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BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL

TO TOUR THE UK AND IRELAND

OPENING AT

CURVE, LEICESTER FROM

7 FEBRUARY 2026

Producers ROYO and Curve are delighted to announce a brand-new Made at Curve production of the West End and Broadway smash-hit musical comedy LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL. The musical will tour the UK and Ireland in 2026, opening at Leicester’s Curve theatre on 7 February and touring until 7 January 2027.

Based on the novel LEGALLY BLONDE by Amanda Browning and the iconic 2001 film of the same name starring Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Coolidge, the multi-award winning LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL features a book by Heather Hach and original music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin.

LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL will be directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (Kinky Boots, The Wizard of Oz, A Chorus Line) and comes hot off the heels of the sell-out tour of KINKY BOOTS, also directed by Foster and co-produced by Curve and ROYO.

Casting and further creatives to be announced.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said: “LEGALLY BLONDE is firmly established in the musical theatre repertoire as a contemporary classic and it’s a pleasure to be reunited with “Little Miss Woods – comma – Elle” in the 2020s. Laurence O’Keefe, Nell Benjamin and Heather Hach’s electrifying musical about empowerment, equality and the folly of judging a book by its cover remains pitch perfect and as relevant as ever. We have assembled a “mad props” creative team and together we are looking forward to creating a fresh, fun and sunny SoCal production of this great musical. And following the incredible success of KINKY BOOTS, it’s a thrill to collaborate again with our friends at ROYO. We can’t wait to share the show with audiences across the UK and Europe after Elle takes over Curve early 2026.”

“Whoever said orange is the new pink was seriously disturbed”

This ultimate feel-good rom-com, based on the award-winning film starring Reese Witherspoon, follows Elle Woods on her transformation from ‘It Girl’ fashionista to legal ace at Harvard Law School, all in the name of love. Elle must prove she is more than blonde ambition, swap the changing rooms for the courtroom and learn that ‘being true to yourself never goes out of style.’

LEGALLY BLONDE is produced by ROYO and CURVE.

Website: www.legallyblondeshow.com

Instagram, Bluesky, TikTok, Facebook: @legallyblondeshow

X: @legallyshow

2026 TOUR SCHEDULE

7 – 21 February                                 Leicester, Curve                                      0116 242 3595

                                                           curveonline.co.uk                                     

24 – 28 February                               Southampton, Mayflower Theatre          02380 711 811

                                                           mayflower.org.uk                                       on sale 16 May

3 – 7 March                                        Sheffield, Lyceum                                    0114 249 6000

                                                           sheffieldtheatres.co.uk                              on sale soon

10 – 14 March                                    Milton Keynes Theatre

                                                           atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes                     on sale 16 May

16 – 21 March                                    Southend, Cliffs Pavillion                         0343 310 0030

                                                           thecliffspavilion.co.uk                                on sale soon

24 – 28 March                                    Canterbury, Marlowe                               01227 787787

                                                           marlowetheatre.com                                  on sale soon

31 March – 4 April                             Birmingham, The Alexandra

                                                           atgtickets.com/Birmingham                       on sale soon

6 – 11 April                                         Glasgow, King’s Theatre

                                                           atgtickets.com/Glasgow                            on sale soon

13 – 18 April                                       Liverpool, Empire Theatre

                                                           atgtickets.com/liverpool                             on sale soon

21 – 25 April                                       York, Grand Opera House

                                                           atgtickets.com/York                                   on sale soon

4 – 9 May                                           Truro, Hall for Cornwall                            01872 262 466

                                                           hallforcornwall.co.uk                                  on sale soon

12 – 17 May                                       Newcastle, Theatre Royal                       0191 232 7010

                                                           theatreroyal.co.uk                                      on sale 22 May

19 – 23 May                                       Nottingham, Theatre Royal                     0115 989 5555

                                                           trch.co.uk                                                   on sale 22 May

26 – 30 May                                       Oxford, New Theatre

                                                           atgtickets.com/oxford

1 – 6 June                                          Plymouth, Theatre Royal                         01752 267222

                                                           theatreroyal.com

8 – 13 June                                        Leeds, Grand Theatre                              0113 243 0808

                                                           leedsheritagetheatres.com                        on sale 23 May

16 – 20 June                                      Cardiff, Wales Millennium Centre

                                                           wmc.org.uk                                                on sale soon

22 – 27 June                                      Aberdeen, His Majesty’s Theatre

                                                           aberdeenperformingarts.com                    on sale soon

30 June – 4 July                                Bristol, Hippodrome                                

                                                           atgtickets.com/venues/Bristol                    on sale 16 May

6 – 18 July                                         Dublin, Bord Gais Energy Theatre            0818719377 (ROI)

                                                           bordgaisenergytheatre.ie                          08442485101 (UK)

                                                                                                                             on sale soon

21 – 25 July                                       Belfast, Grand Opera House

                                                           goh.co.uk                                                   on sale soon

21 – 26 September                            Norwich, Theatre Royal                           01603 630 000

                                                          norwichtheatre.org                                    on sale soon

28 September – 3 October                Edinburgh Playhouse

                                                           atgtickets.com/edinburgh                          on sale soon

6 – 10 October                                   Aylesbury, Waterside

                                                           atgtickets.com/Aylesbury                          on sale soon

13 – 17 October                                 Wolverhampton, Grand Theatre

                                                           grandtheatre.co.uk                                   

19 – 24 October                                 Wimbledon, New Theatre

                                                           atgtickets.com/Wimbledon                        on sale soon

27 – 31 October                                 Hull, New Theatre                                    01482 300 306

                                                           hulltheatres.co.uk                                      on sale soon

3 – 14 November                               Manchester, Opera House

                                                           atgtickets.com/Manchester                       on sale 21 May

17 – 21 November                             Stoke, Regents Theatre

                                                           atgtickets.com/stoke                                  on sale 21 May

23 – 28 November                             Woking, New Victoria Theatre

                                                           atgtickets.com/new-victoria-theatre           on 21 May

30 November – 5 December             Sunderland, Empire

                                                           atgtickets.com/sunderland-empire            on sale soon

14 December – 2 January 2027        Brighton, Theatre Royal

                                                           atgtickets.com/brighton                             on sale soon

CYNTHIA ERIVO MARKS RETURN TO THE STAGE

IN UK’S WEST END PREMIERE OF SYDNEY THEATRE COMPANY’S Acclaimed DRACULA

Three-time Oscar Nominee and Tony, Emmy and Grammy winner

Cynthia Erivo to play 23 characters in innovative, one-actor adaptation of Bram Stoker’s renowned novel

Directed by Tony Award® nominee Kip Williams in his highly anticipated West End return

Performances begin February 2026 | Noël Coward Theatre

http://www.draculawestend.com

Producers Michael Cassel and Adam Kenwright today announced that Sydney Theatre Company’s acclaimed production of DRACULA, adapted and directed by visionary theatre-maker Kip Williams, will premiere at London’s prestigious Noël Coward Theatre in February 2026.

Celebrated Tony®, Grammy® and Emmy® Award-winner and three-time Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo will return to the stage for the first time in nearly a decade for the production, starring in this bold, one-actor reimagining of Bram Stoker’s classic gothic novel.

DRACULA will begin performances on Wednesday 4 February 2026. Tickets for DRACULA will go on sale later in the year, with details and waitlist available at www.draculawestend.com.

Following the global release of Wicked: For Good this November — one of the most eagerly anticipated cinematic events of the decade — Erivo’s next move will be into rehearsals for DRACULA. Her return to the stage marks a landmark moment in contemporary theatre: a rare opportunity for West End audiences to witness one of the world’s most extraordinary talents at the height of her powers, in a daring and intimate performance unlike anything she has undertaken before.

In this radical interpretation, Erivo will embody all twenty-three characters in Stoker’s iconic tale — from the naïve solicitor Jonathan Harker and his fiancée Mina Murray to confidante Lucy Westenra, her suitors, and the formidable vampire hunter Van Helsing — as well as the infamous Count Dracula themself.

Erivo most recently drew international acclaim for her performance as Elphaba in Universal Pictures’ Wicked, her work recognised with a series of major award nominations, including an Academy Award® nomination for Best Actress, a Golden Globe® nomination, a BAFTA® nomination, and recognition from the Screen Actors Guild Awards® and Critics’ Choice Awards. She recently announced her second studio album, ‘I Forgive You’, and is currently in production on Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Children of Blood and Bone with Viola Davis, Idris Elba and Amandla Stenberg. This spring, she will be seen in the hit Peacock series Poker Face.  Erivo’s return to the stage marks the next thrilling chapter in an extraordinary period of career success.

DRACULA represents the final and most ambitious production in Tony Award® nominated director Kip Williams’ gothic trilogy, whose productions have redefined the canon on both Broadway and the West End. The production follows on from his genre-defining adaptations of the 6-time Tony Award® nominated The Picture of Dorian Gray (which enjoyed triumphant seasons in both the West End and on Broadway) and the award-winning Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

In his adaptation, Williams delves into the enduring metaphorical power of DRACULA, crafting a bold retelling that reorients the narrative around a psychological battle between fear and desire. Through a transformative solo performance, the production blurs the boundaries between self and other, suggesting that the monster is perhaps not external, but something that stirs within. First staged by Sydney Theatre Company in 2024, DRACULA captivated audiences with its startingly original reimagining of Stoker’s iconic vampire tale, offering a haunting meditation on the aspects of ourselves we fear, desire, and deny.

The production reunites Williams with his award-winning creative team, including Olivier Award-winning designer Marg Horwell, lighting designer Nick Schlieper, composer Clemence Williams and joined by sound designer Jessica Dunn, video designer Craig Wilkinson and dramaturg Zahra Newman.Fusing live video, pre-recorded film, and virtuosic live performance, DRACULA continues Williams’ ground-breaking exploration of ‘cine-theatre’, a hybrid form reshaping the theatrical landscape.

Cynthia Erivo said:
“Returning to the stage feels like a homecoming, one that I’ve been craving for a long time. To do so with a story as rich, complex, and haunting as DRACULA offers a beautiful opportunity to delve into character, into myth, and into the heart of what makes us human. From the moment I was asked, I could not get the role out of my mind. Kip’s vision is thrilling, terrifying, and deeply resonant, offering a chance to sit with not only the darkness in the world, but also the light we fight to hold onto. It’s a rare gift for an actor to inhabit so many voices and perspectives in one piece, and I’m honoured to do it for West End audiences in this extraordinary production. The prospect of doing this show scares me and I know it will be a huge challenge. This show will ask everything of me — and I’m ready to give it.”

Kip Williams, Director and Adapter, said:
“I am thrilled to be returning to the West End to direct my adaptation of Bram Stoker’s DRACULA and to collaborate with the extraordinary Cynthia Erivo, as she brings to life the many iconic characters of this much-adored tale. Our production expands upon Stoker’s exploration of the tension between fear and desire, offering a contemporary perspective on the vampire as a monster that lurks not beyond, but within. I am excited to reunite with many of my Dorian Gray collaborators on this project, and it is an immense privilege to have such a singularly gifted artist as Cynthia at the heart of it. I can’t wait to share this piece with London audiences, especially in the West End, a place where Bram spent so much of his creative life.”

Michael Cassel, Producer of the West End season, said:
“It is an incredible privilege to bring Kip Williams’ visionary production of DRACULA to the West End, led by the incomparable Cynthia Erivo. Cynthia is an artist of extraordinary power and presence, and Kip’s bold approach to this iconic story will offer audiences something truly unforgettable. I am so excited for London audiences to experience the thrilling synergy between Cynthia’s extraordinary flair and Kip’s ground-breaking storytelling. This production represents everything we love about theatre: daring artistry, breathtaking performance, and a deep connection with audiences.”

Adam Kenwright, Producer, said:
“The West End has long been home to some of the world’s most exhilarating storytelling, and I am so proud to help bring DRACULA and this remarkable team to London. Cynthia Erivo is a once-in-a-generation talent, and Kip Williams has reimagined this classic story with innovation and emotional depth. Cynthia’s return to the stage is a theatrical event in itself, and this unflinching, beautiful production promises an unparalleled experience for theatre lovers.”

Anne Dunn, Sydney Theatre Company Executive Director and co-CEO, said:
“Sydney Theatre Company is thrilled, as originating producer of former Artistic Director Kip Williams’ groundbreaking cine-theatre adaptation of DRACULA, to collaborate with Michael Cassel Group once again to take this STC production to the West End. We are immensely proud that the innovative work of our team here in Sydney – who first brought DRACULA to life starring Zahra Newman in 2024 and before that, The Picture of Dorian Gray starring Eryn Jean Norvill in 2020 – is being recognised on the world stage. With the incredible Cynthia Erivo at the helm, the exquisite work of STC’s award-winning, all-Australian creative team and led by Kip’s singular, ambitious vision, this spectacular interpretation of Bram Stoker’s gothic classic will be another unmissable theatrical experience for London audiences.”

DRACULA’s London premiere season continues a landmark collaboration between Sydney Theatre Company and Michael Cassel Group, created to bring STC’s innovative works to international audiences.

ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR ROM-COMS OF ALL TIME

MAKES ITS WORLD PREMIERE AT THE OTHER PALACE

STARRING GEORGINA CASTLE AND JOSH ST. CLAIR
IN THE LEAD ROLES

WITH BOOK, MUSIC AND LYRICS BY DAVID ROSSMER AND STEVE ROSEN 

AND DIRECTED BY MULTI-TONY AWARD WINNER 
CASEY NICHOLAW

RUNNING FROM 14 SEPTEMBER – 16 NOVEMBER 2025

Adapted from the 2004 beloved romantic comedy film of the same name, 50 First Dates: The Musical is coming to The Other Palace this September. London audiences will get the chance to see this iconic love story brought to life on stage, featuring original songs, with a story that celebrates love, resilience and second chances.

Starring in the lead roles, made famous by Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, are Georgina Castle (Mean Girls) as Lucy Whitmore, an artist with short-term memory loss and Josh St. Clair (Ghost) as Henry Roth, the commitment-phobe who falls in love with her.

Multi-Tony Award winning director and choreographer, Casey Nicholaw has said, “50 First Dates is one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time, and has also been one of my favorites ever since I first saw it. After watching it about 50 times as my “go to” movie on airplane flights, I realized it would really sing well and could be very special, so I began to start the ball rolling to turn it into a new stage musical. I’m so excited to direct and choreograph the world premiere of this new, funny and romantic show. I’m also thrilled to reunite with Georgina Castle after her phenomenal turn as Regina George in my production of Mean Girls, and to collaborate for the first time with the immensely talented Josh St. Clair. I can’t wait for London audiences to fall in love—again and again and again—when we open this September.”

He’s falling for her every day—she’s forgetting him every night. When notorious bachelor Henry meets art teacher Lucy, he thinks he’s finally found “the one”. Until the next morning when she wakes up with no memory of their first date…

Packed with infectious original songs and laugh-out-loud moments, this brand-new musical is an unmissable love story worth falling for over and over again. 

Based upon the Columbia Pictures Motion Picture, 50 First Dates, with screenplay by George Wing; 50 First Dates: The Musical has book, music and lyrics by David Rossmer and Steve Rosen (The Other Josh Cohen) and is directed by multi-Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (Mean Girls, The Book of Mormon). The production has set and costume design by Fly Davis (Caroline Or Change), lighting design by Aideen Malone (Fiddler on the Roof ), video design by George Reeve (Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends), sound design by Adam Fisher (Sunset Boulevard), hair and makeup design by Cynthia De La Rosa (Barcelona), orchestrations and arrangements by Matthew Jackson (Burlesque) and musical supervision and musical director is Richard Beadle (Hamilton). The casting directoris Natalie Gallacher for Natalie Gallacher and Pippa Ailion Casting. Produced by ATG Productions, Bad Robot Live and Gavin Kalin Productions.

50 First Dates: The Musical is a hilarious and heartwarming date night…that you’ll never forget.

£25 TICKETS TO GO ON SALE EXCLUSIVELY FOR UNDER 30s, KEY WORKERS AND THOSE RECEIVING GOVERNMENT BENEFITS

FOR JAMIE LLOYD’S PRODUCTION OF

TIM RICE AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S

EVITA

AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM

AVAILABLE FROM THURSDAY 15 MAY AT 11AM

Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and Jamie Lloyd forThe Jamie Lloyd Company today announce the on sale details for the previously announced £25 tickets for under 30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits for Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, starring Rachel Zegler.  The production, directed by Jamie Lloyd, opens at The London Palladium on Tuesday 1 July, with previews from 14 June, and runs until 6 September 2025.

For Evita, there will be 5,000 tickets available across the run at £25 exclusively for under 30s, key workers and those receiving government benefits. These tickets will be available across all levels of the theatre.

The £25 tickets for Evita go on sale on Thursday 15 May at 11am for a limited time only via evitathemusical.com.

EVITA

Lyrics by Tim Rice; Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber

Directed by Jamie Lloyd

Fabian Aloise (Choreographer); Soutra Gilmour (Set and Costume Designer); Alan Williams (Music Supervisor and Musical Director); Jon Clark (Lighting Designer); Adam Fisher (Sound Designer); Will Burton CDG (Casting Director); Jim Carnahan (US Casting Director); Carole Hancock (Wigs, Hair and Make up Designer); Harry Blumenau (Children’s Casting/ Children’s Administration); Kate Waters (Fight Director); Lily Mollgaard (Props Supervisor); Ingrid Mackinnon (Intimacy Coordinator); Rupert Hands (Associate Director); Amy Thornton (Associate Choreographer); Rachel Wingate (Associate Set Designer); Kelsh B-D (Associate Sound Designer); Lucía Sánchez Roldán (Associate Lighting Designer); Rachel Woodhouse (Costume Supervisor); Cory Hippolyte (Resident Director); Paris Green (Resident Choreographer); Harry Barker (Assistant Sound Designer); Andy Barnwell and Rich Weedon for BW Musicians (Orchestral Management)

The London Palladium

Saturday 14 June – Saturday 6 September 2025

“The truth is I never left you”

Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary Evita returns to the West End, reimagined by the visionary award-winning director Jamie Lloyd.

Featuring an iconic score including Don’t Cry For Me Argentina, Oh What A Circus, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, and the Oscar-winning You Must Love Me.

Fuelled by ambition and passion, Eva Perón rose from poverty to become the most powerful woman in Latin America. A symbol of hope to many Argentines, her star shone brightly as she captured the nation’s heart and divided its soul. 

Rachel Zegler (Eva Perón), Diego Andres Rodriguez (Che), James Olivas (Juan Perón), Aaron Lee Lambert (Agustín Magaldi) and Bella Brown (The Mistress / Alternate Eva), joined by the Ensemble: Carl Au, Gabriela Benedetti, Shakara Brown, Damian Buhagiar, Kyeirah D’Marni, Sally Frith, DeAngelo Jones, Lucas Koch, Natasha Leaver, Michael Lin, Dianté Lodge, Louis Mackrodt, Mireia Mambo, Mia Mullarkey, Perry O’Dea, Alysha Sontae, Monica Swayne, Jon Tsouras and Harrison Wilde, with Myla Carmen, Barney Hudson, Nathan Louis-Fernand, Kirsty Anne Shaw, Ricardo Spriggs and Regan Bailey Walker as Swings. Auora Breslin, Lois Haidar, Siena Merilind-Wu and Ffion Rosalie Williams share the role of The Child.

Produced by Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and Jamie Lloyd for The Jamie Lloyd Company by arrangement with The Really Useful Group Ltd.

Jamie Lloyd originally directed Evita at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre as part of their 2019 season.

Instagram:          @OfficialEvita

Facebook:           /EvitaTheMusical

TikTok:                 @EvitaMusical

LISTINGS 

The London Palladium

Box Office: evitathemusical.com / 020 3925 2998

Saturday 14 June – Saturday 6 September 2025

Rachel Zegler is not scheduled to perform on Monday 14 July, Monday 28 July, Monday 11 August and Monday 25 August 2025. The role of Eva Perón for these performances will be played by Bella Brown.

Access Performances

Audio Described Performance:   Saturday 12 July at 2:30pm

Captioned Performance:               Saturday 9 August at 2:30pm

BSL Performance:                           Saturday 23 August at 2:30pm

“One of the biggest West End hits of all time”
  Alistair McGeorge, Metro

  “A little show with a very big future”
 David Benedict, Variety

  “The West End hit is still the perfect mix of ingenious, silly and moving…With a new cast, the Olivier Award-winning musical about the wartime operation is as terrific as ever” ★★★★★
  Marianka Swain, The Telegraph

 “A miraculous musical that tells the entire story in a kind of accelerated farce that is part Mel Brooks, part SIX, part Hamilton with a side order of One Man, Two Guvnors.”★★★★★
Neil Norman, The Daily Mirror

“The Brits have made the year’s funniest musical…Against the odds, the “Operation Mincemeat” gang has found its way to the big time.”Peter Marks, The Washington Post

 “The feel-good West End musical of the summer… The reviews for the show have been ecstatic… the overwhelming impression is of hopefulness, expansiveness, possibility and joy.”
 Alexis Soloski, The New York Times

75 ★★★★★ reviews and counting

Monday 12^th May – Following four 2025 Tony Award® nominations, including Best Musical, and two 2024 Olivier Awards®, including Best New Musical, Operation Mincemeat announces its 15th extension at the West End’s Fortune Theatre, extending its run by another 15 weeks until 28th February 2026.

The news arrives as Alex Young (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Into the Woods), Danny Becker (Frozen, The Prince of Egypt), Peter McGovern (The History Boys, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery) and Roshani Abbey (Hamilton, &Juliet) take the stage with Chlöe Hart tonight, marking their debut as the new cast, while Jason Kajdi (Matilda international tour, Mary Poppins) joins Geri Allen, George Jennings and Maddie Jackson-Smith to form the Company.

Operation Mincemeat is running simultaneously in London and New York, with the Broadway production recently announcing its third extension through February 15, 2026.

West End Extension tickets are available on General sale on Friday 30^th May at 10am from the Official Box Office here and tickets via the ballot are available on Thursday 29^th May at 2pm. Broadway tickets and more info here.

Following the success of the Monday ballot, it has now expanded to include Tuesday and Saturday shows to ensure tickets get into the right hands. Monday ticket prices remain frozen at £39.50, and the popular fortnightly £25 ticket lottery continues here. The first ballot draw for the new booking period from 17^th November to 28th February will take place on Thursday 5^th June at 2pm. Link here.

Operation Mincemeat began as a tiny (and tiny-budgeted) production at the London Fringe New Diorama Theatre in 2019. The show quickly gained a devoted following, spurring sold-out runs at venues including Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios. It finally premiered in the West End on 9^th May 2023 at the Fortune Theatre, where it won the Olivier and WhatsOnstage Awards® for ‘Best New Musical’, alongside garnering 75 five-star reviews and counting, and has become the ‘Best reviewed show in West End history.’

The decision to write the musical was the last roll of the dice from a quartet of young British creatives after years of performing sketch shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and echoes the journey of Beyond the Fringe from the world-famous quartet Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller, and Dudley Moore, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1960, before moving to the Fortune Theatre and later to the Golden in 1962.

The year is 1943 and we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse.

Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Noel Coward meets Noel Fielding, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II. The question is, how did a well-dressed corpse wrong-foot Hitler?

The production is directed by 2023 Olivier Award nominated  Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre – 2023 Best New Musical Olivier Award winner), following providing directorial support for the Riverside Studios run, while Olivier Award nominated Jenny Arnold (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) continues as Choreographer. Also from Standing at the Sky’s Edge at the National Theatre on the creative team are: 2023 Olivier Award nominated  Ben Stones (Sylvia, The Old Vic) as Set and Costume Designer, Tony Award, six-time Olivier Award and Bafta Award winning Mark Henderson (Girl From the North Country, Broadway & Noël Coward Theatre) as Lighting Designer and Olivier Award winning Mike Walker (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) as Sound Designer.  Grammy Award winning and Tony, Emmy & 2024 ‘Outstanding Musical Contribution’ Olivier Award nominated Steve Sidwell (Beautiful: The Musical, Broadway & Aldwych Theatre) is Orchestrator and Vocal Arranger, while 2024 ‘Outstanding Musical Contribution’ Olivier Award nominated Joe Bunker is Musical Director. Georgie Staight is Associate Director and Paul Isaiah Isles is Associate Choreographer. Casting is by Pearson Casting. The extraordinary debut musical is written and composed by SpitLip – David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts.

Operation Mincemeat has won Best Musical3 times—at the Olivier Awards®, WhatsOnStage Awards, and Off-West End Awards. To date, the production has received 64 nominations, and won 13 awards. On Broadway, the production is currently nominated for 4 2025 Tony Awards®, including Best Musical and Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Malone, who previously won the Olivier Award in the same category. It has also been recognised with nominations for Outstanding Production of a Musical at the Drama League Awards, Outstanding New Broadway Musical at the Outer Critics Circle Awards, and Best Musical and Best Ensembleat the Broadway World Awards.

SpitLip (Cumming, Hagan, Hodgson, Roberts) are nominated for Best Book and Best Score at the Tony Awards®, Outer Critics Circle Awards, and BroadwayWorld Awards, and have also received Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Book of a Musical and Outstanding Lyrics.

Malone is additionally nominated for a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and Drama League Award, and recently won a Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. Cumming, Hodgson, Roberts, and Hall have all received individual BroadwayWorld Award nominations, with Cumming also nominated for 2 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards.

Operation Mincemeat is produced in the West End and Broadway by Avalon (in association with SpitLip). The show was commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, co-commissioned by The Lowry, and also supported by the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat.

King’s Head Theatre – until 25 May 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

David O’Brien’s new musical needs developing but has potential to be an exciting show.

With just four characters, this chamber musical, directed by Jack Storm, tells the story of photographer Max (Matteo Giambiasi) and his manipulation of those around him to create the perfect picture on film and in his life. After meeting with ex-girlfriend Angela (Hayley Maybury) at a reunion, Max turns away from using leggy models to persuading Angela’s current partner, Tom (Will Usherwood-Bliss) to lead the campaign for an exciting new product. Max’s assistant and partner, Sheila (Justine Maire Mead) is confused and pleased at this apparent change in Max’s outlook but is unaware that Max has planned this scenario to manipulate everyone and bed Angela once more.

This could be a sharp commentary and satire about deception and coercion, but in this form, running at 70minutes, there is no time for any character development with unsubtle and clunky dialogue. Despite musical director’ Debbi Clarke’s best efforts, the score is unmemorable. Maybury and Mead delight in their bitchy duet as they discover Max’s manipulations, but most of the multicharacter songs are jumbled resulting in incoherent lyrics, and the melodramatic staging with every actor facing different directions during these numbers feels very stilted.

The cast do a fine job with what they’re given, with the fantastic Justine Maire Mead providing the beating heart of the show as the only character that actually makes you feel anything. None of the characters feel rounded, but Hayley Maybury is wonderfully uptight as Angela and Will Usherwood-Bliss is great fun as the constantly befuddled Tom. Max is the villain of the story, but Matteo Giambiasi is more panto villain than psychological manipulator as this script is drawn in such broad strokes.

There are positives – the theme is interesting and universal, and with some tinkering to the score and a more polished book and fully-rounded characters (and probably a longer running time) there could be a bright future for this show.

King’s Head Theatre – 9 May touring until 11 July 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Bet’n Lev Theatre’s charming and celebratory show is a masterclass in storytelling. This witty and surprisingly moving show is a real treat.

From the moment you step in the auditorium, greeted with smiles and jokes by the cast, it’s obvious that this is a welcoming and safe space. Conceived by Joel Samuels and Roann Hassani McCloskey, Remythed reclaims myths and legends from around the world and recentres them around queer characters. Tales from Scheherazade’s dreams and stories to Lilith rejecting Adam are shared with a sense of wonder and mischievous joy. A banished arrogant prince travels to a mysterious community where he discovers humility and fellowship, the tale of Lady Godiva becomes her big romantic gesture towards spinster tailor Tom, while Anansi helps a contemporary black gay man to remember his own strength and power.

The cast – Emile Clarke, Ishmael Kirby, Roann Hassani McCloskey, Joel Samuels and Lucy Roslyn – are warm and engaging, making each other laugh and working together with fantastic chemistry. Joel Samuels is full of energy and when jokes land, often breaks character to announce his delight. Roann Hassani McCloskey charms as various characters, and one VERY strange beast. Lucy Roslyn is effortlessly moving as Lilith and Tommy, and hilariously absurd with Emile Clarke as they gesture ridiculously as the prince’s parents. Clarke is brilliantly brattish as the entitled Adam, unable to understand Lilith’s rejection of his ownership of her. Ishmael Kirby moves regally and seductively. As they portray different characters, their movement shifts from spiritual to funny to frankly bizarre in this captivating queer show with a huge heart.

Tour dates

2 – 3 May Shakespeare North, Prescot

9 May Kings Head Theatre, London

15 – 16 May Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal, Bath

24 – 25 June Live Theatre, Newcastle

6 July Tobacco Factory Theatre, Bristol

11 July Old Joint Stock Theatre, Birmingham

Rose Theatre, Kingston upon Thames – until 24 May 2025

Reviewed by Phil Brown

 5***** 

What sets the revelatory Marie and Rosetta apart from many excellent musicals that appear on London stages are the nature of the subject and the format.  

It’s a joyous celebration of the seminal nature of Sister Rosetta Tharpe’s role in the development of popular music.  And Rosetta Tharpe is unlikely to have much, if any name recognition outside of serious musicologists or the boomer generation who lived through the British blues explosion of the 60s.  This applies even more in the case of the little known Marie Knight.  Secondly, it’s a dialogue intense two handed play (writer – George Brant) with music, rather than being predominantly music with a few spoken word links.  

In keeping with an inspirational story of black female musicianship, this follows through to the classy four piece backing band (although musical supervisor Liam Godwin was on piano for press night). 

Sister Rosetta Tharpe (1915–1973) was a pioneering gospel singer and electric guitarist, and cared little for convention by moving between spiritual and secular (eg Cotton Club) settings.  She is credited with influencing the likes of Presley, Cash and Little Richard.  Her 1945 hit “Strange Things Happening Every Day” (performed in the show) is considered the first rock ‘n’ roll record.  It seems grossly unjust that such a ground breaking star often referred to as the “Godmother of Rock and Roll” or the “original soul sister” is largely a forgotten figure today.  This hit-in-waiting play should help rectify that.

Marie Knight (1920–2009) started as a gospel singer in a vocal group called The Sunset Four before rising in prominence after teaming up with Rosetta in the mid-1940s.  Possessing a powerful contralto voice she caught Rosetta’s attention whilst performing on a Mahalia Jackson bill.  Like a canny football manager, she moved quickly to recruit her before Jackson, another powerful gospel presence, could.  Together, Rosetta and Marie performed gospel duets with strong blues and R&B influences, producing hits like Up Above My Head (also featured in the show). 

The play opens in Mississippi 1946.  Rosetta (played by Beverley Knight) and Marie (played by Ntombizodwa Ndlovu) are getting to know each other in one of the most unusual settings you are likely to see – a funeral parlour including a coffin, illuminated cross and shrouds which hide the band members (set designer – Lily Arnold).  The funeral home is used for rehearsal and as a place to sleep after the show, black performers not being allowed into hotels in the American south.

In the course of 100 engrossing minutes (no interval) of wonderfully natural, often hilarious imagined conversation, punctuated by some of the most uplifting music there is, we get to know their respective back stories, philosophies and hang ups.  Even though Rosetta is only a few years older than Marie, she has a depth of experience, self belief and focus to have a definite vision for their future.  

After they each demonstrate their vocal prowess – Rosetta (Knight) with This Train and Marie (Ndlovu) with the gorgeously sung Were You There, they start to iron out how to perform together in amusing detail.  Rosetta generously mentors Marie in her role as collaborator – from how to swing her hips to “you’re not my back up little sister, you’re my and” – as in Rosetta and Marie.  “Keep that up for too long and it’ll be Marie and Rosetta”.  This ends up in the first full blooded duet with Rosetta and Marie combining fabulously in audience favourite Didn’t It Rain.  “Mahalia gonna be mad…”

As streetwise Rosetta surprisingly declares she can’t be doing with the commercial side of things and asks Marie to look after the money, the conversation takes another hilarious turn to useless and occasionally violent men – “squirrels” in Rosetta parlance, as in “squirrelling my money away for a rainy day”. “Preachers – they’s the worst squirrels there is…”  This leads to a rocking duet I Want a Tall Skinny Papa.

This was followed by possibly the standout moment of the evening as Rosetta (Knight) sang I Looked Down the Line accompanied only by music director Shirley Tetteh’s funk guitar having stepped out of her booth into the spotlight with Rosetta.

Then in quick succession we have the fully functioning duo tearing it up with Up Above My Head, and Strange Things Are Happening Everyday.

At this point, events take a strange turn as we suddenly understand that Rosetta has died and Marie Knight has been mentally reminiscing about their time together and agonising over the lack of recognition, presumably on the occasion of Rosetta’s death in 1973.  Arguably, the true progenitor of rock and roll ended up in an unmarked grave in Philadelphia, a headstone eventually being erected in 2009.  The play concludes with Marie (Ndlovu)’s beautifully soulful Peace in the Valley.

Overall, the thrilling Marie and Rosetta is a triumph.  It showcases sheer excellence from the whole production team.  Brant’s dialogue is brilliantly written and superbly delivered, although with the actors speaking in authentic sounding but heavy southern US accents, it was tricky at first to pick up all of the speech.  Direction by Monique Touko is first rate, whilst the singing and music accompaniment is non pareil.  We’ve come to expect Beverley Knight MBE to perform at the highest level, but I have to especially commend Ntombizodwa Ndlovu on a truly sparkling performance.

Soho Theatre – until 24 May 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

5*****

When I was offered a press ticket for Meow Meow, I jumped at the chance to see this incredible force of nature live again. Once seen, never forgotten.

With It’s Come to This, Meow Meow muses both on her career and the state of the world, mixing her chaotic comedy with darker political commentary. After performing on grand stages like the frequently mentioned Carnegie Hall, Meow Meow riffs on the joke that Soho Theatre is a major letdown brilliantly as she makes her chaotic entrance and has to set up the stage herself. Of course, she stages her entrance again with the front row adoringly throwing roses at her, resplendent in a stunning black ballgown with amazing hair.

Advertising as an “international singing sensation and purr-fect post pandemic, post-post-modern Superstar” seems hyperbole, but it could be an understatement here. Meow Meow’s storytelling, through her comedy and her singing, is simply astonishing. With a gorgeously expressive and controlled voice, songs ranging from the Weimar era to Radiohead are performed with passion and charisma, accompanied by Ben Dawson on piano – the calm in the eye of the onstage storm.

There is unhinged comedy and audience interaction – no one is safe as Meow Meow prowls the audience looking for victims – and their belongings. And, of course, she crowd-surfs. In a ballgown and stilettoes. Up steeply raked seating. Hilarious and terrifying.

Music from the era when fascism was on the rise in the 1920s and 30s hits harder now, and stories about the survival of art, philosophical ideas and the angel of history, are shared with the audience. Meow Meow asks if any of us have any answers to stop history repeating but doesn’t offer any. Instead, the show reminds us that amongst the despair and anger at the politics and aggression around us, creativity endures to connect and share beauty and joy, even in the darkest hour.

A sublime show from a true superstar.

Kings Theatre Portsmouth – until 10 May 2025

Reviewed By Lucy Hitchcock

4****

CCADS have done it again, this time bringing you the ultimate feel good evening as you join four ladies reliving their childhood dreams of meeting ‘The Band’!

Written by Tim Firth, with well known hits from ‘Take That’, director John-Paul McCrohon has taken the script and made a fabulous production of this musical. Following the story of Rachel (Kerry McCrohon) as she wins a competition to see ‘The Band’-who she was once obsessed with-she invites her three best friends from school along with her, Heather (Kat Millmore-Davies) Zoe, (Caroline Westmorland) and Claire (Kim Seagrove). Together, they reunite after 25 years and along the way discover why they mean so much to each other and their friendship is allowed to Shine! Each of these women were fantastic, giving beautiful moments of humour and sadness to their characters with such ease and accompanied by their fabulous vocals.

The stand out for me was Kim Seagrove as Claire, she was so beautifully poignant with her storyline and had me in tears as I felt myself fully emotionally connect to her character. The story starts with the younger version of the characters Keighley Smith, Jasmin Richardson, Charlotte Coqueral and Maisie Wallace playing Younger Rachel, Heather, Zoe and Claire respectively. These girls were brilliant, completely immersing themselves in the childlike giddiness everyone can relate to at hearing or seeing their favourite band play on tv and radio.

A special mention to Danielle Cox as Debbie-their friend from school who can no longer join them in their lives, but is ever present on stage as a forced reminder of their past. She was fabulous and really excelled in the role. However, my favourite cast member had to be Tony Dart, playing a vast range of roles and showing up for complete comedic effect-everytime he joined the stage the audience laughed at his one line quips.

The Band, known also as ‘The Boys’ were played by Paul Goldthorpe, Max Hunt, Christopher McCrohon, Chris Smith and Arthur Westmorland. They were great! As a quintet, their harmonies were nearly always perfect and showed such charisma and presence-I was enamoured with their ability to perfectly join the scene with music and not detract from the action on stage.

What are you waiting for to buy your tickets, it only takes a minute! I think I’ve said it all, so get online, have a little patience and never forget that this could be the greatest day of your life!