing Me Knowing You with Alan Partridge, Paul Calf Video Diaries, The Curator, Natural Born Quizzers (all BBC); for film, The Critic (dir. Anand Tucker), Closer (dir. Mike Nichols), Notes on a Scandal (dir. Richard Eyre) and Love You More (dir. Sam Taylor-Wood); and for radio, Hoop Lane (BBC Radio 3) and Bunk Bed with Peter Curran (BBC Radio 4).
AZUKA OFORKA AND RAFAELLA MARCUS NAMED RECIPIENTS OF THE 2026 THEATRE ROYAL HAYMARKET WRITERS AWARD
The Donmar Warehouse also announces today that playwrights Azuka Oforka and Rafaella Marcus have been selected as the recipients of the 2026 Theatre Royal Haymarket Writers Award, presented in partnership with Access Entertainment, owner of the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
Established to support the development of outstanding playwrights and help bring new voices to the UK’s major stages, the Award commissions two writers each year to develop a new play. Recipients receive a full commission alongside access to the Donmar’s artistic team, who support the research and development of their work through readings, workshops and collaboration with professional actors.
Azuka Oforka is an award-winning playwright and screenwriter whose debut play, The Women of Llanrumney, premiered at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff before transferring to London to widespread critical acclaim. A former actor, she has developed work with organisations including the Royal Court Theatre, BBC Writersroom and Sherman Theatre, and was named Best Writer at The Stage Debut Awards in 2024. Through the Theatre Royal Haymarket Writers Award, she will write an original play exploring the history and legacy of the Labour Party Black Sections.
Rafaella Marcus is a playwright, dramaturg and director from South London. Her debut play, SAP, premiered with Paines Plough at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe before touring nationally and enjoying an acclaimed run at Soho Theatre. Through the Theatre Royal Haymarket Writers Award, she will develop a stage adaptation of Natalie Haynes’ acclaimed retelling of the Trojan War, A Thousand Ships.
The Theatre Royal Haymarket Writers Award reflects a shared commitment by the Donmar Warehouse and Access Entertainment to investing in exceptional writing talent and supporting the creation of ambitious new work for the stage.
Maximum two tickets per person – both need to be aged 35 or under at time of the performance. Subject to availability. ID will need to be shown at Box Office to collect tickets.
DONMAR DAILY RELEASE
New tickets on sale every day at the Donmar. Allocations of tickets will be made available every day for performances 7 days later. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.
ACCESS
The Donmar Warehouse is fully wheelchair accessible. Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome in the auditorium. There is a Loop system and a Radio Frequency system fitted in the main auditorium and there are also hearing loops at all the front of house counters.
ASSISTED PERFORMANCES If you require a companion to attend the Donmar, their ticket will be free. To book call 020 3282 3808 or email access@donmarwarehouse.com.
For all other access enquiries or bookings call 020 3282 3808.
DONMAR WAREHOUSE
Welcome to the Donmar, where anyone with a passion or curiosity for seriously good theatre belongs. In our powerfully intimate space, we make vivid theatre that transports. Our audience doesn’t sit in the dark; they lean into the light. You’ll want to be in the room and in the moment.
Led by Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch, the Donmar is an independent non-profit theatre in London’s Covent Garden.
We’re intent on making sure theatre thrives for the next generation by inviting in new younger audiences, inspiring original voices and building the workforce of the future.
We’re grateful for the loyalty and generosity of our many donors and supporters who share our commitment to making this happen.
The stage adaptation of Shirley Jackson’s The Haunting of Hill House, adapted by Olivier and BAFTA Award-winning writer Stef Smith, has announced its full cast ahead of its world premiere. Martin Constantine directs Jasper Britton (Dr. Montague), Jemma Churchill (Mrs Montague), Sian Howard (Mrs Dudley), Sophie Lenglinger (Theo), Robin Morrissey (Luke), and Clancy Ryan (Eleanor).
Stef Smith today said, “Shirley Jackson created one of the greatest haunted house stories ever written, and it’s an absolute honour to adapt it for the stage. I’m so excited by this cast, whose talent, sensitivity and imagination will breathe new life into these characters. I can’t wait for audiences to experience The Haunting of Hill House in a completely new way.”
The production opens at Salisbury Playhouse on 11 September, continuing at Richmond Theatre from 6 – 10 October before embarking on a UK tour to Theatre Clwyd, Theatre Royal Brighton, Palace Theatre Manchester, Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse, Royal Lyceum Theatre, concluding at Cambridge Arts Theatre on 21 November.
Shirley Jackson’s iconic novel is widely regarded as one of the greatest works of supernatural fiction. It was later adapted into the critically acclaimed Netflix series of the same name, introducing a new generation to Jackson’s haunting masterpiece.
Mark Puddle with Alexander “Sandy” Marshall and Patrick Myles present
a Wiltshire Creative production in association with Theatr Clwyd
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE
Novel by Shirley Jackson
Adapted for the stage by Stef Smith
11 September – 14 November 2026
Cast: Jasper Britton (Dr. Montague), Jemma Churchill (Mrs Montague), Sian Howard (Mrs Dudley), Sophie Lenglinger (Theo), Robin Morrissey (Luke), and Clancy Ryan (Eleanor)
Director: Martin Constantine; Designer: Ti Green; Lighting Designer: Chris Davey; Sound Designer: Johnny Edwards; Composer: Harry Blake; Video Designer: Duncan McLean; Illusion Designer:
Will Houstoun; Movement: Georgina Lamb; Associate Director: Bobbie-Jean Henning;
General Management: James Quaife for Luminous Entertainment Group
“A ghost can be a lot of things. A memory, a daydream, a secret, grief, anger, guilt.”
When a group of daring investigators take on the mystery of Hill House, curiosity quickly descends into fear. Experiments plunge into darkness. Strange disturbances ripple through twisting corridors. As the house tightens its grip, it will leave you on the edge of your seat… and questioning what is real long after the curtain falls.
From best-selling novel to major hit Netflix series, The Haunting of Hill House now takes to the stage in this gripping new production that blurs the line between heart-thumping suspense and the supernatural.
Jasper Britton plays Dr. Montague. His theatre credits include The Purists (Kiln Theatre), Habeas Corpus, Pack of Lies, Little Shop of Horrors (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Sunset Limited (Underbelly Boulevard Soho), Murder at the Cathedral (Southwark Cathedral), Witness for the Prosecution (London County Hall), Jerusalem (The Watermill Theatre), Scrooge, What the Butler Saw (Curve, Leicester), The Blinding Light, Mother Adam (Jermyn Street Theatre), The Libertine (Theatre Royal Bath and Theatre Royal Haymarket), Richard II, Marat/Sade, The Tamer Tam’d, The Jew of Malta, Unfinished Business, A Jovial Crew, Antony and Cleopatra, Tamburlaine, The Beggar’s Opera and Henry IV Parts 1 & 2 (RSC), Amygdala , Fabrication (Coronet Theatre), Race, Private Lives (Hampstead Theatre), The Picture of Dorian Gray (Abbey Theatre, Dublin), The Beggar’s Opera, Richard III (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Sheffield Theatres), Last Cigarette (Chichester Festival Theatre and Trafalgar Theatre), Fram, Oedipus, Honk! The Ugly Duckling, Summerfolk, Troilus and Cressida, The Wind in the Willows (National Theatre), Plague Over England (Finborough Theatre), Rhinoceros (Royal Court Theatre), The Taming Of The Shrew (RSC and Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch), Bedroom Farce (Aldwych Theatre), Paradise Lost (UK tour), The Father (Chichester Festival Theatre), Becket, Japes (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Macbeth,The Tempest,Two Noble Kinsmen (Shakespeare’s Globe), Three Sisters (Birmingham Rep), The End of the Affair (Salisbury Playhouse), Saint Joan (Novello Theatre and UK Tour), The Visit (Riverside Studios and international tour), and King Lear (The Old Vic). His television credits include Saviour, Hijack, Garrow’s Law, Semi Detached, My Dad’s the Prime Minister, Murder in Mind, Heartbeat, The Cry, Big Kids and Highlander; and for film Saviour, The Critic, Aubergenfeld, Rise of the Footsoldier 2, Blood, Anonymous, Morris: A Life With Bells On, Blackbeard, Nostradamus, and The New World.
Jemma Churchill plays Mrs Montague. Her theatre credits include The Boys from Hibernia (Belgrade Theatre), I’ll Be Back Before Midnight (Theatre By The Lake), SlaughterhouseFive (Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse), Macbeth (international tour), The Last Waltz (Upstairs at the Gatehouse),
Things We Do For Love (Royal & Derngate, Northampton), Having a Ball (Theatre Royal Windsor), A Happy Medium (King’s Theatre, Edinburgh), Structures (Elgiva Theatre, Chesham and Swindon Arts Centre), The Winslow Boy (Palace Theatre, Westcliffe-on-Sea), A Night in Provence (The Mill At Sonning), The Notebook of Trigorin (Northcott Theatre), Factors Unforeseen (Orange Tree Theatre), Love’s A Luxury, Caught in the Net (Southwold Arts Centre), Noises Off (New Wolsey Theatre), Breakingthe Code (English Theatre Frankfurt), Little Pieces of Gold (Theatre503), The Good Mother (Landor Theatre), 84 Charing Cross Road, Cinderella (Salisbury Playhouse), The Gift, Larksong, Hoard Rediscovered (New Vic Theatre), Horniman’s Choice (Finborough Theatre), Nativity! The Musical (Birmingham Rep), Guys and Dolls (Kilworth House Theatre), Martha, Josie and the Chinese Elvis, Birthdays Past Birthdays Present (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Diary of a Somebody (Seven Dials Playhouse), I Should Be So Lucky (UK tour), and Fawlty Towers (Apollo Theatre). Her television credits include G’wed, Alma’s Not Normal, Ladhood, Stonehouse, Curfew, Call The Midwife, Suspicion, Still Open All Hours, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death, Mothers 2 Mothers, The Five (Ish) Doctors Reboot, Upstairs Downstairs, The Plot to Bring Down Britain’s Planes, Waterloo Road, Jekyll, Living It, Murder in Suburbia, Footballers’ Wives, Murder in Mind, Where There’s Smoke, Kiss Me Kate, Red Dwarf, Dangerfield, Jonathan Creek, Bugs, Waiting for God, The Brittass Empire, and Paradise Postponed; and for film, Desert Flower, Burn the Clock, Nativity Rocks!, and The Conjuring: Last Rites.
Sian Howard plays Mrs Dudley. Her theatre credits include The Elephant in the Room (Waterloo East Theatre), Curtain Up, Much Ado About Nothing, All My Sons, Ghosts, Arts and the Man, Copenhagen, Pygmalion, Two Princes, Suddenly Last Summer, Blithe Spirit (Theatr Clywd), Seanmhair (Edinburgh Festival Fringe and The Other Room, Cardiff), Treasure (Birmingham Rep), The Taming of the Shrew (Bristol Old Vic), Eastward Ho!, Edward III, The Roman Arts, Julius Caesar, Desire Under The Elms (RSC), Aladdin and the Twankeys, Robin Hood and his Merry Mam, The York Family Robinson, Jack and the Beanstalk, Sinbad the Sailor, and Cinderella (York Theatre Royal).
Sophie Lenglinger plays Theodora. Her theatre credits include Kätzchen (Riverside Studios), Asylum King (Collective Theatre), Konstantin (Project Arts Centre), Afterwards, The Plough and the Stars, Absent the Wrong (The Abbey Theatre, Dublin), Piglet (The New Theatre, Dublin), and PL-AI (The Civic Theatre). Her television credits include Stags and Zett; and for film, Whitetail.
Robin Morrissey plays Luke. His theatre credits include Brassed Off (Leeds Playhouse), Macbeth (Storyhouse Theatre, Chester), Animal Farm (Stratford East and Leeds Playhouse), The Importance of Being Earnest, The Accrington Pals (Royal Exchange Theatre), Deep Blue, Twelfth Night, Sex and The Three Day Week (Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse), Richard III (Rose Theatre Kingston and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse), Edmond De Bergerac (Birmingham Rep and UK tour), The Marlowe Sessions (Malthouse Theatre, Canterbury), A Christmas Carol (Jermyn Street Theatre), Gabriel (UK tour), Twelfth Night (Rose Theatre Kingston), Noor (Kali Theatre), The Government Inspector (Birmingham Rep), The Ballerina (Theatre503), and Juno and The Paycock (Bristol Old Vic and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse). His television credits include G’Wed, The Tower, Home, Apple Tree Yard, Doctors (as series regular Will Hurran), and Little Crackers; and for film Mindhorn, Love Bite and Cloud Atlas.
Clancy Ryan plays Eleanor. Her theatre credits include Singin’ in the Rain (Royal Exchange Theatre), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre), Cabaret (Théâtre du Lido, Paris), South Pacific (Chichester Festival Theatre), Top Hat (The Mill at Sonning), The Boy in the Dress (RSC), and Kiss Me, Kate (Sheffield Theatres).
Shirley Jackson (1916 – 1965) was an American writer celebrated for her works of horror and mystery. Over a career spanning more than two decades, she authored six novels, two memoirs, and more than 200 short stories. Her novels include The Road Through the Wall, Hangsaman, The Bird’s Nest, The Sundial, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle.
Stef Smith is an Olivier and BAFTA-winning playwright. Her theatre credits include Roadkill (Theatre Royal Stratford East – winner of the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre), Girl in the Machine, Enough (Traverse Theatre), Swallow (Traverse Theatre/Edinburgh Festival Fringe – also adapted for screen, premiering at the Edinburgh International Film Festival), Nora: A Doll’s House (Citizens Theatre), Smoke (and Mirrors) (Traverse Theatre/DOT Istanbul), Woman of the Year (Òran Mór), Human Animals (Royal Court Theatre) and The Outrun (Edinburgh International Festival). Her screenwriting credits include Float (winner of the BAFTA Scotland Award for Best Television Scripted), and The Outrun.
Martin Constantine is an award-winning theatre and opera director. His theatre credits include Peter Pan (Storyhouse Theatre, Chester), The Owl and the Pussycat (UK tour), Manga Sister (The Yard Theatre), The Future for Beginners (Wales Millennium Centre/Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Marsha (Arcola Theatre). His opera credits include The Elixir of Love (UK tour), Acis and Galatea (Buxton International Festival), The Silent Twins (Almeida Theatre), Cavalleria Rusticana, Pagliacci (Shanghai Opera House), Don Giovanni (Loughborough Festival Opera), Dead Man Walking, and Paul Bunyan (Wales Millennium Centre).
ON SATURDAY 15 AUGUST 2026 AT ST PAUL’S CHURCH, COVENT GARDEN
Following the success of last year’s WEST END WOOFS (AND MEOWS), stage icons DameElaine Paige and Bernadette Peters are delighted to return to co-host their fourth annual live event at St Paul’s Church, Covent Garden on Saturday 15 August from 10.15am.
WEST END WOOFS is a ticketed event. The cost of a ticket is £10 per person and they can be purchased at actorschurch.org . Money raised on ticket donations goes towards the shelters. You must purchase a ticket to gain access to the Church grounds to meet the adoptable pets and enjoy the staged section of the event.
Bringing together much-loved talent of the West End and their four-legged friends, WEST END WOOFS (AND MEOWS) is a live dog and cat adoption event, working with participating shelters and rescue groups to benefit their charitable work.
Dame Elaine Paige and Bernadette Peters first teamed up to co-host the virtual edition of WEST END WOOFS during lockdown in 2020. It has now gone from strength to strength become an annual highlight in the West End theatre calendar following live events in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Across the pond, Broadway Barks, continues to be a howling success over 28 years on!
Dame Elaine Paige said today “I’m so excited about this year’s West End Woofs! I’m proud to say, it’s become such a successful annual event. Along with our generous cast members, helping find forever loving homes for the wonderful dogs and cats who, for so many different reasons, have found themselves abandoned is very heartwarming. Nothing beats seeing them get the second chance they deserve. Every wagging tail and happy purr is a reminder that a little kindness can change a life!”
Bernadette Peters said today “I am thrilled to partner again this year with my friend Dame Elaine for our 4th annual West End Woofs celebrating and finding homes for our furry 4-legged wonders who bring love and joy to humankind. My heartfelt gratitude to Londoners who have generously opened their hearts and homes to provide shelter for our beautiful friends.”
The adoption event begins at 10.15am with a ‘meet and greet’ with all the adoptable pets. From 11.00am adoptees make their West End debut on stage alongside some of the West End’s favourite stars from Hamilton, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Oliver! Paddington and The Devil Wears Prada with special guests including Bella Brown, Janie Dee, Richard Dempsey, Peter Egan, Cole Escola, Sarah Hadland, Bonnie Langford, Jak Malone, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb and Jac Yarrow, with more names to be announced soon.
The participating shelters and rescue groups taking part in WEST END WOOFS(AND MEOWS) are:
Pro Dogs Direct
Saving Saints Rescue
German Shepherd Rescue South
Noah’s Ark Dog Rescue
Home Run Hounds
All Dogs Matter
Peterborough Cat Rescue
Fetcher Dog
All proceeds from the event will benefit the great work they do. Full details of each organisation below.
Working across the UK, Pro Dogs Direct operates a non-destruction policy rescuing and re-homing unwanted, neglected or abandoned dogs. Ou vision is to re-home dogs that are desperately in need of help DIRECTLY from foster home to forever home. Getting the dogs to safety is our priority. Our dogs live in private foster homes with volunteers; this allows us to really get to know them and, when they are ready for adoption, find exactly the right new home for them. Being in a normal home environment is better for the dogs, but it does mean that they cannot be visited prior to adoption (other than by successful applicants). We felt there was a need for dogs to be re-homed without going into kennels; hence the addition of ‘Direct’ to our name. Our vision is that: whenever possible dogs go DIRECTLY from FOSTER home to their new permanent home although, in emergencies we sometimes have to use kennels temporarily to get dogs to safety and out of difficult situations. We often take puppies and dogs that might otherwise be put to sleep. This could be strays that have ‘timed-out’ or dogs and pups that are ill, and unwanted. This means that, before they can be rehomed, many of our dogs need extra medical care and TLC. Many have had a traumatic past and never known a loving hand and home, this is particularly true for the ex-breeding dogs we rescue. Our aim is to place each dog in the best possible home rather than simply re-homing them on a first come first served basis.
Many Saint Bernards within Europe are used as working dogs and are often crossed with other large breeds – they are sheep protection dogs or guard dogs in some countries such as Romania. In these countries there is no specific legislation making animal abuse an offence. Some countries have no official dog rescue or shelter welfare and some Eastern European countries have ‘killing stations’. An owner can take their dog that they do not want to a killing station. Quite often, all the dogs in the killing stations are killed in one night. We believe all dogs deserve better than that, which is why we work with our European rescue partners. Many dogs that come to use have been abused by their owners, discarded onto the streets to fend for themselves, and many are chained. Some are starved. We often have less than 5 days to rescue the dogs that we are contacted about to fund their removal and move them to safe shelter. In the UK many people buy St Bernards as they see them as cute puppies. However, once the dog is around 8 months old, without having adequate training, they often decide they can’t handle the dog so they contact us to rehome – or they sell them on unregistered sites. Sometimes we are offered pups who have health problems, like blindness or hip dysplasia. We take these dogs and offer them the best life that we can with people who are committed to the breed and understand their needs. Our mission is to raise further awareness and educate humans in the psychological and physical welfare issues specifically related to the St Bernard as a breed, and to encourage responsible and safe dog ownership and welfare of big breeds in the UK and Europe.
German Shepherd Rescue South began in 2007 with just 5 dogs. Carol and Brian Middleton had limited funds but big dreams as they learned how many German Shepherd dogs needed help and rescuing. A few years later, GSRS became a registered charity, operating across the south of England, dedicated to finding happiness and security for this intelligent, special breed. The rescue helps German Shepherds stay successfully in their own homes, find suitable new homes, or find placements in fosters. All the dogs that come to the charity are fully assessed before being put up for adoption. The assessment involves an experienced volunteer visiting the dog in their own home to learn about their behaviour and temperament. GSRS takes great care that their dogs are matched with the right owners and home environments to ensure that the first home they find is their forever home.
GSRS also saves dogs from pounds that are in danger of being euthanized, and they will work closely with these dogs to address any behavioural needs before they are up for adoption.
When their dogs are adopted, the rescue provides full rescue backup and will insist that if any issues arise, the dogs are returned directly to the rescue so they can keep striving to find the perfect forever home for each and every dog.
The rescue has an incredible volunteer base that raises awareness as well as much needed funds, and they are grateful to their wonderful supporters.
We are a small team of volunteers, dedicated to the rescue and rehoming of abandoned dogs and those in need from both the UK and overseas. Our non-profit organisation is based in Peterborough but we do adopt and foster dogs throughout the UK with kennels based in Norfolk, Derbyshire and South Yorkshire. The team make regular visits to Romania which are 100% self funded, and testament to our level of dedication to support and help our fabulous rescuers on the ground, we of course get lots of Arkie cuddles and help socialise our pups and dogs whilst they are awaiting their tickets to board the happy bus. Spay and neuter campaign: The single most important thing that we can do to save cats and dogs from all the suffering and death that their overpopulation causes is to spay and neuter them. Spaying and neutering are routine, affordable surgeries that can prevent thousands of animals from being born, only to suffer and struggle to survive on the streets, be abused by cruel or neglectful people, or be euthanized in animal shelters for lack of a loving home. Works with a shelter called Rin Tin Tin on this ongoing spay and neuter campaign.
We are a West Midlands based charity specialising in finding homes for retired racing Greyhounds. Home Run Hounds is a “Not for Profit” company run by Claire Butler. Claire is calling on her experience from over 30 years with the breed including volunteering at several “homing” charities which gives her a strong basis in which to develop this new Homing centre which was started in 2022 and is assisted by many volunteers who enjoy the same passion. Currently the Centre has several hounds under its care and as funds and donations grow it is hoped to increase the number of hounds who need a home. Claire is backed by dedicated volunteers who come to site to walk the greyhounds and take them on new “adventures” to experience new sights and sounds that they may not have come across whilst “racing”. Greyhounds are still not seen by the wider “Dog Loving” public as a “pet” although they are the most loving of breeds and from birth develop a strong connection with their human counterparts. Greyhounds are a “pure” breed and can very often chase their lineage back many many years. (Because of this pedigree and because they were used in racing, HRH is strict about neutering their dogs so that they are never used illicitly for breeding.) They are not a “designer” pet that costs £1000’s but for a sensible donation you can home a wonderful dog and have the full support of Home Run Hounds from adoption until it is time for them to chase a Rainbow. Home Run Hounds offers Foster To Adopt which means that potential adopters having chosen a potential new family member can foster that hound for 2 weeks to see if both pet and family are suited. This has proven extremely successful and takes the “pressure” of both families and “hounds” who all need to settle in to a new life. Home Run Hounds also does not discriminate on age so will consider all ages when homing a greyhound allowing the older generation to continue to enjoy a faithful friends company into their elder years helping not only with loneliness but mental stimulation as well. Home Run Hounds is not only a Homing Centre but also works with the Community to benefit the area by involving both “homed” and “homeless” hounds in various activities which can benefit both the people and the hounds. These activities include:- Working with various Care Homes in the area to visit residents with certain mental health needs as well as the enjoyment of the visit for all who reside at the Home. Visiting End of Life Care Homes to brighten up patients last days. Conducting Group Community talks to all ages Women’s Institute Evening talks with the presence of “homed” hounds Supporting various “Weight Watcher” Groups re increasing weight loss through walking activities. Working with the disabled to enhance their mental and physical experiences. Working with Work Experience Pupils who want to work in the “homing” environment.
All Dogs Matter is a dog rescue and rehoming charity working in and around London to transform the lives of unwanted and abandoned dogs. We also rehome dogs in need from overseas. In 2022 All Dogs Matter rescued and rehomed 349 dogs with new owners. We work in partnership with individuals and organisations to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome dogs in need. Our many partners include local council authorities, foster carers, dog trainers and vet practices. We also work with members of the public to rehome their dogs if they are no longer able to look after them and help to reunite owners with lost dogs. In our rehoming capacity, our small, dedicated team matches each dog with the right new owner, ensuring that it will be safe, cared for and loved for the rest of its life. We combine the use of foster homes and kennels to care for dogs before they find their forever homes. Our foster carers are experienced dog lovers who often have dogs of their own and are dedicated to helping our dogs get back to a happy, healthy life. Many of our dogs are placed in foster homes so they can be assessed before rehoming. By living with a family, the dog gets used to the everyday routine it will experience when rehomed. International work: We work on an international level helping to rehome abandoned and unwanted dogs from overseas. We’ve worked with Humane Society International UK as an Emergency Placement Partner shelter to rehome dogs rescued from South Korean dog meat farms, and currently work with Mira Dogs shelter in Egypt to rehabilitate and rehome abandoned dogs. These dogs are given a new life with experienced and loving owners in the UK.
Peterborough Cat Rescue are a self-financing group made up of people who love cats and are concerned about cat welfare. We believe that all cats should be neutered to prevent the widespread number of unwanted animals that find themselves in rescue centres.
Fetcher Dog rescues dogs from UK pounds as well as the streets and kill shelters of Bosnia.
UK pounds are currently bursting with dogs that are looking for safe spaces to go. After 7 days in a pound, the dogs are put to sleep if a rescue space isn’t found. Fetcher Dog does whatever they can to save as many of these dogs as possible and give them the chance of a happy and full life. They also help with local owner surrenders, and the Kent authorities know to contact them when needed.
At least half of their rescue mission occurs in Bosnia, where thousands of dogs are born on the streets, fated to the cruelty of starvation, disease, and brutal acts. Street dogs are rounded up by dog catchers and often placed in kill shelters. Our local rescuers pick up stray street dogs and remove as many as possible from kill shelters, taking them to safe and secure facilities where they no longer need to live in fear. Here, they are taken care of. Fetcher Dog gives them everything they need for a fresh start and the best possible chance of a happy, healthy life, finding homes in England & Wales.
Experience the extraordinary story of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash in this exciting new musical, featuring timeless hits, unforgettable performances and genuine heart.
From acclaimed Olivier and Tony Award-winning director Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, The Who’s Tommy, Ain’t Too Proud), The Ballad of Johnny and June is a vibrant celebration of two legendary artists whose passion, determination and devotion to one another left an indelible mark on country music.
Created with the support of the Cash family and narrated through the perspective of their son, John Carter Cash, this biographical jukebox musical charts the highs and lows of Johnny and June’s lives, careers and enduring partnership. It follows Johnny Cash, the rebellious “Man in Black,” and June Carter, a gifted performer from the renowned Carter Family, as their lives become intertwined both on and off stage
A remarkable love story at the heart of the musical is the passionate and often complicated relationship between Johnny and June. Their connection, forged amid personal and professional challenges, grew into one of the most celebrated partnerships in music history.
Featuring 36 classic songs, including I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire and Jackson, the production showcases their rise to fame and the lasting influence they had on country music.
The show explores the strong family values that shaped their lives, from June’s roots in the Carter Family dynasty to the couple’s efforts to maintain a loving home while navigating the demands of fame, touring and parenthood. Through John Carter Cash’s narration, audiences gain a personal insight into the strength and devotion that united the family.
Alongside their achievements, the musical addresses Johnny’s struggles with addiction and the pressures of life in the spotlight. Ultimately, it is a moving story of perseverance, redemption and the power of unwavering support.
Christopher Ryan Grant as Johnny Cash delivers an authentic portrayal of Johnny Cash, capturing his distinctive voice, stage presence and personal struggles with sensitivity and conviction.
Christina Bianco as June Carter Cash is a standout as June Carter Cash, bringing exceptional vocals, warmth, humour and charisma to the role.
Lenny Turner as John Carter Cash as narrator, O’Donnell guides audiences through his parents’ story with insight and humour, adding a personal family perspective.
The supporting cast impresses with its versatility, seamlessly combining acting, musicianship and rich harmonies across the show’s extensive collection of classic songs
The production also needs recognition for such an adaptable set, authentic costumes, wonderful sound, dazzling lighting and the streamlined choreography.
They are an entertainment phenomenon and I am in awe of their talent…I have one word for it. Go!
The Scotsman
A must-see institution…fantastic British Theatre Guide
The show is a testament to the quality of the improvisers WhatsOnStage
One of the top 5 comedy shows to catch The New York Times
Created in Los Angeles in 2016, Shamilton!, the “deliriously entertaining” (Musical Theatre Review), hip hop, improv comedy show, has played to sold-out crowds around the world, earning rave reviews and a devoted following, including acclaimed sold-out runs at the 2023, 2024 and 2025 Edinburgh Fringe.
Inspired by the international phenomenon, that took the musical theatre world by storm (hurricane and all!), Shamilton! takes everything audiences love about epic historical musicals and turns it into a completely spontaneous theatrical experience that will have you crying with laughter. The cast improvise an epic musical based on a historical figure or celebrity of the audiences’ choosing. Expect incredible songs, powerhouse vocals and jaw-dropping choreography—except every moment is completely made up on the spot.
Performed by the legendary improvisers of Baby Wants Candy, whose members have appeared on Broadway, television and stages around the world, the “best visiting improv comedy show” (TimeOut NY) combines world-class musical talent with fearless comedy to create a theatrical event unlike any other.
Casting includes Adam Payne, Allen Lucas, Anna Bortnik, Chris Grace, Daniel Tepper, Lily Ludwig and Will Naameh with Adrien Pellerin as musical director. Baby Wants Candy’s producer is Al Samuels.
Every show is totally unique – it only happens in the room where it… you get the point.
Newcomer Benjamin Cain will play Tommo Peaceful in major UK tour of Michael Morpurgo’s one-man play
Private Peaceful Based on the novel by Michael Morpurgo Adapted and Directed by Simon Reade
After captivating audiences worldwide, Private Peaceful returns to the stage with fresh energy and timeless power for a UK tour. Beginning in September 2026, additional dates have now been added, extending the tour into February 2027.
Benjamin Cain, rising star and recent graduate from the BA Professional Acting course at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, will make his professional debut in this acclaimed one-person tour de force as Tommo Peaceful.Adapted and directed from Michael Morpurgo‘s novel by Simon Reade, the production sees a single actor conjure an entire world of characters, landscapes, and emotions. At once heartwarming and heartbreaking, Private Peaceful is both a moving family drama and a powerful reminder of the human cost of war.
Benjamin Cain said: “I am incredibly excited and grateful to be doing this play and to be working with so many brilliant themes. Simon has created such a relaxed atmosphere since the first audition and is so passionate, it will be a privilege to work with him.”
Simon Reade said: “Earlier this summer I saw a young actor in his graduating show at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School: Benjamin Cain. He was witty, truthful, strong yet vulnerable. I knew at once here was our new Peaceful. Ben was raised in a Dorset village. For him, this really is a story close to home. What an opportunity, for me as much as Ben, to revive Michael’s contemporary classic of love and loss – this theatrical celebration of life.”
The Private Peaceful tour will visit: Exeter Northcott Theatre (9-10 Sept); Lichfield Garrick Theatre (11-13 Sept); Lowther Pavilion, Lytham St Annes (15 Sept); Victoria Wood Theatre Windermere (16 Sept); Lyceum, Edinburgh (17-19 Sept); Wilton’s Music Hall, London (21-23 Sept); Harrogate Theatre (24-26 Sept); Theatre Royal Winchester (28-30 Sept); Hull Truck Theatre (1-3 Oct); Hall for Cornwall, Truro (6-7 Oct); Theatr Brycheiniog, Powys (8-9 Oct); Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (12-17 Oct); Malvern Theatres (21-25 Oct); Theatre Royal Wakefield (27-28 Oct); Connaught Theatre & Studio, Worthing (11 Nov); Curve, Leicester (17-19 Nov); Royal & Derngate, Northampton (25-30 Jan) and Blackpool Grand Theatre (1-3 Feb).
Produced by Joshua Beaumont and Matthew Emeny for The Production Garden in association with Exeter Northcott Theatre.
Suitable for ages 9+.
2026/27 TOUR LISTINGS
Wednesday 9 – Thursday 10 September Exeter Northcott Theatre
