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Olivier Awards unveils new Headline and Broadcast Partners for 50^th anniversary 

·         Cunard becomes Headline Partner of the Olivier Awards, elevating their existing partnership with the UK’s most prestigious theatre event 

·         The ceremony will air in a prime-time slot on the BBC, serving as this year’s Broadcast Partner 

OlivierAwards.com 

Wednesday 14 January, 11am: Today, the Olivier Awards unveils partnerships for 2026, including Cunard as new Headline Partner for the event, and the BBC as Broadcast Partner. The ceremony will take place on Sunday 12 April and will mark the 50^th anniversary of the awards, which were established in 1976.  

As Headline Partner, Cunard further strengthens its long-standing connection with world-class theatre and commitment to supporting the arts, prevalent both on board their ships and ashore. Cunard takes the wonder of the West End to the open ocean, both through its core on-board entertainment programme which includes the Olivier Award-winning Come From Away (2019 Best New Musical winner) and Pride And Prejudice* (*Sort Of) (2022 Best Entertainment or Comedy Play winner), and through its dedicated London Theatre at Sea voyages, offering guests exclusive performances from leading talent and sharing behind-the-curtain secrets of the Olivier Awards. Additionally, Cunard gives its name to the Cunard Best New Musical award, marking a new phase for this prestigious partnership. 

Katie McAlister, President of Cunard, said: 

“Cunard has long celebrated the very best in art, culture and exceptional entertainment experiences, and we are incredibly proud to be the Headline Partner of the Olivier Awards – the UK’s most prestigious stage honours. This partnership reflects our shared passion for outstanding performance, storytelling, and British heritage, both on land and at sea.” 

For its 50^th year, the Olivier Awards will be televised in a prime-time slot on the BBC on Sunday 12 April. The programme will be delivered in partnership with Penny Lane Entertainment, producers of numerous event specials across music, comedy and entertainment. The BBC will also broadcast a special episode of Bargain Hunt, featuring a cast of previous Olivier Award nominated and winning contestants, and a look behind the scenes at an iconic West End theatre. 

Kash Bennett, President of the Society of London Theatre, said: 

“I am thrilled that the Olivier Awards are working with the BBC for our 50^th anniversary and that Cunard, stalwart champions of London theatre, will be our Headline Partner. These prestigious partnerships enable us to shine a spotlight on the best of London theatre and the vitality of arts and culture.” 

As part of exciting plans for 2026, the Olivier Awards with Cunard will be celebrating the crucial role that UK theatre plays as an incubator of talent, linking past winners and nominees with the local venues that inspired and nurtured them. A brand-new partnership with The Observer will offer enhanced coverage of the nominations and events surrounding the awards, including an exclusive series of nominee portraits.  

The prestigious Nominees’ Celebration will take place at The Londoner (Official Hotel Partner), where nominees will enjoy an afternoon tea, with a drinks reception provided by Piper-Heidsieck, who are returning as Official Champagne Partner, and celebration partner Famille Perrin. Alongside Cunard as Headline Partner, the Olivier Awards has secured additional partners including Audi, returning as Official Car Partner, Edmunds Cocktails, The Ivy, and Fortnum & Mason, to enhance this year’s ceremony and associated events. 

Tickets for the Olivier Awards 2026 with Cunard are now on sale to the public, available at RoyalAlbertHall.com.  

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#OlivierAwards 

SALLY ANN MATTHEWS

JOINS THE CAST OF THE

UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF

HERE & NOW

FROM 23 JANUARY 2026

The producers of the UK and Ireland tour and WhatsOnStage Award-nominated musical HERE & NOW, presented by UK pop sensation, Steps, are delighted to announce that Coronation Street star Sally Ann Matthews will take over the role of Patricia from 23 January 2026. Sally takes over the role from originator Finty Williams who finished her run in December 2025.

Sally Ann Matthews is best known for playing the role of Jenny Bradley in ITV’s Coronation Street. She joined the show in 1986 through to 1991, she returned for a brief return in 1993 before coming back as a regular in 2015 staying with the show until October 2025. Outside of the role that spanned 39 years Sally has starred in various theatre productions including: Mum’s The Word (UK Tour), The Business of Murder (UK Tour), Present Laughter (UK Tour), Killing Time (UK Tour) and The Accrington Pals (Bolton Octagon).

Her other TV and film credits include: Murdered by My Boyfriend (BBC), The 4 O’Clock Club (BBC), My Mad Fat Diary (Channel 4), EastEnders (BBC), Being Human (BBC), Song for Marion (Steel Mill Pictures) and Brassed Off (Miramax Films).

Sally joins Lara Denning as Caz, Jacqui Dubois as Vel, Blake Patrick Anderson as Robbie, Rosie Singha as Neeta, River Medway as Jem, Chris Grahamson as Gareth, Edward Baker-Duly as Max, Ben Darcy as Ben, John Stacey as Lesley and Lauren Woolf as Tracey.

The cast is completed by Georgia Christofi, Kade Ferraiolo, Albert Green, Harry Jack, Casey Jay, Charlie-Jay Johnson, Rosemary Annabella Nkrumah, Dean Rickards, Markus Södergren, Genevieve Taylor and Jessica Vaux.

Jack Palmer (Mary & George, Sky; Better Man, Partizan) also joins the show as Off Stage Swing.

Featuring Steps’ most beloved hit songs, HERE & NOW has an original book by Shaun Kitchener and is produced by the band and ROYO with Pete Waterman. It is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with choreography by Olivier Award-winning Matt Cole and Matt Spencer-Smith as musical supervisor, orchestrator and arranger.

It’s Friday night and the vibe is right as Caz and her fabulous friends dream of the perfect summer of love. But when Caz discovers her ‘happy ever after’ is a lie, and the gang’s attempts at romance are a total tragedy, they wonder – will love ever get a hold on their hearts? Or should they all just take a chance on a happy ending…

Steps (Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee) are the UK’s most successful mixed sex pop group of all time, with 14 top five singles, 4 number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams & 11 sold-out national arena tours under their belts. The band’s hits include #1 singles Tragedy/Heartbeat and Stomp, the gold certified One For Sorrow & Better Best Forgotten, the silver certified 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold On My Heart, Chain Reaction, all of which will feature in the musical alongside many more.

Steps’ 2017 comeback tour sold out all 300,000 tickets, making it one of the biggest pop tours of the year. The band have since continued to release new music including two further iTunes #1 singles, the Sia-penned What The Future Holds in 2020 and the Michelle Visage duet Heartbreak In This City in 2022. In 2022 Steps celebrated their 25th anniversary with a headline summer tour and released the #1 album Platinum Collection which means they join ABBA, Rolling Stones and Stereophonics as the only groups in UK history to score #1 albums in four consecutive decades.

Musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Matt Spencer-Smith, set design by Tom Rogers, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Adam Fisher, wigs and hair design by Sam Cox, make-up design by Jackie Saundercock, casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting, Music Technology by Phij Adams and Production Management by Setting Line.

Website: TheStepsMusical.com

Instagram: @TheStepsMusical

X: @TheStepsMusical

TikTok: @TheStepsMusical

Facebook: @TheStepsMusicalUK

2025/26 TOUR SCHEDULE

20– 24 January 2026                        Southampton Mayflower Theatre                                                                       02380 711811

                                                           www.mayflower.org.uk                                    

27 – 31 January                                 Belfast Grand Opera House

                                                           www.goh.co.uk                                                

3 – 7 February                                   Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre

                                                           www.wmc.org.uk                                             

10 – 15 February                               York Grand Opera House

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/York                                

17 – 22 February                               Oxford New Theatre

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Oxford                             

24 February – 1 March                      Edinburgh Playhouse

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Edinburgh                       

10 – 15 March                                    Wolverhampton Grand                                                                                       01902 42 92 12

                                                          www.grandtheatre.co.uk                                 

24 – 29 March                                    Theatre Royal Plymouth                                                                                     01752 267 222

                                                           www.theatreroyal.com                               

31 March – 4 April                              Milton Keynes Theatre

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/milton-keynes-theatre       

8 – 12 April                                         Blackpool Opera House                                                                                     0844 770 0593*

                                                           www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk                

14 – 19 April                                       Norwich Theatre Royal                                                                                       01603 630 000

                                                           www.norwichtheatre.org                                  

21 – 26 April                                       Hull New Theatre                                                                                                 01482 300 306

                                                           www.hulltheatres.co.uk                                   

28 April – 3 May                                 Leicester Curve                                                                                                   0116 242 3595

                                                           www.curveonline.co.uk                                   

5 – 10 May                                         Leeds Grand Theatre                                                                                          0113 243 0808

                                                           www.leedsheritagetheatres.com                     

12 – 16 May                                       Canterbury Marlowe Theatre                                                                             01227 787787

                                                            www.marlowetheatre.com

SIX THE MUSICAL

NEW QUEENS ASCEND THE THRONE!

AS SIX CONTINUES TO REIGN SUPREME AT THE VAUDEVILLE

SMASH-HIT WEST END SHOW NOW BOOKING UNTIL JANUARY 2027

The producers of Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’s award-winning global smash hit SIX are delighted to reveal the new Queens who will take up their crowns in the West End from Tuesday 24 February, as the home-grown musical sensation continues its run at the Vaudeville Theatre, now booking until January 2027.

Adrianne Langley (Titanique – Criterion Theatre; Twist and Shout – UK Tour) will play ‘Catherine of Aragon’, while Marisha Morgan (Tina – West End; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – UK Tour; Anyone Can Whistle – Southwark Playhouse) joins the Queendom as ‘Anne Boleyn’. Jessica Aubrey (Wicked – West End; Titanique – Lido Paris; But I’m A Cheerleader – Turbine Theatre) as ‘Jane Seymour’, with Freya Karlettis (Play On! – UK Tour; Hairspray; The Lion King) as ‘Anna of Cleves’, Leesa Tulley (Why Am I So Single – Garrick Theatre; SIX – UK Tour) as ‘Katherine Howard’, and Nia Stephen (&Juliet – UK Tour; The Enormous Crocodile – Regent’s Park) will make her West End debut as ‘Catherine Parr’.

They are joined by Tegan Bannister (Oliver! – Gielgud Theatre & Chichester; I Should Be So Lucky – UK Tour; Les Misérables – West End & UK Tour) as Alternate ‘Aragon/Cleves’, Mary Elliott as Alternate ‘Boleyn/Howard’, and Ashlyn Weekes (Dear Evan Hansen – Asia Tour; Starlight Express – Wembley Park; The Royal Variety Performance 2024) as Alternate ‘Seymour/Parr’. The company is completed by Super Swings Laura Baxter, who is continuing from the 2025 cast in which she made her professional and West End debut, Gabs Boumford (SIX – Australasian Tour; Grease – Dubai Opera) and Imogen Rose Hart (Hamilton – UK Tour; A Chorus Line – Leicester Curve & Sadler’s Wells; Your Lie in April – Theatre Royal Drury Lane).

The band features Ladies in Waiting Beth Jerem as Musical Director/Keys, Alice Angliss on Drums, Emma Jemima on Guitar, Kelly Morris on Bass, and Annabelle Lee Revak as Assistant Musical Director.

Think you know the six Wives of Henry VIII? Think again…

Prepare to lose your head and experience the Tudor Wives’ lives as they turn back the clock and take to the stage to reclaim their crowns and retell their stories of love, loss and the infamous ex they all have in common.

Join Aragon, Boleyn, Seymour, Cleves, Howard and Parr, backed by their fierce on-stage band, the Ladies in Waiting, and Get Down to a royal retelling of the sassiest story in British Her-story.

SIX is written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, with direction by Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage. Choreography is by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, with set design by Emma Bailey, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Tim Deiling, sound design by Paul Gatehouse, musical orchestration by Tom Curran, and musical supervision by Joe Beighton, and casting by Pearson Casting.

SIX is produced by Kenny Wax, Wendy & Andy Barnes and George Stiles.

This newly announced company follows a remarkable period of international celebration for the musical. Autumn 2025 saw SIX welcome its original Japanese Queens for a special one-week residency at the Vaudeville Theatre, where the production was performed entirely in Japanese with English captions — a UK first. The residency drew both critical and audience acclaim, reaffirming the show’s global resonance and its deepening relationship with international audiences.

2025 also saw the launch of the SIX the Musical Afternoon Tea at The Soho Hotel, a limited-edition collaboration running through to February 2026. Featuring pastries inspired by each Queen, the experience offers audiences another way to immerse themselves in the world of SIX ahead of seeing the musical in the West End.

Winner of over 35 international awards, including two 2022 Tony Awards, four WhatsOnStage awards, and nominated for five Oliviers, SIX can also be seen live on stage worldwide: as well as London’s West End, the show continues to tour the UK and throughout Europe and internationally. Seasons in Manila and Singapore have recently been completed, and 2026 sees a new Australasian Tour opening in July, a new Spanish language production opening in Madrid in September, as well as tours to Netherlands, Germany and Asia.

SIX is currently playing at Broadway’s Lena Horne Theatre, the tour continues to play cities throughout the US. In 2024, the show both achieved 1.5million followers globally – across YouTube, Instagram, X, TikTok and Facebook in the UK, US, Australia, Korea and beyond – and hit another milestone achievement, with SIX the Musical (UK Studio Cast Recording) and the Grammy Award®-nominated SIX: LIVE ON OPENING NIGHT (the first Original Broadway Cast Recording ever recorded live on opening night) songs having been streamed in excess of 5.2 billion times.

Tickets to all international productions of SIX are available via sixthemusical.com

Social media:

Facebook: sixthemusical

Twitter: @sixthemusical

Instagram: @sixthemusical

www.sixthemusical.com

RABBLE Theatre

Powerful play about the Post Office Scandal headed to

Doncaster Cast

Glitch – The True Story of the Post Office Scandal

Written by Zannah Kearns

Directed by Gareth Taylor

A new play about the Post Office scandal is headed to Doncaster Cast this coming February. Glitch – The True Story of the Post Office Scandal, will be in the theatre on 25th February as part of a UK national tour.

“We are very pleased to be bringing Glitch to Cast, Doncaster. Although tragic, this is an inspiring contemporary story of one woman’s courageous fight against deep corruption. Having worked so closely by people directly affected by the awful events, we are proud and determined to keep the story in the public eye.” Toby Davies, Artistic Director and Founder of RABBLE Theatre.

RABBLE Theatre created Glitch with sub-postmistress Pam Stubbs, who worked tirelessly to prove not just her own innocence in the Horizon scandal, but that of thousands of others.

The play featuresNaveed Khan, who returns to Doncaster, having performed in the theatre’s 59 Minutes to Save Christmas back in 2013. Naveed trained at The Oxford School of Drama. He will be playing the roles of David, Daljit, Green and Sir Alan Bates.

Theatre – Tamburlaine, Buddha of Suburbia and Tartuffe (RSC), Pitcairn (Shakespeare’s Globe, Chichester Festival Theatre & Out of Joint), Parlour Song (Greenwich Theatre), A Thousand Splendid Suns (Birmingham REP), Around the World in 80 Days (Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds),  Paradise of the Assassins (Tara Arts), Darknet (Southwark Playhouse) 59 Minutes to Save Christmas (The Barbican & Slung Low), Flood – To The Sea & Flood – Abundance (Slung Low & BBC), The Trial (Watford Palace Theatre), Pioneer and After the Rainfall (Curious Directive).

 TV  – QuarterLife (Amazon Prime), Black Ops (BBC), The Cleaner (BBC),Ludwig (BBC), Generation Z (All3Media International), Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes (ITV), This City is Ours, (LeftBank), Sex Education (Netflix),  Breeders (Sky), Not Going Out (BBC), Tell Me Everything(ITV), Living in Fear (Sky), Humans (Channel 4), Electric Dreams (Channel 4), Hold the Sunset (BBC), Josh (BBC), Birds of a Feather(ITV), River (BBC) and The Catherine Tate Show (BBC).

Feature Film – Bridget Jones – Mad About the Boy (Universal), Fuze (Sigma Films), Death on the Nile (20th Century Studios), Between The Lights (Laal Blue Dot), Northern Comfort (Good Chaos), What’s love got to do with it? (Instinct), Body of Water (BFI & BBC Films), Survivor (Millennium Films),Second Coming (BFI/Film4).

Joanne Howarth will play the leading role of Pam Stubbs, the sub-postmistress of Barkham wrongly accused of stealing tens of thousands of pounds. Joanne was in RABBLE’s The Last Abbot of Reading. She is a ‘Shakespeare’s Globe’ Associate Artist where she worked on 5 seasons of Shakespeare and The Crucible last year and has been in 11 shows for the RSC, recently as Margaret Thatcher in Falkland Sound. Joanne started her career at The Wolsey, Ipswich and has played many places on the ‘Glitch’ tour including The Importance of Being Ernest in Chester, Our Lady of Blundellsands in Liverpool, and Henry V in Scarborough.  Other favourites this millennium include Told By An Idiot’s You Can’t Take It With You at The Royal Exchange Manchester, Parliament Square there and at The Bush, Goodnight Mr Tom in the West End, King Lear with Glenda Jackson at The Old Vic and The Pull of Negative Gravity at 59E59st Off-Broadway. Television includes Wallander, Grange Hill, Spooks, It’s A Sin, Call the Midwife and EastEnders.

Sabina Netherclift will be playing the roles of Kay Linnell, Swift, Hilary and others. She trained with Jacques Lecoq in Paris and has worked extensively as a performer, movement director and director. Her acting credits include Glitch stage 1 and Off the Block (RABBLE Theatre), The Great British Bump Off (South Street Arts Centre), The Red Ladies, The Feast During the Plague, The Overcoat (Clod Ensemble), and The Nativity (Young Vic). On screen, she has appeared in Doctors (BBC) and The Rise and Fall of Ancient Rome (BBC).

She co-founded Filament Theatre, alongside composer Osnat Schmool, and is a resident artist at South Street Arts Centre. Sabina lectures at GSA and is a regular teacher for RABBLE Theatre’s participation programme.

Playing Nora, Tracey, Jan, Judge is Laura Penneycard. For RABBLE, Laura has been involved in various development projects, Off The Block new writing festival and the radio production of Who Killed Alfred Oliver?. She has been involved in Glitch from the very beginning.

Laura graduated from The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama 2002. Theatre credits include The Mousetrap, Firework Maker’s Daughter, Master and Margarita directed by Blanche McIntyre & Of Good Report chronicling the work of Spike Milligan & co. She has toured with Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Bristol Old Vic, Birmingham Stage, Yellow Coat Theatre, Queens Theatre Hornchurch, Torch Theatre, Rosa Productions, Greenham Trust and ACT Productions. 

TV & film credits include Doc Martin and multiple historical horrors.

Glitch is written by Zannah Kearns and directed by RABBLE associate artist, Gareth Taylor. Dramaturgy is by RABBLE associate artist, Beth Flintoff who is also associate playwright at the Royal Court Theatre. Sound and Music Composition is by RABBLE Associate Artist, Benjamin Hudson whilst lighting design is from Oliver Welsh. Set and costume design is by Caitlin Abbot.

The tour spans the majority of England and even into Wales, near the post office of Sir Alan Bates.

The play was originally commissioned by the University of Reading and based on an original idea by Elizabeth Conaghan. It was created in association with legal professionals and victims of the story and first produced in June 2024 at Minghella Studios, University of Reading.

For further information and to learn how the production was created, please visit https://rabbletheatre.com/glitch/.

Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 17th January 2026

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

4****

Sherlock Holmes – we all know him. Right? Well, maybe…

Tonight’s story revolves around familiar enough themes from the Holmesian books – stolen plans, spies, some juicy murders… Principally, this original story from the pen of Nick Lane straddles the period between Holmes dismantling Moriarty’s criminal network and the famous scene at the end of “The Final Problem” at the Reichenbach Falls.

It’s immediately obvious this production is revelling in the unfamiliar, since none of the normal habitues of Baker Street are following the common template. For instance, Holmes doesn’t have slicked back hair, there’s no deerstalker or pipe and this is quite a young depiction. Maybe that’s just my impression from the energetic portrayal from leading man Mark Knightley, who gives the character his all in thrilling fashion with emotional scenes, action sequences and more. Everyone has their own favourite iteration of the great detective – so taking on this monumental character must be a rather poisoned chalice – bravo, therefore, for a genuinely enjoyable reading.

Tonight’s Dr Watson isn’t the bumbling buffoon of Rathbone’s era, nor the slightly exasperated, rather vanilla depiction of the Sherlock TV series. Instead, Ben Owora, gives us a nicely rounded characterization. Slightly matter of fact (although this was a professional in the Victorian Era so…). All in all a fine portrayal.

The rest of the cast play varied and diverse roles. Quite a feat producing such variety with just subtle clothing, voice and mannerism changes. Each had their highlight but my favourite was Robbie Capaldi’s Roland Smith whose deadpan lugubriousness was a sheer delight! Pippa Caddick’s Irene Adler was powerful and gave Holmes some deep emotional waters to negotiate. Eliot Giuralarocca entertained with the marvelously officious government lacky Henry Petty-Fizmaurice. Last, but by no means least, was Gavin Molloy’s Moriarty – all the more sinister in his normality, with plenty of delicious, hateful thuggery along the way. Wonderful acting from one and all!

As I mentioned, there was plenty for Holmes buffs to nod knowingly at via allusions to famous cases like “A Scandal in Bohemia” and “The Bruce-Partington Plans”. There was liberal use of London landmarks (as Conan Doyle was wont to do). I also really appreciated the running joke about Holmes violin playing – straight from the pages of the original tomes. Some may find such an involved Mrs Hudson a bit jarring, but this worked for me as Pippa brought a real zest and zeal to the character.

I do feel that the play was a tad long – although the second half picked up the pace and was all the better for it. Sadly, I never quite got that lovely Holmesian explanation of his detective method nor Watson’s attempts at the same, falling short of the mark. Basically, there was little interrogation of Holmes’s method, which was a pity.

That said, the finale’s interplay between Holmes and Moriarty regarding the nature of power and politics and the very final moments of the play (which I won’t spoil, for those who wish to see it) made the price of admission well worthwhile – even on a wintery, January night.

PLAYHOUSE THEATRE, LIVERPOOL – UNTIL 17TH JANUARY 2026

REVIEWED BY MIA BOWEN

5*****

Last night, I had the immense pleasure of delving into the intriguing, clue-filled world of Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts at the Playhouse. Given the packed theatre, it was clear that I was among many who had spent decades solving mysteries from the comfort of their own sofas. Although I’m not particularly well-versed in the ITV series, I discovered that a deep understanding of Morse isn’t necessary to appreciate this production—just a love for clever mysteries, sharp dialogue, and the occasional theatrical ego meltdown.

This first-ever stage adaptation of the iconic detective immerses Morse and Lewis in a delightfully meta whodunnit surrounding the mysterious on-stage death of a young actress named Ophelia. As the investigation progresses, it intertwines with sinister events from Morse’s own past, occurring 25 years earlier. This connection prompts moments of self-reflection amid a theatrical realm filled with actors, secrets, and a magnificently domineering director—complete with an abundance of twists, turns, and red herrings.

The cast is outstanding across the board, making it genuinely challenging to highlight individual performances. Charlotte Randle, as Verity, was particularly impressive—exuding brilliance on stage while delivering gloriously exaggerated, dramatic portrayals of acting with impeccable timing. Spin Glancy as Justin fully embraced the over-the-top melodrama, providing hilarious moments that were thoroughly enjoyable in the best way possible.

At the core of the narrative are the detectives themselves. Tom Chambers as Inspector Morse and Tachia Newall as DS Lewis have a terrific rapport, demonstrating an effortless chemistry that grounds the play and lends significant weight to the mystery. Their partnership is sharp, engaging, and a pleasure to witness as they navigate both the crime and the chaos of the theatrical world surrounding them.

The design elements deserve particular commendation. Colin Richmond, responsible for both set and costume design, has crafted a wonderfully versatile stage that transitions seamlessly from crime scene to pub to police station and back to the stage itself. The movement of props on and off the stage is slick and seamless, maintaining the story’s momentum without ever disrupting the audience’s immersion. It’s a clever, fluid, and immensely effective design.

Even as a novice to Morse, it was impossible not to recognise the significance of the character’s legacy. After all, this is the series that Radio Times readers voted as the greatest British crime drama of all time in 2018 and which ranked 42nd on the British Film Institute’s list of the 100 Greatest British Television Programmes. Fortunately, Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts more than lives up to this reputation, offering classic Morse intelligence with a playful theatrical twist.

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 17 January 2026

Reviewed by Gemma Gibson

4 ****

Football and theatre are both quintessentially England, so it is exciting to see worlds collide with James Graham’s new and uplifting play, Dear England.

Dear England is the story of Gareth Southgate’s revolutionary journey as manager for England, and how he used his eight years in post to not only help bring football home, but transform the culture and mindset of the team and make England smile again.

With the England men’s team suffering loss after loss, as well as the penalties curse, it is up to Southgate to take on what is deemed the impossible job and bring the team to glory.

The casting for this play was key and it did not disappoint, with all the familiar football faces brought to life. From the furrowed brow on the pitch to the iconic waistcoat, David Sturzaker does a brilliant job taking on the role of Southgate, performing his personality and mannerisms with ease and charm.

Team captain Harry Kane (played by Oscar Gough), Marcus Rashford (Jayden Hanley), Jordan Pickford (Jack Maddison); all the team is there and skilfully interpreted by the cast, making the audience on opening night smile and remember these key players with warmth. Playing team psychologist Pippa Grange, Samantha Womack is refreshing, bringing the required calm and grounded energy to the role.

Caricature cameos from Gary Lineker (Ian Kirkby), plus a few older sport personalities and a politician or two, adds moments of both realism and humour to the story.

The best part for me was, of course, the football matches. How the cast approaches these scenes (without a football!), alongside the set, sound and music providing an electric stadium feel, you are teleported right back to the iconic moments of 2018, 2021, 2022 and 2024. I really felt I was there, reliving the action.

While the play takes you seamlessly through a world of football chants, training, pep talks, and matches, I was pleased this story also includes the wider issues and themes of its time. From navigating Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic, to the power of social media and Black Lives Matter, these were important parts of Southgate and the team’s legacy and are expertly woven into the story, proving that football isn’t just a sport.

The set for this play is simple but effective, alternating between pitch and locker room as quick as a wink. 

This is a thought-provoking production that shines a light on the successes and struggles of the England team, making you laugh, sing and go quiet in all the right places. Most importantly this play is a love letter to England, a country with football and community at its very heart.

You do not need to be a football fan to enjoy this entertaining story of triumph, loss and nostalgia. And, if you are a football fan, swap out the stadium for the theatre one evening to watch Dear England. 

FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE TOUR OF WEST END AND INTERNATIONAL SMASH HIT MUSICAL THE CHOIR OF MAN – OPENING AT THE NEW THEATRE WIMBLEDON SATURDAY 14 MARCH

THE JUNGLE CHOIR COMMUNITY PROJECT – NEW TOURING INITIATIVE REVEALED, INVITING LOCAL CHOIRS TO TAKE PART IN EVERY CITY

The producers of the Olivier Award-nominated international smash hit musical THE CHOIR OF MAN today announce full casting for the show’s first ever UK & Ireland Tour, opening at New Wimbledon Theatre on Saturday 14 March 2026. Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award-nominated worldwide smash hit will take The Jungle to audiences across the country and Ireland with tickets on sale now for dates through to December 2026.  The producers are also delighted to announce, The Jungle Choir Community Project, a new nationwide initiative inviting local choirs to take part in the production on opening night in every touring city.

Set in on-stage pub The Jungle, THE CHOIR OF MAN is the best trip to your local you’ll ever have. Here, a cast of nine (extra)ordinary guys combine beautiful harmonies and foot-stomping singalongs with world-class tap dance and soulful storytelling.

The UK & Ireland Tour cast will feature Gustav Melbardis as ‘Maestro’ (Choir of Man NCL, Rent), Oluwalonimi (Nimi) Owoyemi as ‘Poet’ (The Second Woman, Young Vic, The Wind in the Willows, Shakespeare North Playhouse), Levi Tyrell Johnson as ‘Hard Man’ (Choir of Man, West End, Hamilton, UK & Ireland tour), Ben Mabberley as ‘Joker’ (Calamity Jane, UK tour, Blood Brothers, UK tour), Rob Godfrey as ‘Beast’ (Choir of Man, West End & US tour), Jack Skelton as ‘Handyman’ (My Fair Lady, Curve, Aladdin, Wolverhampton Grand), Joshua Lloyd as ‘Barman’ (Chicago, The Lion King, UK & Ireland tours), Sam Walter as ‘Romantic’ (Choir of Man, West End, Kinky Boots, NCL) and Aaron Pottenger as ‘Bore’ (Choir of Man, NCL, Ragtime), with Sam Ebenezer (Choir of Man, West End, The Mousetrap, West End), Jared Leathwood (Choir of Man, West End, Billionaire Boy, UK tour), Niall Woodson (Choir of Man, West End, Frankie’s Guys, UK tour) and Lewis Dragisic (Choir of Man, West End, Twelfth Night, UK tour) as Swings.

Featuring hits from artists such as Queen, Luther Vandross, Sia, Paul Simon, Adele, Guns & Roses, Avicii and Katy Perry to name but a few, this uplifting celebration of community and friendship offers something for everyone – including free beer! This is feel-good, foot-stomping entertainment so good you’ll want to come back and see it again and again.

The Jungle Choir Community Project will involve a search for local choirs in each touring city, who will be invited to attend the opening night performance and take part in the final moments of the show. Participating choirs will be offered discounted tickets and rehearsal materials in advance and will be invited to experience the opening night performance as part of a wider celebration of music and community. Interested choirs should email officeassistant@kennywax.com.  

Nic Doodson, Creator and Director said, “The Choir of Man has always been about individuality, generosity, humour and the joy of making music together, and this company embodies all of that. As we take the show around the UK and Ireland for the very first time, it felt vital to open the doors even wider and invite local choirs to quite literally raise their voices with us. Every city has its own musical heartbeat, and welcoming those voices into the show on opening night is a powerful reminder of why this piece exists: to celebrate community, connection and the extraordinary feeling of singing together.”

THE CHOIR OF MAN has previously played three sold-out seasons at the Sydney Opera House and multiple sold-out US and European tours. The show is currently on its fourth North American tour, playing in 45 cities until March 2026, with 68 shows including two residencies in West Palm Beach. THE CHOIR OF MAN’s West End journey at the Arts Theatre began in 2021 where it has enjoyed over 1000 performances with many sold-out shows and an Olivier award nomination for ‘Best Entertainment or Comedy Play’, before concluding its run on 4 January 2026.

THE CHOIR OF MAN is created by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay, directed by Nic Doodson, with musical supervision, vocal arrangements and orchestrations by Jack Blume, movement direction and choreography by Freddie Huddleston, monologues written by Ben Norris, scenic design by Oli Townsend, lighting design by Richard Dinnen, costume design and co-scenic design by Verity Sadler, sound design by Sten Severson, casting by Debbie O’Brien.

The UK Tour is produced by HH Productions, Nic Doodson, Andrew Kay, Global Creative and Kenny Wax – whose collective credits include award-winning shows Six the Musical, Bluey, The Play That Goes Wrong, 42 Balloons, Maddie Moate’s Very Curious Christmas, and many more.

Nottingham Concert Hall – until Wednesday 14 January 2026

Reviewed by Louise Ford

4****

Start the year with elegance, grace and romance.

The 2026 UK tour started in Manchester and finishes in Torquay in March. There are 23 venues throughout the UK and the program covers three of perhaps the most well known ballets, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker and Cinderella. In Nottingham there are two performances of Swan Lake and one of The Nutcracker. The production is by Raymond Gubbay Ltd.

The Varna International Ballet, based in Varna in Bulgaria, emerged from the Varna State Opera in 1948. The ballet troupe was developed by Galina and Stefan Yordanov  over a 25 year period. The world famous Varna International Ballet Competition was founded in 1964. The opera and ballet and theatre combined in 2010. The Artistic Director of the Varna Ballet is Sergei Bobrov, he has a long association with the company and has been their Chief Ballet Master since 2022.

Looking at the details of the company I was struck not only by how young they all are but also how international they are. The eldest is only 29! Their youthfulness gives a lightness and energy to the whole production.

The company is supported by their own orchestra which is conducted by Azat  Maksutov. The live orchestra is an absolute bonus for the production and really enhances the whole experience.

Swan Lake was composed by Tchaikovsky between 1875 and 1878. It was initially performed by the Bolshoi. Rather surprisingly it was initially deemed a failure as the music was considered too complex for a ballet. There was a posthumous revival in 1895 and the rest as they say is history. Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake was originally written as a romantic tragedy however over the years there have been many variations. In this performance we are treated to a happy ending with love conquering evil.

The stage at the Concert Hall is quite modern but with the clever use of rich colours, curtains and sets, it is transformed into a grand opera house. This is the perfect showcase for this traditional ballet. The curtains open and we see a backdrop which is a video screen or projection, this adds an extra dimension to the dancing on stage and lifts the whole production.

Swan Lake is a ballet in two acts; it is the story of a Princess (Odette performed by Andrea Conforti) who has been cursed by an evil sorcerer (Baron von Rothbart performed by Lorenzo Poggianti ) and turned into a swan. The opening scene is where we first meet Prince Siegfried (Timofei Fedotov), he is reading a story of the cursed princess, which is simultaneously projected onto the back drop.

We move away from the mysterious lake to the palace where a party is being held by the Prince and his friend Benno von Somerstein (performed by Pedro Solana). There is lots of carefree dancing and drinking and general high jinks. The party is interrupted by the arrival of Siegfried’s mother (performed by Veronica Juan). She dispairs about his carefree lifestyle and advises him that he must choose a bride at the upcoming ball.

Siegfried escapes to the quiet of the lake with his friend Benno, the two get separated and Siegfried meets the swan accompanied by her swan maidens (Maiju Marvaila and Mar Bestard Gaya ). The swans glide captivatingly  across the lake and one of them transforms into a human. Siegfried falls in love with Odette but by morning she transforms back into a swan.

Act two starts with the sumptuous ball in the palace . We meet the various suitors for Siegfried, the Hungarian bride (Maiju Marvaila), the Neapolitan bride (Aurora Damele), Spanish bride (Roberta Estrela) and the Polish bride (Bianca Lo Sacco). They all perform impressive solo dances which showcase their talents.

The jesters (Rebecca Grana, Alba Barrasa, Lucretia Mancinelli and Iris Gurabardhi), add a lightness and mischievous element to the stage

Siegfried dances with each of the potential suitors but he refuses to choose one as his bride. He is ceased by an anxious premonition and sees Odette amongst a group of black and white swans. But this is not Odette but Odile, the evil sourcerer’s daughter. Siegfried is captivated and chooses her as his bride. The deal is sealed by a ring placed on her finger by Siegfried.

Just before the proposal is blessed by his mother, Siegfried sees a white swan beating against the window and he realises his mistake. He runs from the palace towards the lake. There he sees a white swan surrounded by black swans, Siegfried rushes to her begging her forgiveness, but it seems too late. Odette is at the mercy of the evil sorcerer and can never be with Siegfried. The tension builds as a storm breaks over the lake. Odette prepares to die in the water when suddenly the waves engulf the evil sorcerer and Siegfried rescues Odette. The Prince and Odette are happy together as the swans dance on the lake by moonlight. The curse is lifted and they live happily ever after.

Sheffield Lyceum – until Saturday 17th January 2026

Reviewed by Claire Moore

5*****

The Rocky Horror Show tells the story of Brad and his fiancée Janet — two wholesome college sweethearts whose perfectly planned evening takes a very strange turn when their car breaks down outside a spooky mansion. What follows is an unforgettable encounter with the outrageously charismatic Dr Frank’n’Furter, and a night of mischief and corsets. It’s camp, chaotic, a little outrageous, and completely unapologetic about it.

As a Rocky Horror first-timer, I can’t lie — I was genuinely excited to finally experience the show that’s drawn over 35 million people to theatres since 1973, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. I was hooked from the very first number — Science Fiction/Double Feature — with the iconic usherette, brilliantly played by Laura Bird, setting the scene and pulling us straight into Rocky Horror’s wonderfully weird world. At its heart, Rocky Horror isn’t really about the plot at all — it’s about freedom, letting go of the rules, and giving yourself permission to be whoever you want to be for a couple of hours. It celebrates individuality in the loudest, sparkliest way possible.

The whole cast throw themselves into the madness with infectious energy, but Dr Frank’n’Furter, played in Sheffield by Stephen Webb (with Jason Donovan joining the tour in Liverpool, Eastbourne and Bristol), is the undeniable heartbeat of the show — commanding the stage with charisma, excess and just the right amount of danger. The contrast with the clean-cut innocence of Brad (James Bisp) and Janet (Haley Flaherty) is a joy to watch and provides many of the evening’s biggest laughs. Add in their outstanding voices and you have the perfect combination.

Nathan Caton also deserves a mention as the Narrator — his stage presence and comic timing earn him huge laughs throughout the night.

But what really makes this show work is the audience. Shouting back familiar lines, whooping at every entrance and turning the Lyceum into something closer to a late-night party than a traditional theatre — it just feels so good to be part of something so fun and it’s impossible not to get swept up in it all. And of course, there’s the Time Warp. That brought back a few memories of youth club discos, and it turns out I might still have the moves — as did everyone else in the theatre, who joined in with absolute enthusiasm.

I loved it and can’t think of a better way to brighten up a cold January evening. It definitely won’t be the last time I see it — and who knows, next time I might even dig out some fishnets.