FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE TOUR OF WEST END AND INTERNATIONAL SMASH HIT MUSICAL THE CHOIR OF MAN – OPENING AT THE NEW THEATRE WIMBLEDON SATURDAY 14 MARCH
THE JUNGLE CHOIR COMMUNITY PROJECT – NEW TOURING INITIATIVE REVEALED, INVITING LOCAL CHOIRS TO TAKE PART IN EVERY CITY
The producers of the Olivier Award-nominated international smash hit musical THE CHOIR OF MAN today announce full casting for the show’s first ever UK & Ireland Tour, opening at New Wimbledon Theatre on Saturday 14 March 2026. Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award-nominated worldwide smash hit will take The Jungle to audiences across the country and Ireland with tickets on sale now for dates through to December 2026. The producers are also delighted to announce, The Jungle Choir Community Project, a new nationwide initiative inviting local choirs to take part in the production on opening night in every touring city.
Set in on-stage pub The Jungle, THE CHOIR OF MAN is the best trip to your local you’ll ever have. Here, a cast of nine (extra)ordinary guys combine beautiful harmonies and foot-stomping singalongs with world-class tap dance and soulful storytelling.
The UK & Ireland Tour cast will feature Gustav Melbardis as ‘Maestro’ (Choir of Man NCL, Rent), Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi as ‘Poet’ (The Second Woman, Young Vic, The Wind in the Willows, Shakespeare North Playhouse), Levi Tyrell Johnson as ‘Hard Man’ (Choir of Man, West End, Hamilton, UK & Ireland tour), Ben Mabberley as ‘Joker’ (Calamity Jane, UK tour, Blood Brothers, UK tour), Rob Godfrey as ‘Beast’ (Choir of Man, West End & US tour), Jack Skelton as ‘Handyman’ (My Fair Lady, Curve, Aladdin, Wolverhampton Grand), Joshua Lloyd as ‘Barman’ (Chicago, The Lion King, UK & Ireland tours), Sam Walter as ‘Romantic’ (Choir of Man, West End, Kinky Boots, NCL) and Aaron Pottenger as ‘Bore’ (Choir of Man, NCL, Ragtime), with Sam Ebenezer (Choir of Man, West End, The Mousetrap, West End), Jared Leathwood (Choir of Man, West End, Billionaire Boy, UK tour), Niall Woodson (Choir of Man, West End, Frankie’s Guys, UK tour) and Lewis Dragisic (Choir of Man, West End, Twelfth Night, UK tour) as Swings.
Featuring hits from artists such as Queen, Luther Vandross,Sia, Paul Simon, Adele, Guns & Roses, Avicii and Katy Perry to name but a few, this uplifting celebration of community and friendship offers something for everyone – including free beer! This is feel-good, foot-stomping entertainment so good you’ll want to come back and see it again and again.
The Jungle Choir Community Project will involve a search for local choirs in each touring city, who will be invited to attend the opening night performance and take part in the final moments of the show. Participating choirs will be offered discounted tickets and rehearsal materials in advance and will be invited to experience the opening night performance as part of a wider celebration of music and community. Interested choirs should email officeassistant@kennywax.com.
Nic Doodson, Creator and Director said, “The Choir of Man has always been about individuality, generosity, humour and the joy of making music together, and this company embodies all of that. As we take the show around the UK and Ireland for the very first time, it felt vital to open the doors even wider and invite local choirs to quite literally raise their voices with us. Every city has its own musical heartbeat, and welcoming those voices into the show on opening night is a powerful reminder of why this piece exists: to celebrate community, connection and the extraordinary feeling of singing together.”
THE CHOIR OF MAN has previously played three sold-out seasons at the Sydney Opera House and multiple sold-out US and European tours. The show is currently on its fourth North American tour, playing in 45 cities until March 2026, with 68 shows including two residencies in West Palm Beach. THE CHOIR OF MAN’s West End journey at the Arts Theatre began in 2021 where it has enjoyed over 1000 performances with many sold-out shows and an Olivier award nomination for ‘Best Entertainment or Comedy Play’, before concluding its run on 4 January 2026.
THE CHOIR OF MAN is created by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay, directed by Nic Doodson, with musical supervision, vocal arrangements and orchestrations by Jack Blume, movement direction and choreography by Freddie Huddleston, monologues written by Ben Norris, scenic design by Oli Townsend, lighting design by Richard Dinnen, costume design and co-scenic design by Verity Sadler, sound design by Sten Severson, casting by Debbie O’Brien.
The UK Tour is produced by HH Productions, Nic Doodson, Andrew Kay, Global Creative and Kenny Wax – whose collective credits include award-winning shows Six the Musical, Bluey, The Play That Goes Wrong, 42 Balloons,Maddie Moate’s Very Curious Christmas, and many more.
Nottingham Concert Hall – until Wednesday 14 January 2026
Reviewed by Louise Ford
4****
Start the year with elegance, grace and romance.
The 2026 UK tour started in Manchester and finishes in Torquay in March. There are 23 venues throughout the UK and the program covers three of perhaps the most well known ballets, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Cinderella. In Nottingham there are two performances of Swan Lake and one of The Nutcracker. The production is by Raymond Gubbay Ltd.
The Varna International Ballet, based in Varna in Bulgaria, emerged from the Varna State Opera in 1948. The ballet troupe was developed by Galina and Stefan Yordanov over a 25 year period. The world famous Varna International Ballet Competition was founded in 1964. The opera and ballet and theatre combined in 2010. The Artistic Director of the Varna Ballet is Sergei Bobrov, he has a long association with the company and has been their Chief Ballet Master since 2022.
Looking at the details of the company I was struck not only by how young they all are but also how international they are. The eldest is only 29! Their youthfulness gives a lightness and energy to the whole production.
The company is supported by their own orchestra which is conducted by Azat Maksutov. The live orchestra is an absolute bonus for the production and really enhances the whole experience.
Swan Lake was composed by Tchaikovsky between 1875 and 1878. It was initially performed by the Bolshoi. Rather surprisingly it was initially deemed a failure as the music was considered too complex for a ballet. There was a posthumous revival in 1895 and the rest as they say is history. Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake was originally written as a romantic tragedy however over the years there have been many variations. In this performance we are treated to a happy ending with love conquering evil.
The stage at the Concert Hall is quite modern but with the clever use of rich colours, curtains and sets, it is transformed into a grand opera house. This is the perfect showcase for this traditional ballet. The curtains open and we see a backdrop which is a video screen or projection, this adds an extra dimension to the dancing on stage and lifts the whole production.
Swan Lake is a ballet in two acts; it is the story of a Princess (Odette performed by Andrea Conforti) who has been cursed by an evil sorcerer (Baron von Rothbart performed by Lorenzo Poggianti ) and turned into a swan. The opening scene is where we first meet Prince Siegfried (Timofei Fedotov), he is reading a story of the cursed princess, which is simultaneously projected onto the back drop.
We move away from the mysterious lake to the palace where a party is being held by the Prince and his friend Benno von Somerstein (performed by Pedro Solana). There is lots of carefree dancing and drinking and general high jinks. The party is interrupted by the arrival of Siegfried’s mother (performed by Veronica Juan). She dispairs about his carefree lifestyle and advises him that he must choose a bride at the upcoming ball.
Siegfried escapes to the quiet of the lake with his friend Benno, the two get separated and Siegfried meets the swan accompanied by her swan maidens (Maiju Marvaila and Mar Bestard Gaya ). The swans glide captivatingly across the lake and one of them transforms into a human. Siegfried falls in love with Odette but by morning she transforms back into a swan.
Act two starts with the sumptuous ball in the palace . We meet the various suitors for Siegfried, the Hungarian bride (Maiju Marvaila), the Neapolitan bride (Aurora Damele), Spanish bride (Roberta Estrela) and the Polish bride (Bianca Lo Sacco). They all perform impressive solo dances which showcase their talents.
The jesters (Rebecca Grana, Alba Barrasa, Lucretia Mancinelli and Iris Gurabardhi), add a lightness and mischievous element to the stage
Siegfried dances with each of the potential suitors but he refuses to choose one as his bride. He is ceased by an anxious premonition and sees Odette amongst a group of black and white swans. But this is not Odette but Odile, the evil sourcerer’s daughter. Siegfried is captivated and chooses her as his bride. The deal is sealed by a ring placed on her finger by Siegfried.
Just before the proposal is blessed by his mother, Siegfried sees a white swan beating against the window and he realises his mistake. He runs from the palace towards the lake. There he sees a white swan surrounded by black swans, Siegfried rushes to her begging her forgiveness, but it seems too late. Odette is at the mercy of the evil sorcerer and can never be with Siegfried. The tension builds as a storm breaks over the lake. Odette prepares to die in the water when suddenly the waves engulf the evil sorcerer and Siegfried rescues Odette. The Prince and Odette are happy together as the swans dance on the lake by moonlight. The curse is lifted and they live happily ever after.
Sheffield Lyceum – until Saturday 17th January 2026
Reviewed by Claire Moore
5*****
The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet — two wholesome college sweethearts whose perfectly planned evening takes a very strange turn when their car breaks down outside a spooky mansion. What follows is an unforgettable encounter with the outrageously charismatic Dr Frank’n’Furter, and a night of mischief and corsets. It’s camp, chaotic, a little outrageous, and completely unapologetic about it.
As a Rocky Horror first-timer, I can’t lie — I was genuinely excited to finally experience the show that’s drawn over 35 million people to theatres since 1973, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I was hooked from the very first number — Science Fiction/Double Feature — with the iconic usherette, brilliantly played by Laura Bird, setting the scene and pulling us straight into Rocky Horror’s wonderfully weird world. At its heart, Rocky Horror isn’t really about the plot at all — it’s about freedom, letting go of the rules, and giving yourself permission to be whoever you want to be for a couple of hours. It celebrates individuality in the loudest, sparkliest way possible.
The whole cast throw themselves into the madness with infectious energy, but Dr Frank’n’Furter, played in Sheffield by Stephen Webb (with Jason Donovan joining the tour in Liverpool, Eastbourne and Bristol), is the undeniable heartbeat of the show — commanding the stage with charisma, excess and just the right amount of danger. The contrast with the clean-cut innocence of Brad (James Bisp) and Janet (Haley Flaherty) is a joy to watch and provides many of the evening’s biggest laughs. Add in their outstanding voices and you have the perfect combination.
Nathan Caton also deserves a mention as the Narrator — his stage presence and comic timing earn him huge laughs throughout the night.
But what really makes this show work is the audience. Shouting back familiar lines, whooping at every entrance and turning the Lyceum into something closer to a late-night party than a traditional theatre — it just feels so good to be part of something so fun and it’s impossible not to get swept up in it all. And of course, there’s the Time Warp. That brought back a few memories of youth club discos, and it turns out I might still have the moves — as did everyone else in the theatre, who joined in with absolute enthusiasm.
I loved it and can’t think of a better way to brighten up a cold January evening. It definitely won’t be the last time I see it — and who knows, next time I might even dig out some fishnets.
The claustrophobic atmosphere that builds in Lyle Kessler’s strange and tense play is palpable as the contained lives of two brothers are upended by a stranger.
Since the death of their mother, Treat (Chris Walley) has taken care of his brother Phillip (Fred Woodley Evans) in their dilapidated old row house in North Philadelphia – Sarah Beaton’s atmospheric set beautifully conveying a sense of building and life in disrepair. Treat makes enough money for them to survive by going out every day and robbing people, while Phillip never leaves the house. Phillip’s dangerous allergic reaction years ago is the reason for Phillip’s isolation, fearful of breathing the air outside. This isolation feels like captivity to the audience as Treat’s behaviour towards his brother is ambiguous: is he caring for his brother out of love, guilt, duty, the need to be needed himself, or to feel power over someone? Treated like a child by his brother, Phillip is more capable and wilier than he acts. Treat is comfortable thinking that Phillip spends his time alone looking out the window or hiding in the closet, but Phillip has a hidden stash of books and devours reruns of old movies on TV as a window to life and society outside – albeit a vision of life from decades before. Again, whether he is hiding his true self to appease his brother or girding himself quietly for a rebellion is never made clear.
Whatever their motivations, life plods along for the brothers until Treat walks in with a drunken stranger, planning to rob him. When he opens his briefcase and finds stock certificates worth a small fortune, the plan changes to kidnap. Unfortunately for Treat, Frank (Forbes Masson) is not an ideal victim, quickly winning over Phillip and eventually taking the more suspicious Treat under his wing and giving him shady assignments as his bodyguard. Frank is also an orphan, and his tales of life in a Chicago orphanage and seemingly tall tales of his adult life are met with incredulity by Treat and wild-eyed wonder by Phillip. Again, who Frank is, and what his motives for staying with the brothers are never explicit as his erratic behaviour suggests that he could be simply hiding out, cruelly manipulating or feeling genuine empathy in swift rotation. All three men are emotionally scarred by the lack of parental love, and their reactions are childlike – violent, but childlike – as the battle for Phillip’s affections rumbles on.
The cast are simply magnificent. Chris Walley is a powder keg of pent-up anger and fear as Treat, Fred Woodley Evans nails the innocence of Phillip, and Forbes Masson is weirdly stomach churning as Frank – like a Teddy Bear with a reptilian soul. All three make the audience care about these unpalatable characters as the outside world catches up with them. Al Miller leans into the dark humour and sense of abandonment of the characters and Kessler’s writing, and the result is soberingly intriguing.
Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals today confirms that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s STARLIGHT EXPRESS will extend its award-winning run at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre for the final time, with performances until Sunday 3 May 2026.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS made a triumphant return to London when the new production opened to widespread critical acclaim in June 2024. Since then, it has gone on to win multiple awards, including an Olivier Award and a record-breaking seven WhatsonStage Awards. It is London’s longest running revival of an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical in 20 years.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS will embark on its first ever World Tour in 2027. All details will be announced at a later date.
Michael Harrison said: “‘I’m thrilled that Starlight Express will extend for the 7th time, in the unique environment of Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. We are also thrilled that the success of this new production means we will embark on a world tour commencing in Spring 2027, details of which we will announce shortly. However, for now, this is your final call for boarding to see the spectacular London revival in Wembley.”
A new London cast album, released in November 2024, has had over 17 million streams with a huge viral moment for ‘Pumping Iron’ which saw over 100 million views on social media for Al Knott’s rendition of the traditionally male sung song. Physical record sales have topped 12,000 and Scottish DJ Hudson Mohawke remixed the iconic Race motif to launch the Deluxe Edition of the album in May 2025.
Seen by over 30 million people across the world, STARLIGHT EXPRESS is a true theatrical event, fully immersing audiences of all ages inside a world of speed, song and storytelling, as the incredible cast of 40 whizz around and above, performing some of musical theatre’s most beloved songs, including AC/DC, Make Up My Heart,Light at the End of the Tunnel and the iconic Starlight Express.
As a child’s train set magically comes to life and the engines race to become the fastest in the world, Rusty the steam train has little hope of winning until he is inspired by the legend of the ‘Starlight Express’.
The STARLIGHT EXPRESS company includes Gavin Adams as Rusty, Jade Marvin as Momma McCoy, Olivia Ringrose as Greaseball, Asher Forth as Electra, Sophie Naglik as Pearl, Georgia Pemberton as Dinah, Jaydon Vijn as Hydra, Scott Hayward as Alternate Rusty and Jamie Addison, Jessie Angell, Ollie Augustin, Evan Taylor Benyacar, Charles Butcher, Cletus Chan, Tamara Verhoven Clyde, Jamie Cruttenden, Kelly Downing, Isaac Edwards, Maddy Erzan-Essien, Sam Gallacher, Lucy Glover, Amiyah Goodall, Dante Hutchinson, Iwan James, Lewis Kidd, Hannah Kiss, Nicole Louise-Lewis, Bethany Rose Lythgoe, Temi Olawole, RED, Ashley Rowe, Sheridan, Dieuwke Tonissen, Nicky Wong Rush, Charlie Russell, Lara Vina Uzcatia and Amber Weston.
STARLIGHT EXPRESS has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, is directed by Luke Sheppard, with set designer Tim Hatley, costume designer Gabriella Slade, lighting designer Howard Hudson, sound designer Gareth Owen, video designer Andrzej Goulding, new orchestrations by Matthew Brind with Andrew Lloyd Webber, musical supervision by Matthew Brind & David Wilson, musical direction by Denise Crowley and casting by Pearson Casting.
With thrilling new choreography by Ashley Nottingham, STARLIGHT EXPRESS also saw the return of Arlene Phillips as creative dramaturg.
The Starlight Auditorium at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is a state-of-the-art cultural destination in Wembley Park, London’s most exciting new neighbourhood, only 12 minutes from central London. The venue is a short 5-minute walk from the tube, moments away from the iconic Olympic Way. There are great parking options on site and the theatre is easily accessible via the M25 and M1.
Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London – until 31st January 2026
Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith
5*****
Having read that this show is designed to scare, I warned the person next to me as I sat down that I might jump and/or cling to them. Headphones on and locked in, the first thing you hear is the eerie tones of Mark Gatiss making sure that the binaural technology is working. I am not going to lie, I was very anxious about headphones and darkness and thought that I might be the audience emergency that terminated the performance, however I needn’t have worried – it is a very fun, albeit jumpy, time.
George Blagden plays an actor who has been employed to narrate an audiobook with no idea of what is to come. Sid (Jonathan Livingston), the sound engineer explains it’s a ghost story for a new app and it’s going to be fairly straightforward. As they begin, you start to hear faint whisperings in your ears – something that’s almost not there. Sid tells George that he has sound effects lined up like creaking doors and bumps in the night, but it seems as if something else is lurking in the shadows. As the story ramps up, so do the bumps and whispers in your ears.
This beautifully crafted story within a story written and directed by Jamie Armitage pays homage to the best traditional ghost stories. The story that George has been hired to narrate is set in the present day but has the timeless feel of windy moors and drafty grey houses sitting on hills.
The first part is a slow build, peppered with comedy, but tensions are heightened with anticipation of something troubling just around the corner. Every scare is a delight with screams and exclamations from the audience. At one point I took off my headphones and all I could hear was the deep, nervous breathing of every member of the audience. Hampstead Downstairs is a small theatre which is perfect as you are squashed in with your seat mates; every shiver and jump reverberating down the row. Max and Ben Ringham’s sound design and use of binaural technology is put to brilliant use here, capturing every sound in the studio and moving swiftly from ear to ear. The result is immersive, intimate and completely unique.
Anisha Fields’ set design captures the sound studio perfectly, placing all the action behind a glass wall. The transitions from horror to normality and back again happen so quickly that you question what you have just seen. The lighting by Ben Jacobs is subtle and textural, and at some points changes so slowly that you don’t really notice that you are sitting in extremely dim light, straining your eyes to spot shapes shifting in the shadows.
George Blagden as the actor is superb, his character unravelling before your eyes as he and we experience the horror of the situation in real time. Supported by the fantastic Jonathan Livingston as Sid, on stage pretty much all the time, he brings some lightness to the darker moments, allowing us to relax for a second. But don’t relax for too long.
Creative and masterful, A Ghost In Your Ear is an unsettling, sensorial experience that I was nervous to attend but ever so glad I did. A thoroughly enjoyable theatrical start to the year.
CEO and Artistic Director Iwan Lewis,Executive Director Liam McMullan, and the whole team at the Barn Theatre in Cirencester, are delighted to announce the cast and creative team for Built By Barn World Premiere of Men Behaving Badly: The Play, (Friday 30 January – Saturday 7 March, with a national press night on Tuesday 3 February).
London, 31st December, 1999. Gary’s clinging to his youth, Dorothy’s had enough, Deborah’s got a plan, and Tony’s…still Tony. The world is bracing for Y2K as our favourite foursome prepare for their own Big Day, but when resolutions clash with revelations, the gang might just prove that the real millennium bug… is them. Expect pints, fireworks, and a complete lack of adult supervision as we return to the flatmates where the TV series left off.
From Simon Nye, Men Behaving Badly’s original writer, comes a brand-new stage comedy based on “one of the most successful British comedies of all time” (Telegraph). A night of nostalgic chaos and lager-fuelled honesty — because bad behaviour isn’t just for the telly. Relive the chaos, rewind the tape, and grab your tickets now before the lights go out on the ‘90s!
In the role of ‘Gary’ will be Ross Carswell (Eminent Charlestonians at Rosemary Branch Theatre, Harmony at Grub Street Theatre, Midsummer at Barn Theatre and Mercury Theatre), Matt Howdon (Reiverwith Elysium, Feathers with Gutter Street, The Hungry Years at Customs House) will play ‘Tony’, playing ‘Dorothy’ is Ellie Nunn (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on its UK Tour, Identical with Kenny Wax Ltd, The Game of Love and Chance at Arcola Theatre), in the role of ‘Deborah’ will be Tricia Adele-Turner (The Pocket Dream at Lichfield Garrick, Christmas on Exeter Street at Farnham Maltings, Stranger Things: The First Shadow at Pheonix Theatre), Neil Jennings (A Shoddy Detective and The Art of Deception at the Arts Theatre, Robin Hood and The Comedy of Errors with The Pantaloons) will play ‘Ken’ and ‘Eve’ will be played by Valerie Antwi (Noises Off at Stephen Joseph Theatre, The Flat Earthers with JCB Productions, Foreverland at Southwark Playhouse).
Joining writer Simon Nye and director Joseph O’Malley will be Alfie Heywood on set and costume design with Denise Cleal as associate costume designer. On lighting design will be Adam Foley, sound designer and composer will be Amanda Priestley, casting direction from Marc Frankum, dialect coach will be Zoe Littleton.
Barn Theatre’s CEO and Artistic Director Iwan Lewis and Executive Director and Producer Liam McMullan said, “We’re thrilled to announce the brilliant cast of Simon Nye’s new play Men Behaving Badly! Each actor perfectly brings to life the humour, chaos, and charm of Nye’s iconic characters we all know and love. We’re especially delighted to welcome some familiar faces back to the Barn, it’s going to be a joyous celebration of comedy audiences won’t want to miss!”
The Barn Theatre is an award-winning producing-house in the heart of the Cotswolds, on a mission to inspire communities and champion the power of storytelling.
CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF CATHERINE DYSON’S THE LAST PICTURE
York Theatre Royal, English Touring Theatre (ETT) and An Tobar and Mull Theatre today announce the full creative team and cast for The Last Picture. This brand-new play by Catherine Dyson provides a thought-provoking exploration of empathy, imagination, and collective memory from the perspective of an emotional support dog, Sam.
Directed by John R. Wilkinson, the play will see actor and storyteller Robin Simpson take on the role of Sam as he takes a group of school children on a trip around an exhibit focusing on Europe in 1939. York Theatre Royal audiences will be familiar with Robin from recent appearances as their beloved pantomime Dame. His recent theatre credits include Footloose, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, Sense & Sensibility (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Gaslight and Men of the World (Devonshire Park Theatre), Guy Fawkes (York Theatre Royal) and Abigail’s Party (Harrogate Theatre).
The creative team is completed by Natasha Jenkins (Designer); Benny Goodman (Lighting Designer); Max Pappenheim (Sound Designer); and Alexia Kalogiannidis (Movement Director).
Opening at York Theatre Royal on 6 February 2026, with a preview on the 5 February, the play will run in York until 14 February 2026, before touring with ETT to HOME Manchester, Bristol Old Vic and Yvonne Arnaud Theatre. The play was one of the winning scripts selected by the RSC for their 37 Plays competition in 2023.
Robin Simpson said: “I am delighted to be back at York Theatre Royal, this time in the Studio theatre and in a very different kind of production. When I first read Catherine’s extraordinary script I was blown away by how moving and thoughtful it was. The character of Sam is so unique and I am really looking forward to the challenge of the role and going out on tour to venues across the country.”
Catherine Dyson said, “It’s so wonderful to work with John and the creative team on the play and to be putting it in front of an audience with the very talented Robin Simpson as our Sam. Seeing your work turned into reality on stage is such a joy and I can’t wait for audiences to experience the show.”
Director John R. Wilkinson: “The Last Picture will offer audiences a profoundly human and immersive journey and we have an incredible team on board to bring the play to life. Robin has a wonderful versatility as a performer – York audiences already know and love him as our warm and funny panto dame – and I am so excited to see what he does with the role of Sam. So much of the show relies on the audience’s imagination and how Sam gets us to experience that together and Robin for me, is the perfect actor to take us on that journey. I can’t wait for rehearsals to start!”
York Theatre Royal, ETT and An Tobar and Mull Theatre present THE LAST PICTURE By Catherine Dyson Director: John R. Wilkinson
5 February – 14 February 2026
Imagine yourself in a theatre in 2026. Now picture yourself as a Year 9 student on a school trip. And then as a citizen of Europe in 1939 as history takes its darkest turn.
While you imagine, Sam will be by your side. Sam is an emotional support dog. Sam is here to look after you. Sam will keep everyone safe.
This play is about empathy – its power, its limits, and what it asks of us. It’s about our shared past, our present, and the choices we face today.
Catherine Dyson is a writer and performer. Her writing credits include The Luminous, On Track, ThunderRoad (UK tours), Peter Pan (Sherman Theatre), Bitcoin Boi (Riverfront Theatre), Believers (South Street Arts Centre), and Transporter (Theatr Iolo, UK and Kolkata tour – also produced in Austria); and for audio, The Egg Man (BBC Radio 4) and Mansfield Park (eight-part adaptation for Audible). She is an Associate Artist with RedCape Theatre, Theatr Iolo and Paptertrail, currently on attachment at the National Theatre, and a member of the 2025 Orange Tree Theatre Writers Collective.
John R. Wilkinson is a multi-award-winning director with Cerebral Palsy. Wilkinson reunites with ETT following his direction of Tonderai Munyevu’s Mugabe, My Dad and Me, which won Best New Play at the UK Theatre Awards. He was named the 2024 Clore Fellow and is the tenth recipient of the Genesis Future Director Award at the Young Vic. Wilkinson is an Associate Director at York Theatre Royal, and a Trustee of Middle Child, the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and Pilot Theatre.
Robin Simpson plays Sam. His theatre credits include Footloose, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical, Sense & Sensibility (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Gaslight and Men of the World (Devonshire Park Theatre), Guy Fawkes (York Theatre Royal), Abigail’s Party (Harrogate Theatre), Classic (Edinburgh Fringe & Hope Mill Theatre/Her productions), Macbeth/ Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre), Dirty Laundry (Claybody Theatre), Almost a Sacred Duty, Anna of the Five Towns, Beryl, A Voyage Round my Father and Laurel and Hardy (New Vic), Chamaco (HOME), Neverland (Lakeside Arts), Boeing Boeing,Bedroom Farce, David Copperfield, The Hound of the Baskervilles; The Road to Nab End and Travels with my Aunt (Oldham Coliseum), The Travelling Pantomime, The Wind in the Willows, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Seagull, Hansel and Gretel, The Railway Children; Pinocchio, Pygmalion and The Little Mermaid (York Theatre Royal), Inside Out of Mind (Meeting Ground Theatre Co.), Grandpa in my Pocket (Nottingham Playhouse), Lost Boy Racer (Lawrence Batley Theatre), We Love You City! (Coventry Belgrade), Me, as a Penguin, It’s a Lovely Day Tomorrow, Flat Stanley (West Yorkshire Playhouse), A Passionate Woman (Chester Gateway and The Theatre by the Lake), Frankie and Tommy, The Rivals, Red Skies over the Severn, The Century Plays (The Swan Theatre).
Robin has played the Dame in York Theatre Royal’s pantomimes since 2020 and is due to appear in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 2026/27. His television credits include: The Continental (from the world of John Wick), Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Doctors, Holby City, Waterloo Road,Liverpool 1, Home Fires, and See No Evil – The Moors Murders.
Natasha Jenkins is the Designer. Her theatre credits include: Prendre Soin (Théâtre National de Strasbourg) Expendable (Royal Court Theatre. Winner Best Stage production Asian Media Awards 2025) An Enemy of the People (Duke of York’s Theatre. Costume Designer); LOVE (National Theatre/Park Avenue Armory/Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe/Wiener Festwochen. Nominated for Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Scenic Design); Danton Reloaded (Thalia Theater Hamburg. Costume Design); The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Theatre By The Lake); The Process, Professor Bernhardi (Theatre Freiburg. Costume Design); Scissors (Sheffield Theatres); Une mort dans la famille (Odéon-Théâtre de l’Europe); Faith, Hope and Charity (National Theatre/Wiener Festwochen/European Tour); Eine Griechische Trilogie (Berliner Ensemble. Costume Design); Beyond Caring (National Theatre/The Yard/Schaubühne/European Tour); Uncle Vanya (HOME Manchester. Costume Design); The High Table (Bush Theatre); In Basildon (Queens Theatre Hornchurch); Richard III (Perth Theatre); Clockwork Canaries (Drum Theatre Plymouth); Stand By (Utter. Fringe First Winner); The Whip Hand (National Theatre of Scotland/Traverse Theatre/Birmingham Rep); Monstrous Bodies (Dundee Rep); 20b (Birmingham Rep/European Tour); Damned Rebel Bitches (Poorboy Scottish Tour); Jane Eyre (Guildhall) Disney’s Freaky Friday (Arts Ed); Romeo and Juliet (RADA); Let The Right One In (LAMDA)
TV and Film Design credits include: LOVE (BBC1/Cuba Productions); 7 Keys (Jeva Films SXSW ’24); award winning short films including BARE and Thursdays ( BFI Network dir. Lorna Tucker), A Sharp Arrow (Sundance ’23, dir. Sandy Thompson), The Everlasting Club and Ma’am (Bumble Female Film Force Winner 2019, dir. Joy Wilkinson), Myrtle and Annekas Problems (dir. Patricia McCormack), Loose Ends (dir. Natalie Burt), Forgiveness (dir. Conor O’Callaghan), Here We Are (dir. Pamela Carter). Music Video Design includes: Anywhere But Here (Rag’n’Bone Man & P!nk).
Benny Goodman is the Lighting Designer. Benny Goodman is a freelance lighting designer based in Glasgow and London. He has worked in theatres across the UK and Europe in a variety of projects and productions, and is a creative collaborator with theatre company, Wonder Fools.
Theatre credits include: Close (The Citizens Theatre Glasgow); The Mountain Top (The Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh); Gods Of Salford (Not Too Tame/Lowry Theatre); Treasure Island (Scottish Theatre Producers); Twelfth Night (Shakespeare North); Aganeeza Scrooge (Tron Theatre); Beauty & The Beast, Cinderella and Snow White (Bard In The Botanics/Byre Theatre); When Prophecy Fails (Groupwork); Four Walls (Derby Theatre); La Performance (Tron Theatre/Paris IVT); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Orange Tree Theatre); Hamlet (Saint Stephen’s Theatre); Hang (Tron Theatre); Sense Of Centre (Dance Base Edinburgh); Julius Caesar (Company Of Wolves Scottish Tour); Palace Of Varieties (Derby Theatre); Learning From The Future (OGR Torino); The Tempest (Tron Theatre); Meet Jan Black (Ayr Gaiety); Maim (Tron Theatre); I Can Go Anywhere (Traverse Theatre); The Drift (National Theatre of Scotland); The Afflicted (Summerhall); Country Music (Omnibus Theatre); 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War (UK Tour); The Mistress Contract (Tron Theatre); Daddy Drag (Assembly Roxy); Where We Are: The Mosque (Arcola Theatre, London); Sorella Mia (The Place, London); Disarming Reverberations (St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh); Heroines (Theatre Gu Leor, Stornoway); Humbug (Tramway, Glasgow); Snow Queen (Associate – Dundee Rep Theatre); Like Animals (Tron Theatre); Ayanfe Opera (Bridewell Theatre, London) Lampedusa (Citizens Theatre); Circle of Fifths (Tron Theatre/Cockpit Theatre London). For more on his work: bennygoodman.co
Max Pappenheim is the Sound Designer. Recent theatre credits include: Christmas Day (Almeida Theare); The Forsyte Saga (Royal Shakespeare Company/Park Theatre); Noughts and Crosses, Twelfth Night (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); A Raisin in the Sun (Headlong); The Night of the Iguana (Noel Coward Theatre); The School for Scandal, Crooked Dances (Royal Shakespeare Company); Cruise (Apollo Theatre/Duchess Theatre); Coram Boy, Macbeth (Chichester Festival Theatre); Shed: Exploded View (Royal Exchange); A Doll’s House Part 2, The Way of the World (Donmar Warehouse); The Cardinal, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Usagi Yojimbo, Johnny Got His Gun, Teddy (Southwark Playhouse); Personal Values, The Habits,The Invention of Love, King James, Nineteen Gardens, Blackout Songs, Linck and Mülhahn, Labyrinth (Hampstead Theatre); The Children (Manhattan Theatre Club/Royal Court); Village Idiot, One Night in Miami (Nottingham Playhouse); Henry V (Shakespeare’s Globe/Headlong); Hamlet (Bristol Old Vic); Ophelias Zimmer (Schaubühne/Royal Court); Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen, Old Bridge (Bush Theatre); The Homecoming, My Cousin Rachel (Theatre Royal Bath); Playhouse Creatures, Churchill in Moscow, Humble Boy, Blue/Heart, The Distance (Orange Tree Theatre); Single White Female, Picture You Dead, Art, The Syndicate, Murder in the Dark, The Mirror Crack’d, Wish You Were Dead, The Circle, Looking Good Dead (National Tours).
Opera and Ballet credits include: Kirsten Flagstad (Bergen International Festival); The Limit (Royal Ballet); The Marriage of Figaro (Salzburg Festival); Miranda (Opéra Comique, Paris); Hansel and Gretel (BYO/Opera Holland Park); Scraww (Trebah Gardens).
Online includes: The System, Barnes’ People, The Haunting of Alice Bowles (Original Theatre); 15 Heroines (Digital Theatre).
Max is an Associate Artist of Orange Tree Theatre, The Faction and Silent Opera.
Awards includeOff West End Award for Sound Design for Old Bridge.
Alexia Kalogiannidis is the Movement Director. Alexia Kalogiannidis is a movement artist who works across movement direction, choreography, movement research and performance. Her practice centres on physical storytelling, character embodiment, and close observation of human behaviour. She is interested in how detailed physicality and intentional movement shape the audience’s experience by influencing the often subconscious, visual information they interpret from the body on stage.
Alexia works collaboratively with directors and performers to explore how movement can reveal relationships, inner worlds, and unspoken tensions within a narrative. Drawing from a wide range of movement practices and embodied research, she develops physical languages that are responsive to text, atmosphere and the human dynamics at the heart of a production.
She trained at London Contemporary Dance School and then went on to completing a Masters at Northern School of Contemporary Dance. Since graduating, she has worked as a freelance movement artists across the UK and Europe, contributing to projects in film, theatre, photography, and visual art.
The One For The Boys team are delighted to announce the addition of Nicole Scherzinger to the cast of their star-studded concert in London. On 1 February, the West End theatre community will come together for Love Life:West End Unites Against Cancer, a major one-night-only concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in support of One For The Boys, the men’s health charity working to break the silence around male cancer.
Taking place on Sunday 1 February 2026, just ahead of World Cancer Day on 4 February, this special event will unite performers, creatives, musicians and supporters for an evening of music, solidarity and storytelling featuring songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Lin Manuel Miranda, Alan Menken and more.
The concert will be led by musical director Alan Williams (Evita, Sunset Boulevard, Funny Girl, Crazy For You) and directed by Rupert Hands (Evita, Sunset Boulevard, Roam), bringing together a world-class creative team for the event. The creative team also includes lighting design by Peter Small, sound design by Sound Quiet Time (Rob Bettle and Sam Clarkson), and production management by JackBoissieux.
Nicole Scherzinger is a world-renowned singer, actress and performer who shot to fame as part of the girl group The Pussycat Dolls, but has since solidified her place in the spotlight through solo music, Reality TV shows and stage performances. Most recently, her performance of Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard in the West End and Broadway revivals was met with critical acclaim, earning her both the prestigious Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Actress.
Scherzinger is a long-time supporter of the One For The Boys charity, having performed at their 2016 Fashion Ball at the V&A, where she performed ‘Purple Rain’ for the first time, as well as attending their Abbey Road Karaoke in 2014 performing duets with Nick Grimshaw and Jahmene Douglas.
The concert will also feature performances and exclusive collaborations from West End theatre royalty (with more names still to come!), including Olivier Award Winners; Giles Terera MBE(Passing Strange, The Young Vic; Hamilton, Victoria Palace Theatre), Tom Francis(Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre & St. James Theatre NYC; &Juliet, Shaftesbury Theatre), David Thaxton (Roam, The Shaftesbury Theatre; Sunset Boulevard, Savoy Theatre & St. James Theatre NYC).
Performing after their sell-out summer in Evita areDiego Andrés Rodriguez(Roam; The Shaftesbury Theatre; Evita, The London Palladium; Sunset Boulevard, St. James Theatre NYC), Bella Brown (Into The Woods, The Bridge Theatre; Evita, TheLondon Palladium) and James Olivas(Evita, The London Palladium; American Idiot, Deaf West Los Angeles).
They are joined byWest End stars Ramin Karimloo (Roam, The Shaftesbury Theatre; Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Todd Haimes Theatre NYC; Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; The London Palladium), Jordan Luke Gage (Titanique, Criterion Theatre; Bonnie & Clyde, The Arts Theatre & Garrick Theatre), Lucie Jones (Wicked, The Victoria Apollo, 13 Going on 30, Manchester Opera House), Ben Joyce (Shucked, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; Back to the Future, The Adelphi Theatre) and Melanie La Barrie(Hadestown, The Lyric Theatre; &Juliet, Manchester Opera House; The Shaftesbury Theatre; Princess of Wales Toronto & Stephen Sondheim Theatre NYC) and Christina Bennington (Heathers, Theatre Royal Haymarket; Bat Out Of Hell, Manchester Opera House, The Dominion Theatre, Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto & New York City Centre NYC).
With even more names still to be announced in the coming weeks.
The star-studded cast will be joined onstage by a live orchestra as they perform a variety of exclusive collaborations and performances, including an exclusive preview of Redcliffe from Jordan Luke Gage, with further special performances to be announced.
Their involvement reflects the extraordinary commitment of the West End community to stand together in support of a charity whose work has resonated across the country and around the world. One For The Boys has a long history of drawing remarkable talent to its cause, with previous supporters including Sia, Nicole Scherzinger, Kylie Minogue, Adam Lambert, Paloma Faith and Mark Ronson, as well as global cultural figures such as Samuel L. Jackson, Stanley Tucci, Lewis Hamilton, Colin Firth and Margot Robbie.
This event follows the success of Love Life: Broadway Unites Against Cancer in New York this autumn, which saw the Broadway community rally behind One For The Boys’ mission.
When the concert concludes at Drury Lane, the celebration will continue with an exclusive After Party for VIP and premium ticket holders. Guests will be welcomed into a vibrant late-night setting featuring live DJ sets and appearances from performers, creating a rare opportunity for artists, supporters and industry colleagues to come together in a shared expression of solidarity, joy and purpose.
The night will raise vital funds and awareness for early detection, for open and honest conversations around health, and for the mental and emotional support needed by those living with or affected by cancer.
One For The Boys is a men’s health charity tackling one of the biggest killers of men: silence. The organisation works to encourage people to speak up at the earliest sign that something might be wrong, placing early detection, open communication and emotional support at the heart of its mission. Too many men delay seeking help due to fear, stigma or the pressure to appear strong. One For The Boys seeks to change this culture by creating spaces for honest conversation and providing clear, accessible pathways to support.
Founded in the UK, the charity has produced some of the most high-profile awareness events of the last decade, from the Fashion Ball at the V&A to the Masked Rave at Troxy, and most recently Love Life: Broadway Unites Against Cancer at Cipriani 42nd Street. Its supporters include globally recognised artists and influential figures who have helped amplify its message, contributing to a growing international movement for earlier diagnosis, better awareness and compassionate support. Across all its work, the charity’s goal remains unwavering: to turn a frightening diagnosis into a hopeful journey, one conversation at a time.
Sofia Davis, Founder & CEO, One For The Boys, said, “The silence around male cancer is costing lives. By uniting the West End for this special event, we hope to break down stigma, empower people to speak up early, and support those navigating the mental and emotional impact of cancer. The West End’s support means the world, and together we can help save lives.”
Melting Pot and Birmingham Rep co-present The Battle – a new comedy based (mostly) on real events – and today announce full casting for its upcoming Birmingham Rep(Wednesday 11 February – Saturday 7 March) and Manchester Opera House (Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 March) dates, as rehearsals begin.
Mathew Horne (star of the beloved BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey,The Catherine Tate Show and in the West End, productions of The Tempest and Noises Off) was previously confirmed to play influential Britpop music executive, Andy Ross, caught in the crossfire of one of the most notorious rivalries in British music history.
He is joined by an exciting cast of emergent and established talent including Brandon Bendell (The Lord of The Rings:The Rings of Power, Amazon Prime) as ‘Alex’, Iona Champain (Falling, Falling Falling Falling and Earthquakes in London, Richard Burton Theatre Company ) as ‘Jo’, Harriet Cains (‘Philippa Featherington’ in Netflix’s Bridgerton) as ‘Justine’, Billy Dunmore (Surface, Apple TV) as ‘Guigsy’, Tommy Garside (Sexy Beast, Paramount+; Bodies, Netflix) as ‘Bonehead’, George Greenland (Generation Z,Channel 4, Empire of Light Neal Street) as ‘Alan White’, Oscar Lloyd (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, West End ) as ‘Damon’, Louisa Lytton (‘Ruby Allen’ in BBC 1’s Eastenders; The Girl on the Train, UK Tour) as ‘Meg’, James Oates (Waterloo Road;The Other One, BBC) as ‘Alan McGee’,
Paddy Stafford (Mojo, Redbrick) as ‘Noel’, Will Taylor (The Play That Goes Wrong, UK Tour) as ‘Graham’ and George Usher (a recent Bristol Old Vic Theatre School graduate who makes his professional debut in The Battle) as ‘Liam’,
Opening at The Rep on Wednesday 11 February, The Battle is a blistering and darkly funny exploration of fame, ego, and the cultural clashes of 1990s Britain. The Battle offers an electrifying window into a moment that defined a generation – and changed the face of British music forever. After its World Premiere at The Rep, The Battle then plays Manchester’s Opera House Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 March.
Reliving the heady summer of 1995 when heavyweights of Britpop, Blur and Oasis, went head-to-head in the greatest chart battle of all time, The Battle is the first stage play by screenwriter and Sunday Times best-selling novelist John Niven Best known for his razor-sharp novels including Kill Your Friends and The Second Coming, John Niven brings his uncompromising voice to the stage for the first time. The Battle draws on his deep insider knowledge of the music industry, shining a satirical light on the chaos behind the cool Britannia façade. The Battle is directed by Matthew Dunster (2:22 A Ghost Story, The Pillowman).
London, 1995. Two of the country’s biggest bands release singles on the same day, commencing the battle of Britpop. On one side, clean-cut, art-school intellectuals from the South. On the other: raw and unapologetic lads from the North. Rivalries flare, friendships fracture and at the centre of it all a mania that would define an era – were you Blur or Oasis?
From the chaos of the Brit Awards to the infamous chart war, The Battle is a wickedly funny dive into one of the greatest rivalries in rock history. Featuring legendary personalities and unforgettable clashes, it was never just about the music, but power, pride, and uncontrollable competitiveness. Expect filthy language and razor-sharp dialogue in this cut-throat new comedy that puts you right at the heart of the feuding, the fame, and the fallout. Get ready to roll with it.
The creative team also includes Fly Davis as Set and Costume Designer, Jessica Hung Han Yun as Lighting Designer, Ian Dickinson as Sound Designer, Tal Rosner as Video Designer and Casting Director, Claire Bleasdale.
The Battle is produced by Melting Pot, Birmingham Rep and Gavin Kalin.
