Tower Theatre – until 9th May 2026

Reviewed by Jackie Thornton

3***

Jerusalem was hailed as the greatest play of our times and lavished with awards when Jez Butterworth first brought it to audiences in 2009. But has it stood the test of time? Director Jonathan Reed’s interpretation is faithful to the original and Rob Hebblethwaite and Sophie Clark’s detailed set coupled with the costume design of Kate Els certainly transports us to a recent, pre-Brexit history. Our story takes place by a crummy caravan in the middle of a Wiltshire forest on St George’s Day, from where our protagonist Johnny ‘Rooster’ Byron is on the verge of being evicted. Giles Fouhy strikes the right balance of hero and villain as local legend Rooster, who claims to be Romany, alludes to a past life as a dare devil but who also likes to spin a tall tale. His account of meeting a giant at Stone Henge is mesmerising.

Jerusalem is not an easy play to engage with, perhaps even more so if like me you’re not English. It chooses to present an image of a spoiled England and suggests through William Blake’s poem that its green and pleasant land has been besmirched. Through complex metaphors, Butterworth introduces to a range of outcasts designed to assist us in diagnosing where English society has gone wrong. There’s a learned professor, played with a spacey detachment by Richard Tinworth, as he rattles off verses and myths, much to the apathy of the youth who just want to party. This rich seam of humour never quite makes its mark. There are many funny moments though, not least Rooster’s physical humour as he downs a raw egg or Tim Waghorn’s Ginger as he talks to a coconut he’s won at the fair. Liam Stewart displays strong comic bones as clueless Davey, who can’t see the point of other countries, and despite their marginalised roles, Lulu Freeman as Tanya and Catherine Reid as Pea make an excellent duo as the dim-witted, ditzy young women who’s only goal is to get wasted and get laid.

Morgan Buckley’s Lee is another lost soul, representing the one character who has seen a way out but is now too scared to go. Martin Shaw’s depressed, drug guzzling pub landlord Wesley, replete in Morris dancing gear, represents what the future may hold if this next generation don’t buck up their ideas. There’s also a menacing performance from Ben Mulhearn as Troy, determined to punish Rooster for drawing his daughter Phaedra, the runaway May Queen played by Amy Bloomfield and a vision of innocence in a cloak of pale green gauzy wings lit up by fairy lights, into his web. Bloomfield does great work in combining teenage awkwardness with graceful beauty, reminding us how fleeting youth is. Finally Fiona Makia as Fawcett, the no nonsense council officer charged with evicting Rooser, and Emily Carmichael’s Dawn, the beleaguered mother of Rooster’s child, may not occupy the stage for long but their presence is deeply felt and it would have been nice to see more of them. Indeed, it’s perhaps the treatment of female characters, along with the dated references that are yet to feel nostalgic, that makes this play feel out of touch with today’s audiences.

Strong performances, good comic touches and a wonderful set but it’s a long three hours.

JOY TO THE WORLD

MISCHIEF’S FESTIVE FIASCO RETURNS

TO THE WEST END

By Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields

Directed by Matt DiCarlo

AT WYNDHAM’S THEATRE IN LONDON’S WEST END FROM

18 DECEMBER 2026 – 23 JANUARY 2027

ON TOUR IN THE UK FROM 27 OCTOBER 2026 – 27 FEBRUARY 2027

MAKES NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE AT

THE AHMANSON THEATRE IN LOS ANGELES FROM

12 DECEMBER 2026 – 10 JANUARY 2027

PLAYS AUSTRALIA FROM 1-29 DECEMBER 2026

www.ChristmasCarolGoesWrong.com

Mischief, the multi-award winning company behind The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy About Spies, today announced that its hilarious festive fiasco, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong will return to the West End for a limited run at Wyndham’s Theatre, a Delfont Mackintosh Theatre, from Friday 18 December 2026 to Saturday 23 January 2027.

As well as a second West End run, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong will be taking its festive fun around the UK and the globe.  Its second UK tour begins at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley on 27 October 2026 and continues to bring Christmas cheer around the country until 27 February 2027.

Its North American premiere, produced by Kenny Wax, Stage Presence and Kevin McCollum, will be at the Ahmanson Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles with performances beginning on 12 December 2026 and running until 10 January 2027.

The show will play in Australia from 1 – 29 December, with venues yet to be announced.  Christmas Carol Goes Wrong is brought to Australia by GMG Productions & Stoddart Entertainment Group, following on the success of their recent tour of The Play That Goes Wrong.

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong sees The Cornley Amateur Drama Society bring tidings of chaos and joy as they tackle Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol.  The Cornley crew battle miscommunication, delays to their set, actors missing in action and a growing feud over who will play the lead.  It’s a disastrous take on the much loved classic Christmas story of Ebenezer Scrooge and a festive slice of pure escapism.

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong played to sell-out houses, when it premiered at the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue last year.  It is written by original Mischief Members Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields and the production is directed by Matt DiCarlo, who also helmed the award-winning The Comedy About Spies which is set to have its second West End run this summer at London’s Adelphi Theatre.

Joining Henry, Jonathan, Henry and Matt on the creative team are:  Libby Todd (set designer), Roberto Surace (costume designer), David Howe (lighting designer) and Alexandra Faye Braithwaite (sound designer and composer).  The cast are yet to be announced.

A 15 minute documentary about the making of Christmas Carol Goes Wrong will be released on YouTube.  Subscribe to @mischiefcomedy YouTube now.

Christmas Carol Goes Wrong in the West End is produced by Kenny Wax and Stage Presence. And presented globally in arrangement with Mischief Worldwide Ltd.

WEST END STARS TO HEADLINE 

THEATRE ROYALTY DRURY LANE 

ONE NIGHT ONLY CONCERT HOSTED BY BRIAN CONLEY 

Featuring Samantha Barks, Zoe Birkett, Jordan Luke Gage, Cedric Neal, Georgina Onuorah, John Owen-Jones, Oliver Tompsett, and Rachel Tucker

All-new, one night only concert Theatre Royalty Drury Lane is announced to take place at the iconic theatre on Sunday 23 August. The evening will bring together a host of West End stars at Theatre Royal Drury Lane to celebrate the best of musical theatre. 

Hosted by Brian Conley, the all-star concert lineup features stars of The Greatest Showman at Bristol Hippodrome Samantha Barks and Oliver Tompsett; award winning actress, singer and presenter, Zoe Birkett (Tina: The Musical, The Witches); Titanique’s Jordan Luke Gage; Cedric Neal, most recently seen in the West End as Hermes in Hadestown;  double Olivier Award nominee Georgina Onuorah; and, completing the cast, John Owen-Jones (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera) and WhatsOnStage Award-winning Rachel Tucker (Wicked, Come From Away), both currently starring in Into the Woods at Bridge Theatre. All performances will be accompanied by the Theatre Royalty Orchestra.

Presale opens on Thursday 30 April at 10am, with general on sale on Friday 1 May at 10am. 

THEATRE ROYALTY DRURY LANE

Sunday 23 August at 7pm

Step into the grandeur of London’s most iconic stage for an unforgettable evening of musical theatre brilliance. Theatre Royalty Drury Lane brings together a spectacular lineup of West End stars for one night only!

Headlined by a truly extraordinary cast – Samantha Barks, Zoe Birkett, Jordan Luke Gage, Cedric Neal, Georgina Onuorah, John Owen-Jones, Oliver Tompsett, and Rachel Tucker, and hosted by the legendary Brian Conley, this concert promises show-stopping vocals, beloved musical numbers, and thrilling collaborations that will leave audiences spellbound.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan or discovering the magic for the first time, Theatre Royalty Drury Lane is a must-see event that brings the very best of the West End together under one magnificent roof.

Cast lineup subject to change. 

Samantha Barks’ theatre credits include The Greatest Showman (Bristol Hippodrome), Live at the London Palladium, Frozen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and also filmed for Disney+), Chess (Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall / Tokyo International Forum Hall), Pretty Woman (Chicago and Broadway), The Last Five Years (St James Theatre), Amelie (Berkley Rep), City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse), Chicago (Hollywood Bowl), Oliver! (UK tour), Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), and Cabaret (Birmingham Rep). She was one of the participants on the BBC series I’d Do Anything, and won the most recent series of The Masked Singer. She was a judge on All Star Musicals and Mamma Mia! – I Have a Dream. For film, her credits include Tomorrow Morning, Chocolate Cake, For Love or Money, Bitter Harvest, The Revenger, Interlude in Prague, The Devil’s Harvest, The Christmas Candle and as Eponine in Les Misérables (recipient of Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer; and nomination for Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture). She reprised her performance as Eponine for Les Misérables in Concert: The 25th Anniversary and will return to make her debut as Fantine in the upcoming Les Misérables The Arena Concert Spectacular.

Zoe Birkett’s theatre credits include Tina: The Musical (Aldwych Theatre), The Witches (National Theatre), The Bodyguard (UK tour), The Great British Bake Off Musical (Noël Coward Theatre), Moulin Rouge (Picadilly Theatre), Rock of Ages (UK tour), Myth (The Other Palace), Thriller – Live (Lyric Theatre), Rent (Greenwich Theatre), Respect La Diva (Garrick Theatre), and Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Palace Theatre). Her television credits include Smoggy Queens. She was the female winner of ITV’s Pop Idol and subsequently signed by Simon Fuller’s 19 Management, her solo single Get Happy went straight to number one in the charts. As a presenter, her credits include Top of the Pops Awards, CD:UK, ITV’s Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and the UK Theatre Awards.

Brian Conley is an actor, comedian, singer, and television presenter. His theatre credits include Back to the Future: The Musical (Adelphi Theatre), 9 to 5 the Musical (Savoy Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Dominion Theatre), Oliver! (UK tour), and Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre and UK tour). His television credits include EastEnders (as series regular Tom Cotton), The Grimleys, and Time After Time. He was the presenter of The Brian Conley Show, and has hosted the Royal Variety performance eight times, with further television appearances including Strictly Come Dancing and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.

Jordan Luke Gage‘s theatre credits include Titanique (Criterion Theatre), Bare, Bat Boy (London Palladium), Bonnie & Clyde (Garrick Theatre and Arts Theatre – WhatsOnStage nomination for Best Actor in a Musical), & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre and UK tour – WhatsOnStage nomination for Best Actor in a Musical), The Light in the Piazza (Alexandra Palace Theatre), Heathers (Theatre Royal Haymarket), and Bat Out of Hell (Dominion Theatre).

Cedric Neal’s theatre work includes Hadestown (Lyric Theatre), Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 (Donmar Warehouse), Guys And Dolls – Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Bridge Theatre), 42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet), Back To The Future (Adelphi Theatre), The View Upstairs (Soho Theatre), Chess (London Coliseum), Motown (Shaftesbury Theatre), After Midnight (Brooks Atkinson Theatre), The Gershwin’s Porgy and Bees (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Dreamgirls (Signature Theatre), Stagger Lee, Death of a Salesman and It’s A Bird, It’s a Plane…It’s Superman (Dallas Theatre Centre).

Georgina Onuorah‘s theatre credits include Brigadoon – Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical, Shucked – Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Sheffield Theatres), Kiss Me, Kate (Barbican Theatre),  Hamilton (Victoria Palace Theatre), The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium and Curve Theatre), Oklahoma! The Wizard of Oz (Curve Theatre), Millennials (The Other Palace), Cinderella (Gillian Lynne Theatre), and Dick Whittington (National Theatre).

John Owen-Jones’s theatre credits include in Into the Woods (Bridge Theatre). Owen-Jones is best known for his performances as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera, a role he played nearly 2,000 times, and Jean Valjean in Les Misérables. His West End debut was in Les Misérables in the West End in 1995 and he has since appeared in every London theatre in which the show has played. He also appeared in special finales for Les Misérables and Phantom 25th anniversary performances at the O2 and Royal Albert Hall, both of which were screened in cinemas worldwide and re-interpretated the role of Valjean in the re-imagined 2010 version of the production for a 25th-anniversary international tour (including Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris and the Barbican in London). He features on the 2010 album Les Misérables Live!,and in 2019 returned to play Valjean in the Les Misérables All-Star Concert in the West End. Other theatre includes The Great British Bake Off Musical (Cheltenham Everyman, Noël Coward Theatre – WhatsOnStage nomination for Best Actor in a Musical), La Cage Aux Folles, The Pirates of Penzance and Much Ado About Nothing (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Lido2, Paris), If/Then (Savoy Theatre), The Great Gatsby, Sweeney Todd (The London Coliseum), Tiger Bay (Cape Town Opera), and A Little Night Music  (National Theatre). His television includes Scott and Bailey, In The Flesh, Toast of Tinseltow. Concerts include many solo headline shows in the UK and abroad, with appearances at the Royal Albert Hall, Bunkamura Orchard Hall in Tokyo, The Bolshoi in Moscow, Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall in New York, and twice at the BBC Proms in the Park and twice on The Royal Variety Show. Owen-Jones runs his own production company (Jar Productions) and record label (JOJ Music) and has released seven solo albums: Hallelujah, John Owen-Jones, Unmasked, Rise, Bring Him Home, Spotlight (featuring The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra), and The Christmas Album with his next album slated for release in 2026. A third season of his theatrical podcast, The Last Show on Earth, hosted with fellow performer Alistair Brammer, will also be released in 2026.

Oliver Tompsett’s theatre work includes The Greatest Showman (Bristol Hippodrome), A Knight’s Tale (Opera House Manchester), Ghost (Adelphi Theatre – concert), & Juliet (Broadway and Shaftesbury Theatre), In Dreams (Leeds Playhouse), Pretty Woman (Savoy Theatre), Kinky Boots (Adelphi Theatre), Starlight Express (The Other Palace), Guys and Dolls (Phoenix Theatre), The World Goes Round (St James Theatre), White Christmas (West Yorkshire Playhouse), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Rock of Ages (Shaftesbury Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Victoria), The Royal Hunt of the Sun (National Theatre), Notes from New York (Trafalgar Studios), Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales Theatre), Kismet (Arcola Theatre), Our House (Cambridge Theatre), and West Side Story (Cannizaro Park). His film work includes Show Dogs and The Hard Way. 

Rachel Tucker’s theatre credits include Into the Woods (Bridge Theatre), Small Hotel (Theatre Royal Bath); in the West End The Great Gatsby (London Coliseum), Hadestown (Lyric Theatre), Sunset Boulevard (Savoy Theatre), Come From Away (Phoenix Theatre – Olivier and WhatsOnStage Award nominations for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway), Wicked (Apollo Victoria – London 10th anniversary cast, Gershwin Theatre), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Wild About You (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Communicating Doors (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Last Ship (New York and Chicago), Farragut North, John and Jen (Southwark Playhouse) and Songs for a New World (London Palladium). Concerts include Sideshow (London Palladium), Do You Hear the People Sing? (Sydney Opera House, Melbourne Arts Centre and The Hollywood Bowl) and New Year’s Concert (Japan Theatre Orb). Her television credits include Call the Midwife, Hope Street, and Informer; and for film Prison and Frayed.

LISTINGS

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Theatre Royal Drury Lane 

Catherine Street, 

Covent Garden, 

London WC2B 5JF

Box Office 020 3925 2998

https://lwtheatres.co.uk/theatres/theatre-royal-drury-lane

Sunday 23 August at 7pm

Instagram: @theatreroyaltydrurylane

Bristol Old Vic – until 16 May 2026

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

4****

From the duo of dreams, Kander and Ebb, comes a revival of Kiss of the Spider Woman to Bristol Old Vic. 

Directed by Paul Foster, we follow the story of Molina (Fabian Soto Pacheco) a prisoner convicted of sexual crimes with a minor, when his world is disrupted as he is forced to room with Valentin (George Blagden). This unlikely duo are frosty to each other to begin with, but through Molina’s storytelling of his favoured actress Aurora (Anna Jane Casey) they start to bond. Molina falls for Valentin, but with him being a war criminal, the prison wants names for his crimes and torture Molina into being an informant. Dodging the truth, hiding the lies and fabricating the reality, this unlikely duo deeply connect – but at what cost?

This was a performance I had never heard of, but was pleasantly surprised. Vocally, this was a stunning performance – with Casey leading the way with pizzazz and style and Pacheco adding deliciously emotional vocals, this was stellar. The juxtapositions between the raw, emotion of Pacheco to Casey’s glitzy, glamorous showcase was a nice reprieve from the hard hitting story line. Casey also played the fabled ‘spider woman’, whose kiss will end your life, with such poise and interesting movement, that it really shuddered the audience. The staging was superb, quite simple on stage, but complex with many moving parts and perfectly timed sequences and the lighting perfectly captured the inescapable, drab prison. 

There were points in the show where I found myself confused, as the story line is extremely hard hitting and it took me a minute to adjust to the fantasy versus the reality of the characters. I found the first half to be dark and lacking with the chemistry I found myself yearning for from the characters – with Blagden portraying a tough character from the offset. The second half was considerably more enjoyable (if it can be described as!) even with the subject matter being brutal and violent. 

This is worth a watch, but you need to be ready for violence, brutality and psychological necessity of the old Hollywood fantasy music. Compassionate, caring and loving – will you be able to escape her web and evade the Kiss of the Spider Woman? 

LONDON’S PREMIER THEATRICAL DINING EXPERIENCE, 

MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY

ANNOUNCES FULL CAST FOR 2026/2027

• Mamma Mia! The Party announces new cast to join the show, in addition to the previously announced singer-songwriter Peter Andre as Nikos and X Factor winner Sam Bailey as Debbie.
• The new cast includes Inês Fernandez as Konstantina, Tom Fothergill as Carlos/Swing, Elena Gibson as Bella (at certain performances), Sophie Holdsworth as Loretta/Swing, Gabriella‑Rose Merchant as Nina (Maternity Cover), James Mark McLoughlin as Ruben/Swing, and Andy Rose as Host/Fernando (from 24 July).
• Tickets for London’s favourite night outare on sale through to 04 April 2027.

28 April 2026, London:Björn Ulvaeus’ Mamma Mia! The Party today announces a new cast for its 2026/27 run, joining the previously announced singer-songwriter Peter Andre and X Factor winner Sam Bailey from 14 May 2026.  

The two stars will be joined by Inês Fernandez as Konstantina, Tom Fothergill as Carlos/Swing, Elena Gibson as Bella (at certain performances), Sophie Holdsworth as Loretta/Swing, Gabriella‑Rose Merchant as Nina (Maternity Cover), James Mark McLoughlin as Ruben/Swing, and Andy Rose as Host/Fernando (starting from 24 July). 

Mamma Mia! The Party is London’s premier theatrical dining experience, bringing ABBA’s hits to life more vividly than ever before. As the sun sets in Skopelos, guests take their seats at Nikos’ family-run taverna where they enjoy a delicious four-course Greek feast, whilst a romantic and heartwarming story unfolds all around them. Following the performance, which is filled with timeless ABBA anthems such as Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Waterloo, guests are encouraged to sing and dance the night away at a glittering ABBA disco.   

The newly announced cast members will join the standing cast of Kelly Aaron as Sue/Swing, Oscar Balmaseda as Host/Fernando (taking on the role of Nikos from 31 July), Constantine Andronikou as Robin/Swing, Marianne Benedict as Kate (at certain performances), Kimberly Powell as Kate (at certain performances, AJ Bentley as Adam, Deschenes Graham as Joyce/Swing, Allie Ho Chee as Bella (at certain performances), Dawn Spence as Grandma, Rebecca Stenhouse as Nina (at certain performances), and Claudia Bradley as Tia/Swing. 

Mamma Mia! The Party is executive produced by Björn Ulvaeus and Pophouse. Tickets can be booked here.  

NEW CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR WEST END PRODUCTION

OF MULTI-AWARD WINNING
HAMILTON
AT THE VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE

FROM MONDAY 15 JUNE 2026

Jeffrey Seller and Cameron Mackintosh, producers of the West End production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s HAMILTON, are delighted to announce new casting for the show from Monday 15 June 2026 at the Victoria Palace Theatre. HAMILTON is currently booking to 13 March 2027.

Stephenson Ardern-Sodje will join the company as Alexander Hamilton, with Georgina Onuorah returning as Angelica Schuyler, Akmed Junior Khemalai as George Washington, Ashley J. Daniels as Marquis De Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson, Alexander Bellinfantie as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison and Shak Mancel James as John Laurens/Philip Hamilton.

Continuing in the show will be Yeukayi Ushe now playing the role of Aaron Burr, Bente Mulan as Eliza Hamilton, Jasmine Jia Yung Shen as Peggy Schuyler/Maria Reynolds and Daniel Boys as King George III.

As previously announced, Leslie Odom, Jr. will play the role of Aaron Burr from 3 July – 5 September. Leslie will not be appearing Monday 27, Tuesday 28 or Wednesday 29 July, during this time the role will be played by Yeukayi Ushe.

Continuing in the company will be Yuki Abe, Turrell Barrett-Wallace, Joshua Clemetson, Roxanne Couch, Manaia Glassey-Ohlson, Jack Harrison-Cooper, Olivia Kate Holding, Sergi Ibanez, Nicolais-Andre Kerry, Lily Laight, Tamara Morgan, Tim Nutt, Joshian Angelo Omaña, Aharon Rayner and Daisy Ward. Joining the ensemble will be John Browning, Milan Cacacie, Yesy Garcia, Riccardo Haerri, Jared Irving, Michael Lin, Avigalle Mendoza, Fallon Mondlane, Liam Morris and Phoebe Samuel-Gray.

HAMILTON has book, music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, is directed by Thomas Kail, with choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire and is based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. HAMILTON features scenic design by David Korins, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Nevin Steinberg and hair and wig design by Charles G. LaPointe.

HAMILTON is produced in London by Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, The Public Theater and Cameron Mackintosh.

HAMILTON

Victoria Palace Theatre, Victoria Street, London SW1E 5EA

Dates: Now booking to 13 March 2027

Prices: Tickets from £20, no booking fee applies

Box Office: 0344 482 5151

Website: www.hamiltonmusical.com 

Social Media:

www.facebook.com/HamiltonWestEnd  

www.twitter.com/HamiltonWestEnd 

www.instagram.com/HamiltonWestEnd

#HamiltonLDN

Performance Schedule:

Monday           7.30pm

Tuesday           7.30pm

Wednesday     7.30pm

Thursday          2.30pm and 7.30pm

Friday               7.30pm

Saturday          2.30pm and 7.30pm

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, STEPHEN DILLANE AND LUKE THOMPSON

TO STAR IN ROBERT ICKE’S ADAPTATION OF

FLORIAN HENCKEL VON DONNERSMARCK’S

MULTI-AWARD-WINNING

THE LIVES OF OTHERS

OVER 25% OF THE TICKETS ARE £35 OR UNDER

Sonia Friedman Productions today announces the world premiere of the stage adaptation of Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s Academy Award-winning film The Lives of Others, adapted and directed by Robert Icke. Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson lead the company, with the production opening at the Adelphi Theatre on 29 October, with previews from 14 October, and running until 9 January 2027.

Tickets are now on sale from £25, with over 36,000 seats available across the run at under £35 which is 25% of the seats available. 

The production sees Icke and Friedman renew their creative partnership following their work on productions including Oedipus, Manhunt, Hamlet, The Doctor, Oresteia and 1984; and Knightley and Friedman, following their work together on The Children’s Hour.

Listening changes everything.

1984. East Germany. A writer and an actor are placed under state surveillance. From the attic above their apartment, their Stasi man listens for evidence of subversion. But to observe a life is to risk changing your own.

Starring Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley, Emmy Award winner Stephen Dillane and Olivier Award nominee Luke Thompson, The Lives of Others plays at the Adelphi Theatre for a strictly limited run.

Written and directed by Olivier Award-winner Robert Icke and based on the Oscar-winning 2007 film by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck , this electrifying adaptation explores artistic censorship, state surveillance and the relationship between art and politics.

Designed by Hildegard Bechtler, with lighting design by Jon Clark, sound design by Giles Thomas, and original music by the multi-award-winning composer Max Richter. Casting is by Julia Horan CDG.

Sonia Friedman commented, “I’ve been obsessed with The Lives of Others ever since I first saw it – Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s exquisite, haunting, and completely masterful film, and there is no one better than Robert Icke to bring this to life onstage. He has this rare ability to combine huge ideas with real emotional truth, and I know he and the company will find a way to realise it that feels both unexpected and completely thrilling.

“Set in East Berlin in 1984 – a world where nothing is private, every word carries consequence, and the state holds power not just over lives, but over thought, speech and imagination itself, this world premiere is a reminder of how fragile those freedoms are, and of the cost and courage required to hold on to them.

“What I love most about it is that it’s both epic and intimate – incredibly beautiful, sad, and deeply moving – and at its heart, it’s an unlikely story about kindness. A story about connection and compassion in the most unexpected places.

“To have a company led by Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane and Luke Thompson at the Adelphi Theatre this autumn makes it all the more special.  And in an extraordinary coup, we’re incredibly excited that Max Richter will be composing new music for the production. Max is one of the great composers of our time, and his work has a depth and emotional truth that has the potential to break our hearts.

“I really can’t wait to share it with audiences.”

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Lives of Others German language film was released in 2006. It won numerous awards including the Oscar for Best International Film, the BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language, the Caesar for Best Foreign Film, the Independent Spirit Award for Best Foreign Film, the New York and LA Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Foreign Film, the British Independent Film Award for Best International Independent Film, and the European and German Film Awards for Best Film.

Full cast will be announced shortly.

www.thelivesofothersplay.com

Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok: @livesofothersplay

Sonia Friedman Productions presents

Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s

THE LIVES OF OTHERS

Adapted and directed by Robert Icke

Cast includes: Keira Knightley, Stephen Dillane, Luke Thompson

Set and Costume Designer: Hildegard Bechtler; Lighting Designer: Jon Clark;

Sound Designer: Giles Thomas; Original Music by Max Richter; Casting: Julia Horan CDG

14 October 2026 – 9 January 2027

The Lives of Others will be produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman Productions and Winkler & Smalberg.

Keira Knightley plays Christa-Maria Sieland. Her theatre work includes The Children’s Hour and The Misanthrope – Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Comedy Theatre). Her television work includes Black Doves (Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award nominations for Best Actress), Dr Zhivago, Oliver, Coming Home, Treasure Seekers, Mindscape, A Village Affair and Royal Celebration; and for film, The Woman in Cabin 10, Boston Strangler, Silent Night, Charlotte, Misbehaviour, Official Secrets, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, Berlin I Love You, The Aftermath, Collette, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Collateral Beauty, Everest, The Imitation Game (Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress), Laggies, Jack Ryan, Begin Again, Anna Karenina, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World, A Dangerous Method, London Boulevard, Last Night, Never Let Me Go, The Duchess, The Edge of Love, Silk, Atonement (BAFTA nomination for Best Actress), Pirates of the Caribbean 2,  Pirates of the Caribbean, Domino, Pride and Prejudice (Academy Award nomination for Best Actress), The Jacket, King Arthur, Love Actually, Pure, Bend It Like Beckham (London Film Critics’ Circle Award for Best Newcomer), Princess of Thieves, The Hole, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, and Innocent Lies.

Stephen Dillane plays Hauptmann Gerd Wiesler. His theatre work includesHow It Is (Parts One & Two), How It Is (Part Two) (Coronet Theatre, Gare St Lazare Ireland), When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, An Oak Tree, The Coast of Utopia, Angels in America (Parts 1 & 2), A Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Dancing at Lughnasa (National Theatre), Faith Healer, Endgame, (Donmar Warehouse), The Real Thing –  Evening Standard Award and Tony Award (Donmar Warehouse, West End, Broadway),  The Master Builder (Almeida Theatre), Macbeth (CalArts, Almeida Theatre, Sydney & Adelaide Festival), The Tempest, As You Like It (The Bridge Project 2009/2010), Four Quartets (Aldeburgh, Lincoln Center), One Evening (Aldeburgh, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Lincoln Center), A Thought in Three Parts, Drunk Enough To Say I Love You?, Our Late Night, Hush (Royal Court Theatre), The Coast of Utopia, Angels in America (Parts 1 & 2), Life After George (Guildford, West End), Uncle Vanya (Royal Shakespeare Company), Hurlyburly (The Old Vic Theatre), and  Hamlet (Gielgud Theatre). His television work includes Kaos, Sherwood, Alex Rider, Red Election, Vigil, The Tunnel (International Emmy Best Actor), The Crown, Game of Thrones (as series regular Stannis Baratheon), and The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall (BAFTA Best Actor); and for film, The Outrun, Boxing Day, The Man in the Hat, Outlaw King, Darkest Hour, The Professor and the Madman, Mary Shelley, Zero Dark Thirty, Papadopoulos & Sons, Twenty8k, Paul Greengrass’s The Rage, and Hawksmoor, Welcome to Sarajevo and Luther 3. For radio he won Best Actor for Sea Longing. He is now preparing to appear in Venice in Gare St Lazare’s staging of Samuel Beckett’s novel, How It Is. Previous collaborations with artists include films, Antigone and Event for a Stage with Tacita Dean and Robert Walser’s Snow White with Stanley Schtinter.

Luke Thompson plays Georg Dreyman. His theatre work includesAn Oak Tree (Young Vic), Love’s Labour’s Lost (RSC), A Little Life (Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Play – Harold Pinter Theatre and Savoy Theatre), King Lear (Duke of York’s Theatre), Hamlet (Almeida Theatre and Harold Pinter Theatre), Oresteia (Almeida Theatre and Trafalgar Studios), and Julius Caesar, and A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Evening Standard Award nomination for Best Newcomer and Ian Charleson Award shortlist – Shakespeare’s Globe). His television work includes Bridgerton (as series regular Benedict Bridgerton – SAG Award nomination for Best Ensemble), The Read: The Picture of Dorian Gray and Transatlantic; and for film, Elsinore, Misbehaviour, Making Noise Quietly, Dunkirk. His audio work includes The Brothers Karamazov (Audible UK), Pride and Prejudice, Northanger Abbey, and Henry IV Part 1 and 2 (BBC).  

Robert Icke is an award-winning writer and director, working in theatre and on screen. His recent work includes Romeo & Juliet (Harold Pinter Theatre), Manhunt (Royal Court Theatre) and Player Kings, which ran in the West End, starring Ian McKellen as Sir John Falstaff. As the inaugural Ibsen Artist in Residence at Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, his productions included Judas, Children of Nora, Oedipus and his play The Doctor, which has also played in the West End, in New York, and in numerous new productions around the world. His adaptation of Enemy of the People starred Ann Dowd and opened, socially-distanced, at Park Avenue Armory. In six years at the Almeida Theatre, he made eight productions: five transferred to the West End, and four to New York. These included his adaptations of The Wild Duck, Mary Stuart (also West End), Uncle Vanya, Oresteia (also West End; Schauspiel Stuttgart; Park Avenue Armory), and 1984 (co-created with Duncan Macmillan, also Broadway; West End; national and international tours). As a director, his Almeida productions included Hamlet starring Andrew Scott (also West End; and broadcast on BBC2); The Fever and Mr Burns. He has won multiple Olivier, Evening Standard and Critics’ Circle Awards, the Kurt Hübner Award, and the 2025 Classical Association Prize. He is the youngest ever winner of the Olivier for Best Director.

LEEDS PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
TOM WRIGHT’S FIRST SEASON OF PRODUCTIONS
AUTUMN 2026 – SUMMER 2027

Leeds Playhouse today announces Tom Wright’s inaugural season of shows as Artistic Director, with new productions running from autumn 2026 to summer 2027 in the Quarry theatre and Courtyard theatre.

• In the Courtyard, August Wilson’s landmark play, FENCES, returns in a vital new production directed by award-winning Daniel Bailey in a co-production with Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester.
• In the Courtyard, PEANUT BUTTER & BLUEBERRIES, based on the Kiln Theatre production.  The play is written by Leeds playwright Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan and will be directed by Sameena Hussain.
• Following its Broadway success, a brand-new UK production, directed by the Playhouse’s Artistic Director Tom Wright, DR. SEUSS’S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL will play in the Quarry theatre.
• In 2027, Leeds Playhouse will present a fresh production of William Shakespeare’s ROMEO & JULIET in the Quarry theatre.
• SIRENS, a new play written and directed by Tom Wright will debut in the Courtyard theatre, produced in association with Belgrade Theatre.
• A new adaptation of a beloved classic THE SECRET GARDEN in co-production with Theatr Clwyd, written by Linda Marshall Griffiths, inspired by the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and directed by Amy Leach, will play in the Courtyard theatre.
• A Gripping adaptation of Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, with Leeds-born adaptor and director Jeff James making his Quarry theatre debut in this co-production with Rose Theatre Kingston.
• Leeds Playhouse Associate Artistic Director, Jamie Sophia Fletcher directs her first Playhouse-produced work in the Quarry with the musical LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS produced in association with Oxford Playhouse.

Tom Wright, Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse, said:“My first season begins with a simple idea – that theatre should entertain and challenge in equal measure, and speak directly to the world we’re living in. Across the programme are four new works – including two original stories and two bold adaptations – alongside landmark plays, reimagined classics and large-scale theatrical spectacle.

“This season brings together artists with deep connections to Leeds and the Playhouse, alongside acclaimed voices joining us for the first time – reflecting our ambition to celebrate the extraordinary talent rooted in this city while welcoming some of the most exciting theatre-makers working across the country. I’m proud that it will also see four directors making their first Playhouse-produced work in the Quarry, introducing audiences to artists helping to shape the future of British theatre.

“Our Courtyard will be home to contemporary voices and compelling stories of now, while the Quarry presents epic theatrical events and reinventions of major titles. Meanwhile, the Bramall Rock Void will host a year-round programme for emerging artists and visiting companies – creating space for experimentation, discovery and new creative voices. Through a wide range of partnerships with theatres and organisations across the country, we’re building a collaborative model of producing that allows ambition, scale and creativity to thrive.

“Ultimately, our ambition is for Leeds Playhouse to be a theatre where everyone feels welcome, and where some of the most exciting conversations in British theatre are happening right here in Leeds.”

Shawab Iqbal, Chief Executive of Leeds Playhouse, said: “Leeds Playhouse is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres – operating at scale, rooted in its city, and playing a central role in shaping the future of theatre nationally.

“We are focused on delivering work with real impact, bringing together ambitious new work, major titles and large-scale productions – underpinned by a collaborative producing model across the commercial and subsidised sectors.

“For over 55 years, the Playhouse has been a people’s theatre – created by and for the people of Leeds, rooted in the belief that ‘a city without a theatre is a city without a heart’. That founding principle continues to shape our work as we enter a new phase of development – one that is confident, outward-looking and ambitious, championing bold stories, shared humanity and theatre that entertains, challenges and connects across three spaces, one city and many voices.

“Leeds is one of the UK’s largest and fastest-growing cities, and we are making work that reflects its scale, its diversity and its ambition – reaching audiences far beyond our stages and contributing to the national conversations about culture, place and the future of the UK.

“We are not just presenting theatre – we are a national cultural institution, and we are leading from Leeds.

“We are grateful to our audiences, funders and partners – including Arts Council England, Leeds City Council and the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation – whose support makes this work possible.”

Tom is a writer, director, producer and dramaturg originally from Coventry, with over a decade’s track record of developing new and innovative work with some of the UK’s most dynamic theatre artists at Kiln Theatre where he was Associate Artistic Director and as Head of Artist Development at The Old Vic.

Shawab has over 15 years’ experience across theatre and dance and was previously Executive Director and Chief Executive of the Gate Theatre, and Executive Producer of Eclipse Theatre Company. He has also held various roles at Theatre Royal Stratford East, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, the Bush Theatre and Boy Blue. He is a member of Arts Council England’s London Area Council, a Mayor of London appointment, and sits on the board of UK Theatre. He is a former Vice Chair of Tamasha.

              
August Wilson’s Fences opens Tom’s season in the Courtyard theatre. This much-loved classic by one of America’s most influential 20^th century writers is a story of ambition for our time. Set in the 1950s and directed by award-winning Daniel Bailey (Red Pitch, West End), this co-production between Leeds Playhouse, Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester plays from 11 – 26 September 2026 (press performance Wednesday 16 September) ahead of its UK tour.

Building on the sell-out success of its 2024 world premiere, playwright, poet, educator and former Leeds Playhouse Writer-in-Residence Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan’s Peanut Butter & Blueberries invites us to explore how to love when the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Based on the Kiln Theatre production and directed by Sameena Hussain it will play from 22 October – 7 November 2026 (press performance Friday 23 October).

This festive season, Leeds Playhouse in association with Running Subway produce Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, directed by Leeds Playhouse’s Artistic Director Tom Wright, with book and Lyrics by Timothy Mason, music by Mel Marvin. This brand-new UK production is packed full of Seussian charm and humour. The musical runs from 19 November 2026 – 16 January 2027 (press performanceThursday 26 November).

Into the new year, Leeds Playhouse will present a fresh production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in the Quarry theatre. The play will run from 3 – 20 March 2027 (press performanceThursday 4 March).

Sirens is a hilariously witty, intimate new piece of work written and directed by Leeds Playhouse’s Artistic Director, Tom Wright. A warm, tense and deeply human story in which ordinary people are bound together by unexpected danger, this new play in association with Belgrade Theatre will debut in the Courtyard theatre playing from 15 March – 3 April 2027 (press performance Thursday 18 March).

In spring 2027, Leeds Playhouse will stage a co-production of a much‑loved classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett, reimagined by acclaimed writer Linda Marshall Griffiths, The Secret Garden. Directed by the Olivier Award nominee and UK Theatre Award winner for her production of Animal Farm, director Amy Leach, this co-production with Theatr Clwyd will play in the Courtyard from 23 April – 15 May 2027 (press performance Thursday 29 April).

Leeds Playhouse and Rose Theatre Kingston present an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, adapted and directed by Leeds-born Jeff James. Interrogating AI, creation and the role of humanity in shaping technology, this new version will play in the Quarry from 12 – 29 May 2027 (press performanceThursday 13 May).

Leeds Playhouse Associate Artistic Director, Jamie Sophia Fletcher directs her first Playhouse produced work in the Quarry with the musical Little Shop of Horrors, marking an exciting new chapter in her work with the theatre. With book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, the musical will play from 23 June– 17 July 2027 (press performanceTuesday 29 June).

Alongside its new season of productions, Leeds Playhouse is launching a refreshed programme of creative engagement through Playhouse Connect, opening the theatre more widely to audiences, communities and artists across Leeds and Yorkshire. Delivered through three strands–People’s Playhouse, Playhouse Ensembles and Furnace –the programme will deepen audience engagement, create opportunities for communities to perform and celebrate their voices on Playhouse stages, and nurture the next generation of theatre-makers. Through wrap-around events, civic partnerships, performance ensembles and artist support, the Playhouse will continue to strengthen its role as a creative home for the city.

As part of Tom Wright’s inaugural season, Leeds Playhouse is expanding its Furnace artist development programme, strengthening pathways for artists at every stage of their careers. New initiatives include an entry-level writing scheme for those discovering playwriting for the very first time, alongside a dedicated emerging writers’ programme supporting Leeds-based artists to develop their first full-length play. Together, these programmes mark the beginning of a long-term commitment to building a sustainable ecosystem of writers and original stories rooted in Leeds, alongside a broader year-round programme of opportunities for directors, makers and theatre professionals developing their craft.

CAST ANNOUNCED FOR REGIONAL PREMIERE OF FUN HOME AT THE ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE

JEANINE TESORI’S TONY-AWARD WINNING MUSICAL IS THE THEATRE’S FOURTH PRODUCTION FOR ITS 50th ANNIVERSARY PROGRAMME, A HOMECOMING

A Royal Exchange Theatre Production

Regional Premiere

FUN HOME 

Music by Jeanine Tesori   
Book and Lyrics by Lisa Kron   
Based on the Graphic Novel by Alison Bechdel   

Director: Sarah Frankcom

3 July – 1 August 2026

The Royal Exchange Theatre today announces the cast for the regional premiere of the Tony-Award winning musical FUN HOME, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and book and lyrics by Lisa Kron. The musical’s Northern debut, which marks the 20th anniversary of Alison Bechdel’s iconic graphic novel, is directed by former Royal Exchange Artistic Director Sarah Frankcom who is making her ‘Homecoming’ to the theatre in its 50th anniversary season of the same name.

FUN HOME is an exhilarating and heartbreaking musical about coming out and coming of age. Cartoonist Alison Bechdel, played by Jodie McNee, takes audiences on a journey into her childhood memories remembering what it’s like to grow up in a funeral home, undergo a sexual awakening in college, and try to make sense of the secrets at the heart of her family, including her dad Bruce Bechdel played by Olivier-award winning stage and screen actor Nigel Harman. 

This groundbreaking modern masterpiece is a tale of grief and love, queer tragedy and queer joy, told through soaring, revelatory songs and runs in in the Exchange’s iconic round from 3 July to 1 August 2026.

Returning to the Royal Exchange after performances in NORA: A DOLL’S HOUSE, THE NIGHT WATCH, HAMLET, ORPHEUS DESCENDING, and A TASTE OF HONEY, Jodie McNee (KING LEAR, Globe Theatre; Orlando, Garrick Theatre; ANATOMY OF A SUICIDE, Royal Court Theatre) will be portraying Alison Bechdel opposite award-winning actor Nigel Harman (SHREK, Theatre Royal Drury Lane; GUYS AND DOLLS, Picadilly Theatre; EASTENDERS, BBC; DOWNTOWN ABBEY, ITV) who is joining the production as Bruce Bechdel. 

Alice Audrey O’Hanlon (BILLY ELLIOT, Victoria Palace; MAMMA MIA!, Novello Theatre) will take on the role of Medium Alison, while Small Alison will be played alternately by Lillie Babb (TILL THE STARS COME DOWN, National Theatre; MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, HOME Manchester; LES MISERABLES, UK Tour), Felicity L.J. Moore (LOVE LIFE, Leeds Grand Theatre; A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM, Regional Tour/Leeds Grand Theatre; LES MISÉRABLES, Leeds Grand Theatre) and Harriet O’Shea (MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, HOME Theatre; HOLLYOAKS, Channel 4).

Returning to the Royal Exchange following her performance in INTO THE WOODS in 2015, Natasha Cottriall(HENRY VIII, Globe Theatre; THE WELKIN, National Theatre) steps into the role of Joan, while What’s On Stage Award nominee Alex Young (STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE, Sheffield Crucible/National Theatre; STRANGER THINGS, Phoenix Theatre) joins the cast as Helen Bechdel, and Lucca Chadwick-Patel (MEAN GIRLS, Savoy Theatre; MAMMA MIA!, Novello Theatre; LEGALLY BLONDE Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) joins as Roy / Bobby / Mark / Pete. 

Reggie Kempson (LES MISÉRABLES, World Tour; BLUE PETER, CBBC), Finley Litchfield and Reuben Shepherdboth making their professional stage debut at the Royal Exchange will be playing the role of John at alternate performances, similarly to Arthur Lyons (PETER PAN, PHA), Morris McKinley making his professional debut and Theo Wake (MACBETH, Harold Pinter Theatre; LES MISÉRABLES, Sondheim Theatre; OLIVER!, Leeds Playhouse) who will be playing Christian. 

The cast is completed by Jennifer Caldwell (PINOCCHIO, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre;

SIX THE MUSICAL, UK, Ireland & Korea Tour/Arts Theatre/Vaudeville Theatre; MAMMA MIA!, Prince of Wales Theatre/Novello Theatre) as Offstage cover for Alison, Medium Alison, Helen & Joan, and Alfie Richards (THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, UK Tour; TREASON, London Palladium/UK Tour) as Offstage cover for Bruce and Roy / Bobby / Pete / Mark.

The creative team includes Choreographer & Intimacy Director Jenni Jackson; Music Supervisor Matthew Malone,who makes a welcome return to the Royal Exchange following SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN; Designer Peter Butler, who returns to the Royal Exchange following his productions of A TASTE OF HONEY and ABIGAIL’S PARTY; Lighting Designer Bethany Gupwell; Sound Designer Tony Gayle; Associate Director Emma Baggott;and Casting Director Natalie Gallacher CDG (for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting).  

LISTINGS

ROYAL EXCHANGE THEATRE  
St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH  
Box Office: 0161 833 9833 / royalexchange.co.uk     

A HOMECOMING  
2026 – 2027 
Tickets from £12 

A Royal Exchange Theatre Production   

Regional Premiere

FUN HOME

Music – Jeanine Tesori    
Book and Lyrics – Lisa Kron    
Based on the Graphic Novel by Alison Bechdel    

Director – Sarah Frankcom

Choreographer & Intimacy Director – Jenni Jackson 

Music Supervisor – Matthew Malone

Designer – Peter Butler

Lighting Designer – Bethany Gupwell

Sound Designer – Tony Gale

Casting Director – Natalie Gallacher CDG

Associate Director – Emma Baggott

Cast – Alex Young, Nigel Harman, Jodie McNee, Alice Audrey O’Hanlon, Natasha Cottriall, Lucca Chadwick Patel, Jennifer Caldwell, Alfie Richards, Felicity Moore, Lillie Babb, Harriet O’Shea, Morris McKinley, Theo Wake, Arthur Lyons, Finley Litchfield, Reuben Shepherd, Reggie Kempson

Tickets from £12  
3 July – 1 August 2026 

Access Performances  
Captioned (C) Performances: 25 July, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Sensory Adapted (SA) Performance: 28 July, 6pm  
Audio Described (AD) Performance: 25 July, 2.30pm  

BSL-Interpreted (BSL) Performances: TBC

Box Office: 0161 833 9833  
Online: www.royalexchange.co.uk 

Birmingham Rep – until Sunday 24th May 2026

Reviewed by Nadia Dodd

4****

The Birmingham Rep’s riotously inventive A Midsummer Night’s Dream, co-directed by Joe Murphy and Madeleine Kludje, feels less like a polite stroll through Shakespeare and more like being swept into a neon-lit fever dream you never quite want to wake up from. Touted as the first professional theatre production to stage the play entirely in modern dress, this version leans gleefully into its contemporary setting—and the result is chaotic, colourful, and very, very funny.

Gone is the traditional moonlit forest; in its place is a glowing urban playground splashed with neon lights that pulse and flicker as if the entire stage is in on the joke. Lovers don’t so much wander as collide, text, and spiral, while the fairies seem like they’ve just stumbled out of the world’s strangest underground club. It’s bold, a little bonkers, and exactly the right kind of energy for a play built on confusion and mischief.

At the centre of it all is Adam Carver’s scene-stealing Puck, who doesn’t just enter the stage—he practically owns it. Dressed in a series of vibrant, eye-popping costumes that look like they were designed during a particularly inspired sugar rush, Carver’s Puck is pure theatrical mischief. Like a hyperactive master of ceremonies who’s having far too much fun stirring the pot. Comic timing is razor-sharp. It’s a performance that sparkles as brightly as the set itself.

Not to be outdone, Omar Malik delivers a comedy masterclass as Bottom. Leaning fully into the character’s glorious absurdity, Malik’s Bottom is a wonderfully overconfident performer who treats every line as if it’s the most important speech ever written. Malik has that rare ability to make even the smallest moment hilarious, whether it’s a perfectly timed pause or an exaggerated flourish that goes just a bit too far—in the best way possible.

The rest of the cast matches this playful tone with gusto. The young lovers are suitably dramatic and delightfully ridiculous, capturing the emotional whiplash of falling in and out of love at high speed. Hermia played by Isabel Adomakoh Young and Lysandra played by Evie Ward-Drummond plus Helena played by Charlotte Wallis and Demetrius played by Qasim Mahmood.

Murphy and Kludje’s direction keeps everything moving at a brisk, energetic pace, never letting the madness tip into confusion. There’s a real sense of joy running through the production, as if everyone involved is in on a shared joke. Even the more tender moments sneak in gently between the laughs, giving just enough heart to balance the hilarity.

Ultimately, this Midsummer Night’s Dream is a bright, buzzing celebration of comedy, creativity, and controlled chaos. With neon lights blazing, costumes popping, and standout performances from Adam Carver and Omar Malik, it’s a production that doesn’t take itself too seriously—and is all the better for it.