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BOOKING EXTENDED TO MARCH 2026
FOR CAMERON MACKINTOSH’S NEW PRODUCTION OF LIONEL BART’S GLORIOUS MUSICAL MASTERPIECE

www.oliverthemusical.com

Cameron Mackintosh is delighted to announce that his new production of Lionel Bart’s iconic musical, Oliver!, which has its press night tomorrow night at Gielgud Theatre in London, will extend booking through until Sunday 29 March 2026. Tickets for performances from Tuesday 30 September 2025 to Sunday 29 March 2026 will go on sale at 10am on Monday 27 January. oliverthemusical.com

This critically acclaimed production, which Mackintosh has reconceived with director and choreographer Matthew Bourne, ran at Chichester Festival Theatre as part of their 2024 Summer Season where it was the biggest success in that theatre’s history. Performances for the beginning of the West End run sold out, with patrons advised to check daily for returns. Current best availability for midweek performances is from early February. To accommodate demand, extra Sunday matinee performances have been added from March 2025 and the season has now been extended through to the end of March 2026.

The cast of Oliver! in the West End includes Simon Lipkin (Guys and Dolls, Avenue Q) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon, The Bodyguard) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (Henry VI, Wicked) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Les Misérables, BBC’s Dodger) as the Artful Dodger, Oscar Conlon-Morrey (Mother Goose, Only Fools and Horses The Musical) as Mr. Bumble, Katy Secombe (The Music Man, Les Misérables) as Widow Corney, Stephen Matthews (Strictly Ballroom, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Mr. Sowerberry/Dr. Grimwig, Jamie Birkett (Peter Pan Goes Wrong, Mamma Mia The Party) as Mrs. Sowerberry/Mrs. Bedwin, Philip Franks (The Rocky Horror Show, Witness for the Prosecution) as Mr. Brownlow, and Billy Byers as Alternate Artful Dodger.

The role of Oliver Twist is shared by Cian Eagle-Service (The Witches, Les Misérables), Raphael Korniets (The Snowman), Jack Philpott (The Witches, Matilda) and from the end of January by Odo Rowntree-Bailly (Love Never Dies).

Forming the young adult cast are Callum Hudson (Noah Claypole), Isabelle Methven (Bet), Lochlan White (Charley Bates) and Harry Cross (Dandy). The company is completed by Rachael Archer, Tegan Bannister, Adam Boardman, Lois Craig, Stephen John Davis, Bethany Huckle, Ebony Jonelle, Bethan Keens (Charlotte), Danny Lane, Peter Nash, Josh Patel-Foster, Sam Peggs, Jasmine Sakyiama, Wendy Somerville (Old Sally), Charlie Stripp, Leah Vassell and Matthew Whennell-Clark.

Following a nationwide search where hundreds of children from all around the country came to London to audition, the younger roles in Fagin’s gang are shared by Toba Agbelusi, Zoe Akinyosade, Ben Birch, Preston Cropp, Kylan Michael Denis, Sebastian Elton, Liam Findlay, Rudy Gibson, Stanley Guy, George Hamblin, Lily Hanna, Sammy Jones, Grace King, Jonny Niland, Hugo Pechey, Alex Prior, Teddy Probets, William Skinner, Ethan Sokontwe, Dylan Xavier and Aaron Zhao.

Lionel Bart’s musical masterpiece, freely adapted from Charles Dickens’ novel, Oliver! tells the story of the orphaned Oliver Twist, who escapes the harsh Victorian workhouse and takes refuge in London’s murky underworld with the wily gang leader Fagin and his team of resourceful pickpockets led by the Artful Dodger. He finds a friend in the kind-hearted Nancy and when he’ s wrongly arrested for stealing, Oliver meets an unexpected saviour; but is happiness truly within his grasp?

The sensational score, that can be heard on the brand new Cast Album released by First Night Records and features this sensational cast includes Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, I’d Do Anything, Oom Pah Pah, As Long As He Needs Me and many more. The Olivier, Tony and Oscar-winning masterpiece vividly brings to life Dickens’ ever-popular story of the boy who asked for more.

Produced and revised by Cameron Mackintosh,Oliver! is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne andco-directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy. Designed by Lez Brotherston, lighting design is by Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs, sound design by Adam Fisher, video design by George Reeve, new orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe based on the original by William David Brohn; music supervision is by Graham Hurman.

Oliver! is a Cameron Mackintosh in association with Chichester Festival Theatre production.

A Belgrade Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and Hackney Empire co-production

FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

William Shakespeare’s

Romeo AND Juliet

The original play, originally scored – with rap and R&B

PREMIERING AT THE BELGRADE THEATRE COVENTRY:

FRIDAY 21 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 8 MARCH 2025

BRISTOL OLD VIC: WEDNESDAY 12 MARCH – SATURDAY 5 APRIL 2025

HACKNEY EMPIRE 23 – 26 APRIL 2025

SHAKESPEARE AND RAP. A LOVE STORY

As rehearsals start in Coventry, full casting has been announced for the 2025 world premiere of ROMEO AND JULIET, an innovative new co-production of Shakespeare’s play, originally scored with rap and R&B, opening at the Belgrade Theatre from 21 February – 8 March 2025, with a national press night on Wednesday 26 February 2025 before playing in Bristol 12 March – 5 April 2025, and at Hackney Empire 23 – 26 April.

Romeo and Juliet is a flagship Belgrade Theatre in-house production, directed by its Creative Director, Corey Campbell. A co-production with Bristol Old Vic and Hackney Empire, with set and costume design by Simon Kenny and in collaboration with local Midlands artists That’s A Rap (lyrics), and A Class (music), this will be the original play, originally scored – with rap and R&B: a Shakespearean lyrical love story – for people who love the music of the spoken word of every generation.

Joining the previously announced Mia Khan (The Motive and the Cue, West End, Steeltown Murders, BBC1) as ‘Juliet’ and Kyle Ndukuba (making his professional debut) as ‘Romeo’, will be Yasmin Wilde (Billie The Kid, Vaudeville Theatre; Glitterball, RIFCO) as ‘Friar Lawrence’, Natasha Lewis (Brief Encounter, Stephen Joseph Theatre/Theatre By The Lake; All My Sons, Queens Theatre Hornchurch/New Wolsey Theatre) as ‘Nurse’, Asheq Akhtar (screen credits include Black Mirror, Man Like Mobeen, His Dark Materials; making his stage debut) as ‘Lord Capulet’, Lauren Moakes (The Gretchen Question, Fuel Theatre/Shipwright; You are Now Approaching Old Red Lion Theatre) as ‘Lady Capulet’, Dillon Scott-Lewis (People, Places and Things, National Theatre and 42 Balloons, Vaudeville Theatre) as ‘Mercutio’, Andre Antonio (Aladdin, Lyric Theatre Hammersmith, Get Up Stand Up, West End) as ‘Benvolio’, Sam Gosrani (The Lovely Bones, Birmingham Repertory Theatre; Beyond The Rainbow, Welsh National Opera) as ‘Tybalt’, Elwyn Williams (The Butterfly Hunter, Theatr na nÓg; Just Jump/Y Naid, Theatr na nÓg) as ‘Paris’, Ellena Vincent (The Book of Grace, Arcola Theatre; Sylvia, Old Vic) as ‘Montague’, Pete Ashmore (Christmas in Exeter Street, Farnham Maltings’ Great Hall; Table Manners, Eastbourne Theatres) as ‘Prince Escalus’ and Ayesha Patel (Lizzie, Southwark Playhouse Elephant; Hope Mill Theatre; Go! The Musical, The Gatehouse) as ‘Rosalind’. A community choir, and young practitioners from the Belgrade Ensemble will also perform alongside the professional company.

This is unmistakeably Shakespeare’s love story, largely unaltered in its original text. But it’s not just Shakespeare’s play. There is an important Plus One: rap.

Everything that makes Shakespeare’s play so well loved is here. The rich, feuding families. The intense, forbidden passion. And the flash of violence that tears the young lovers apart, sending them spiralling towards tragedy.

The story shines with new, original elements of rap – as well as soul and R&B. Think every day English as well as the Elizabethan variety. And the poetry of rap rhythms as well as perfect pentameters.

Originally written by William Shakespeare, this innovative co-production of Romeo and Juliet will be directed by Corey Campbell, with music and lyrics by A Class and That’s a Rap respectively, casting direction from Polly Jerrold with sets & costumes designed by Simon Kenny, lighting design by Chris Swain, choreography and movement direction from Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster, vocal coach Simon Ratcliffe, fight direction by RC Annie – Rachel Bown Williams, video design from Barret Hodgson, digital content creation by Simone Herbert and Kieran Vyas, Reisz Amos will be both vocal arranger and community choir leader, joined by community choir mentors Corah Fowles and Yannick van den Bosse, camera operation from Michael Ellis and Logan Powell.

As Corey Campbell explains, this production of Romeo and Juliet offers a gateway to classical drama for new audiences. “The story’s emotional core—two people who shouldn’t love each other doing so despite the cost—remains hugely relevant. Their love is the only thing that forces their parents, the politicians, to wake up and see that love is better than war.”

The show, designed to appeal to both first-time theatre-goers and seasoned audiences, represents Corey’s vision of making classical works accessible. “Whether you love Shakespeare or think his work is ‘not for you,’ I promise this Romeo and Juliet has something for everyone.”

With the ever-growing popularity of rap music in drama, That’s A Rap aim to provide a blueprint for Theatre, Film and TV practitioners to maximize the impact of its use. With their guidance and support and creative flare, dramatic rap will jump from novelty musical moments to integral parts of the narrative, taking the work from an innovative idea to a spectacular product. That’s A Rap are active in the community, delivering workshops in storytelling and self-expression to community organisations, schools and Alternative Education Provision.  In the work they create, they strive to amplify the voices of the young people they work with, ensuring they feel seen and represented within the work That’s A Rap make. With their commitment to the authentic presentation of rap music on stage, as well as the strong sense of social consciousness within the work, That’s A Rap create work of the highest quality and impact.

Romeo and Juliet will be a Belgrade Theatre flagship in-house production. The show is part of the new strand of work under the leadership team’s creative vision for the people of Coventry and the wider region; the next step in the Belgrade’s long-standing commitment to the process of co-creation and artistic excellence.

INITIAL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR THE UK PREMIERE OF

GORDON GREENBERG AND STEVE ROSEN’S

DRACULA, A COMEDY OF TERRORS

AT THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

With its critically acclaimed smash-hit production of The Producers currently running, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces initial casting for the UK premiere of Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen. Greenberg directs James Daly (reprising the role of Dracula), Safeena Ladha (Lucy Westfeldt), Diane Pilkington (Dr. Westfeldt), and Charlie Stemp (Jonathan Harker). 

The production opens on 17 March, with previews from 8 March, and runs until 3 May. Priority booking opens today, with public booking opening on 14 January.

Full casting will be announced shortly.

The Menier Chocolate Factory

in association with Drew & Dane Productions

presents

THE UK PREMIERE OF

DRACULA, A COMEDY OF TERRORS

by Gordon Greenberg and Steve Rosen

8 March – 3 May

Cast: James Daly (reprising the role of Dracula), Safeena Ladha (Lucy Westfeldt), Diane Pilkington (Dr. Westfeldt), and Charlie Stemp (Jonathan Harker)

Director: Gordon Greenberg; Set Design: Tijana Bjelajac; Costume Design: Tristan Raines;

Lighting Design: Ben Cracknell; Sound Design: Yvonne Gilbert

Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors gives Bram Stoker’s horror classic a comic makeover in this lightning-fast gender-bending reimagining that features a Gen Z pansexual Count Dracula in the midst of an existential crisis. With a cast of five switching costumes and roles at the drop of a hat, this 90-minute freewheeling send-up plays with sexuality and gender norms in the spirit of comedy legends Charles Ludlam, Monty Python and Mel Brooks – and celebrates goth, camp, and the magic of live theatre itself. 

In the treacherous mountains of Transylvania, Jonathan Harker, a meek English estate agent, takes a harrowing journey to meet a new and mysterious client, who happens to be the most terrifying(ly narcissistic) monster the world has ever known: Count Dracula! When the Count sets his sights on Harker’s fiancé, the brilliant young earth scientist Lucy Westfeldt, he meets his match for the first time – as well as a slew of other colorful characters including vampire hunter Jean Van Helsing, insect connoisseur Renfield and behavioral psychiatrist Wallace Westfeldt, whose British country estate doubles as a free-range mental asylum.

James Daly plays Dracula after originating the role Off-Broadway (New World Stages). His theatre credits include La Cage aux Folles, Wendy and Peter Pan (Stratford Festival), Damn Yankees, Grand Hotel, Oh! What A Lovely War (The Shaw Festival), Mythic (The Segal Centre), Cabaret (The Grand Theatre), Master Harold… and the Boys (The Shaw Festival/Obsidian Theatre; Toronto Theatre Critics Award). His television credits include Letterkenny, Workin’ Moms and Frankie Drake.

Safeena Ladha plays Lucy Westfeldt and others. Her theatre credits include The 39 Steps (UK tour and Trafalgar Studios), SHE (UK tour and Omnibus Theatre), The Great Gatsby (London, Immersive Everywhere) and Stick Man Live (Leicester Square Theatre).

Award-winning actor Dianne Pilkington plays Dr. Westfeldt and others. Her theatre credits include The Red Shoes (RSC), The Wizard of Oz (The London Palladium), Only Fools and Horses (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Young Frankenstein (Garrick Theatre), Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre), The 39 Steps (Criterion Theatre; BroadwayWorld Award winner) and Wicked (Apollo Victoria). Her film credits include Les Misérables and the upcoming Wicked: For Good.

Three-time Olivier Award-nominee Charlie Stemp plays Jonathan Harker and others. His theatre credits include Kiss Me, Kate (Barbican), Crazy For You (Chichester and Gillian Lynne – Olivier Award nomination), Mary Poppins (Prince Edward Theatre – Olivier Award nomination) and Half a Sixpence (Chichester and Noël Coward Theatre – Olivier Award nomination and WhatsOnStage Award winner for Best Actor in a Musical). He made his Broadway debut in Hello, Dolly! (Shubert Theatre) opposite Bette Midler and Bernadette Peters, and was awarded the 2018 Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut.

Gordon Greenberg returns to the Menier Chocolate Factory to direct, having previously directed The Baker’s Wife and Barnum. HIs recent directing credits include The Heart of Rock and Roll (James Earl Jones Theatre, Broadway) and Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors (Old Globe in San Diego and New World Stages in New York).  His other projects include a new musical about Picasso (director & co-writer with Stephen Schwartz & Caridad Svich), the NBC television series Most Talkative (co-executive producer/writer),  Crime and Punishment, A Comedy (director & co-writer with Steve Rosen; The Old Globe), Single White Female (A.T.G.), The Wedding Banquet (Ang Lee, Hua Musicals, Taiwan), Ghost Tour, The Play, and the new comedy podcast series Rolling Calls starring Julie Halston & Richard Kind (co-writer with Steve Rosen). He co-wrote and directed the Broadway stage adaptation of Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn (Studio 54 for Roundabout Theatre Company and Universal Pictures Stage Productions) and directed  Guys And Dolls (Chichester Festival Theatre/Savoy Theatre/Phoenix Theatre), Working (59 E 59 in New York – also adapted), Jacques Brel Is Alive And Well… (Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Award nominations – also adapted), Johnny Baseball (Williamstown), Tangled (Disney), Blue Sky Boys (Capital Rep), Luck Be A Lady  (Asolo), Pirates! Or Gilbert and Sullivan Plunder’d (co-creator; Huntington/Paper Mill/Goodspeed/MUNY), Band Geeks! (also co-writer; Goodspeed), The Baker’s Wife (Paper Mill/Goodspeed), 1776 (Paper Mill), Floyd Collins (Signature), Yentl (Asolo) and Half A Sixpence (Goodspeed).

Steve Rosen (co-author) has previously collaborated with Greenberg on the musical The Secret of My Success (co-book, Joseph Jefferson nomination, Chicago), the plays Crime and Punishment, A Comedy and Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show, as well as the podcasts “Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors” and “Rolling Calls” (Broadway Podcast Network). He has also co-written (with David Rossmer) the book, music and lyrics of Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation (Seattle’s 5th Ave) and The Other Josh Cohen, which was nominated for six Drama Desk Awards, as well as the Lucille Lortel and Off-Broadway Alliance Awards for Best New Musical. He co-wrote the 2024 Drama Desk Awards show and also co-created (with Dan Lipton, Rossmer and Sarah Saltzberg) the long-running Broadway improv/variety show Don’t Quit Your Night Job, devising original comedic material for artists like Sting, Hank Azaria, Sutton Foster, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Ariana Grande. Education: The Tisch School of the Arts at New York University. As an actor, his credits include creating the roles of Dennis’ Mother, Sir Bedevere and Concorde in the original Broadway production of Monty Python’s Spamalot.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

THE PRODUCERS

Until 1 March 2025

DRACULA, A COMEDY OF TERRORS

8 March – 3 May

Box Office:                        020 7378 1713 (75p per ticket fee)

Website:                           www.menierchocolatefactory.com (75p per ticket fee)

Tickets:                              Prices vary, as below from discounted preview tickets to premier seats. With the emphasis on ‘the sooner you book, the better the price’:

Please note at this time the restaurant is unable to open due to circumstances beyond the company’s control.

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Social handles: @MenChocFactory

Adam Garcia revealed in the lead cast
alongside Kerry Ellis and David Hunter in the
UK Premiere of IF/THEN, by Tony Awardwinning writers Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey
Savoy Theatre, Savoy Court, Strand, London WC2R 0ET
Monday 10th February 2025, 7:30pm

Adam Garcia, Kerry Ellis, and David Hunter star in IF/THEN, the UK Premiere of the musical by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creators Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey (Next to Normal).

Adam Blanshay Productions and Daniel Hinchcliffe are thrilled to reveal two-time Olivier Award nominee, Adam Garcia’s leading role as Josh in If/Then. Garcia’s distinguished career spans stage and screen and is known for his standout performances in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Coyote Ugly and The Serpent Queen. Garcia has earned widespread praise for his versatility and charm, making him a perfect fit as one of the leading men in the show. His extensive theatre credits also include 42nd Street, Wicked and Saturday Night Fever, while his film career features notable roles in Kangaroo Jack and Riding in Cars with Boys.

Kerry Ellis, renowned for her performances in Wicked, Anything Goes, We Will Rock You and Les Misérables, as well as her highly successful recording career, will portray Elizabeth, a woman torn between two possible journeys, guiding the audience into a world of hope, regret and self-discovery.

This will be the first time Garcia and Ellis have shared the stage since their performances in the original West End run of Wicked.

The other leading man, Lucas, will be performed by critically acclaimed David Hunter, following his celebrated performances in multi-award-winning West End productions such as Waitress, Kinky Boots, and The Time Traveller’s Wife.

Joining the leads is a remarkable cast, including Olivier-award nominated Preeya Kalidas (Bombay Dreams, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West End) as Kate, Tim Howar (Rock of Ages, West End; On The Town, English National Opera – ENO) as Stephen and Jenny Fitzpatrick (Oliver, Leeds Playhouse; Christmas Carol, Old Vic Theatre) as Anne. Carl Man (Wicked, UK and Ireland Tour; Death Note, West End) will play David and Joni Ayton-Kent (Priscilla The Party, Here at Outernet; Dead Hot, Amazon) will be Elena.

The ensemble line-up features Christian Maynard (Miss Saigon, Sheffield Theatres; & Juliet, West End) and Kayleigh Thadani (Crazy for You, Chichester Festival Theatre/West End; Cats, UK Tour). As well as Lauren Hall (Mamma Mia!, West End; Sister Act, West End) and Sario Solomon (Grease, UK and Ireland Tour; Pacific Overtures, Menier Chocolate Factory). Completing the cast is M-Jae Cleopatra Isaac (Hairspray, UK Tour; The Book of Mormon, West End/UK and European Tour) and Danny Becker (Chicago, UK Tour; Disney’s Frozen the Musical, West End).

Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s poignant and thought-provoking score explores the complexities of chance, choice and consequence.

This is the first time UK audiences will have the chance to experience the celebrated musical – presented in a staged concert format, the production will be directed by acclaimed award winning West End director Bill Buckhurst (101 Dalmatians The Musical; Sister Act; The Time Traveller’s Wife). The musical staging is by Olivier Award nominee Alistair David (Kiss Me, Kate, Show Boat), with music direction by acclaimed Michael England (The Phantom of the Opera, Les Misérables).

IF/THEN follows Elizabeth, a 38-year-old city planner returning to New York after twelve years, ready to rebuild her life in the wake of a recent divorce. Standing at a pivotal crossroads, Elizabeth faces a choice that will send her down two parallel paths, each leading to a radically different future. On her first day back, she reconnects with Lucas, an old friend, and meets Kate, her vibrant new neighbour. Lucas invites her to join him in the world of activism, while Kate offers a lighter diversion—coffee, music, and the temptation of a charismatic guitarist nearby. As the story unfolds, audiences follow Elizabeth’s journey along these parallel lives, exploring how every decision, no matter how small, shapes the course of destiny.

IF/THEN comes to London after opening on Broadway in 2014 and is produced by Adam Blanshay Productions and Daniel Hinchliffe in association with The Savoy Theatre. Audiences can still watch the phenomenal and exclusive music video Always Starting Over from IF/THEN, performed by Kerry Ellis, here, with special thanks to The Theatre Channel.

Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International

Original Theatre in association with Wiltshire Creative announce the 2025 tour of Ali Milles’ chilling thriller

The Croft

starring Liza Goddard and Caroline Harker

Original Theatre in association with Wiltshire Creative presents Ali Milles’ critically acclaimed thriller The Croft on tour, opening at Salisbury Playhouse on 9 May 2025.

Directed by Philip Franks (Murder in the Dark, Agatha Christie’s The Mirror Crack’d), the production will star Liza Goddard (Noises Off, Doctor Who, Bergerac) and Caroline Harker (A Touch of Frost, Steel Magnolias).  Further cast and creatives are to be announced. 

Guaranteed to set pulses racing, The Croft is based on a true story set in the remote Scottish Highlands. Two women arrive at a former crofters hut in the deserted village of Coille Gillie. Suddenly, the weekend getaway takes an unexpected turn. Cut off from the modern world, Laura and Suzanne find themselves drawn into the dark history of the Croft and the lives that passed before them. 

In this bold and haunting play, the present interweaves with the past as ancient tales surface and the terrifying truth lurking in the Croft is revealed. 

The 2025 tour will play Salisbury Playhouse (9-17 May), Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (20-24 May), Malvern Theatres (27-31 May), Churchill Theatre Bromley (3-7 June), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (17-21 June), Festival Theatre, Edinburgh (25-28 June) and Liverpool Playhouse (1-5 July).

In 2020, Original Theatre released a filmed version of The Croft on its digital theatre platform Original Online, after a previous critically acclaimed tour was halted halfway through, due to the Covid lockdown (“A triumph of suspenseful writing” British Theatre Guide, “Chilling” The Guardian, ★★★★★ “Thrilling, superb new play” WhatsGoodToDo, ★★★★ “An intriguing and mysterious tale of past and present” Broadway World). 

Alastair Whatley, Artistic Director of Original Theatre, said: “I am thrilled that we are finally able to revive Ali Milles’ superb new thriller which was last seen on the eve of the Covid Lockdown in 2020. Ali’s play is a tender evocation of place, family and the ties that bind us to each other – often in ways we don’t always understand. The reaction to the play in its curtailed first production was so exciting – I can’t wait to return to the Applecross peninsula and to the magical and at turns terrifying Croft in Coille Gillie.”

For further tour details, visit https://originaltheatre.com/productions/the-croft.

2025 TOUR LISTINGS 

9 – 17 May Salisbury Playhouse

https://www.wiltshirecreative.co.uk/events/the-croft

20 – 24 May Belgrade Theatre, Coventry 

https://www.belgrade.co.uk/events/the-croft/

27 – 31 May Malvern Theatres

https://malvern-theatres.co.uk/whats-on/the-croft

3 – 7 June Churchill Theatre Bromley

https://trafalgartickets.com/churchill-theatre-bromley/en-GB/event/play/the-croft-tickets

17 – 21 June Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford

https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on/croft

25 – 28 June Festival Theatre, Edinburgh – on sale soon

1 – 5 July Liverpool Playhouse – on sale soon

Running Time: 2 hrs 5 mins including interval

Age suitability: 13+

THE LONDON PALLADIUM PANTOMIME BREAKS ALL PREVIOUS RECORDS

ROBIN HOOD BECOMES THE VENUE’S BEST-SELLING PANTOMIME SEASON OF ALL TIME

Over 132,000 patrons visit the
Palladium PANTOMIME IN JUST FIVE WEEKS

RUN INCLUDED WELCOMING THE MILLIONTH PATRON SINCE PANTOMIME RETURNED TO THE ICONIC VENUE IN 2016

www.palladiumpantomime.com

Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes is today delighted to announce that as the curtain fell on yesterday’s closing performance of the annual West End spectacle of the Palladium Pantomime, this year’s production Robin Hood has become the most successful of them all, breaking its own record for highest daily, weekly and season-wide gross sales.

More than 132,000 people attended Robin Hood, with occupancy so high that every standing position has been filled since the show officially opened. The total audience to have attended the pantomime since it returned to the London Palladium in 2016 has now reached more than one million.

Robin Hood, which starred Jane McDonald as Maid Marion and Julian Clary in the titular role, also saw the return of favourites Paul Zerdin, Nigel Havers, Charlie Stemp and Rob Madge,alongsideWest End stars Marisha Wallace and Tosh Wanogho-Maud who made their Palladium panto debuts.

Every night also included the surprise of a special guest star in the role of King Richard, with audiences unaware of who this would be until they made their entrance at the end of the show. Guest stars included Paul Merton, Dawn French, Patricia Hodge, Jason Donovan, David Walliams, Gary Wilmot, Gyles Brandreth, Sir Ian McKellen, Jenny Éclair, Amanda Holden, Jimmy Carr, Al Murray, Steph McGovern, Jon Culshaw, Beverley Knight, Sue Ravey, James Corden, Lee Mack, Matt Baker, Arlene Phillips, Kate Garraway, Jennifer Saunders, Christopher Biggins, Alexandra Burke, Stephen Mulhern, David Mitchell, Lee Mead and Mark Gatiss.

On behalf of guest stars, Robin Hood has made several charitable donations, including to The Orchid Project, You Me Bum Bum Train and The Melissa Bell Foundation.

Michael Harrison said:

“Robin Hood has given everyone associated with the Palladium Panto another unforgettable year. From all the wonderful guests stars who agreed to play King Richard in the show, through to our on-stage and backstage company, everyone has been thrilled with the rapturous response of our audiences at every performance. I am also delighted we have been able to make donations to many charities chosen by the King Richards. And we already can’t wait to return at the end of the year for the celebratory 10th London Palladium Pantomime!”

Julian Clary, Nigel Havers and Paul Zerdin have starred in pantomimes at The London Palladium since the 2016 production of Cinderella. This year Charlie Stemp made a welcome return having last performed in the Palladium Panto in Pantoland in 2020 and before that Dick Whittington in 2017 and Snow White in 2018. Rob Madge made a triumphant Palladium Panto debut in 2022’s Jack and the Beanstalk and returned last year with Peter Pan. Next year will mark a decade of the return of the Pantomime to the world-famous venue.

Harrison’s production had set designs by Mark Walters and costume designs by Hugh Durrant, Ron Briggs, Teresa Nalton and Mike Coltman created especially for The London Palladium, choreography by Karen Bruce, visual special effects by The Twins FX, lighting designs by Ben Cracknell, sound designs by Matt Peploe, video and projection designs by Duncan McLean and composition and orchestrations by Gary Hind.

Robin Hoodwas produced and directed by Michael Harrison for Crossroads Pantomimes.As a producer in the West End his credits include Starlight Express, Hello, Dolly!, Sunset Boulevard, Titanique, The Little Big Things, Crazy For You, The Wizard of Oz, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Drifters Girl and Gypsy.

Crossroads Pantomimes is the world’s biggest pantomime producer and part of Crossroads Live, a global leader in the production of musical theatre and immersive entertainment experiences.

Wicked-inspired writing competition empowers young writers to “Be the Change” in their local community

• Annual “Be the Change” writing competition, inspired by the award-winning musical Wicked, launches today to discover 2025’s best budding young writers.
• Run by the National Literacy Trust and Wicked Active Learning to promote writing for pleasure, this year’s theme of local change invites young writers (aged 9-14) to advocate for the change they want to see in their community
• Judging panel includes children’s authors Cressida Cowell, author of ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and Manjeet Mann, winner of the Costa Book Award for Children’s Book in 2021
• Research from the National Literacy Trust shows that writing competitions inspire children to embrace writing, at a time when children’s writing enjoyment and daily writing habits are at an all-time low
• Winners will receive class tickets to see the acclaimed stage musical Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre
• Teachers can now download free classroom resources and enter their pupils into the competition until 28 February: www.literacytrust.org.uk/programmes/young-writers/wicked-writers-be-the-change/

Today (Monday 13 January 2025) is the launch of Wicked Writers: Be the Change 2025, a writing competition devised by the National Literacy Trust and stage musical Wicked (as part of its acclaimed Wicked Active Learning cultural and social education programme), to inspire pupils across the UK to write and use their voices to change the world for the better. Now in its third year, the writing competition is based on the themes of one of the most well-known songs from the Wicked musical, ‘For Good’, and this year challenges pupils aged 9 – 14 to write persuasively about the change they want to see in their local community.

Last year, the competition asked children to use their entries to write about their passion for the environment and the response was enormous, with over 1,600 submissions from pupils inspired by the positive themes of Wicked.

Recent research from the National Literacy Trust found that children and young people’s enjoyment of writing and daily writing habits are at an all-time low, meaning that 7 in 10 (71.3%) are missing out on the associated benefits, not just to their academic success, and writing and critical thinking skills, but also to their confidence, creativity and wellbeing [1].

Taking part in writing competitions can be a fantastic way for schools to tackle this downward trend and inspire a love of writing. The research also found that twice as many children and young people who had taken part in writing competitions reported that they enjoyed writing (43.7% vs 21.7%) and wrote daily (16.2% vs 8.3%) in their free time compared with those who didn’t enter a competition. With more than a quarter (28%) of 11-year-olds leaving primary school last year unable to write at the expected level for their age [2], competitions like Wicked Writers: Be the Change are an important opportunity to inspire a love of writingand support young people with the literacy skills they need to thrive.  

One of the competition’s previous winners, 18-year-old Iona who now studies English Literature at University of Oxford, won the competition in 2017 (under its previous name of Wicked Young Writers Award) aged 10 and went on to become Birmingham’s Young Poet Laureate, as well as a Literacy Champion and Youth Ambassador for the National Literacy Trust. Iona was inspired by the competition to write a story for the first time and still remembers the excitement of winning tickets to her favourite musical, Wicked. [See full case study in notes to editors] 

Iona said: “I remember sitting in the room and hearing everyone’s names and then seeing them walk up on stage and hoping that the next name that would be read out would be mine. And then when it was, I couldn’t believe what I’d heard. I think it was just this feeling that my words mattered to people and that they were being valued, especially because I was so young, it was something that I couldn’t really fathom that I had been able to achieve at that age.”

Returning to the competition’s judging panel this year is best-selling children’s author-illustrator Cressida Cowell, best known for ‘How to Train Your Dragon’ and ‘The Wizards of Once’, who presented Iona her certificate back in 2017. Joining this year’s judging panel for the first time is author Manjeet Mann, whose book ‘The Crossing’ won the 2022 Costa Book Award in the Children’s Book category. The fantastic judging panel also includes National Literacy Trust Chief Executive Jonathan Douglas CBE.

One winner and one runner-up will be selected in each category (Years 5-6 and Years 7-9). All 16 shortlisted pupils will see their work published in an anthology and receive a bundle of brand-new books for their school. Winners will receive class tickets to see the acclaimed musical Wicked at London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre and an author workshop with judge Manjeet Mann.

Tim Judge, Head of Schools Programmes at the National Literacy Trust said:“After an incredible competition and 1,600 inspiring entries last year, we are thrilled to provide another opportunity in 2025 for young people to write about what matters to them. In past years teachers have told us that Wicked Writers: Be the Change has inspired pupils and improved their confidence when it comes to writing persuasively. We are looking forward to finding out which local issues this year’s pupils are passionate about and celebrating their work.”

Teachers can now download a free supportive learning resource pack, including curriculum-linked activities, and get their class involved to inspire their writing and have the chance to win some amazing prizes.

The competition is open for entries between January 13 and February 28. Find out more and download the resources: www.https://literacytrust.org.uk/programmes/young-writers/wicked-writers-be-the-change/

THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED 
NEW WEST END MUSICAL
TITANIQUE 

ANNOUNCES BOOKING EXTENSION TO JUNE 2025

SPLASH HIT SHOW OPENED LAST WEEK TO RAVE REVIEWS

CRITERION THEATRE | london.titaniquemusical.com

Eva Price and Michael Harrison are today delighted to announce their hit West End musical Titanique – which opened last week to critical acclaim and plays to nightly standing ovations – has extended its booking period to Sunday 8 June 2025.

Tickets to “The West End’s funniest new musical” (Smooth Radio) are on sale at london.titaniquemusical.com

“An inspirational cast led by Lauren Drew, playing Dion” (The Times, ★★★★★)
currently includes Darren Bennett (Singin’ in the Rain, Grease) as Victor Garber / Luigi,
Jordan Luke Gage (Bonnie & Clyde, & Juliet) as Cal, Stephen Guarino (Showtime’s I’m
Dying Up Here, Netflix’s Eastsiders) as Ruth, Rob Houchen (Les Misérables) as Jack, Kat
Ronney (Hex) as Rose, Charlotte Wakefield (The Great British Bake Off Musical) as Molly
Brown and Layton Williams (Cabaret, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) as the Iceberg.

Adrianne Langley (Sixties Girls), Madison Swan (The Book of Mormon),Rodney Vubya (The Book of Mormon) are on stage background vocalists and completing the company are offstage understudies Freddie King (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes),and Kristina Walz (Titanique, New York). 

When the music of Céline Dion makes sweet Canadian love with the eleven-time Oscar®-winning blockbuster film Titanic, you get Titanique, off Broadway’s most award-winning splash hit that turns one of the greatest love stories of all time into a hysterical musical fantasia.

Want to find out what really happened to Jack and Rose on that fateful night? Just leave it to Céline Dion to enchant the audience with her totally wild take, recharting the course of Titanic’s beloved moments and characters with her iconic song catalogue. Sailing on fierce powerhouse voices in show-stopping performances of such hits as My Heart Will Go On, All by Myself and To Love you More – backed by a full live band – Titanique is a one-of-a-kind theatrical voyage bursting with nostalgia, heart and campy chaos. “Fantastique! 100 minutes of cast iron hysteria!” (The Daily Mail, ★★★★★)

Co-written by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli, Titanique celebrated its Off-Broadway premiere in June 2022 at Asylum Theater, starring the musical’s co-authors Mindelle and Rousouli as Céline Dion and Jack Dawson. After several sold-out extensions, the musical transferred to the Daryl Roth Theatre on November 20, 2022 where it continues to play.

Titanique is directed by Tye Blue and choreographed by Ellenore Scott. Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations are by IRNE Award-Winner Nicholas James Connell. Scenic Design for Titanique is by Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Lauchbacher for Iron Bloom Creative Production; Costume Design is by Alejo Vietti; and Lighting Design is by Paige Seber; and Sound Design is by Lawrence Schober with casting by Pearson Casting CDG.

Titanique won seven major awards during the 2022/23 theatre season, including three Lucille Lortel Awards, the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best New Musical, Las Culturistas’ Culture Award for Best Indoor Performance and two Dorian Awards.

The London production of Titaniqueis co-produced by Eva Price and Michael Harrison.

National Theatre’s nationwide tour of The LeftBehinds to visit schools across Sunderland to inspire creativity in local students

Young people across Sunderland will have the opportunity to watch a new theatre production in their school hall as the National Theatre brings a nationwide school touring production of The LeftBehinds directly into local schools from 20-24 January.

In partnership with Sunderland Culture and Sunderland Empire, the tour will visit Sunderland College, Oxclose Academy, Southmoor Academy and others. These schools will also host young people from over ten other local school, college and home education settings to watch the production.

Co-created by Bristol playwright Ross Willis and director Ned Bennett, The LeftBehinds is a new production set in a post-apocalyptic future. The LeftBehinds must race across a desolate wasteland in a high-octane quest to rebuild an android, unlock its power and save the planet. This new production gives students in Sunderland access to a genre-pushing theatrical experience in their school hall. In addition to seeing the show in their school hall, pupils will take part in an interactive workshop exploring the technical elements to produce the show and teachers will receive accompanying education resources.

Part of the Theatre Nation Partnerships programme, the tour will be seen by 10,000 young people, visiting secondary school halls in 11 areas from 13 January – 28 March 2025. In partnership with local theatres, the production will also tour to schools across Outer East London and South Essex, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, North Devon, Wakefield, Doncaster, Greater Manchester, Leicester and Peterborough.

The Theatre Nation Partnerships network combines local expertise with nationally delivered activity, creating more opportunities for local communities and schools to engage with cultural and creative experiences. Other activity delivered in Sunderland through this network in partnership with Sunderland Culture and Sunderland Empire includes the upcoming new production Public Record that will celebrate the people and music of Sunderland as part of the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme. Schools in this area are also taking part in Speak Up, a secondary schools programme that encourages young people to explore issues that are important to them and think, see and bring about change by creating artistic responses. 

Co-creators Ned Bennett and Ross Willis said “We are thrilled to be collaborating again on this new incarnation of The LeftBehinds. From its beginnings at LAMDA to its development with the NT, this production has continually evolved, and we’re delighted to now share it with young people. We couldn’t be more excited that the National Theatre is bringing this production directly into school halls across the country.”

Sarah Marsden, Creative Learning Producer at Sunderland Empire said: “Working in partnership with The National Theatre gives us the ability to provide young people in the region access to high-quality, inspirational theatrical productions which schools and students may not ordinarily be able to afford. For many young people, the National Theatre schools tour is the first time they have experienced a professional production, and the additional interactive workshops and Q&A sessions provided have proven to inspire and lead young people to pursue further immersion in theatre both on stage and behind-the-scenes.”

The LeftBehinds cast includes Ryn Alleyne as Kit KnightShade, Tanaka Mpofu as Bandit, Julian Brett as Shadow, Gabriella Foley as Rot, Francis Nunnery as the Android, Ethan Hughes as Beandigo, Emma Gray as Ducky, and Brandon Kimaryo as swing.

The creative team includes Associate Director Rachel Lemon, Movement Director Jackie Kibuka, Puppetry Designer, Builder and Director Matt Hutchinson, Production Manager Jordan Harris, Set and Costume Designer Georgia Lowe,Lighting Designer Jessica Hung Han Yun, Composer & Sound Designer Giles Thomas, Casting Director Abby Galvin, Associate Designer Jasmine Araujo, Associate Lighting Designer Lucy Adams and Trainee Resident Director Rrita Pula.

Reaching a record number of young people last year, the National Theatre’s Learning & National Partnerships Department aims to inspire young people nationwide, widen access to creative experiences in schools and boost skills to support the next generation of theatre-makers.

For more information about Theatre Nation Partnerships and the schools tour, visit the NT Website.

THEATRE ON THE RIVER PRESENTS

THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

TOY SOLDIER

BY JOSEPH DEWEY AND HELEN GOODMAN

Theatre on the River presents the world premiere of Toy Soldier with Helen Goodman and Joseph Dewey making their writing collaboration debut, the play opens at the Waterloo East Theatre on 22 January with previews from the 21st and runs until 2 February. Making her London directorial debut, HelenGoodman directs Lucy Bromilow playing Jane, Nico Conde playing Alejo, Spin Glancy playing Mark and Michael Tantrum playing Billy.

This new play is set against the backdrop of the 1982 battle for the Falklands, exploring a family struggling to ensure their own survival during the 10-week conflict.

Theatre On The River Presents

TOY SOLDIER

By Joseph Dewey and Helen Goodman

Director, Helen Goodman, Lighting Designer, Vittorio Verta.

21 January – 2 February

The Falkland Islands, July 2002. Jane has been keeping a secret for 20 years, and amidst the grip of patriotism as the islanders celebrate the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, Jane returns to pack up the family home following the death of her mother.

Jane takes the audience on a journey through the Falklands conflict of 1982, which she shared with her younger brother, where isolation and fear became the daily norm.

Toy Soldier is a play about family and survival set against the backdrop of one of the most harrowing conflicts in modern history.

Cast: Lucy Bromilow, Nico Conde, Spin Glancy and Michael Tantrum

Helen Goodman is the founder of Theatre on the River who previously held a three-month residency as Assistant Director in Residence at Rugby School’s Macready Theatre.  also worked extensively as a freelance peripatetic Speech and Drama instructor in many of London’s leading senior and preparatory schools.

Joseph Dewey is a writer/director/actor, his actor credits include Wings for Philomel (The Southwark Playhouse), In The Eyes Of My Heart (The Stockwell Playhouse). For film his credits include Turn Back, Danny Boy, Alice In Underland: Through The Looking Glass and Jessia Jones. Joseph is also an Award Winning Director having recently won Best Director of a Feature Fashion Film at the Cinemoi Fashion Film Awards for his directorial debut Pink Feathers (Amazon Prime).

Nico Conde plays Alejo. His theatre credits include Steve (The Seven Dials Playhouse), West Side Story, Les Miserables (St Marys Theatre). His international theatre credits include Romeo y Julieta, Aladdin and Transitos. For television his credits include Westworld, El Inocente, Loco por ti, Warrior nun; for film, his credits include Avellaneda’s Moon, Chic & Chambray, Joaquin, Desayuno para Tres.

Lucy Bromilow plays Jane. Her stage credits include The Independent Socialist Republic of the Upper End of the Lower Breck Road (Royal Court Liverpool), Unsettled (Stockroom), Watch on the Rhine (Donmar Warehouse), Karaoke Play (Bunker Theatre), Too Many Men (The Seven Dials Playhouse), Anna of the Five Towns (New Vic Theatre). For television, her credits include Malpractice and for film, Adventures or a Mathematician.

Spin Glancy plays Mark. His theatre credits include Forty Years On (Chichester Festival Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night (Petersfield Shakespeare Festival).

Michael Tantrum plays Billy. His film credits include Wonder Woman.

TOY SOLDIER

Listings

Waterloo East Theatre

Brad Street, London SE1 8TN

https://www.waterlooeast.co.uk/toy-soldier

TOY SOLDIER

21 January – 2 February

Tues – Sat Evenings at 7.30pm, Sun matinees at 4pm

Ticket Prices 

£25 (Concessions £17)