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Darlington Hippodrome – until 8 November 2025

Reviewed by Andrew Bramfitt

4****

A Chilling Night at the Theatre: The Signalman at Darlington Hippodrome

There’s something deliciously fitting about watching The Signalman on a dark autumn night. Dickens’ classic ghost story, brought to the stage under Michael Lunney’s direction, fills the Darlington Hippodrome with just the right mix of unease and intrigue. It’s a proper fireside chiller – no cheap shocks, just a slow-burning sense of dread that creeps up on you.

The set instantly pulls you in: a lonely railway cutting, mist rolling in, the dim glow of a signal box lamp. You can almost feel the damp in the air. Lunney’s eye for atmosphere is spot on – every flicker of light and echoing sound builds tension without overdoing it. It’s the kind of show that lets your imagination do most of the work, which makes it all the more haunting.

The cast are excellent. John Burton gives the Signalman a real depth of sadness and fear, while Chris Walker’s Traveller brings warmth and curiosity that gently draws out the story. Their exchanges feel intimate and believable, like you’re eavesdropping on something deeply personal.

What makes The Signalman so effective is its simplicity. It’s old-fashioned storytelling done right – a reminder that a few shadows, a mournful whistle and a good dose of mystery can still give you chills.

If you enjoy your ghost stories traditional, unsettling, and beautifully acted, this one is well worth venturing out for – just don’t look down the tunnel on your way home.

York Theatre Royal – Saturday 31st October 2025

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

5*****

On Friday night, All Hallows Eve, I was not out trawling the streets trick or treating, instead I attended a special event at York Theatre Royal. Local York band, New York Brass Band, faced Birmingham’s Heavy Beat Brass Band. Having seen NYBB many years ago and loving their vibe I was eager to see them perform again and hoped they would meet my expectations. I’m glad to say that the whole evening lived up to them.

This isn’t your traditional, colliery style music, no NYBB and HBBB take their inspiration from the vibrant New Orleans jazz scene. The evening was billed as a night of thunderous brass, irresistible rhythm as two bands take centre stage in a spectacular brass battle. A night of funk, soul and the best brass musicians that York and Birmingham have to offer.

What makes this battle so much more interesting though is family. James created NYBB back in 2011, now his adult children, Joe and Grace play alongside him, but Charlie, his youngest has gone on to pastures new and now plays with HBBB, as does his wife Elita. Family connections don’t end there, HBBB also have a pair of brothers, Alex and Max, with Alex’s wife also joining the band.

The battle began with “Let’s Get It Started” by the Black Eyed Peas, performed by HBBB, energising York Theatre Royal. Each band had the chance to show off their talent and were allowed to shine in the opening half. However, it was the second half that the magic truly happened as the two bands united on the stage, bonded in a shared love of the music they were playing.

During each bands stint, there were attempts at playful sabotage and light-hearted rivalry, but it was never a true battle, this was just an occasion to celebrate and enjoy the talent on stage as a whole. Both bands featured nine core musicians, with two “guests” making appearances on a couple of numbers after the interval. We got to hear a wide range of eclectic numbers from “You Can Call Me All”, “I’m Coming Out”, “Man! I Feel Like A Woman”, to the more traditional “When The Saints Go Marching In”, and because it was Halloween we also got to hear “Thriller” and The Specials “Ghost Town”. My favourite of the night was “Get Lucky”, which was echoed in the comments I heard whilst leaving the theatre.

The audience at York Theatre Royal can be a bit reserved, but this dynamic brass showcase, with a culmination of twenty artists, had us up on our feet singing and dancing by the end.

I am very lucky to be visiting New Orleans in February for the end of Mardis Gras next year, and this experience has only whetted my appetite.

Both bands are available to hire for parties, weddings and events, I would encourage anyone to book either band. If you enjoy an explosive energetic party atmosphere you won’t be disappointed. NYBB’s next public performance will be at the Milton Rooms in Malton as part of the Acorn Community Care fundraising event on Saturday 15th Novemember.

WICKED MAKES WEST END HISTORY AT THE APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE  

WICKED OVERTAKES STARLIGHT EXPRESS TO BECOME THE LONGEST-RUNNING SHOW AT THE APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE.

WICKED ALSO BECOMES THE NINTH LONGEST-RUNNING WEST END SHOW OF ALL TIME 

THE MUSICAL CELEBRATES ITS LATEST MILESTONE WITH THE PRESENTATION OF A COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE

www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk

WICKED, the West End stage musical phenomenon that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, has become the ninth longest-running production in West End history, following the completion of Saturday’s matinee performance.

With this milestone, Wicked also surpassed the original London run of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Starlight Express, which previously held the title of longest-running production at Wicked’s West End home, the Apollo Victoria Theatre, where it played a total of 7,406 performances between March 1984 and January 2002.

The achievement was marked with a commemorative plaque, presented to ATG Entertainment representatives Ross Verity-Williams (General Manager), Kamaal Hussain (Deputy General Manager), and Wicked Ozians Abbie Quinnen and Iroy Abesamis.

Copies of the plaque will be displayed backstage and in both of the front-of-house Ambassador Lounges.

Wicked’s Producer David Stone said of the landmark moment, “We are thrilled that Wicked has become the ninth longest-running production in West End history and the longest-running production in the history of the Apollo Victoria Theatre, surpassing Starlight Express. This milestone is a testament to the extraordinary talent and dedication of the many performers, musicians, backstage teams and theatre staff who have sustained the production with such care and commitment. We offer our heartfelt thanks to the millions of audience members whose continued enthusiasm and support have made this remarkable achievement possible.”

ATG Entertainment’s Chief Content Officer, Michael Lynas, continued: “As the owners of the Apollo Victoria Theatre, we are immensely proud that Wicked has become the venue’s longest-running show.  This remarkable musical is a jewel in the crown of the West End and shines as brightly as when it opened more than 19 years ago.  We are delighted to host a show which has been entertaining London audiences since 2006, and we pay tribute to the producers, the creative team, the performers and musicians, and everyone working backstage and front of house at the Apollo Victoria.”

Claire Walker, Co-CEO of Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre, said of the industry milestone: 

“We are thrillified to celebrate Wicked reaching this incredible milestone at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and in West End history. For nearly 20 years, Wicked has been a defining part of London’s theatrical landscape, and we can’t wait for many more spellbinding performances to come.” 

The ten longest-running West End stage productions in British history are: The Mousetrap, Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, The Woman in Black, Mamma Mia!, Blood Brothers, The Lion King, Cats, Wicked and Starlight Express.

The London company currently stars Emma Kingston (Elphaba), Zizi Strallen (Glinda), Carl Man (Fiyero), Sarah Ingram (Madame Morrible), Michael Matus (The Wizard), Ross Carpenter (Boq), David McKechnie (Doctor Dillamond), Hannah Qureshi (Nessarose), and Laura Emmitt (Alternate Elphaba), Lydia Gerrard (Standby for Glinda), Iroy Abesamis, Zac Adlam, Steph Asamoah, Meg Astin, Rebecca Bowden, Shaun Chambers, Erin Gisele Chapman, Grace Durkin, Onyemachi Ejimofor, Aaron Elijah, Emily Goodenough, Aimee Hodnett, Nat Ingham, Holly Lawrence, Jemima Loddy, Josh Lovell, Rory Maguire, PaddyJoe Martin, JoJo Meredith, Ayden Morgan, Rina Punwani, Abbie Quinnen, Jemma Revell, Jeanie Ryan, Charlotte Anne Steen, Chris Tarsey, Hannah Taylor, James Titchener and Jacob Young. 

Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman’s celebrated stage musical is based on the acclaimed novel by Gregory Maguire and imagines a beguiling backstory and future possibilities to the lives of L. Frank Baum’s beloved characters from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Wicked reveals the decisions and events that shape the destinies of two unlikely university friends on their journey to becoming ‘Glinda The Good’ and the ‘Wicked Witch of the West’.

Wicked has music and lyrics by multi-Oscar® and Grammy® Award winner Stephen Schwartz (Godspell, Pippin, The Prince of Egypt, Disney’s Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Enchanted). It is based on the multimillion-copy best-selling novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire and written by Emmy® and Tony Award® nominee Winnie Holzman (creator of the landmark American television series ‘My So-Called Life’). Musical staging is by Tony Award® winner Wayne Cilento with direction by two-time Tony Award® winner Joe Mantello.

Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman have collaborated on the two-part Universal Pictures film version of Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu and produced by Marc Platt and David Stone. Starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, Part 1 of the blockbuster opened in November 2024 and has become the highest-grossing film, based on a stage musical, in history. Wicked: For Good will be released in the UK on November 21, 2025.

Performances continue Tuesday – Saturday at 7.30 pm, and Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2.30pm. The following nineteen added shows are also on sale: Friday 19 December 2:30pm, Monday 22 December 7:30pm, Tuesday 23 December 2:30pm, Monday 29 December 2:30pm & 7:30 pm, Tuesday 30 December 2.30pm 2025 and Friday 2 January 2:30pm, Thursday 19 February 2:30pm, Thursday 2 April 2:30pm, Thursday 6 August 2:30pm, Thursday 20 August 2:30pm, Thursday 29 October 2:30pm, Friday 18 December 2:30pm, Monday 21 December 7:30pm, Tuesday 22 December 2:30pm, Sunday 27 December 7:30pm, Monday 28 December 7:30pm and Tuesday 29 December 2:30pm 2026.

The stage musical Wicked is produced by Marc Platt, Universal Stage Productions, The Araca Group, Jon B. Platt, and David Stone.

The Apollo Victoria Theatre, Wilton Road, London, SW1V 1LG

Official UK website: www.WickedTheMusical.co.uk 

Education programme: www.WickedActiveLearning.co.uk

TikTok: @WickedUK  |  Facebook: /WickedUK  |  Instagram: @WickedUK | ‘X’ (Twitter): @WickedUK

JASON MANFORD TO STAR IN THE UK PREMIERE OF
AWARD WINNING COMEDY MUSICAL

SOMETHING ROTTEN!

OPENING IN MANCHESTER NEXT SUMMER

IN A WORLD WITHOUT MUSICALS,
TWO BROTHERS DARED TO DREAM A DREAM.

somethingrottenthemusical.com

4 November 2025: Comedy, TV and musical theatre icon Jason Manford will make his highly anticipated return to the stage in fetching pantaloons next summer in the award-winning comedy musical Something Rotten!

A side-splitting mash-up of song, dance and Elizabethan absurdity that tells the story behind the creation of the world’s very first musical, Something Rotten! will premiere in the UK – the land where it all (most definitely) happened! – at the Manchester Opera House from 16 June to 19 July 2026, ahead of a West End run.

The ‘90s are back! The 1590s, that is. Brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a hit play but remain stuck in the shadow of that pompous Renaissance rockstar Will Shakespeare. When a quirky soothsayer foretells an outlandish future for theatre – full of acting, singing and dancing all at the same time – Nick and Nigel set out to write this strange new creation called A MUSICAL! But amidst the scandalous excitement of Opening Night, the Bottom Brothers discover that reaching the top means being true to thine own self… and all that jazz.

On stage, Jason Manford has starred in numerous musicals in the West End and across the UK, including Sweeney Todd, The Producers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Guys and Dolls, Curtains and The Wizard of Oz.

Created by the award-winning team behind Mrs. Doubtfire: The Musical: Grammy award-winning songwriter Wayne Kirkpatrick (Change the World, Every Heartbeat), screenwriter Karey Kirkpatrick (Chicken Run, Over the Hedge,  James and the Giant Peach) and best-selling author and comedy scriptwriter John O’Farrell (Spitting Image, Have I Got News for You, Just For One Day), Something Rotten! was the toast of Broadway where it received 10 Tony Award nominations. 

This new production, which follows the acclaimed 2023 WhatsOnStage Award-winning concert version, is directed and choreographed by Tim Jackson (Merrily We Roll Along, Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York) and presented by Broadway and West End producers, Kevin McCollum of Alchemation and Joshua Andrews of JAS Theatricals. This production is licensed by Music Theatre International. 

Manchester Abid has supported the Opera House’s Manchester Gets it First programme to help bring Something Rotten! to Manchester.

MADDIE MOATE RELEASES NEW VIDEO OF
THE SCIENCE SONG
A FESTIVE FAVOURITE FROM HER OLIVIER-NOMINATED HIT SHOW

MADDIE MOATE’S VERY CURIOUS CHRISTMAS

RETURNING TO THE WEST END THIS CHRISTMAS
GARRICK THEATRE
FRIDAY 12 DECEMBER 2025 – SUNDAY 4 JANUARY 2026

This Christmas, Maddie Moate brings her Olivier Award-nominated festive adventure back to the West End – and she won’t be alone! Casting is now confirmed for MADDIE MOATE’S VERY CURIOUS CHRISTMAS returning this December.

Beloved children’s TV presenter Maddie (CBeebies’ Maddie’s Do You Know?) will once again lead the show, joined by returning workshop helpers Kira MacCarter as ‘Tinker’, and Zain Abrahams as ‘Goggles’, with CBeebies star Jennie Dale reprising her role as ‘Mrs Claus’ via a special virtual appearance.

Created and written by Maddie, the show takes audiences on an exciting STEM adventure inside Santa’s workshop, with performances at the Garrick Theatre from Friday 12 December to Sunday 4 January, with a press performance on Sunday 14 December at 3.30pm.

Tickets are on sale now.

 Maddie is on work experience in this winter wonderland, and she’s got her hands full with two hilarious elves: Tinker, the trainee toymaker, and Goggles, the Head of Elf Safety.

But with Christmas just around the corner, the workshop is a whirlwind of mishaps!

With the clock ticking, Maddie and her young audience must use science, curiosity, and a sprinkle of Christmas magic to help Tinker and Goggles fix the workshop in time for Mrs Claus’ big visit.

Packed with festive fun, hands-on experiments, and plenty of giggles this family-friendly show is the perfect Christmas treat for kids and grown-ups as they work together to save the holiday season!

Maddie Moate is a BAFTA-winning children’s TV presenter and YouTube filmmaker renowned for her passion for science, wildlife, and travel. She hosted the BAFTA-nominated CBeebies TV series Maddie’s Do You Know? CBBC’s Show Me the Honey and recently joined the long running Cbeebies TV series ‘Something Special’ in their new presenter line up. 2025 saw Maddie fronting the Cbeebies Musical ‘The Great Ice Cream Hunt’, which showed in nationwide cinemas this summer.

Maddie Moate said, “I’m so excited to be bringing Maddie’s Very Curious Christmas back to the West End – and this time with an Olivier nomination under our belt! I can’t wait to reunite with my friends, Santa’s helpers Goggles and Tinker, and of course Mrs Claus, as we share festive cheer and a tonne of science on stage!”

Alongside her work in TV, Maddie is the producer and creator of her YouTube channel ‘Maddie Moate’. Here, she has spent the past decade uploading curiosity-fuelled science videos for kids and families. It was awarded “Best Kids Channel” by Kidscreen in 2022 and has amassed more than 90 million views and 325 thousand subscribers. In addition to her own channel, Maddie has fronted online video series for BBC Earth, English Heritage, LEGO and Disney.

Beyond digital content and television, Maddie brings science to the stage, writing, producing, and hosting shows for her audiences. In the summer 2021, she debuted her show, The Wonder Games, during a London residency at The London Wonderground, and later took it to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival’s Underbelly stage in 2022. In 2023, Maddie performed at Shakespeare’s Globe in a CBeebies adaptation of Twelfth Night. She has also been a regular in the popular CBeebies Christmas Show since 2017, and performed at the Royal Albert Hall for the CBeebies Prom for the third time in 2024.

Since 2021, Maddie has worked with Penguin’s Puffin releasing three non-fiction books for children, Stuff, A Very Curious Christmas and most recently How Does It Work?.

Additionally, Maddie is a patron of the Youth STEM Awards (YSA) scheme and an ambassador for The Wildlife Trust and Eureka: The National Children’s Museum.

Her work continues to inspire curiosity and a love for science in children and families worldwide.

Instagram – @maddimoate
TikTok – @Maddie Moate
Facebook- facebook.com/maddiemoatepresenter
YouTube – @maddiemoate (youtube.com/maddiemoate)

www.maddiemoate.com

 Critical praise for Madde Moate’s A Very Curious Christmas

 “CBeebies star’s scientific wonderland.”

The Guardian

 *****

“The perfect blend of science experiments and a taste of musical theatre with a pantomime flair.”
“A winner.”
Broadway World
****

“A great family show.”
London Theatre 1
*****

“Having seen many children’s shows over the years, this is one of the best.”
Musical Theatre Musings

DATES ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW BRITISH MUSICAL BASED ON THE AWARD-WINNING FILM

PRIDE

PREVIEWS AT SHERMAN THEATRE IN CARDIFF, AHEAD OF ITS RUN AT THE NATIONAL THEATRE IN LONDON

TICKETS ON GENERAL SALE FROM 10AM FRIDAY 14 NOVEMBER 2025

P&P Productions with the National Theatre, in association with Pathé, today announce dates for Pride, a brand-new musical based on the award-winningfilm, reuniting director Matthew Warchus (Matilda The Musical) and writer Stephen Beresford (The Last of the Haussmans). This inspiring true story set during the 1984 miners’ strike, when a small group of gay men and lesbians lent their support to a small village in south Wales, will be brought to life in preview performances at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff from 31 March to 18 April 2026, followed by a run at the National Theatre’s Dorfman stage from 11 June to 12 September 2026.

Funny, fierce and full of heart,Pride willhave original music by Christopher Nightingale(A Christmas Carol), Josh Cohen (Sylvia) and DJ Walde (Sylvia). This timely and inspiring story of real-life events, where two communities united and set aside their differences, is set to an original score with songs inspired by protest anthems, pop, rock, disco and the Welsh choral tradition.

Casting to be announced.

Summer, 1984.  With miners on strike across the country, 24-year-old activist Mark Ashton tries to rally a disparate group of gay men and lesbians into forming a support group for the beleaguered strikers. Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) quickly finds itself entwined with a small pit village in south Wales. What follows is the remarkable true story of two threatened communities joining forces – and discovering they have more in common than they ever imagined.

Pride has a book and lyrics by Stephen Beresford, music by Christopher Nightingale, Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, developed and directed by Matthew Warchus. The artistic team is completed by set and costume designer Bunny Christie, choreographer Lizzi Gee, lighting designer Hugh Vanstone, sound designer Bobby Aitken, music supervisor Tom Kelly, music director Jo Cichonska and casting director David Grindrod CDG.

Speaking about bringing Pride to the stage, Director Matthew Warchus said: ‘It was one of the greatest joys and privileges of my career to direct the film version of ‘Pride’. I’m so excited to be working alongside Stephen again – together with Chris, Josh and DJ – to bring this hugely emotional and inspiring true story to the stage and let it sing.’ 

Writer Stephen Beresford said: ‘It was an incredible experience to bring the true story of ‘Pride’ to the screen, and it’s equally thrilling to now bring it to the stage. The soaring, epic nature of this story seemed tailor-made for musical theatre – and to collaborate with Josh and DJ, and reunite with Matthew and Chris has been nothing short of a joy. I can’t wait for audiences to see it.’

Speaking about the world premiere of Pride on the Dorfman stage, National Theatre Director Indhu Rubasingham said:‘When I heard that Matthew and Stephen were adapting their beloved film ‘Pride’ as a stage musical, I knew instantly that I wanted it to be here at the National Theatre. The Dorfman is an intimate, flexible theatre renowned for new writing and for challenging expectations. The world premiere of ‘Pride’ will push the limits of what is possible in this space, both joyful and disrupting, I can’t wait for audiences to experience its power.’ 

Preview performances of Pride will run at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff from 31 March to 18 April 2026. These will be followed by a run in the Dorfman theatre from 11 June to 12 September 2026, with a press performance on Thursday 25 June 2026, at 7pm.

Pride is presented by P&P Productions with the National Theatre in association with Pathé

Public booking for Pride opens at 10am on Friday 14 November 2025

For more information visitwww.nationaltheatre.org.uk. For more information on the previews, visitwww.shermantheatre.co.uk.

JERMYN STREET THEATRE ANNOUNCES
FULL PROGRAMMING FOR
SPRING 2026 SEASON

ALSO ANNOUNCED, NEARLY 30% OF TICKETS UNDER £26

Highlights include

Jerome Kilty’s Dear Liar, directed by Artistic Director Stella Powell-Jones

World premiere of Flora Wilson Brown’s new adaptation of Virginia Woolf’s The Waves, directed by Júlia Levai

Revival of Lyle Kessler’s Orphans, starring Forbes Masson, Chris WalleyandFred Woodley Evans

One-night performance of The Greeks, featuring BAFTA Award-winning Siân Phillips

A new production of Teresa Deevy’s Wife to James Whelan, presented in partnership with Mint Theater Company

With the world premiere of Katherine Moar’s Ragdollbreaking box office records, and the new adaptation of David Copperfield in rehearsals, Jermyn Street Theatre’s Artistic Director Stella Powell-Jones, Co-Artistic Director and Executive Producer David Doyle, and Executive Director Penny Horner, today announce full programming for the 2026 Spring season – with five plays, including one world premiere and two major revivals. There will also be a series of one-night wonders including Sian Phillips’ The Greeks, a series of Kenneth Williams performances – Kenneth Williams: A Centenary Celebration and Cult Figure: Kenneth Williams -and An Afternoon with Tony Robinson.

The Spring season opens with a revival of Lyle Kessler’s Tony Award-nominated modern classic Orphans, set in 1983 Philadelphia, where two isolated brothers’ lives are upended by a mysterious stranger. The production stars Forbes Masson (Farm Hall, Laughing Boy), Olivier Award-winner Chris Walley, and Fred Woodley Evans (Outlying Islands), and is directed by former Carne Deputy Director Al Miller. This is followed by Dear Liar – directed by Artistic Director Stella Powell-Jones.A witty, moving illustration of the complex 40-year relationship between George Bernard Shaw and Mrs. Patrick Campbell, Dear Liar is adapted by Jerome Kilty from their original correspondence.

Arriving from its sold-out 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe run, Emma Howlett’s Aether– blending science, faith and magic -which was previously a one-week engagement at Jermyn Street Theatre, has now been extended due to popular demand by two weeks, running until 4 April 2026. The season continues with The Waves. Playwright Flora Wilson Brown and director Júlia Levai collaborate to reveal the ultimate coming of age story in Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece. It concludes with a new production of Teresa Deevy’s Wife to James Whelan, a timeless story of love and pride, directed by Jonathan Bank, which reintroduces Ireland’s forgotten genius to London audiences.

Artistic Director Stella Powell-Jones and Co-Artistic Director and Executive Producer David Doyle said today, “What makes Jermyn Street Theatre such an exciting place to run is its power to surprise. It’s baked into the very walls — you don’t expect the intimacy of 70 seats in the heart of the West End.

Today we’re delighted to announce a new season that celebrates that thrill of unexpected meetings: between new voices and the canon, rising stars and the legends who inspired them, forgotten plays and audiences ready to discover them anew.

This year, half of our audiences were first time visitors. And with nearly 30% of tickets at £26 or less – plus relaxed and captioned performances – we can’t wait for more people to discover what’s in store at 16b Jermyn Street.”

Tickets are on-sale from today and are available via this link: www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk.
Instagram: @JermynStreetTheatre

Jermyn Street Theatre presents

ORPHANS

By Lyle Kessler

5 – 24 January 2026

Cast: Forbes Masson (Harold), Chris Walley (Treat), Fred Woodley Evans (Phillip)
Director: Al Miller; Set and Costume Designer: Sarah Beaton; Lighting Designer: Simeon Miller; Composer and Sound Designer: Donato Wharton

Philadelphia, 1983. Twenty-eight year old Phillip hasn’t stepped outside in years – surviving on canned tuna, encyclopedias, and his own wild theories about the dangers beyond the door. His older brother Treat runs his world with rules and rituals to keep them safe, bringing home whatever he can steal. Then, one night, Treat drags in Harold, a stranger stuffed with cash and soaked in whiskey. The perfect target… or so it looks. By morning, nothing will be the same.

Lyle Kessler is a playwright, screenwriter and actor. His other playwriting credits include The Watering Place, Perp, House on Fire, Robbers, Unlisted, Burning Bright (winner of the New York State Council on the Arts Playwright Award), The Family Circle, The Engagement, and The Viewing. His work for screen includes Orphans, The Saint of Fort Washington, Gladiator, and Touched.

Forbes Masson plays Harold. He returns to Jermyn Street Theatre following his roles in Laughing Boy and Farm Hall (also Theatre Royal Haymarket and UK tour). His other theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Jekyll and Hyde, Rebus: A Game Called Malice (UK tours), Newsies (Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre), The Taxidermist’s Daughter (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Magician’s Elephant, The Boy in the Dress, The Taming of the Shrew  (RSC), Bartholomew Fair, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Boudica (Shakespeare’s Globe), Summer and Smoke (Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre), Little Shop of Horrors (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Big Fish (The Other Palace), Terror (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), Travesties (Menier Chocolate Factory and Apollo Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theatre Royal Bath), Doctor Faustus (Duke of York’s Theatre), Mr Foote’s Other Leg (Hampstead Theatre and Theatre Royal Haymarket), The Ruling Class, Richard III, Macbeth (Trafalgar Theatre). His television credits include The High Life (as series regular Steve McCracken), The Crown, The Marlowe Sessions, As You Like It, Royal Mob, Crime, Father Brown, Catastrophe, Shetland: Dead Water, My Life Story, No Holds Bard, Monarch of the Glen, Supergirly, The Young Person’s Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, and Only Child; and for film, The Road Dance.

Chris Walley plays Treat. His theatre credits include Juno and the Paycock (Gielgud Theatre), The Sugar Wife (Abbey Theatre), and The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Noel Coward Theatre – Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role). His television credits include The Young Offenders (as series regular Jock Murphy), Bloodlands, and Bodkin; and for film, The Young Offenders, Pixie, 1917, Unwelcome, Lies We Tell, and The Last Voyage of the Demeter.

Fred Woodley Evans plays Phillip. Hereturns to Jermyn Street Theatre following his debut performance in Outlying Islands. He is currently starring as John Darling in the RSC’s production of Wendy & Peter Pan at the Barbican Centre. Woodley Evans will also appear in the upcoming season of Bridgerton. He graduated with BA Acting from RADA in 2024.

Al Miller directs. He is the former Carne Deputy Director of Jermyn Street Theatre. As Assistant and Associate Director, his credits include The Hobbit, Cinderella (Oxford Playhouse), and Bon Ami (Battersea Arts Centre, Unicorn Theatre and UK tour).

Jermyn Street Theatre presents

DEAR LIAR

Adapted for the stage by Jerome Kilty

from the correspondence of Bernard Shaw and Mrs Patrick Campbell5 February – 7 March 2026

Director: Stella Powell-Jones; Set and Costume Designer: Tom Paris; Lighting Designer:
Chris McDonnell; Composer and Sound Designer: Harry Blake; Associate Director and Movement Director: Elliot Pritchard

1940. The Germans advance on Paris. A case stuffed with letters is smuggled to London.

Inside, a remarkable story about – and by – two remarkable people: the brilliant actress ‘Mrs Pat’ and George Bernard Shaw. They met in 1899. They made Pygmalion. World Wars started and stopped, and started again. They fell in love. They fell apart. And through it all… they wrote.

Jerome Kilty’s play reveals the extraordinary bond between these two theatrical titans. In their witty, unfiltered words, attraction collides with ambition as the world transforms around them. A play about how we change — and what we hold on to.

Jerome Kilty was an actor and playwright whose work spans stage and screen across the US and internationally. As a playwright, his notable works include Dear Liar, Dear Love, The Ideas of March, The Little Black Book, and Look Away. As an actor, he appeared with companies including the American Repertory Theater and the Opera Company of Boston.

Stella Powell-Jones directs. She is the current Artistic Director of Jermyn Street Theatre. For Jermyn Street Theatre, her directing credits include Eurydice, Little Brother, Owners, Orlando, Parents Evening, The Play About My Dad, and Tomorrow at Noon. Further directing credits include This Is Our Youth (Playground Theatre), The Healing (Theater Breaking Through Barriers, NYC), The Mystery of Love and Sex (Signature Theatre, Washington DC), Trevor (Circle X Theatre, Los Angeles); and as Associate Director, Escaped Alone (Royal Court and International Tour), and The Father (West End/National tour). Stella has also developed work with The Kennedy Center, The Huntington Theatre, Playwrights Horizons, New York Stage & Film, Playwrights Realm and Primary Stages.

Jermyn Street Theatre presents the TheatreGoose production of

AETHER

Written and Directed by Emma Howlett

16 March – 4 April 2026

Cast: Gemma Barnett, Sophie Kean, Anna Marks Pryce, Abby McCann

Set and Costume Designer: Ellie Wintour; Lighting Designer: Ed Saunders; Composer and Sound Designer: Sarah Spencer; Dramaturg: Sophie Kean

A PhD student hunting dark matter collides with:

1. A disillusioned illusionist
2. A teenage medium with a secret
3. A murdered mathematician
4. A trail-blazing astronomer

Together, they investigate the greatest unsolved mystery of the universe. Aether explores physics, faith, and magic in rich theatrical spectacle to uncover humanity’s insatiable fascination with the unknown.

Emma Howlett is a writer and director. As Artistic Director of TheatreGoose, she has written and directed Her Green Hell, Sisters Three, and Aether (winner of The Fringe Five Award). Her other directing work includes Grounded (The Bridge Theatre, Brussels), Enron (Oxford Playhouse), and Copenhagen (Theatre Royal Bath); as Associate Director, Farm Hall (UK tour), and as Assistant Director, A View from the Bridge (Theatre Royal Bath and West End). Howlett is a member of the Royal Court Writers’ Group, a recipient of the New Theatre Writing Residency from the Hugo Burge Foundation and the Lustrum Award, and is currently adapting her full-length play Bumps into a feature film.

Gemma Barnett’s theatre credits include Revenge: After the Levoyah (The Yard Theatre, Soho Theatre and Edinburgh Festival Fringe), The Invincibles (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), The Beach House (Park Theatre), Crimea 5AM (Kiln Theatre), Dido’s Bar (Dash Arts), Agatha (Pleasance Theatre, London), Dr Korczak’s Example (Leeds Playhouse), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare in the Squares), A Hundred Words for Snow (Trafalgar Theatre – Best Solo Performance OffWest End Award), and Lola (VAULT Festival). Her film credits include Please Carry On, Preggo, Bridge, I Killed Them When They Came for My Kid, and Miss.

Sophie Kean’s theatre credits include Sisters Three, Her Green Hell (UK tours), and Scenes for John (National Theatre Studio). Kean graduated from Rose Bruford College in 2024.

Anna Marks Pryce’s theatre credits include 4 Girls the First Letter E (King’s Head Theatre), Fairytale Ending (‘A Word After A Word After A Word’) (Union Theatre), The Creature, The Snow Queen (Rose Theatre Kingston), and It’s Ok, I Still Think You’re Great (Baron’s Court Theatre).

Abby McCann’s theatre credits include Sisters Three (UK tour), Looking for Giants (King’s Head Theatre), Short Pleasures Long Woes (Omnibus Theatre), Thas’ a Rummun! (Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft), Peter and the Wolf (Waterperry Opera Festival), If We Ended This (Camden People’s Theatre), and Enron (Oxford Playhouse).

Jermyn Street Theatre presents

THE WAVES

Written by Virginia Woolf
Adapted by Flora Wilson Brown

16 April – 23 May 2026

Director: Júlia Levai; Set Designer: Tomás Palmer; Lighting Designer: Lucía Sánchez Roldán

Rhoda. Bernard. Susan. Neville. Jinny. Louis.

They begin by the coast. Then, school. Youth. Forming. Swelling. Terror. Joy. Working. Falling. Fame. Grief. Alone. Together.

The Waves is a tender, thrilling story about growing up together. Major new talents Flora Wilson Brown and Júlia Levai unite to bring Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece to heart-thumping life.

Flora Wilson Brown is a writer and dramaturg – she returns to Jermyn Street Theatre following The Beautiful Future Is Coming (also Bristol Old Vic and Traverse Theatre). Her plays include I Know I Know I Know (Southwark Playhouse), and Viking (Underbelly, Edinburgh Festival Fringe). As a dramaturg, she has worked on projects at the Edinburgh Fringe, the RSC, and the Orange Tree Theatre.

Júlia Levai directs. Her directing credits include Petty Men (Arcola Theatre), Radiant Boy, Smoke (Southwark Playhouse), We’ll Be Who We Are (VAULT Festival), Northern Girls (Pilot Theatre),Did I Wake You? (Young Vic as part of ‘Five Plays’), The Prince of Homburg (The Space) and There Has Possibly Been an Incident (Blue Elephant Theatre). Her assistant and associate directing credits includeThe Land of The Living, Coriolanus, Dear Octopus (National Theatre), Hope Has a Happy Meal (Royal Court Theatre), All’s Well That Ends Well (RSC), L’Illusion Comique (National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbia) and Nora: A Doll’s House (Young Vic). Levai is an MGCfutures bursary recipient and was previously Director in Residence at the National Theatre in Belgrade, Serbia.

Jermyn Street Theatre and Mint Theater present

WIFE TO JAMES WHELAN

Written by Teresa Deevy

25 June – 25 July 2026

Director: Jonathan Bank; Casting Director: Sarah Jones CDG

1937, a small Irish town. Up a sunlit hill, Nan Bowers and her friends are waiting to hear which local lad has won a life-changing job in Dublin. James Whelan shows up triumphant and ready to celebrate with his sweetheart, Nan, only to be blindsided by news of her own departure. Seven years later, they’re both back home. Will they get a second chance at first love?

Teresa Deevy was at the height of her fame when the Abbey Theatre rejected Wife to James Whelan amid the growing conservative backlash of the 1930s. In 2026, Mint Theater’s Jonathan Bank reintroduces Ireland’s forgotten genius with this timeless play that pits love against pride.

Teresa Deevy was an Irish dramatist and writer whose plays were celebrated in early 20th-century theatre. Her works include Katie Roche, A Disciple, Temporal Powers, The King of Spain’s Daughter, Reapers, The Wild Goose – all staged at Dublin’s Abbey Theatre. Among her other works are Wife to James Whelan, In Search of Valour, and Light Falling. Many of Deevy’s plays were adapted for radio: both The King of Spain’s Daughter and Wife to James Whelan were broadcast on the BBC, while Within a Marble City won first prize in the Radio Éireann drama competition of 1948.Jonathan Bank directs. As Artistic Director of Mint Theater Company his directing credits include Katie Roche, Temporal Powers and Wife to James Whelan (all Teresa Deevy’s plays), The Suitcase Under the Bed, Yours Unfaithfully, The New Morality, Mary Broome, So Help Me God!, Is Life Worth Living?, The Fifth Column, The Return of the Prodigal, and Susan and God. Other directing credits include Ivanov, Body, The Double Bass, Three Days of Rain (Miniature Theater of Chester), The Heiress, Hobson’s Choice, Candida, and Mr Pim Passes By (Peterborough Players).

ONE-NIGHT WONDERS:
AN AFTERNOON WITH TONY ROBINSON
7 December 2025, 3pm

Tony Robinson has delighted audiences for more than forty years, from his iconic role as Baldrick in Blackadder to over 20 seasons at the helm of Channel 4’s Time Team, and now with his debut novel The House of Wolf. Join him for a fascinating afternoon of conversation about his life, career, and writing.

One of the country’s most recognisable faces of popular history, he has written a novel inspired by one of the periods that has captivated him the most. The House of Wolf is the first in a new historical series spanning the Anglo-Saxons, Alfred the Great and the making of England.

The conversation will be followed by a Q&A and book signing.

KENNETH WILLIAMS: A CENTENARY CELEBRATION
22 February 2026, 1pm

Comedy icon Kenneth Williams‘ performances left an indelible mark on national culture. Join Mark Farrelly, Simon Cartwright, and Russell Davies to celebrate the centenary of his birth with sketches from his most iconic work and extracts from his diaries.

Jermyn Street Theatre presents the Apollo Theatre Company Production of

CULT FIGURE: KENNETH WILLIAMS
22 February 2026, 7:30pm

Kenneth Williams was one of the most unique and beloved figures in British comedy history.  From show-stealing performances on the radio in Hancock’s Half Hour and Round the Horne and over twenty years of starring in the Carry On films to becoming the darling of the chat shows, Williams was a rare talent who could turn from broad slapstick to erudite wit in a split second. On the centenary of Kenneth Williams’ birth, celebrated actor and impressionist Colin Elmer, who played him in the UK tours of Round the Horne and Hancock’s Half Hour, reprises his role in this new production, telling the great man’s story in his own words, using anecdotes, writings and some of the material for which the comedy legend was so well-known.

SIÂN PHILLIPS: THE GREEKS

Written and Directed by David Stuttard
Sunday 1 March at 3pm and 5pm

Cast: Siân Phillips, Rachel Donovan, Robert Powell

BAFTA award-winning Siân Phillips leads audiences on a captivating journey through the drama, wit, and spirit of Ancient Greece, in two performances presented together for the first time.

In Women & Troy, she is joined by Rachel Donovan (The Crown, Call the Midwife) as they delve into war-torn Troy and the story of the women who inhabit it. From Queen Hecuba and her prophetess-daughter Cassandra to Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, what emerges is an intense story full of passion and humour.

In It’s All Greek, she joins Robert Powell (Jesus of Nazareth)to give voice to timeless tales of love, laughter, and betrayal. Whatever life brings us, the ancient Greeks have the right words for it. As they navigate through youthful high jinks, adult chaos, and the preoccupations of old age, their wit and wisdom are a road map for our modern age.

Directed by David Stuttard, Siân Phillips: The Greeks brings myth to life with rare insight, passion, and grace, and reminds us why these ancient voices still speak so clearly today.

Women & Troy will be performed at 3pm and It’s All Greek at 5pm.

LISTINGS

JERMYN STREET THEATRE
16B Jermyn Street, London, SW1Y 6ST

Box Office: 020 7287 2875
www.jermynstreettheatre.co.uk

RAGDOLL
Until 15 November 2025Monday – Saturday, 7:30pm

3pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays

Relaxed Performance: Tuesday 4 November at 3pm
Captioned Performance: Wednesday 5 November at 7:30pm
Tickets from £18

DAVID COPPERFIELD
20 November – 20 December

Monday – Saturday, 7:30pm

3pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays

Relaxed Performance: Wednesday 10 December at 7:30pm 

Captioned Performance: Wednesday 17 December at 7:30pm

Tickets from £18

ORPHANS
5 – 24 January 2026

Monday – Saturday, 7:30pm
3pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays
Relaxed Performance: Thursday 22 January at 7:30pm
Tickets from £18

DEAR LIAR
5 February – 7 March 2026

Monday – Saturday, 7:30pm
3pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays
Relaxed Performances: Tuesday 17 February at 3pm & Thursday 26 February at 7:30pm
Captioned Performance: Monday 23 February at 7:30pm
Tickets from £18

AETHER
16 March – 4 April 2026

Monday – Saturday, 7:30pm
3pm matinees on Tuesday and Saturday
Tickets from £22

THE WAVES
16 April – 23 May 2026

Monday – Saturday, 7:30pm

3pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays

Relaxed Performances: Thursday 30 April at 7:30pm & Tuesday 12 May at 3pm
Captioned Performance: Monday 11 May at 7:30pm
Tickets from £18

WIFE TO JAMES WHELAN
25 June – 25 July 2026

Monday – Saturday, 7:30pm

3pm matinees on Tuesdays and Saturdays

Relaxed Performances: Tuesday 7 July at 3pm & Thursday 16 July at 7:30pm
Captioned Performance: Monday 13 July at 7:30pm
Tickets from £18

ONE-NIGHT WONDERS:

AN AFTERNOON WITH TONY ROBINSON

7 December 2025, 3pm

KENNETH WILLIAMS: A CENTENARY CELEBRATION

22 February 2026, 1pm

CULT FIGURE: KENNETH WILLIAMS
22 February 2026, 7:30pm

SIÂN PHILLIPS: THE GREEKS
Sunday 1 March 2026, 3pm and 5pm

As previews begin this evening for PADDINGTON The Musical, producers Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK release the first images of Paddington and reveal the team bringing him to the stage.

Paddington is played by James Hameed (Paddington Off-stage Performer and Remote Puppeteer) and Arti Shah (Paddington On-stage Performer). The team behind the bear are Tahra Zafar (Paddington Bear Designer), Audrey Brisson (Bear Physicality Associate Director), Phill Woodfine (Remote Puppetry Coach) and Annabelle Davis (Paddington Bear Casting Director). The Alternate Paddington On-stage Performers are Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani.

Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said today, “After many years of exploration and development, we are thrilled, alongside STUDIOCANAL, to finally bring Paddington to life on stage. It takes an extraordinary team to share this very special bear with the world — our amazing performers James and Arti, our brilliant alternates Abbie and Ali, and the incredible group of artists led by designer Tahra, alongside Audrey, Phill, and Annabelle. Their collective creativity and vision are at the heart of our production, and it has been a true collaboration, helmed by Luke Sheppard, our Creative, Associate, Stage Management, Production and Development teams involved in supporting us in bringing Paddington to life in a truly beautiful and unique way.

“What we as producers always hoped to achieve was, quite simply, Paddington on stage — and thanks to the immensely talented artists, both on and off stage, we believe we’ve realised that.”

Also announced today, the production extends, now booking until 25 October 2026.

Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK present

PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY TOM FLETCHER BOOK BY JESSICA SWALE

DIRECTED BY LUKE SHEPPARD

Based on A Bear Called Paddington written by Michael Bond and the film ‘PADDINGTON’, by special arrangement with STUDIOCANAL

Cast: Timi Akinyosade (Tony), Amy Booth-Steel (Lady Sloane), Tarinn Callender (Grant), Delilah Bennett-Cardy (Judy Brown), Adrian Der Gregorian (Mr. Brown), Tom Edden (Mr Curry), Brenda Edwards (Tanya), Amy Ellen Richardson (Mrs. Brown), James Hameed (Paddington Off-stage Performer and Remote Puppeteer, and Young Man), Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Millicent Clyde),  Teddy Kempner (Mr Gruber), Bonnie Langford (Mrs Bird), Arti Shah (Paddington On-stage performer), in the role of Jonathan Brown Joseph Bramley, Leo Collon, Stevie Hare and Jasper Rowse, and Alternate Paddington On-stage Performers Abbie Purvis and Ali Sarebani; with Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Tiago Dhondt Bamberger, David Birch, Aimée Fisher, Jacqueline Hughes, Kellianna Jay, Sam Lathwood, Natasha Leaver, Katie Lee, Sunny Lee, Vicki Lee Taylor, Jáiden Lodge, Andilé Mabhena, Rose Mary O’Reilly, Ben Redfern, Hugo Rolland, Simon Shorten and Hassan Taj

Matt Brind (Musical Supervisor, Orchestrations and Arrangements), Ellen Kane (Choreographer), Tom Pye (Scenic Designer), Gabriella Slade (Costume Designer), Tahra Zafar (Paddington Bear Designer), Neil Austin (Lighting Designer), Gareth Owen (Sound Designer), Ash J Woodward (Video Designer and Animation), Campbell Young Associates (Hair, Wig & Make-Up Designer), Majid Adin (Illustration and additional Animation), Laura Bangay (Musical Director), Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting (Casting Director), Nick Hockaday (Young Persons’ Casting Director), Annabelle Davis (Paddington Casting Director), Javier Marzan (Physical Comedy Consultant), Tobago Crusoe and Felix Ruiz (Additional Music Consultants)

A rather wonderful adventure is about to begin…

Hold on to your hats for the world premiere of PADDINGTON The Musical in London’s West End.

When a small, lost bear from Peru arrives in London in search of a new home, a chance encounter with the Brown family leads him to the wonderful world of Windsor Gardens.

But London isn’t all afternoon teas and friendly faces – and even the happiest families have their cracks beneath the surface. So when a mysterious and vengeful villain sets her sights on Paddington, the Browns embark on a thrilling rescue mission, realising they need this special bear as much as he needs them.

Packed with show-stopping songs, dazzling choreography, mischief and mayhem at every turn – and of course, marmalade sandwiches – PADDINGTON The Musical is based on the iconic characters from Michael Bond’s books, with a story inspired by the award-winning 2014 film.

Michael Bond’s A Bear Called Paddington was published in 1958 by Collins, later Harper Collins – the first of 29 Paddington books he was to write, with the final one Paddington at St. Paul’s, published posthumously in 2018. The books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide.

Paddington has been adapted for television several times – first by the BBC in 1976; and most recently adapted by STUDIOCANAL who have produced three Emmy Award-winning series of The Adventures of Paddington. Paddington has also enjoyed three successful big-screen outings, all produced and developed by STUDIOCANAL – Paddington released in 2014, Paddington 2 in 2017, and Paddington in Peru in 2024, enjoying critical and commercial acclaim becoming the biggest independent family franchise of all time.

James Hameed is the Paddington Off-stage Performer and Remote Puppeteer, and Young Man. His theatre work includes Gaddafi: A Living Myth (London Coliseum), Spamilton (Menier Chocolate Factory), Asylum (Red Lion Theatre), Fiddler on the Roof (Menier Chocolate Factory/ Playhouse Theatre), Be More Chill (The Other Palace, Shaftesbury Theatre), Aladdin (Mercury Theatre), The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 (Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch), A Permanent State of Emergency (Hope Mill Theatre), The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan (Crossroads Pantomimes/Darlington Hippodrome), Eugenius! (Turbine Theatre), Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical (The Old Vic/CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre/Shaftesbury Theatre). His television work includes Ball and Boe: Back Together Again, The ITV Gala at The London Palladium, and Song For Nature.

Arti Shah is the Paddington On-stage Performer. Her television work includesStar Wars: Andor, The Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power, The Acolyte, Willow, Life’s Too Short, Come Fly With Me, Psychoville, Hope Springs, and The Legend of Dick & Dom. Her film work includes Paddington in Peru, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Story, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Frankenstein, Guardians of the Galaxy, WWZ, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, Attack the Block, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

Abbie Purvis is an Alternate Paddington (On-stage Performer). Her theatre work includes Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror (Bristol Old Vic/UK tour), and pantomimes including Snow White, Jack and the Beanstalk and Peter Pan. Her television work includes Dog Squad, and River City; and for film, Your Highness, and Willow.

Ali Sarebani is an Alternate Paddington (On-stage Performer). His theatre work includes Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Royal & Derngate/Theatre Severn/The Alban Arena). His television work includes The Witcher, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, House of the Dragon, Willow, The Pentaverate, and Star Wars: Andor; and for film, Ant-Man, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Solo – A Star Wars Story, Artemis Fowl, and The After.

Tahra Zafar is the Paddington Bear Designer. With over 30 years of experience of working on live events, theatre, film and television, Zafar has created iconographic costumes, puppets, creatures and extraordinary creations that have become part of our collective cultural memories. Film creature and costume effects credits includes: The Banshees of Inisherin, Antman III: Quantumania, The Batman, The Last Duel, Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, Annihilation, X Men: First Class, Kick Ass, Hell Boy 2, The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, Lost in Space, and The Fifth Element. Children’s TV characters and puppets: In the Night Garden, Zingzillas, The Adventures of Abney and Teal, and Moon & Me. Pop promos and tours: The Monster for Lady Gaga’s Monster Tour, Eddie for Iron Maiden, Scissor Sisters for the Brit Awards and the dancing Milk Carton for Blur’s Coffee and TV. Commercials: She created the original Monkey Sidekick for ITV Digital which later became the PG Tips Monkey. Her theatre design and live experiences:Costume Design for Eugene Onegin (English National Opera); and Gunpowder Plot at the Tower of London; Set and Costume Designfor La Boheme and Rigoletto (Mid Wales Opera); and The Rake’s Progress (Aldeburgh Festival); Costume and Character Design for In the Night Garden Live and Bing Live. Live televised event credits include: She received a Royal Television Society Award for her role as Head of Costume Hair and Make-up for the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies, for which her team delivered 23,000 costumes for the four ceremonies. 

Audrey Brisson is the Bear Physicality Associate Director & Additional Puppetry. Her theatre includes Piaf (The Watermill Theatre); The Enormous Crocodile (Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park), The Land of Might-Have-Been (Buxton International Festival), Jekyll and Hyde (Reading Rep), Into the Woods (Theatre Royal, Bath),  Amélie The Musical (Criterion Theatre/ The Other Palace Theatre/ Hartshorn-Hook/ Selladoor/ The Watermill Theatre – nominated for Best Actress in a Musical for the Olivier Awards and Best Performance in a Musical for the UK Theatre Awards), Dr Seuss’s The Lorax (The Old Vic), The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk (Bristol Old Vic Theatre / Wise Children / Edinburgh Festival / Kneehigh), Pericles, Pinocchio, The Elephantom (National Theatre), La Strada (UK tour/The Other Palace), The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic), Romeo and Juliet (Rose Theatre Kingston), Dead Dog in a Suitcase & Other Love Songs, The Wild Bride and Midnight’s Pumpkin (Kneehigh), The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Kensington Gardens). Her television work includes A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, Halo (S2), Outlander (S2) and Money; and for film, Napoleon, W.E., Hereafter.

Phill Woodfine is the Remote Puppetry Coach. He is an award-winning Creature Effects Puppeteer whose career began in theatre and has since led to an international career in film, television, and live performance. His extensive body of work include collaborations with Tim Burton, Ridley Scott, and George Miller. His credits include The Muppet Christmas Carol, Babe: Pig in the City, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Prometheus, Doctor Who, and the Star Wars and Jurassic World franchises. He was honoured with the C21 Media international craft award for his contribution to the performance of “Eric” a seven-foot-tall puppet with attitude, for the Netflix series of the same name. His work has taken him around the world collaborating with leading creative teams and continues to inspire audiences through his artistry, blending puppetry, performance and technology to create believable, emotive creature characters for film, television, and theatre. 

Instagram, Facebook and TikTok: paddingtonthemusical

www.paddingtonthemusical.com

Listings

Paddington The Musical

SAVOY THEATRE

Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R 0ET

Box Office: 0844 871 7687 / www.paddingtonthemusical.com

Previews from £15

Post Opening Performances from £25

PREVIEW SCHEDULE:

Monday              3 Nov                  7pm     

Tuesday              4 Nov                  7pm     

Thursday            6 Nov                  7pm     

Friday                  7 Nov                  7pm     

Saturday             8 Nov                  7pm     

Monday              10 Nov                7pm     

Tuesday              11 Nov                7pm     

Thursday            13 Nov                7pm     

Friday                  14 Nov                7pm     

Saturday             15 Nov                7pm     

Monday              17 Nov                7pm     

Tuesday              18 Nov                7pm     

Thursday            20 Nov                7pm     

Friday                  21 Nov                7pm     

Saturday             22 Nov                2pm & 7pm

Monday              24 Nov                7pm

Wednesday        26 Nov                7pm     

Thursday            27 Nov                7pm     

Friday                  28 Nov                7pm     

Saturday             29 Nov                2pm & 7pm       

Sunday                30 Nov                5pm – OPENING PERFORMANCE

REGULAR PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

Monday              7pm

Wednesday        7pm

Thursday            2pm & 7pm

Friday                  7pm

Saturday             2pm & 7pm

Sunday                2pm

Please check the website for the Christmas/New Year schedule.

Recommended for ages 6+

MERCURY THEATRE COLCHESTER ANNOUNCES

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR NATASHA RICKMAN’S FIRST FULL SEASON

THREE WORLD PREMIERE MUSICALS AND TWO WORLD PREMIERE PLAYS

THE MANNINGTREE WITCHES

BY AWARD-WINNING MERCURY PLAYWRIGHT AVA PICKETT

FROM THE AWARD-WINNING NOVEL BY A.K. BLAKEMORE

(28 FEBRUARY – 14 MARCH)

TOTO THE NINJA CAT AND THE GREAT SNAKE ESCAPE

FAMILY MUSICAL ADAPTATION OF DERMOT O’LEARY’S BESTSELLING CHILDREN’S BOOK

(2-18 APRIL)

THESPIANS

GREECE THE MUSICAL (BUT NOT THAT ONE)

THE FIRST MUSICAL FROM COMEDY MASTERMINDS MISCHIEF

(9-23 MAY)

CAROLINE – A NEW MUSICAL

BASED ON THE PIRATE RADIO STATION THAT ROCKED THE AIRWAVES

(3-13 JUNE)

ALSO

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS

ADAPTED BY ANNE ODEKE

PRESENTED BY MERCURY YOUNG COMPANY

AND MERCURY ADULT COMPANY PRESENT THEIR NEXT PRODUCTION, LOVE AND INFORMATION BY CARYL CHURCHILL.

Mercury Theatre Colchester, the artistic powerhouse in the East, has today announced their 2026 Spring and Summer season. The season will include the world premiere of three new musicals and award-winning Mercury Playwright Ava Pickett’s new play The Manningtree Witches.

Natasha Rickman, Artistic Director of Mercury Theatre, says of the season, “I am so excited to share this season with audiences, especially as it is a season of world premieres, that centres the stories of Essex past and present.

The Manningtree Witches sees the extraordinary Ava Pickett adapting local writer A.K Blakemore’s phenomenal novel, bringing the local history of silenced Essex women to life on our stage – we promise an epic piece of vibrant, urgent storytelling full of joy as well as drama, from our professional cast who are also joined by local community performers. I am thrilled to be presenting this in association with our world class associate company Frantic Assembly, and with support from Eleanor Lloyd Productions and the National Theatre’s Generate Programme.

Thespians sees us welcome back the worldwide sensation that is Mischief for their first ever musical, and we are rehearsing, building and premiering it right here in Colchester. It promises lots of laughter, chaos and toe-tapping tunes, and we can’t wait for you to journey back to Ancient Greece with us for this huge new musical, where we are teaming up with Mischief, Home Manchester and JetPack Turtle Productions.

Toto The Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape sees another world premiere, this time of Colchester-born Dermot O’Leary’s beloved children’s book, brought to life with music, puppetry and magic for all the family, which promises a wonderful Easter treat as we collaborate with the fantastic Little Angel Theatre and Mayflower Southampton.

Then Caroline – A New Musical is a collaboration of the brand new East Anglian Touring Consortium – where theatres and companies across the East are working together to share knowledge and platform big local stories, with the first one being this brand-new musical from Essex writer Vikki Stone. We hope you come along to party to the sounds of the ‘60s as we celebrate the incredible local story of Radio Caroline.

Of course, community sits at the heart of what we do, so I’m thrilled we have also commissioned the award-winning Essex playwright Anne Odeke to reimagine Wind In The Willows for our Mercury Young Companies – performed by a cast of over one hundred this is your chance to spot the stars of tomorrow and enjoy this heartwarming and hilarious tale for all the family, on a truly epic scale. Our community classes continue to cater for adults as well as young people, including our fantastic Mercury Adult Company who will be performing Love and Information by Caryl Churchill.

We are so proud to platform the incredible talent that comes out of Essex, and would like to particularly thank the Arts Council, Essex County Council and Colchester City Council for investing in the world class arts scene that we have here”. 

Mercury Theatre produces world-class theatre, reinventing familiar stories and conjuring up bold, new ones.

The Manningtree Witches

Award-winning Mercury Playwright and screenwriter Ava Pickett’s adaptation of The Manningtree Witches will have its world premiere on the Colchester theatre’s stage from 28 February 2026 – 14 March 2026.

Based on the award-winning novel by A. K. Blakemore, the gripping historical drama is a fiercely modern exploration of fear, control, and what happens when women’s voices are silenced. Following 17-year-old Rebecca West in 1643 Essex, The Manningtree Witches tells the true story of England’s first Witchfinder General and wrenches the women he killed out from the shadows of history and into the spotlight.

Adapted by Ava Pickett (1536 – Almeida Theatre, Emma – Rose Theatre, Kingston), The Manningtree Witches will mark the first Mercury Original to have its world premiere on the Colchester theatre’s main stage. The Mercury Original will be in association with Frantic Assembly, and is supported by Eleanor Lloyd Productions.It has also been developed with support from the National Theatre’s Generate programme, through a Jerwood workshop.

Mercury Theatre’s Artistic Director Natasha Rickman will helm the production as Director and will be joined by Frantic Assembly’s Artistic Director Scott Graham as Movement Director. Frantic Assembly, who are an Associate Company of the Mercury Theatre, will be bringing their 30^th anniversary production, Lost Atoms, to the theatre from 4-8 November 2025.

Ava Pickett says, “The Manningtree Witches is a blisteringly beautiful gut punch of a novel and it’s my privilege to bring the voices of Rebecca and these women, so vivid in A.K Blakemore’s book and too often pushed in to the shadows of history, on to the Mercury stage; and to do it in Colchester, where these women were held and where I spent a huge portion of my own life growing up is even more meaningful. It’s a local story but it is also a timeless one and I can’t wait for it to be a part of Natasha Rickman’s first season.”

Casting for the production will be announced at a later date. The production will also a feature a community chorus of local performers.

Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Escape

Mercury Theatre Colchester, with co-producers Little Angel Theatre and Mayflower Southampton, will present the world premiere stage adaptation of Dermot O’Leary’s much loved children’s book illustrated by Nick East, Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape, published by Hachette Children’s Group.

The bestselling Toto the Ninja Cat series is based on Dermot’s real-life pet and has sold more than half a million copies globally and has been translated into 17 languages to date.

Author Dermot O’Leary says, “I’m over the moon to see my book brought to life through puppetry. Toto is currently fast asleep, blissfully unaware of all the attention, but speaking on her behalf, she’ll be thrilled to bits that her adventures are about to come to life, in theatres to audiences all around the country.”

The Mercury Original will debut in Colchester, where O’Leary grew up, from 2-18 April, followed by runs at both Little Angel Theatre and Mayflower Southampton ahead of a tour.

The world of Toto and her friends will be lovingly adapted from page to stage by award-winning duo, Little Angel Artistic Director Samantha Lane and acclaimed musician Barb Jungr (Olivier nominated for Best Family Show in 2023 for their previous collaboration on The Smartest Giant in Town). Set, costume and puppets will be created by celebrated puppetry designer and Little Angel Associate Director Oliver Hymans (whose work has also been presented at Tate Modern, Royal Albert Hall and the National Gallery and who recently won a special Fringe Theatre Award for exceptional services to puppetry) and lighting will be by award-winning designer Sherry Coenen (whose credits for Little Angel include The Smartest Giant in Town and The Singing Mermaid).

This purr-fectly thrilling family musical will be filled with original music, laugh-out-loud fun, and extraordinary puppetry, promising fun for the whole family.

Thespians

MISCHIEF, the team behind the multi award-winning The Play That Goes Wrong, with and Mercury Theatre Colchester, HOME Manchester and JPT Productions,will debut their first musical, THESPIANS. Created by ‘the funniest theatre troupe in Britain’ The Telegraph, the brand-new musical comedy which rewrites ancient history will have a limited UK tour, beginning with a world premiere run at Mercury Theatre Colchester from 9-23 May 2026.

534 BC. Greece’s smallest island is battling to avoid defeat in a nationwide prayer competition set up by a thin-skinned tyrant – where the loser is put to death. All is going dreadfully until Thespis accidentally invents acting, leading to the world’s first play and the origins of theatre as we know it!

Step into the amphitheatre, leave your troubles in the foyer, and escape into Ancient Greece as it bursts into song, with a thrilling plot, a love story worthy of Aphrodite, and enough laughter to fill the Acropolis. THESPIANS is an uplifting, hilarious, and timely reminder of the power of empathy and stepping into someone else’s sandals. 

Written by Jonathan Sayer (co-writer of The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery) and Ed Zanders (musical director Mischief Movie Night), do not miss this ancient prescription for modern day laughter packed with comedy, chaos and choreography that will have every mortal in your household aching with laughter. 

Co-writerJonathan Sayer says “I’m absolutely delighted that Thespians will be touring the UK next year. I’ve always loved musicals and it’s been a total joy to co-write one, especially with such a skilled composer as Ed. I think the show is full of heart, great songs plus the laughter and mayhem that you’d expect in a Mischief show! We can’t wait to share it with audiences next year.”

Caroline – A New Musical

Mercury Theatre Colchester, as a member of the newly-announced East Anglian Touring Consortium, will present the world premiere production of Caroline – A New Musical from 3-13 June 2025.

The musical is inspired by the true story of Radio Caroline, the pirate radio station launched in 1964. Broadcasting pop and rock music from a ship anchored in international waters off the East Anglian coast, Radio Caroline broke the monopoly on radio entertainment, capturing millions of listeners hungry for something new. In 1967, the Marine Broadcasting Offences Act made it illegal to support offshore stations, forcing most to close, but Caroline kept going against the odds. Despite shipwrecks, legal battles, and decades of struggle, it survived and eventually became a licensed station. Today Radio Caroline broadcasts legally in the UK on 648 and DAB, and around the world online.  

With a cast of actor-musicians, the musical features iconic hits from the 60’s in a vibrant, heart-warming and rebellious new musical about love, ambition and discovering your own voice.

Caroline – A New Musical is penned by the award-winning writer Vikki Stone and directed by Douglas Rintoul (Chief Executive/Artistic Director at the New Wolsey Theatre) and Alex Thorpe (Co-Creative Director at Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch).

Essex local Vikki Stone says,“It has been a delight to develop Caroline, a bold, loud, and joyfully defiant show which celebrates the rich cultural history of East Anglia”.

The Wind in the Willows

Mercury Young Company (MYC), the theatre’s year-round programme for young people to develop performance and creative skills, will stage the world premiere of Essex-based playwright Anne Odeke’s The Wind in the Willowsfrom 20-22 March 2026.

Join Mole, Ratty, Badger, and the irrepressible Mr. Toad in this magical world premiere adaptation of The Wind in the Willows. From award-winning writer Anne Odeke (Black British Theatre award-winning Princess Essex – Shakespeare’s Globe) and director Sian Burford Thomas (Lead Practitioner for MYC), The Wind in the Willows features the extraordinary talent of the Mercury Young Company. This joyful retelling brings fresh energy, Essex charm, and a contemporary twist to Kenneth Grahame’s beloved tale.

The group meets weekly to explore playful new methods of storytelling and create exciting pieces of theatre. The fun, friendly classes focus on nurturing young people to work together as an ensemble with cooperation, collaboration, creativity and communication as their goals. The Wind in the Willows will be the Young Company’s first full production on the main stage.

This production is a celebration of local talent—from page to stage. With a vibrant young cast and an Essex-based creative team, The Wind in the Willows promises to be a feel-good family treat audiences won’t want to miss.

Love and Information

Mercury Adult Company (MAC), a fun and practical weekly drama group for anyone aged 18+, will perform Caryl Churchill’s electrifying exploration of modern life, Love and Information, at the theatre from 20-22 March 2026.

Directed by Forest Morgan, with assistant direction by Chani Merrell, this bold and fast-paced production delves into the ways we connect, communicate, and cope in an age of overwhelming data and fleeting intimacy. Comprising over 50 short scenes, Love and Information weaves together a tapestry of human stories—some funny, some poignant, all deeply resonant. From whispered secrets to digital overload, Churchill’s razor-sharp writing captures the noise and nuance of everyday life with wit, insight, and emotional depth.

Working alongside the Mercury Theatre’s Talent programme and with various performance opportunities throughout the year, MAC provides all of the tools to enable participants to follow in the path of actors who have engaged with the Mercury over the past 50+ years. This new production follows on from MAC’s sold-out Colchester Fringe performances of The Tempest last year.

MICHAEL LONGHURST WILL DIRECT NEW VERSION OF

BOY GEORGE’S TABOO

ACCLAIMED DIRECTOR JOINS BOY GEORGE, BOOK WRITER JACK HOLDEN AND PRODUCER THOMAS HOPKINS, AS DEVELOPMENT CONTINUES ON A BOLD NEW VERSION OF THE CULT MUSICAL

An utterly FABULOUS new take on the original musical that sparked conversations everywhere!

Producer Thomas Hopkins is delighted to announce that Michael Longhurst – acclaimed Olivier nominated director of award-winning productions including Constellations, Next to Normal, Caroline, or Change, and former Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse – has joined the creative team for the new version of Boy George’s hit musical Taboo, that Thomas Hopkins Productions (THP) has had in development for the past few years. 

Longhurst recently joined Boy George, Olivier nominated writer and performer Jack Holden (who joined earlier this year to write the book), Associate Director Alessandra Davison, and producer Thomas Hopkins for a two weeklong research and development session housed in the Young Vic to explore the next stage of the show’s evolution. Newly released images from the R&D give a first look at the creative team collaborating on this exciting new chapter for Taboo.

This session follows a successful reading of the first draft in May, attended by a select group of Broadway and West End producers and venue representatives, which marked another major milestone in the show’s ongoing development.

Taboo is not just a musical; it’s a vibrant portrait of a brief yet unforgettable era—the dazzling 1980s London. These were years of glorious self-indulgence, set against the backdrop of mass unemployment and societal upheaval. The youth of the time rebelled, expressing themselves through audacious fashions and a decadent nightlife scene. They were the ‘New Romantics,’ spearheading a cultural movement that left an indelible mark on pop, fashion, and global culture.

Originally premiering in 2002, Taboo became a cult phenomenon, earning Olivier Award nominations and a devoted following on both sides of the Atlantic.

This new version, produced by Thomas Hopkins Productions With co-producers Cason Crane, Haffner Wright Theatricals & Solange Urdang, features a new book by Olivier-nominated writer and performer Jack Holden (Cruise, KENREX) and Boy George, based on the original book by Mark Davies Markham. Casting will be by Rob Kelly.

Thomas Hopkins said, “Having Michael join this creative journey with us is a thrill. His insight, artistry and theatrical flair brings further flair and dynamic energy to Taboo, as we continue to reimagine this extraordinary piece of theatre for a new generation. I am extremely grateful to Nadia and Sean at The Young Vic for their support on our ongoing journey of the show’s development”

Michael Longhurst said, “I’ve always loved Taboo for its wild, unapologetic heart, and for the way it celebrates the outsiders who changed culture forever. Collaborating with George, Jack and Thomas in the room has been joyous, and the story feels as urgent, defiant and full of life as ever..”

Boy George said, “Working with Michael Longhurst on this next chapter has been pure joy he brings such intelligence and heart to everything he touches. Jack and I have been digging deep to find the truth behind the make-up, not just the glitter, but the guts and seeing it take shape with Michael’s insight has been electric. It’s more than a show now; it’s a revelation.”

Further details on next steps for the show to be announced in due course.