CAMBRIDGE ARTS THEATRE ANNOUNCES NEW CHAIR FOR PROPERTY MANAGEMENT TRUST AND NEW CHAIR AND TRUSTEES FOR THEATRE MANAGEMENT TRUST
Cambridge Arts Theatre is delighted to announce the appointment of a new Chair to its Property Management Trust, as well as the appointment of a new Chair and a team of Trustees to its Theatre Management Trust.
In a significant move to support the ongoing success of the theatre as well as the planned improvements to the venue, Sir Richard Dearlove has been appointed as the new Chair of the Property Management Trust. A former Master of Pembroke College Cambridge and former Chief of The Secret Intelligence Service, Sir Richard Dearlove brings valuable expertise and a vision to the role, ensuring that the theatre’s development continues to be managed with the utmost care and efficiency.
Nigel Hugill (CEO of Master Developer, Urban&Civic, Chair of Centre for Cities, former Chair of The Royal Shakespeare Company, and Board Member of the London School of Economics) has been named the new Chair of the Theatre Management Trust to replace the outgoing Ian Mather, who is stepping down after 15 incredible years on the board, including 10 years as Chair. Nigel Hugill will bring a wealth of experience as well as a passion for the arts, which will support the venue’s ambitions for broader community participation and continue Cambridge Arts Theatre’s dedication to bringing the best in live performance to the region.
Nigel Hugill will be joined by a group of new Trustees, Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz (former Cambridge University Vice Chancellor, Chairman of Diamond Light Source Ltd, Trustee of Wolfson Foundation and former Chair of Cancer Research UK), Elizabeth Newman (Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, former Artistic Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Kate Pakenham (Independent Producer and consultant, former Executive Director at Donmar Warehouse), Charles Prideaux (Chair of Go Live Theatre Projects, former board member of Gate Theatre Notting Hill and former CEO at Schroders Investment Management Ltd), Nicky Shepard (CEO at Abbey People), Dixi Stewart(MD of SandStone Global Productions, former BBC radio and TV journalist and producer) and Professor Sir Mene Pangalos (formerly Executive Vice President at AstraZeneca). This new group of trustees brings together a mix of skills and experience across theatre, business, and community engagement, reinforcing the theatre’s commitment to all areas of their operation.
Ian Mather, outgoing Chair of the Theatre Management Trust, said “I am immensely proud to have served as Chair of the Theatre Management Trust at one of the leading regional theatres in the country. Work is now underway to refurbish the auditorium to a high standard and, funds permitting, build a second performing space. Credit goes to our incredible staff, past and present, and our supporters. As I step down from my role, I am confident that the theatre will continue to flourish under the leadership of our new Chair and Trustees.”
Nigel Hugill, incoming Chair of the Theatre Management Trust, enthused “I am delighted to join Cambridge Arts Theatre at such a pivotal time. Works on the transformation are now well underway, and the benefits of that investment will become marvellously obvious on reopening later this year. We are more determined than ever to keep faith with the founding vision of John Maynard Keynes that the theatre should be integral to the vibrant cultural landscape of an internationally reputed city. The platform is so well laid. We build from here.”
Sir Richard Dearlove, incoming Chair of the Property Development Trust, said “I am delighted to be taking on this position during such an important period for Cambridge Arts Theatre and look forward to working with the theatre team to deliver successfully this truly transformational building project which I believe will be of great benefit to the local community.’
AS SHIPMENT OF SPECIALTY LIGHTBULBS DELAYED DUE TO NEW TARIFF POLICIES BUT, DARKENED MARQUEE DIDN’T DIM EXCITEMENT FOR THE FIRST PREVIEW
New York, NY (February 17, 2025) – Saturday night’s first preview of Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical was inarguably a bright spot of the theatrical season, as a roaring a crowd of fans from around the world came out to witness London’s 2024 Best New Musical Oliver Award Winner take its first bows on Broadway. Decidedly less bright was the show’s retro, 1940s-style marquee, which had to remain unlit for the occasion – an unheard-of occurrence in glittering Times Square, and one that is directly tied to President Donal Trump’s latest trade policies. As originally reported in the Associated Press, the specialty lightbulbs (Satco Decorative 11W LED Ceramic Yellow Indicator bulbs) required are primarily sourced in bulk from a China-based vendor, and the shipment of which has been held up by customs due to a delay related to the recently enacted tariffs.
The darkened marquee didn’t dim the excitement for the performance, which received a 5-minute standing ovation. Immediately following the curtain call, the cast was rapturously greeted outside The John Golden Theatre, where a band of loyal fans – affectionately dubbed as ‘Mincefluencers’ – 300 of whom had flown to New York City for the first preview, sang Sail On, Boys, the musical’s signature theme.
In Operation Mincemeat, it’s 1943, and the Allied Forces are on the ropes. Luckily, they’ve got a trick up their sleeve. Well, not up their sleeve, per se, but rather inside the pocket of a stolen corpse. Equal parts farce, thriller, and Ian Fleming-style spy caper (with an assist from Mr. Fleming himself), OperationMincemeat tells the wildly improbable and hilarious true story of the covert operation that turned the tide of WWII.
Directed by RobertHastie, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical’s official opening night is set for Thursday, March 20 at the Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street), after recently securing its twelfth extension in the West End through 7th June 2025, and entering its third consecutive sold-out year.
Starring in Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical is David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Olivier Award-winner Jak Malone and ZoëRoberts, who will reprise their original acclaimed performances for the musical’s Broadway (American) premiere. BrandonContreras, SamHartley, JessiKirtley, GeriannePérez and Amanda Jill Robinson round out the cast as understudies.
This extraordinary debut musical is written and composed by the comedy troupe, SpitLip, comprised of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts. The decision to write it was the last roll of the dice from the 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.
Operation Mincemeat began as a tiny (and tiny-budgeted) production at London’s New Diorama Theatre. 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 May 9, 2023, at the Fortune Theatre, where it has since received 74 five-star reviews and counting, becoming ‘the Best Reviewed Show in West End History.’ The show continues to play to standing-room-only crowds and has cultivated one of one of London’s most fervent fanbase.
Operation Mincemeat went onto earn six 2024 Olivier Award nominations, winning Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical. It was also named the Best New Musical at the 2024 WhatsOnStage Awards. Earlier in the show’s journey, Operation Mincemeat picked up the Off-West End award for Best Musical Production and Best Company Ensemble, as well as The Stage Debut Award for Best Composer/Lyricist.
Operation Mincemeat is produced on Broadway and in the West End 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.
WEST END UNSCRIPTED! A SERIES OF CELEBRITY Q&A EVENINGS, DONATING £10,000+ TO CHARITY EVERY SINGLE NIGHT
HOSTED BY SEAN FOLEY
SPECIAL GUEST STAR LINE-UPs INCLUDING: NICK MOHAMMED, PHIL DUNSTER, SARAH HADLAND, ANDY NYMAN on Sunday 23 March 2025 with further guests and dates to be announced AT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE
Monday 17 February 2025, London: Producer and director Tegan Summer is today delighted to announce West End Unscripted! – an exclusive new celebrity Q&A series donating to charity, and bringing theatre lovers closer to their favourite stars, announcing Sunday 23 March at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, with further dates and guests to be announced. Tickets go on sale today via lwtheatres.co.uk/whats-on.
Double Olivier award-winning director and writer Sean Foley(Dr. Strangelove) will host an all-star lineup of Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso), Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso), Sarah Hadland (Miranda) and Andy Nyman (Fiddler on the Roof) on 23 March. With more special guests to be announced.
Phil_Dunster
Sunday 23 March at Theatre Royal Drury Lane Host: Sean Foley The Evening’s Honouree: Nick Mohammed Special Guest Moderator: Phil Dunster Special Guests: Sarah Hadland & Andy Nyman
Each night, West End Unscripted! will serve as a charitable event, donating £10,000+ to a charity personally selected by the evening’s Honouree. Audiences will not only leave inspired and entertained but will also contribute to meaningful causes that make a difference.
Producer and Director Tegan Summer said: “Bringing together such an extraordinary group of artists for West End Unscripted! is truly an honour. This series is about more than just storytelling—it is about connection, inspiration, and giving back to the community. I am incredibly proud to create a platform where these talented individuals can share their journeys, while supporting causes that matter deeply to them. It is going to be an enriching, entertaining, and unforgettable experience; I cannot wait to share it with audiences.”
This one-of-a-kind Q&A series will offer audiences an intimate evening of captivating stories, personal anecdotes, and behind-the-scenes insights from some of the most celebrated actors, directors, and producers in the industry.
With their celebrity friends as special guest moderators, these unique evenings will feature two additional guests—and perhaps even a musical number or two.
THE FIRST CONCERT IN THE WESTWAY SESSIONS SERIES – WHERE LEADING STARS OF THE WEST END AND BROADWAY PERFORM EXCLUSIVE CONCERTS AT THE VAUDEVILLE THEATRE ON MONDAYS
Westway Music is pleased to announce further details of Lee Mead’s concert The Best of Me, the first of the Westway Sessions, a series of Monday night concerts with leading stars of the West End and Broadway at the Vaudeville Theatre.
TV star and award-winning West End actor Lee Mead will bring his brand-new show The Best of Me, to the Vaudeville Theatre on Monday 10 March at 7.30pm.
He will introduce audiences to some of the musical influences that help define him as a performer, with numbers such as Music of the Night, Any Dream will Do, From Now On, Bring Him Home, and Close Every Door; classic songs including Faith, Englishman In New York, Paint It Black, Free Falling, Walking In Memphis.
And audiences will also get to hear tracks from his EP, The Best of Me, released in October 2023: The Power of Love, A Different Corner, Crazy Little Thing Called Love, and Immortality, plus his self-penned single Let The River Flow, co-written with Steve Balsamo and Lee’s musical director, Adam Dennis.
Lee Mead said, “Following my recent successful sell out tour of the UK I’m thrilled that I’ve been approached to bring my show to the heart of the West End again. The last time I played London with my show was four years ago at the London Palladium. I’ve always wanted to play the Vaudeville after performing there with a concert called The West End Men in 2013. It will suit my more intimate show perfectly, so I hope to see you all there for a great evening of music and another sell out!”
Lee shot to fame in 2007 on the BBC reality TV show ‘Any Dream Will Do’. Beating 10,000 other hopefuls in the live finals to be crowned as Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Lee has since starred in a wide range of stage productions, including Wicked, Legally Blonde, Chicago, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, We Will Rock You at the London Coliseum and most recently Sister Act at the Dominion Theatre.. He has also released several successful albums that showcase his powerful vocals and impressive range.
Westway Sessions celebrates the very best talent of musical theatre and the recording label Westway Music that in the past three years has become the home to leading stars of the West End, Broadway, and musical theatre.
Subsequent Westway Sessions will be Cassidy Janson (Monday 7 April), Kerry Ellis (Monday 21 April), Aimie Atkinson (Monday 23 June), with further details to be released.
Tickets for all concerts are available here. All Concerts Start at 7.30pm, with tickets from £25.
Airlock Theatre’s third big queer musical extravaganza is a silly, soft-hearted romp through horror and teen movie tropes.
Count Dykula (Rosanna Suppa) is happy living alone in her gothic castle and terrorising people behind the big Asda but decides that enrolling in Scare University could hone her vampire skills and image.
She is horrified to discover the vamp dean, Scarlett Fang’s (Eleanor Colville) vision for Scare U – co-ed with humans. Scarlett’s curriculum pushes the human ideals of monster stereotypes, and butch Dykula certainly doesn’t fit into the stereotypical image of a lesbian vampire – thanks to James Corden.
Dykula stumbles across a club for misfits and together with her new friends – a Shakespeare-loving zombie, a friendly ghost and a werepug – decide to bring Scarlett down. The jokes come thick and fast, ranging from filthy to dad jokes, with tremendous commitment to a running joke about Dykula’s pronunciation of silent letters. It’s great fun, with a heartfelt message about being yourself amongst the silliness.
The cast of three writer/performers – Eleanor Colville, Rosanna Suppa and Robbie Taylor Hunt – play multiple roles. School announcements filled with groansome jokes cover the scene changes as they dash on and off stage for quick costume changes. Under Robbie Taylor Hunt’s madcap direction, the show digs deep into panto and is funny and frantic. Musician and occasional scenery Meg Narongchai accompanies the musical numbers with a gloriously deadpan air contrasting with the chaos ensuing around her. Colville, Suppa and Taylor Hunt have brilliant chemistry and comic timing – Suppa and Taylor Hunt are a hoot as they try to answer in synch while improvising as a two headed dragon.
Count Dykula is an absolute blast – a spooky spoof that will have you howling with laughter.
Imitating the Dog adapts and brings their latest production, All Blood Runs Red, to Leeds Playhouse and forms part of a UK Tour. All Blood Runs Red is created by Morgan Bailey, Pete Brooks, Simon Wainwright and Andrew Quick and is about the true story of Eugene Bullard. Bullard was one of the first African American military fighter pilots in the first World War and he also had a varied career from being a circus entertainer to a civil rights activist. He worked with Josephine Baker, an iconic French dancer and Duke Ellington, an American jazz legend.
The production is directed by Tyrone Huggins and is co-written and performed by Bailey, whose experiences intertwine with the life story of Bullard. The show begins when Bailey shares how he encountered Brooks and Quick in Paris during a movie publicity and the performer’s experience of film making created the idea for All Blood Runs Red and then delves straight into the life story of Bullard.
Imitating the dog is renowned for its digital and visual creativity for telling stories and how they do this with both theatre and technology with support from Andrew Crofts (lighting) and James Hamilton (music and soundscapes). All Blood Runs Red is no exception, and the production is done so well, and how the stage backdrop projections digitally link to the story’s props Bailey uses in referring to the key events and timelines in Bullard’s life.
Captivating and intriguing story telling runs throughout with its chronological build-up of Bullard’s life, 20th Century important and key events, and related themes such as being an outsider and experiencing prejudices that Bullard faced during his life. The audience is encouraged to think of the story beyond and how the themes raised still resonate today than it did 100 years ago or so.
Bailey gives a well delivered performance and there is incredible and innovative use of digital technology and projection for its storytelling and how they re-imagine it with theatre. All Blood Runs Red is no exception to this
EMMA RICE’S ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS RELEASES LIVE CAST ALBUM
Wise Children and Plush Theatricals are excited to announce the release of the live cast album for the hit musical ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS. The recording, captured during its 2020 run at Bristol Old Vic, is now available on all streaming platforms.
Adapted from the film LES ÉMOTIFS ANONYMES, the musical features direction and book by Emma Rice, with music and lyrics by Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond. The production was originally set to tour the United States following the Bristol premiere, but the tour was halted due to the pandemic.
“We were all heartbroken when COVID forced us to cancel the American tour,” Emma Rice said. “But this glorious live album is the perfect way to preserve the brilliant performances and pure joy of our beloved Romantics Anonymous. We are delighted to be able to share this tender, delicious and magical musical with the world.”
Funny, tender, and delightfully awkward, ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS is a delicious love story about breaking the mold and finding the courage to be happy. When Angelique, a gifted chocolate maker inhibited by social anxiety, takes a job in Jean-Rene’s struggling chocolate factory, a fragile love affair unfolds.
“We’re thrilled that the live album will allow even more people to discover this piece that we’re so incredibly proud of,” said Kooman and Dimond. “Romantics Anonymous has already touched so many hearts in the UK, and now it can continue to reach new audiences around the world.”
The show was hailed as “A sweetly funny, gorgeously tender musical romcom” by The Guardian, and “Truly delicious” by Time Out London.
The album features Marc Antolin as Jean-René, Carly Bawden as Angélique, Brett Brown as Salesman/Fred, Me’sha Bryan as Suzanne/Mimi, Harry Hepple as Ludo/Remi, Laura Jane Matthewson as Young Woman, Sandra Marvin as Magda/Brigitte/Dr. Maxim, Craig Pinder as Father/Pierre/Receptionist, and Gareth Snook as Mercier/Mumbler/Marini.
The orchestra includes Tom Brady (musical direction & piano), Sarah Bowler (cello), Sophie Creaner (woodwind), and Mike Parkin (percussion), with musical supervision by Nigel Lilley. Orchestrations are by Simon Hale, mixing by Simon Baker, and mastering by Fritz Meyers.
The world premiere of ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS was originally produced by Shakespeare’s Globe for the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in 2017.
For more information, visit romanticsanonymous.com.
A new production of musical comedy The Ministry of Lesbian Affairswritten by Iman Qureshi and directed by Hannah Hauer-King.
World premiereof electrifying new musical,Coven, exploring the true story of the seventeenth century Pendle Witch Trials, directed by Olivier Award-winning Miranda Cromwell with music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning Daisy Chute with Rebecca Brewer and book by Rebecca Brewer.
Anton Chekhov’sclassic is reimagined for our times by Dipo Baruwa-Etti and Taio Lawsonin a world premiere production ofSeagullswhich they will also co-direct.
Artistic Director Amit Sharma directs world premiere of Please Please Me by Tom Wright, telling the remarkable and untold story of the mastermind behind The Beatles, Brian Epstein.
£5 local ticket introduced for those who live in Brent and Camden, plus offering 1,000 free tickets for local people of all ages who might not otherwise be able to see a Kiln Theatre production.
Kiln Theatre today announces its new 2025/26 season, Amit Sharma’s second as Artistic Director. The programme features three world premieres and a new version of a much-loved hit.
The season will launch with Iman Qureshi’sThe Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, a feel-good musical comedy about community, belonging, and the power of finding your voice. Directed by Hannah Hauer-King (The Swell – Orange Tree Theatre / Associate Director – The Wife of Willesden), and co-produced with Emma Hall for Antic Productions and Kitty Wordsworth for Damsel Productions. The new production runs 13 June – 12 July 2025 (Press Night: Friday 20 June) following a sold-out run at Soho Theatre.
This is followed by the world premiere of new musical, Coven, that reinterrogates the true story of the seventeenth century Pendle Witch Trials. This female led musical, which centres the power of women, has music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning Daisy Chute with Rebecca Brewer, book by Rebecca Brewer and is directed by Olivier Award winner Miranda Cromwell (Milma’s Tale, Death of a Salesman). Produced in association with Kindred Partners and Eilene Davidson Productions, Coven runs 31 October – 13 December 2025 (Press Night: Tuesday 11 November).
Dipo Baruwa-Etti (The Clinic – Almeida Theatre) and Taio Lawson(formerAssociate Director at Kiln Theatre), co-write and direct Seagulls – a new, Black British retelling of Chekhov’s iconic play. This contemporary reimagining explores art, ambition, and the fractures within family and fame – bringing this classic right up to date for a new generation. Seagulls runs 12 February – 21 March 2026 (Press Night: Thursday 19 February).
Completing the season is the world premiere of Please Please Me by Tom Wright (Associate Artistic Director at Kiln Theatre), directed by AmitSharma. An electrifying and deeply personal story of the troubled life of the ‘Fifth Beatle’, Brian Epstein, his relationship with John Lennon and his contribution to making The Beatles the greatest band on earth. The production runs from 16 April – 23 May 2026 (Press Night: Thursday 23 April).
Full creative teams and casting for all productions to be announced.
Amit Sharma said today, “I’m beyond excited to announce this new season at Kiln Theatre – a season packed with bold storytelling, thrilling music, and reimagined classics. We’re bringing four extraordinary productions to the stage, each one pushing boundaries and sparking conversation.
From the joyous, rebellious heart of The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs to the raw ambition and vulnerability of Brian Epstein in Please Please Me, these are stories that demand to be heard. Coven is a powerhouse new musical about the Pendle Witch Trials – a fierce and timely exploration of womanhood, power, and survival – while Seagulls boldly reimagines a classic, bringing Chekhov’s themes of art and ambition into a fresh, contemporary light.
I can’t wait for all these incredible artists to bring their magic to Kilburn.”
Kiln Theatre expands its commitment to making theatre accessible, with the introduction of a £5 ticket rate for residents of Brent and Camden to all preview performances across the new season. This is in addition to their existing £10 ticket rate for under 26-year-olds. Kiln will also offer 1,000 free tickets to local people of all ages who might not otherwise be able to see a Kiln Theatre production.
Priority booking is open now. General on sale opens Monday 17 February at 10am.
Also Kiln Theatre’s flagship Creative Engagement programme, Minding The Gap, is renamed as Arrive Build Create, to better reflect its continued mission of supporting newly arrived young people and those with experience of migration in developing skills and building community through creative activities. For the past 18 years, the programme has collaborated with English as an Additional Language (EAL) and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) departments in local schools and colleges to deliver drama-based creative sessions – supporting 3,000 people since the programme’s inception. In September, it expanded to include a new group for older adults in partnership with Salusbury World.
In addition to its main house programme, this spring, Kiln Theatre’s production of Ryan Calais Cameron’sRetrograde, directed by Amit Sharma, transfers to the West End produced by 2025 BAFTA and Oscar Award nominee Colman Domingo and Nica Burns. The production opens at the Apollo Theatreon the 19 March, with previews from 8 March, and running until 14 June 2025.
A Kiln Theatre, Antic Productions and Damsel Productions co-production
THE MINISTRY OF LESBIAN AFFAIRS
by Iman Qureshi
directed by Hannah Hauer-King
13 June – 12 July 2025
A feel-good musical comedy
The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, the only lesbian choir in the country, are trying to win their place on the Pride mainstage. In a run-down church hall with an OWL (Older, Wiser Lesbian) at the helm, the rag tag choir navigate love, loss, and trying to agree on song choices. But despite their best intentions, they find that harmony comes at a price.
Packed with laugh out loud moments and lots of lesbian drama, this heart-warming musical comedy returns following its sold-out premiere at Soho Theatre in 2022.
Iman Qureshi is an award-winning writer for stage and screen. Her break-out play The Funeral Director won the prestigious Papatango New Writing Prize in 2018 and premiered at Southwark Playhouse directed by Hannah Hauer-King. Her next play The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs also directed by Hauer-King, premiered on the Soho Theatre’s main stage in 2022 to great acclaim. She held the position of writer in residence at the National Theatre for a year in 2023 and is now writing a new play under commission. She is also developing new work with the Almeida, English Touring Theatre, Papatango, and the Royal Court and she is developing a new musical. For screen, she completed a two year first look deal with Paramount+ in 2021 and previously her short Home Girl, directed by Poonam Brah was selected by Film London for their London Calling short film slate and was later selected for the 2019 BFI Flare Festival. Her short film The Ceremony (Open Sky) was selected for the Vancouver International Film Festival 2022, and won Best Screenplay at the Artists Forum Festival of the Moving Image.
Hannah Hauer-King is an Olivier Award nominated and award winning director and dramaturg. Directing work includes: The Swell (Hightide Festival/Orange Tree Theatre – Oliver Award nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre), The Brief Life and Mysterious Death of Boris III, King of Bulgaria (Arcola Theatre/New York), The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, Fabric, Fury (Soho Theatre), The Funeral Director (Southwark Playhouse/ UK tour), Circle Game (Southwark Playhouse), Call Me Fury (Hope Theatre), The Amber Trap (Theatre503), Grotty, Breathe (Bunker Theatre), Revolt She Said Revolt Again (RCSSD), Clay (Pleasance Theatre)and Dry Land (Jermyn Street Theatre). Associate/Assistant work includes: Fiddler On The Roof (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), The Wife of Willesden (Kiln Theatre, ART Boston and BAM NY), Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare’s Globe), Daytona (Park Theatre & Theatre Royal Haymarket), Radiant Vermin (Soho Theatre) and Titus Andronicus (Greenwich Theatre). Cabaret works includes: Witt n Camp (Soho Theatre), Siblings (Crazy Coqs) and Lilith (Bunker Theatre). Hannah is the co-founder of Damsel Productions and was Resident Director at the National Theatre Studio.
A Kiln Theatre production in association with Kindred Partners and Eilene Davidson Productions
COVEN
book by Rebecca Brewer
music & lyrics by Rebecca Brewer and Daisy Chute
directed by Miranda Cromwell
31 October – 13 December 2025
A scorching new musical
Based on England’s most notorious witch trials
1612. Pendle, Lancashire. A witch hunt is raging and a 9-year-old Jennet accuses her own family of witchcraft. 21 years later, she finds herself imprisoned, surrounded by the most feared women in town. As the accuser becomes the accused, Jennet must confront a 250-year legacy of witchcraft and the dark secrets of her own past. As she listens to the shocking stories of the women around her, Jennet’s faith begins to crumble.
Olivier Award-winning director Miranda Cromwell joins forces with Grammy award-winning Daisy Chute alongside Rebecca Brewer. A thrilling new musical combining uplifting anthems and powerful melodies in a fresh reinterrogation of the true story of the Pendle Witch Trials. With power in their veins and the earth beneath their feet, 13 women rise above the forces that seek to silence them.
Join the coven. The trial begins.
Rebeca Brewer is an actor, writer and theatre maker. Her credits as a writer include Tales from the Thames with co-writers Vickie Donoghue and folk musician MG Boulter, Foot (finalist for New Perspectives’ Open Pitch in 2018), and The Escape (finalist for In Good Company’s ‘Take Off’ new writing award in 2019). She was a recipient of the prestigious MGC Futures Bursary for 2021, and an Associate Artist at the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch from 2020-2021. She is currently writing The Last Rose of Summer, with Daisy Chute, a new work inspired by Jane Austen’s connection to Southampton for MAST Mayflower Studios, as one of the 2024 Cameron Mackintosh Resident Writers.. She is currently developing a series for television and was one of 12 mentored writers as part of the 2024 Channel 4 Screenwriting Programme. As an actor, Rebecca has worked at the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Almeida, Royal Court and the West End as well as on television, film and radio.
Daisy Chute is a Scottish/American singer-songwriter who has found a loyal following through her award-winning songwriting and ‘gorgeous’ vocals (Guy Garvey, Elbow). 2024 brought with it a Grammy Award for her involvement in The Birdsong Project and collaborations with Hollie Rogers, The Dunwells, Ed Blunt, Lady Nade and James Walker. Selling out shows across the UK, Europe and US, Daisy can be spotted with a guitar or banjo at top arts venues and festivals like Black Deer and Glastonbury. Her debut originals album of folk and Americana songs Throne is out in 2025. Recognised as a ‘committed, professional and creative songwriter’ (Sir Ray Davies, The Kinks), Daisy’s music features regularly on BBC Radio and television and is also playlisted across thousands of Tesco and Caffè Nero stores around the world. Her background in classical, jazz and folk music has led Daisy to collaborate and contribute to soundtracks ranging from David Attenborough documentaries to films including Yesterday and Shaun the Sheep, and game soundtracks including The Sims 4. She has also provided backing vocals Radiohead’s A Moon Shaped Pool, and she also has 3 Platinum-selling, Classical Brit-nominated albums with her band All Angels released with Universal Records. She is currently writing The Last Rose of Summer, with Rebecca Brewer, a new work inspired by Jane Austen’s connection to Southampton for MAST Mayflower Studios, as one of the 2024 Cameron Mackintosh Resident Writers.
Miranda Cromwell is an Olivier Award-winning theatre director. Directing credits include: The Little Mermaid (Bristol Old Vic), Milma’s Tale (Kiln Theatre), The Beekeeper of Aleppo (Nottingham Playhouse), Swing Sister Swing (UK Tour), Rockets and Blue Lights (National Theatre, Manchester Royal Exchange/ BBC radio 3) Oncomm Best audio drama award, and breathe… (Almeida Theatre), Half Breed (BBC iplayer, Talawa Theatre/Soho Theatre/Edinburgh Fringe Festival/India tour), Magic Elves, Hey Diddle Diddle, Sense (Bristol Old Vic), Pigeon English (Edinburgh Fringe Festival/Bristol Old Vic), The Rest of Your Life (Bush Theatre) and Death and Treason (Bristol Old Vic/UK tour). Co-director credits include the Olivier Award-winning Death of a Salesman (Young Vic Theatre/West End transfer). As Associate Director her credits include: Company (Gielgud Theatre – Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival, Critics Circle Award for Best Musical), Angels in America (National Theatre/Neil Simon Theatre, Broadway – Olivier and Tony Award for Best Revival), A Monster Calls (Old Vic/ Bristol Old Vic – Olivier Award for Best Entertainment and Family), and Coram Boy (Colston Hall). Miranda is the Artistic Director of Twisted Theatre and became an Associate Director at Chichester Festival Theatre in 2024.
A Kiln Theatre production
SEAGULLS
Written and directed by Dipo Baruwa-Etti and Taio Lawson
12 February – 21 March 2026
The classic, recharged.
Konstantin is desperate to prove his talent as a writer. Irina, once a star, is desperate to keep her own flailing acting career afloat. At a performance of his new play, Konstantin’s reunion with his mother reopens old wounds, bringing repressed emotions to the surface. Can their relationship survive new flames and past traumas?
Dipo Baruwa-Etti and Taio Lawson bring Chekov’s classic comedy-drama to a new generation in this sharp and contemporary Black British retelling.
Dipo Baruwa-Etti is a playwright, screenwriter, and director. As a playwright, his work includes The Sun, the Moon, and theStars (Stratford East), An Unfinished Man (The Yard Theatre), Half-Empty Glasses (Paines Plough) and The Clinic (Almeida Theatre), all published by Faber. He has been shortlisted for the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright, The George Devine, JMK and Alfred Fagon Awards and sits on the board of Shakespeare’s Globe. As writer-director, his short films include the award-winning The Last Days (BFI Network/BBC/Tannahill Productions) starring Adjoa Andoh and Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn. Artist development programmes Dipo has been on include: Edinburgh International Film Festival Talent Lab, BBC TV Drama Writers Programme, 4Screenwriting, Channel 4 Playwrights, and BFI NETWORK@LFF.
Taio Lawson is currently the Genesis Fellow / Associate Director at the Young Vic. Prior to this position he was the Associate Director of Kiln Theatre. Selected Director credits include: Hamilton (Resident Director – West End), An Unfinished Man (The Yard Theatre), NW Stories (Kiln Theatre), HOME Digital (Young Vic Theatre), Macbeth (Royal Conservatoire of Scotland), Hang (The Crucible), White Devil (East 15 Acting School) and Home – Installation (Young Vic Theatre). Taio is also a trustee for PiPA (Parents and Carers in the Performing Arts). Parents and carers are fundamentally disadvantaged and systematically overlooked in the industry. PiPA aims to be a thought and change leader, amplifying the voices of everyone with caring responsibilities in the performing arts, to change mindsets and working practices alike.
A Kiln Theatre production
PLEASE PLEASE ME
by Tom Wright
directed by Amit Sharma
16 April – 23 May 2026
Brian Epstein and The Beatles. Their rise. His fall.
When Brian Epstein steps into the Cavern Club, he finds more than just a band – he finds his life’s calling. Captivated by four rugged boys from Liverpool, he sets out to transform them into the most famous group on earth.
But as the world begins to worship his Fab Four, Brian wrestles with secrets, longing, and love – especially for his charismatic frontman, John Lennon.
Please Please Me is the electrifying story of The Beatles’ meteoric rise and the hidden struggles of their beloved manager – the unsung, gay legend and ‘Fifth Beatle’, Brian Epstein.
Tom Wright is a writer, director and dramaturg for theatre and film. He is currently the Associate Artistic Director at Kiln Theatre. Previously Head of Artist Development at The Old Vic. His two back-to-back debut plays achieved acclaim with seven Off West End Award nominations, including Best New Play and Most Promising Playwright. Writing credits include: I Ain’t Dumb (Belgrade Theatre), Very Special Guest Star (Omnibus Theatre), Undetectable (King’s Head Theatre), My Dad’s Gap Year (Park Theatre) and Rebel Song (The Other Palace). Writing and directing credits include: Sirens and White Lies (ArtsEd). Directing credits include: Blowhole (Soho Theatre and Pleasance Theatre), Dumbledore Is So Gay (Southwark Playhouse, Pleasance Theatre and Vault Festival, Origins Award) and Tumble Tuck (King’s Head Theatre and Underbelly Edinburgh). Associate credits include: The Invisible Hand (Kiln Theatre), Legendary Children (Theatre De Meervaart), The Method (ALRA) and 2.1 (Rich Mix, Camden People’s Theatre). Film credits include: Sent To Cov (Sky Arts), Stockholm (BFI Flare) and Kweenship (ArtsEd Films).
Amit Sharma is Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre where he directed Pins and Needles and The Purists. Before joining the Kiln Theatre as Associate Director, he was previously Deputy Artistic Director of Birmingham Rep, Associate Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange, Manchester, and Associate Director at Graeae Theatre Company where his journey into theatre began. Sharma directed the critically acclaimed and sell-out run of Retrograde at the Kiln, transferring to the West End’s Apollo Theatre in March; and has also directed two productions at the National Theatre – The Solid Life of Sugar Water (Graeae Theatre Company/Theatre Royal Plymouth co-production) and The Boy With Two Hearts (also Wales Millennium Centre). He also co-directed Prometheus Awakes, one of the largest outdoor productions featuring Deaf and disabled artists as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad (Graeae Theatre Company/ Greenwich+Docklands International Festival/ Stockton International Riverside Festival/La Fura Dels Baus); and Aruna and The Raging Sun in Chennai, India as part of UK/INDIA Year of Culture 2017. He is an international award-winning director of theatre and television. Sharma is a BAFTA nominated director, for his two films which were part of the Criptales season on BBC and BBC AMERICA. He also co-directed the award-winning BBC and NETFLIX television drama Then Barbara Met Alan (Best Single Drama, 2023 Broadcast Awards). He began his training at Graeae Theatre Company with Missing Piece 1. His other theatre credits include One Under (Graeae Theatre Company/Theatre Royal Plymouth), Cosmic Scallies (Graeae Theatre Company/Royal Exchange Theatre), and Iron Man (Graeae Theatre Company/international tour). His other television work includes Hamish, and Thunderbox.
Michael Harrison, in association with Cameron Mackintosh, is delighted to announce new dates for a major UK tour of MISS SAIGON, following huge public demand as Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical is reborn. Opening at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal where it plays from Saturday 4 – Saturday 25 October 2025, the exciting new production today confirms the addition of seven new venues on its UK 2025 /26 tour.
The newly added dates now ensure audiences across the UK have the chance to experience the new production of this legendary musical. New dates include: Venue Cymru, Llandudno (Tuesday 6 January – Saturday 10 January, 2026); Hull New Theatre (Tuesday 20 January – Saturday 24 January, 2026); Mayflower Theatre, Southampton (Tuesday 27 January – Saturday 7 February, 2026); Theatre Royal, Plymouth (Tuesday 17 February – Saturday 28 February, 2026); His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen (Tuesday 3 March – Saturday 7 March, 2026); Grand Opera House, Belfast (Tuesday 10 March – Saturday 21 March, 2026); Nottingham, Theatre Royal (Tuesday 24 March – Saturday 4 April, 2026). Please see Listings below for on sale dates. Irish dates to be announced.
The 2025 / 26 tour of MISS SAIGON will see the show visit Llandudno and Hull for the first time.
The tour previously announced its 2025 dates and Christmas season which are already breaking box-office records and include: Theatre Royal, Newcastle (Saturday 4 – Saturday 25 October 2025); Playhouse Theatre, Edinburgh (Tuesday 28 October – Saturday 1 November 2025); Palace Theatre, Manchester (Tuesday 4 – Saturday 15 November 2025); The Alexandra, Birmingham (Tuesday 18 – Saturday 29 November 2025); Grand Theatre,Leeds (Tuesday 2 – Saturday 13 December 2025) and New Theatre, Oxford (Tuesday 16 December 2025 – Saturday 3 January 2026).
Full casting is to be announced.Sign-up for news and access to priority booking at miss-saigon.com.
MISS SAIGON has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from original French text by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler and Orchestrations by William David Brohn.
Jean-Pierre van der Spuy whose recent credits include co-direction of Oliver! at the Gielgud Theatre and Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular, is the production’s Director.Chrissie Cartwright (Associate Director and Choreographer for CATS Worldwide and choreographic recreation of Phantom of the Opera, West End and North American tour), and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille (SIX The Musical) are Co-Choreographers. Andrew Edwards is Set and Costume Designer (Tartuffe, Theatre Royal Haymarket and numerous productions at The Globe);Olivier Award-winner Bruno Poet is the production’s Lighting Designer (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Frankenstein at the National Theatre); Sound Design is by Olivier Award winner Adam Fisher (Oliver! Gielgud & Chichester Festival Theatre; Sunset Boulevard Savoy & Broadway); and Video Design is by George Reeve (Disney’s Hercules, Oliver! Chichester Festival Theatre and West End and Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, Gielgud); Graham Hurman is the Musical Supervisor and Sarah Leung CDG,Casting Director. This new production of MISS SAIGON is overseen by Cameron Mackintosh.
In the last days of the Vietnam War, 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son.
Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh’s original production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s epic musical MISS SAIGON became one of the most successful musicals in history. The original Broadway production of MISS SAIGON opened on April 11, 1991, and played for nearly ten years with its 4,097 performances attended by more than 6.3 million people. Cameron’s latest London production of MISS SAIGON opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim, followed by a UK tour in 2017. During this run, in 2016, the spectacular 25th Anniversary Gala Performance of this timeless musical, featuring appearances by the original cast, including Jonathan Pryce and Lea Salonga, took place and was filmed for television and cinema and continues to be shown around the world.
The soaring musical score features the hits songs; The Heat is On in Saigon, The Movie in My Mind, Last Night of the World and The American Dream. September 2024 marked 35 years since the show’s opening in the West End.
MISS SAIGON has been performed in 33 countries, 378 cities in 15 different languages, has won 75 major awards including 2 Olivier Awards, 3 Tony Awards, and 4 Drama Desk Awards and has been seen by over 38 million people worldwide.
A BEAUTY OF A PANTO OPENS THIS WEEKEND AT ST HELENS THEATRE ROYAL
Beauty and the Beast promises brilliant panto fun for all the family this February
Timeless classic fairytale Beauty and the Beast is set to swirl into St Helens this weekend for to entertain February half term audiences.
The Regal Entertainments production of the much-loved, magical tale is packed with colourful costumes, stunning sets, rib-tickling comedy and a wonderful soundtrack of songs, and promises to be an unmissable family friendly treat.
The beautiful Belle falls in love with the most unexpected of princes, one who has been cursed to live as a hideous beast. But can the Beast learn how to love and be loved in return? And will love conquer all, and the dastardly spell be broken in time for a happily ever after?
Beauty and the Beast runs at St Helens Theatre Royal from 15-23 February 2025 with tickets from £18.
The fantastic fairytale cast includes Lauren McCrory as Belle, Lewis Burrage as the Beast, Conor Barrie as Gaston, Lewis Devine as French Frank, Rachel Wood as Madam Botox, Chantelle Morgan as Fairy Rose and Richard Aucott as Potty Polly.
The show is written by Liam Mellor and directed by Chantelle Nolan. Nazene Langfield is choreographer, and Callum Clarke is music supervisor.
Lauren McCrory plays Belle. A graduate of the Performers College, Lauren has previously appeared as Belle in Regal Entertainments’ Beauty and the Beast both at St Helens Theatre Royal and Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre. Other credits include Wendy in Peter Pan, also for Regal Entertainments, and the title role in Cinderella which was screened in Odeon Cinemas.
Lewis Burrage appears as the Beast. Lewis returns to St Helens after appearing as the Prince in Sleeping Beauty last autumn. He studied on a scholarship at the prestigious Italia Conti where he was also head boy. Stage roles include Benny in Abbalutely Fabulous, Jack in We’ll Meet Again and Prince Charming in Cinderella, as well as performing in the 50th anniversary concert of Godspell and travelling the world as a member of the Fred Olsen Cruise Lines onboard theatre company.
Conor Barrie is Gaston. Liverpool Theatre School graduate Conor has previously appeared at St Helens as Baron von Vippermall in Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Dmitri in The Salon – the Sequel! Other stage credits include Aladdin, Jack and the Beanstalk and Beauty and the Beast at the Gladstone Theatre in Port Sunlight.
Lewis Devine is French Frank. Lewis returns to the role of French Frank which he previously played to acclaim at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre in 2021 and here at St Helens in 2023, while his other roles for Regal Entertainments include Muddles in Snow White, Chester the Jester in Sleeping Beauty and Buttons in Cinderella. Coming from a talented performing family, Lewis won the first ever Kids Stars in Their Eyes as Donny Osmond and is part of a comedy show band called Schooner with his father Terry. Away from the stage, he runs The Devine Theatre Company to develop Merseyside youngsters in the entertainment industry.
Rachel Wood plays Madam Botox. The LIPA-trained actor and singing coach’s stage credits include the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at St Helens, Diva in Mam! I’m Ere! at Liverpool’s Royal Court, Hannah in The Chaplin Story, Snow White, and the title role in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice. She also played Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre in 2023 and St Helens Theatre Royal last autumn.
Chantelle Morgan follows her triumph in the role of Snow White at Christmas by returning to St Helens, this time to playis Fairy Rose. Chantelle trained in Musical Theatre at The Urdang and Emil Dale Academy and has been very fortunate to share the stage with some very well-known artists including Welsh star Luke Evans on BBC’s Luke Evans Show Time. Other credits include Jill in Jack and the Beanstalk (2023), Maid Marion in Robin Hood (2022), Cinderella (2021), Kylar in Bring It On: The Musical (2021), Sister Mary Roberts in Sister Act (2018), and performing alongside Gareth Malone at the opening of Soho House.
And Richard Aucott plays Potty Polly. A much-loved and experienced dame, his many panto credits include Queen Hermione and Nanny Nora in Sleeping Beauty, Dame Trott in Jack and the Beanstalk, Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington and Widow Twankey in Aladdin, along with an Ugly Sister in Cinderella and Nurse Nelly in Snow White – both at St Helens. Other theatre credits include Mr Woodhouse and Mr Elton in Emma, Flute in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Malvolio in Twelfth Night.
Theatre Manager and the show’s director Chantelle Nolan says: “Beauty and the Beast is one of our best-loved pantos, a magical delight, packed with excitement, spectacle and fun, so I’m absolutely thrilled we’re bringing it back to the stage for our family audiences at St Helens this February.
“I’m also delighted we’ve got such a wonderful cast of panto favourites. Add in lavish costumes and sets, brilliant choreography and a great soundtrack, and Beauty and the Beast has all the ingredients to make it an unmissable half term treat.”
Tickets can be booked over the phoneor in person at the box office between 10am and 5pm, from Monday to Friday.Tickets can also be purchased online. For more information please visit www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com
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Regal Entertainments Ltd Presents: Beauty and the Beast
Dates: Saturday 15 February – Sunday 23 February 2025
Tickets: From £18* Group rates available.
*All prices are inclusive of a £1 per seat booking fee. Online bookings are subject to an additional 50p per seat online processing fee.
THEATRE ROYAL BOOKING DETAILS
Book in person at the Theatre Royal Box Office, Corporation Street, St. Helens, Merseyside WA10 1LQ (Mon – Fri 10am – 5pm). Alternatively, call 01744 756 000 or log on to: www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com.
