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Leeds Grand Theatre – On Tour until 20th November 2026

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

4****

To coincide with World Opera Day, Rigoletto is on at the Leeds Grand Theatre. The production made its premiere in 2022 and returns for the season. The music is composed by Giuseppe Verdi; the libretto is written by Francesco Maria Piave and set to Victor Hugo’s Le Roi s’amuse. The three-act opera is a tragedy triggered by curse. It explores the self-serving themes including corruption, power, relationships, and the selfish urge to protect one and avenge another.

This production is re-imagined by Femi Elufowoju jr who examines Rigoletto’s paranoid state of mind as he is subconsciously aware that he, as a jester, is different to the Duke and his serving society. This can be resonated in today’s society how some members of society feel marginalised from the ruling and powerful elite due to race and other attributes.

It is set in Duke of Mantua’s Kingdom and focuses on three characters; the womanising Duke (Leonard Sánchez), Rigoletto (Blake Denson) and his daughter, Gilda (Raven McMillon), and the powerful presence of Count Monterone (Sir Willard White) who puts a curse on Rigoletto after his behaviour at the Duke’s party. From that point forward the opera unravels a wide range of themes ranging from secrecy to revenge and eventually tragedy.

Rigoletto protects Gilda from the Duke who has his eyes on her and she in turns falls in love with him even if he was mysterious at the beginning. His protection doesn’t last as he discovers that Gilda is abducted and is delivered to the Duke. Rigoletto puts together a revengeful plan of action but only for it to go tragically wrong, combined with Monterone’s curse, and make him a vulnerable and powerless victim among the ruling and powerful elite.

Excellent portrayals from Denson, McMillon, Sánchez and White as the lead characters and are supported by members of the cast that reimagine the story and themes under the choreographic direction of Jackie Kibuka. All set to Verdi’s melodramatic music and each character and their plights is set to its unique music and numbers. The well-known and famous La donne è mobile is sung condescendingly by the Duke.

The modern staging and costumes are done by Rae Smith and there are reminders of tradition which depict the characters’ lives and how they matter contextually then and in situations today with regards to power, race, gender and equality. The staging is complimented with Howard Hudson’s lighting.

Rigoletto is an excellent modern production that goes from strength to strength from when it was premiered in 2022.

The Old Vic – until October 31st 2026

Reviewed by Mike Linane

5*****

Composers Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Olivier Award-winning musical is reimagined for the London stage with new music, new lyrics (by Annabel Mutale Reed and Paul Hodge), new folk-inflected orchestrations and a thrilling new In The Round staging.

Whilst this is still the same basic story as the previous iterations it is told in a completely new way with some major changes along the way. You think you know Martin Guerre? Think again.

It begins quite simply with young Martin Guerre being forced by his uncle into an arranged marriage with the beautiful young Bertrande de Rois who is the most sort after bride in the village of Artigat. Reluctantly, Martin does what he regards as being his family duty but when it comes to the wedding night Martin is not ready to consummate the marriage and runs away to fight in the war. There he meets and befriends Arnaud du Thil in whom he confides his story and what brought him to fight in the army. From there their story takes a major u-turn that no one would see coming and is the basis for this musical which is partly based on a real-life character and happening.

The music is lush, swerving from emotional ballad to songs of hatred and vengeance in a heartbeat – it is almost symphonic as befits a story of such passion. Only a couple of songs remain from the original version, the others being replaced with equally as good heartrending ballads.

The musical this time is played in the round which I’m not sure entirely works as the performances need a larger stage on which to reach their full potential, but at other times the intimacy of the smaller space works well.

The company is led by Shane O’Riordan as Martin, Liv Andrusier as Bertrande, Colin Ryan as Benoit and Barney Wilkinson as Guillaume (Martin’s rival for the love of Bertrande and who is determined to bring Martin down at any cost). They all are excellent in their roles and are ably supported by the rest of the cast. The vocals are superb throughout with some very strong performances from the entire ensemble.

Directed by Matthew Warchus this show deserves a much longer run in a bigger theatre where the majesty of it all can properly express itself.

This is truly a magnificent show. Musicals of this calibre don’t come along very often so do try to catch it before its run ends if you can – you won’t be disappointed.

2027-2028 UK AND IRELAND TOUR

ANNOUNCED OF

J B PRIESTLEY’S CLASSIC THRILLER

AN INSPECTOR CALLS

OPENING

ON 3 SEPTEMBER 2027

AT ALEXANDRA PALACE THEATRE, LONDON

BEFORE TOURING ACROSS THE UK AND IRELAND

UNTIL MAY 2028

PW Productions is delighted to announce that following a hugely successful tour in 2024-25, Stephen Daldry’s multi award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s AN INSPECTOR CALLS will embark on a UK and Ireland Tour for 2027-28.

Opening on 3 September 2027 at Alexandra Palace Theatre, where it will play for 3 weeks, the tour will then visit Aylesbury, Belfast, Dublin, Edinburgh, Blackpool, Cardiff, Eastbourne, Malvern, Salford, Norwich, Birmingham, Darlington, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Southampton, Tunbridge Wells, Shrewsbury, Liverpool, Hull, Sunderland, Wolverhampton and Leeds. Further venues and casting for the tour to be announced.

When Inspector Goole arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous Birling family home, their peaceful dinner party is shattered by his investigations into the death of a young woman. His startling revelations shake the very foundations of their lives and challenge us all to examine our consciences. More relevant now than ever, this is a must-see for a whole new generation.

Since 1992, Daldry’s seminal production of An Inspector Calls has won a total of 19 major awards, including four Tony Awards and three Olivier Awards, and has played to more than 6 million theatregoers worldwide.

Director Stephen Daldry said: “When we first created An Inspector Calls at the National Theatre in 1992, none of us could have imagined that we would still be touring the production 35 years later. It’s extraordinary that Priestley’s play continues to resonate so strongly with audiences, and perhaps more importantly, that its message remains as relevant today as ever. I’m delighted that a new generation of audiences will have the opportunity to experience it on this latest tour.”

Stephen Daldry is a multi-award-winning Theatre, Film and Television Director & Producer. During his career he has directed theatre for London’s West End & New York’s Broadway winning multiple Olivier & Tony awards.

Stephen has directed 6 major feature films which have all been nominated for major industry awards. He served as Producer & Director on THE CROWN which won 16 Emmy & Golden Globe Awards.

Stephen produced the opening & closing ceremonies for the LONDON 2012 OLYMPICS. Stephen is the Chairman of refugee arts charity GOOD CHANCE. He serves on the board of THE PERLMAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER NYC.

AN INSPECTOR CALLS UK TOUR – 2024/2025 TOUR LISTINGS

https://aninspectorcalls.com

FRIDAY 3 – SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2027

ALEXANDRA PALACE THEATRE

www.alexandrapalace.com/theatre/whats-on/

ON SALE NOW

FRIDAY 1 – SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER 2027

AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/aylesbury-waterside-theatre

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 12 – SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER 2027

GRAND OPERA HOUSE, BELFAST

www.goh.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 19 – SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER 2027

THE GAIETY THEATRE, DUBLIN

https://www.gaietytheatre.ie

ON SALE 30 OCTOBER 2026

TUESDAY 2 – SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2027

KING’S THEATRE, EDINBURGH

https://www.capitaltheatres.com/our-venues/kings-theatre/

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 9 – SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2027

BLACKPOOL GRAND THEATRE

www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 16 – SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2027

WALES MILLENIUM CENTRE

https://www.wmc.org.uk

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 23 – SATURDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2027

EASTBOURNE CONGRESS THEATRE

www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk/venue/congress-theatre

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 30 NOVEMBER – SATURDAY 4 DECEMBER 2027

FESTIVAL THEATRE, MALVERN

https://malvern-theatres.co.uk/

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 11 – SATURDAY 22 JANUARY 2028

THE LOWRY, SALFORD

www.thelowry.com

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 1 – SATURDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2028

THEATRE ROYAL, NORWICH

www.norwichtheatre.org

ON SALE 30 OCTOBER 2026

TUESDAY 8 – SATURDAY 12 FEBRUARY 2028

THE ALEXANDRA, BIRMINGHAM

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/the-alexandra-theatre-birmingham

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 15 – SATURDAY 19 FEBRUARY 2028

DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 22 – SATURDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2028

MILTON KEYNES THEATRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 29 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 4 MARCH 2028

THEATRE ROYAL, NOTTINGHAM

https://www.trch.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 7 – SATURDAY 11 MARCH 2028

MAYFLOWER THEATRE, SOUTHAMPTON

www.mayflower.org.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 14 – SATURDAY 18 MARCH 2028

ASSEMBLY HALL THEATRE, TUNBRIDGE WELLS

https://www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 21 – SATURDAY 25 MARCH 2028

THEATRE SEVERN, SHREWSBURY

www.theatresevern.co.uk

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 28 MARCH – SATURDAY 1 APRIL 2028

LIVERPOOL EMPIRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 4 – SATURDAY 8 APRIL 2028

HULL NEW THEATRE

www.hulltheatres.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 24 – SATURDAY 29 APRIL 2028

SUNDERLAND EMPIRE

https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire/whats-on

ON SALE SOON

TUESDAY 9 – SATURDAY 13 MAY 2028

WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE

www.grandtheatre.co.uk

ON SALE NOW

TUESDAY 23 – SATURDAY 27 MAY 2028

LEEDS GRAND THEATRE

https://leedsheritagetheatres.com

ON SALE SOON

POPSTAR PETER ANDRE RETURNS TO LONDON’S PREMIER THEATRICAL DINING EXPERIENCE,  

MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY,

AS INTERNATIONAL EXPANSION PLANS ARE ANNOUNCED

• Mamma Mia! The Party today announces that Peter Andre will be returning to its flagship production at The O2, London, for a limited run (at selected performances only) from 10 January until 18 March 2027. 
• The London production is currently booking until November 2027, with over 120,000 tickets now available. The current cast includes X Factor winner Sam Bailey as Debbie until April 2027.  
• Mamma Mia! The Party also announces today that a new production will open in Sydney, Australia, in March 2027. 
• Since opening in August 2019, Mamma Mia! The Party London has welcomed over 800,000 guests, delivered nearly 2000 performances, and has been visited by guests from 110 countries for a full evening of dancing, dining and singing to some of ABBA’s greatest hits. 

Björn Ulvaeus’ Mamma Mia! The Party today announces the return of popstar Peter Andre in the role of Nikos at the flagship production at The O2, London. Mamma Mia! The Party is also delighted to announce the global expansion of the premier theatrical dining experience, which will be opening in Sydney in March 2027.

Peter Andre, best known for his 1990s pop hits such as “Mysterious Girl” and “Flava”, will return to star in the experience for a limited run (at selected performances only) from 10 January until 18 March 2027.

Peter will be joining the current cast, which includes X-Factor winner Sam Bailey in the role of Debbie until April 2027, alongside Kelly Aaron as Sue/Swing, Constantine Andronikou as Robin/Swing, Marianne Benedict as Kate (at certain performances), AJ Bentley as Adam, Claudia Bradley as Tia/Swing, Inês Fernandez as Konstantina, Tom Fothergill as Carlos/Swing, Elena Gibson as Bella (at certain performances), Deschenes Graham as Joyce/Swing, Allie Ho Chee as Bella (at certain performances), Sophie Holdsworth as Loretta/Swing, Gabriella-Rose Merchant as Nina (Maternity Cover), James Mark McLoughlin as Ruben/Swing, Kimberly Powell as Kate (at certain performances), Andy Rose as Host/Fernando, Dawn Spence as Grandma, and Rebecca Stenhouse as Nina (at certain performances), until May 2027.

Peter Andre said: 

“I’m back! I’m thrilled to be returning to Mamma Mia! The Party at The O2 in London in 2027. Being part of the production earlier this year was an incredible experience, and from the moment I stepped into Nikos Taverna, I felt a real connection to the character and the show. The energy, the music, the atmosphere and, of course, the amazing Greek food make Mamma Mia! The Party a unique night out. I can’t wait to share the magic with you all once again. See you there!”

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

Alongside the flagship London production, Mamma Mia! The Party‘s Australian premiere is scheduled to open in Sydney in March 2027 at Sydney Event Center at The Star and general tickets on sale from 12 November 2026. The newly announced site joins the existing productions running at The O2, London and in Stockholm.

Sophie Arendt, Managing Director of Mamma Mia! The Party for Pophouse Entertainment said:  

“Mamma Mia! The Party has become one of the world’s most distinctive live entertainment experiences — a joyful mix of theatre, music, dining and celebration that audiences have embraced from Stockholm to London. The opening of a new site in Sydney next year marks a major moment in the show’s international growth and reflects the huge appetite for experiences that bring people together in unforgettable ways.  I can’t think of a better way to kick off 2027 than with international popstar Peter Andre returning to the London production after a brilliant run of performances earlier this year, and we are all incredibly excited for this next chapter.”

The Sydney production is in co-production with TEG Dainty and will open in March 2027, with pre-sales starting on 9 November and general tickets on sale from 12 November 2026 and fans able to sign up to the waitlist from today. Further information can be found at mammamiatheparty.com.au

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

Soho Theatre – until 31 October 2026

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

If you’re looking for inanity and camp chaos this spooky season, then Dina Martina: Halloweena! is the show for you.

Creepy sounds play as the audience settles in and then Dina launches into an off-key, off-kilter performance of Thriller. Dina’s singing is unique – for those that remember the last century, imagine Les Dawson’s piano playing as a voice – and her energy s incredible… for the first minute of the song. When the Vincent Price voiceover begins, she needs a rest and a little refreshment – taken in her own inimitable style. Singing I Want Candy, Dina wanders around the audience distributing tasty goodies from her trick or treat bag – whilst making them jump when she gets to the shouty bits.

Between the gloriously bad songs: mumbled and mispronounced lyrics, mistiming and excessive volume all work together to create a cacophony that has the audience howling with laughter, Dina tells heartfelt and surreal stories. The baffling layout of Boots shops, the traumatic journey to the theatre using her acrobatic skills, and her strategy to save the planet all have the audience in hysterics as Dina’s consistent mispronunciation of certain letters create magic.

Dina’s outfits are as bizarre as her stories: a Maleficent headdress that doesn’t quite fit, a giant skull that adds jeopardy to her journey around the audience giving out severed fingers and rubber rats, and a pumpkin outfit with an anatomical detail that brings tears to the eyes.

Videos play while costume changes are made, and these are simply brilliant. Her song about Bela Lugosi is just topped by Science Fiction/Double Feature with Dina’s face inserted in various classic sci-fi films.

It takes a lot of skill to create such chaos on stage, and Halloweena! is an hour of non-stop bizarre surprises and hilarity. You never know what Dina will do next, and that is scarier and more exciting than any Halloween ghoul. Fantastic fun – grab a ticket while you can.

Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until 24th October 2026 (then touring)

Reviewed by Lauren Fordham 

5*****

Northern Ballet’s ‘Cinderella’ is based on the tale authored by Charles Perrault. Its music and libretto were composed by Sergei Prokofiev, and it is choreographed by Michael Pink.

This production differs from Perrault’s tale (and the Disney adaptation) by having the fairy godmother role replaced by the Spirit of Cinderella’s Mother (played by Heather Lehan), who has died at the start of the production but watches over her daughter and the familiar magic unfold from above. 

This production also gives Cinderella (Saeka Shirai) a friend and ally called Jack (Harris Beattie) an impish, playful figure reminiscent of Peter Pan, who acts as a conduit for Cinderella between her humble home and the world of spirits, who together with her mother, will pave her pathway to the Palace and the Prince, just as Peter Pan guides Wendy to Neverland. 

Beattie is so fleet of foot it is easy to imagine him flying across the stage and self-assuredly sparring with Captain Hook. It also tickled me that the frenetic ticking of the Palace clock (brilliantly captured by the winning combination of David Grill’s dramatic lighting design drawing the audience’s attention to the fateful hour and Prokofiev’s stirring strings with a Psycho-esque urgency) echoed the ticking of the clock swallowed by the alligator who stalks Hook in J M Barrie’s classic tale. That too would make a beautiful ballet.

Bruce Brockman’s set design is instrumental in creating a world that is at once fantastical yet deeply grounded and natural – Cinderella’s house is built out of a tree, her mother watches from a hide above as if she herself is but a bird, her kind, omniscient omnipresence recalling the character of Silkie from Enid Blyton’s ‘The Faraway Tree.’ 

 Brockman uses deep, autumnal colours of red and brown and gold to not only mirror the world outside the theatre, but to create a warm setting that is familiar from many different fairytales, this reviewer almost expected Goldilocks and The Three Bears to come marching through the front door and the witch from Hansel and Gretel to be swallowed in the flames from Cinderella’s hearth. The innovation surrounding Cinderella’s mother guiding her through the fireplace struck a modern chord with this reviewer,  à la Harry Potter fireplace transportation using Floo Powder. Yet the tree cleaving apart and revealing a woodland full of spiritual creatures was reminiscent of Lucy walking through C.S Lewis’s wardrobe into Narnia. In this way both traditional fairytales and modern influences dovetail beautifully to appeal to young and old.

Peter Cazalet’s costumes also use colour to cleverly set moods and make moral judgements, Alessia Petrosino’s Stepmother cuts a malevolent, Maleficent-esque figure as she dominates Cinderella’s father (Harry Skoupas) with sharp, jab-like, quick steps to bring him to heel – like a raven, moreover a cuckoo. His hesitant moves and failure to defend himself or his daughter cements his status as ‘hen-pecked’ husband (if you’ll forgive the mixed avian metaphors.) In this way, Michael Pink’s choreography really adds depth to the characters and demonstrates their personalities, even in more minor scenes, as well as in the technically terrific ballroo sequences.

Yu Wakizuka and Andrew Tomlinson, playing stepsisters Lucretia and Prunella respectively, cast their own comic spell over the audience with their  salacious, stage-stealing acting and hilarious movement, galloping across the stage à la Miranda Hart. Their gauche behaviour, pinching princes’ bottoms is paralleled by their garish, over-frilly dresses.

Saeka Shirai’s Cinderella and Jonathan Hanks’ Prince are perfectly matched, with a youthful, hopeful love that is truly believable. It was poignant that in the last scene before they marry, the Prince dances with Cinderella her old rustic clothing, symbolising that despite all the fantasy, finery and fripperies that surround them, she is perfect, just as she is. Isn’t that how we all should see ourselves?

At once a familiar folktale yet fizzing with wonder and whimsy, you must go to this ball!

The Questors Theatre, Ealing until 31st October 2026

Reviewed by Mike Linane

4****

Audience members of Romeo and Juliet at the Questors Theatre, Ealing, may be forgiven if at times they think they have somehow stumbled into an episode of tv’s The Traitors for the play begins with the stage filled with actors all dressed in large dark cloaks that envelop them totally with extra large hoods that come down and cover their faces so all we see are these mannequin type cloaks moving about the stage ominously. They foreshadow the doom that lays all around and the ultimate devastation that is to play out before the evening ends. There is also a lot of play on the word ‘banished’ and even a mention or two of people being ‘traitors’. But who are the traitors and who are the faithful? Is it the Montague family whose son Romeo is a bit of a hothead and very randy to boot, or is it their rivals the Capulet family whose daughter Juliet is not yet fourteen but is already being thought about to be put onto the marriage market? And does Romeo not espy Juliet not from a balcony but from a turret window?

But for all this nodding to today’s tv phenomenon the play before us is still very much true to the most popular play that William Shakespeare ever wrote. Why is it his most popular? Because it is very accessible and deals with a subject that most people know about and have experienced at some point in their life – falling in love. We don’t choose our families but we certainly do decide who to fall in love with even if it is someone that you know your family won’t approve of.

This is the dilemma at the centre of this story and it is well played out by a cast led by Luke Baverstock as Romeo and Nerea Idigoras as Juliet. David Mestecky and Wanda Duszynska also impress as Lord Capulet and Juliet’s nurse but this is very much an ensemble piece of theatre with everyone in the cast putting in good performances.

Juliette Demoulin’s simple set works very well, reinforcing the divide between the two warring families and it is ably supported by both John Green’s lighting plan and Mike Wyer’s sound design. Federica Romano’s costume designs are just fabulous as there is never doubt which family each character is attached to, but it is to director Patrick Wilde that most of the plaudits must go to as he keeps the play moving along at a fair pace (even though he chooses to make the first act much longer than the second). Wilde makes us want the young lovers to succeed in their quest for happiness together (even though the cloaked spirits around them hint at the devastation that is to come.

The final twenty minutes of the play is some of the most compelling theatre you will see anywhere this year. We feel the pain of all of the characters as they have to come to terms with what has played out before us and the realisation that hate is not the cure for anything but is the cause of so much pain to so many people.

The Questors Theatre has an excellent reputation for staging drama of the highest quality and this production adds to their already impressive cannon of work.

THE UK PREMIERE OF THE NOTEBOOK – A NEW MUSICAL

BASED ON THE BOOK BY NICHOLAS SPARKS

AT THE NEWLY RENAMED

JUDI DENCH THEATRE

WITH MUSIC AND LYRICS BY 

INGRID MICHAELSON & BOOK BY BEKAH BRUNSTETTER 

TO OPEN IN LONDON

TICKETS ON SALE FROM 10AM TODAY

As the much-loved publishing phenomenon The Notebook, the debut novel from Nicholas Sparks celebrates 30 years since publication, the musical adaptation with music and lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson and book by Bekah Brunstetter receives its UK premiere in London’s West End – the first production to open at the newly renamed Judi Dench Theatre, currently the Shaftesbury Theatre. 

Directed by Michael Greif and Schele Williams, and choreography by Katie Spelman, the production opens on 13 April 2027, with previews from 10 March, and booking until 11 December. 

Tickets are on sale today from £20, with 50,000 tickets available at £50 or under.

Nicholas Sparks said today, “I couldn’t have predicted when I published The Notebook 30 years ago that this story would have such a lasting impact around the globe. The worldwide response has been incredible, and I’m thrilled to share this latest evolution of the story with audiences in London.”

Ingrid Michaelson commented, “The thing that makes a musical so special for me is the collaborative nature of it, and I can’t imagine a better team of people to have built The Notebook. Getting to revisit and revitalise the piece with Bekah, Michael, Schele and the rest of the team for this new production in London is such an honour, and for our musical to be the first at the newly named Judi Dench Theatre is beyond thrilling.”  

Bekah Brunstetter added, “It’s been such a joy to adapt The Notebook for the stage – it’s such a timeless, universal love story that speaks to so many aspects of life. Ingrid and I have loved expanding the story so that it truly sings and reaches even more people. We can’t wait to get back in the room with our brilliant creative team and discover this musical all over again for the London audience.”

Joining Greif, Williams and Spelman to complete the creative team – Music Supervision & Arrangements by Carmel Dean; Scenic Design by David Zinn & Brett J. Banakis; Costume Design by Paloma Young; Lighting Design by Ben Stanton; Sound Design by Nevin Steinberg; Hair & Wig Design by Mia Neal; Orchestrations by John Clancy & Carmel Dean; Co-Vocal Arrangements by Ingrid Michaelson & Carmel Dean; Music Direction by Jim Henson; Casting by Jill Green Casting.

Casting will be announced shortly. 

@notebookmusicaluk

www.notebookmusical.co.uk

KEVIN McCOLLUM, KURT DEUTSCH AND JAMIE WILSON PRODUCTIONS present

THE NOTEBOOK – A NEW MUSICAL

Based on the book by Nicholas Sparks

Music and Lyrics by Ingrid Michaelson Book by Bekah Brunstetter

Directed by Michael Greif & Schele Williams; Choreographed by Katie Spelman; Music Supervision & Arrangements by Carmel Dean; Scenic Design by David Zinn & Brett J. Banakis; Costume Design by Paloma Young; Lighting Design by Ben Stanton; Sound Design by Nevin Steinberg; Hair & Wig Design by Mia Neal; Orchestrations by John Clancy & Carmel Dean; Co-Vocal Arrangements by Ingrid Michaelson & Carmel Dean; Music Direction by Jim Henson; Casting by Jill Green Casting

Some love stories stay with us forever

Based on the best-selling novel by Nicholas Sparks and the iconic film loved by millions, The Notebook is a joyous, funny and deeply moving new musical about the power of enduring love and what we’ll do to keep it.

Directed by Michael Greif (Dear Evan Hansen, Next to Normal, RENT) and Schele Williams (The Wiz, Aida) with music and lyrics by multi-platinum singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, book by Bekah Brunstetter (NBC’s This Is Us), and choreography by Katie Spelman (Moulin Rouge).

Meet Allie and Noah. Born into two different worlds. Pulled apart, but always finding a way back. Theirs is a love story that lasts a lifetime. A story of dancing in the rain, the almost kiss and keeping the faith every single day.

Don’t miss this beautifully romantic and life-affirming new show.

Nicholas Sparks is one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. All of his books have been New York Times bestsellers, with over 130 million copies sold worldwide, in more than 50 languages, including over 92 million copies in the United States alone. Eleven of Nicholas Sparks’s novels—The Choice, The Longest Ride, The Best of Me, Safe Haven, The Lucky One, The Last Song, Dear John, Nights in Rodanthe, The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, and Message in a Bottle—have been adapted into major motion pictures. His latest book, Remain, was published in 2025 by LBUK, becoming a #1 New York Times bestseller and a debuted as #1 on the Publisher’s Weekly Hardcover Frontlist Fiction Chart – the film adaptation will be released in February 2027 starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Phoebe Dynevor, and is a genre-bending, supernatural romantic-thriller for which Sparks teamed up with M. Night Shyamalan to create.

An accomplished Emmy and Grammy nominated singer/songwriter, Ingrid Michaelson has released nine studio albums, including multiple gold and platinum singles over her extensive career. Michaelson has also scored, served as executive music supervisor, and had her songs used in multiple film and television projects. She made her Broadway on stage debut in Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812. The Notebook marked her Broadway debut as composer & lyricist for which she received a Grammy Nomination for Best Musical Theater Album.

Bekah Brunstetter’s play The Cake has been produced over 100 times worldwide, as ran off Broadway at Manhattan Theater Club. Her musical A.D. 16, about teen Jesus and Mary Magdalene, written with Schmigadoon’s Cinco Paul, premiered at the Olney theater center. Her work has been staged and developed by The O’Neill Playwright’s conference, the Atlantic Theater, Portland Center Stage, The Old Globe, the La Jolla Playhouse, South Coast Repertory, The Echo theater, Playmaker’s Rep, and Ojai Playwright’s conference.  As a television writer and producer, she has written for Switched at Birth, American Gods, This is Us, and Maid – the latter for which she won a WGA Award. Her show The Five-Star Weekend, starring Jennifer Garner, is also streaming on Peacock. She is an alumni of the CTG Writers Group, Primary Stages writes group, Ars Nova Play Group, The Playwright’s Realm, and the Women’s Project Lab, and the Echo Playwright’s Group. BA UNC Chapel Hill; MFA in Dramatic Writing from the New School for Drama.

Michael Greif is a five-time Tony Award® nominee for Best Direction of a Musical for RENT, Grey Gardens, Next to Normal, Dear Evan Hansen, and Hell’s Kitchen. Additional Broadway credits include Never Gonna Dance, War Paint, and Days of Wine and Roses. He made Broadway history in 2024 by directing three musicals in a single season. Other notable productions include The Low Road, Fucking A, Dogeaters, Giant, The Intelligent Homosexual’s Guide (The Public), Our Lady of Kibeho, Landscape of the Body, Angels in America (Signature Theater), A Parallelogram, Make Believe (Second Stage), and Far From Heaven, and Spatter Pattern (Playwrights Horizons).

Schele Williams is committed to cultivating work with authentic representation on stage and off. Her credits include The Wiz (2024 Broadway revival) and Aida (Disney Theatrical Group). She will aIso be helming Hidden Figures (Disney Theatrical Group). Williams has a long history of work on Broadway including RENT, Aida, and Motown: The Musical. She is a founding member of Black Theatre United and is the author of the children’s book Your Legacy: A Bold Reclaiming of Our Enslaved History, recipient of the 2022 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor. Her more recent book Your Legacy Begins was published in 2024. 

Katie Spelman’s selected US regional credits include Huzzah! (Old Globe, world premiere), Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 (Writers Theatre), Waitress (Paramount), The Music Man (Marriott Theatre), Cabaret (Barrington Stage), An American Tail (CTC, world premiere), Once (Writers Theatre), Swearing in English (Ars Nova), AD 16 (Olney Theater), The Beautiful Game (Tokyo), The Who’s Tommy (DCPA), and Oklahoma! (Goodspeed). Her television work includes School Spirits, Jessica Jones, and RENT! Live. Associate Choreographer credits include Moulin Rouge, Amélie, American Psycho, and Once (Broadway).

Producer – Kevin McCollum received the Tony Award for Best Musical for Rent, Avenue Q, and In the Heights. Current: SIX (Broadway, North American tour); Oh Mary! (Broadway and West End); The Devil Wears Prada (West End); The Play That Goes Wrong (Broadway, US Tour, Off-Broadway). Additional past credits Include: Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) (Broadway); The Notebook (Broadway); Days of Wine and Roses (Broadway); Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Broadway); Mrs. Doubtfire (Broadway, West End, and Europe); Motown: The Musical (Broadway, West End, U.K. and U.S. tours); The Drowsy Chaperone (Broadway, UK and US Tours); Something Rotten! (Broadway, U.S. tour); Hand to God (Broadway, West End); Baz Luhrmann’s La Bohème; [title of show] (Broadway). West Side Story (2021) film directed by Steven Spielberg. Upcoming: Black Swan, Night At The Museum, 42 Balloons, Something Rotten (UK).

Producer – Kurt Deutsch is a Grammy and Tony Award-winning producer. His theatre producing credits include The Notebook, Beetlejuice, David Byrne’s American Utopia, Here Lies Love, Alice By Heart, The Wrong Man, and numerous other Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. Deutsch also founded Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom Records and has produced and overseen more than 200 Broadway and Off-Broadway cast recordings, including The Notebook, The Book of Mormon, In the Heights, The Band’s Visit, and Beautiful. A former senior executive at Warner Music Group, Deutsch has spent over three decades championing groundbreaking musical theatre and developing new voices for the stage.

Producer – Jamie Wilson Productions

Founded in 2008, Jamie Wilson Productions (JWP) is one of the world’s leading independent theatre producers, headquartered in London, operating across the West End, Broadway, Australia, and Europe. With over 100 productions, the company has established a reputation for ambitious award-winning work of the highest calibre. Jamie Wilson ranks in The Stage 100’s top 20 most influential figures in the industry and was awarded the Variety Club Silver Heart Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre. JWP and Alchemation hold a 10-year agreement with the Shaftesbury Theatre, programming and producing work in the West End. JWP is led by CEO Oliver Mackwood, recent productions include: The Devil Wears Prada (West End), Avenue Q (West End), Into The Woods (West End), Two Strangers Carry a Cake across New York (Broadway), The Last Laugh (UK Tour), Mrs Doubtfire (West End), Sister Act (UK Tour), Just for One Day, The Live Aid Musical (West End and The Old Vic).

LISTINGS

THE NOTEBOOK

JUDI DENCH THEATRE

210 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2H 8DP

Tickets from £20, with standing at £15

www.notebookmusical.co.uk

Box Office: 020 7379 5399

PREVIEW SCHEDULE:

Wednesday 10 March, 7pm

Thursday 11 March, 7.30pm

Friday 12 March, 7.30pm

Saturday 13 March, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Tuesday 16 March, 7pm

Wednesday 17 March, 7pm

Thursday 18 March, 7.30pm

Friday 19 March, 7.30pm

Saturday 20 March, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Monday 22 March, 7pm

Tuesday 23 March, 7pm

Wednesday 24 March, 7pm

Thursday 25 March, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Friday 26 March, 7.30pm

Saturday 27 March, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Monday 29 March, 7pm

Tuesday 30 March, 7pm

Wednesday 31 March, 2pm and 7pm

Thursday 1 April, 7.30pm

Friday 2 April, 7.30pm

Saturday 3 April, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Monday 5 April, 7pm

Tuesday 6 April, 7pm

Wednesday 7 April, 2pm and 7pm

Thursday 8 April, 7.30pm

Friday 9th April, 7.30pm

Saturday 10 April, 2.30pm and 7.30pm

Monday 12 April, 7pm

Tuesday 13th April, 7pm – OPENING NIGHT 

POST OPENING NIGHT:

Monday to Wednesday at 7pm

Thursday to Saturday at 7.30pm

Wednesday matinees at 2pm

Saturday matinees at 2.30pm

ACCESS PERFORMANCES:                    

Thursday 9 September, 7.30pm Captioned

Saturday 18 September, 2.30pm Audio Described

Thursday 23 September, 7.30pm Signed

@notebookmusicaluk

www.notebookmusical.co.uk

Hull Truck Theatre – until 14th November 2026

Reviewed by Dawn Bennett

5*****

Hull Truck Theatre and Derby Theatre present The 39 Steps: A Comedy Thriller, adapted from John Buchan’s novel and Alfred Hitchcock’s film, and directed by Cal McCrystal.

Oh my goodness, what an absolute treat The 39 Steps was at Hull Truck Theatre last night. Fast-paced, cleverly staged, and genuinely hilarious, it was a joy from beginning to end.

The cast Sophie Bloor (Annabella/Pamela/Crofter’s Wife), James Keningale (Clown), Kathryn Perkins (Clown), Tom Mitchell (Understudy/Chief Inspector Albright) all played numerous parts and Ryan Starling (Richard Hannay) were exceptional. Their comic timing was amazing. It was very well rehearsed and beautifully executed.

The 39 Steps is an iconic novel and film. The story begins when Richard Hannay visits a theatre and meets a distressed woman named Annabella, who claims to be a spy caught up in a conspiracy. He takes her back to his flat, only to discover her dead on his living-room floor the following morning. Fearing that he will be blamed, Hannay flees to Scotland in search of Professor Jordan, a man Annabella had mentioned. Will Hannay be caught, or will justice prevail? Only time will tell!

This production broadly follows the plot, but that is where the similarity ends. It is difficult to describe the action without spoiling the surprises, but the staging is wonderfully inventive and delightfully unpredictable. From my seat in the second row, I even had two small “dogs” rush past my legs before the lead character landed at my feet!

This is a show not to be missed. Hull Truck Theatre has once again delivered an excellent production: refreshingly different, brilliantly performed and so funny it will leave your face aching from laughter.

Glasgow Citizens Theatre – until 24th October 2026

Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

5*****

With the many shows I have seen in my life, the wonder of theatre never fades. However, every once in a while I witness something so incredible, that this wonder reaches new heights. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is one of those shows, the acting, costumes, and staging, everything is a masterpiece to behold. The novel published in 1961, by Muriel Spark, is often regarded as one of the most influential books of all time. It has been adapted for film, TV, and theatre before this collaboration between The National Theatre of Scotland, The Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, and Pitlochry Festival Theatre. This play truly is the epitome of Scottish talent, and what my favourite country has to offer.

Inspired by Miss Jean Brodie, I’m going to change my regular review style and talk about the costumes first. Anna Orton has an eye for such beauty, the moment Jean Brodie walks on stage, I instantly fell in love, a dramatic flare unmatched by anyone on stage, she exists in a world of her own. Her aesthetic seems out of place to all the costumes on stage, where all the other characters are in blacks, and browns, Miss Brodie refuses to assimilate to those around her. The school girls wear a uniform that eludes to childlike innocence, but with a dangerous length, which then in Act 2, we see these same uniforms, but with a sheer fabric. I kid you not, my mouth was agape when I saw the girls walk out on stage, Miss Brodie has made her mark on these girls, that’s for sure. Thank you Anna for the gift you gave me at the theatre.

Miss Jean Brodie, Miss Brodie, Jean Brodie, I cannot get enough. Played by Gayle Rankin, the titular character is both charming, alarming, and disarming. Rankin performed with such power that I myself would love to join the ‘Brodie set’, she gave us something more than life. Her ability to allow her charisma to exude and draw us in is truly commendable, but then equally the show of fire seen in fascist iconography. The Character isn’t simple, she’s complex, and Rankin takes us through those complexities with skill. Miss Brodie school girls, made up of Sandy (Bobby Rainsbury), Jenny (Shreya Khaund Marshall), Mary (Liberty Black), Monica (Tallulah Greive), and Joyce Emily (Sohpie Fortune). Each performer understood the importance of the collective relationship they have with each other, and their own relationship with Brodie. I very much enjoyed watching how each performer interacted with the story, from a lens of childhood naivety, to seeing them mature into teenage years. The other 3 performers in this play are, Maureen Beattie playing Miss Mackay, Dyfan Dwyfor playing Mr Lloyd, and Brian Ferguson playing Mr Lowther. Mackay in
the story is a grounded character, she’s detached from the world of Jean Brodie, and Beattie provides a humour in the mundane. Mr Lloyd, and Mr Lowther, are unfortunately involved with Brodie, and Dwyfor and Ferguson give us performances that show the control and power these characters are under.

This phenomenal play was adapted by David Harrower, while there have been some changes from the original novel, I think this is one of the best adaptations I’ve ever seen. Vicky Featherstone directed this show, I think it’s clear from this review that I am in awe of what I witnessed, it felt complete, everything worked together in harmony, and had purpose. This will be a show I’ll never forget. It is touring across Scotland until the 7th November, although the only location not sold out is Aberdeen, I fully support you traveling however far you need to see this show, it truly is something you do not want to Miss (Jean Brodie)