Lion and Unicorn Theatre – until 5th September 2026
Reviewed by Mike Linane
3***
A Beginner’s Guide To Widowhood is a one-woman play originally created by Omar Khan and written by Rae Mainwaring. It stars Liz Jadav as Suria who is on an out-of-season package holiday in Türkiye, with her two teenage children, a 20-year-old travel guide, and an audiobook on grief, but not her husband, Dan. Because he’s dead. She’s not ready to ‘move on’ (whatever that is), but maybe there is something that can help her feel better. An empathetic stranger? Four shots of Bailey’s? Screaming into a pillow? Throwing herself off a cliff?
Very much based on a true story, A Beginner’s Guide to Widowhood is relatable, sad and funny, and gently and tentatively hopeful.
This is a beautifully written play that touches on all the emotions that are experienced by someone who has recently been widowed. Suria tries to stay strong for her children to help them cope with their grief (though they appear to be coping much better than she is). On the outside Suria is doing fine but on the inside she is missing her dancefloor soulmate so much as she reflects on their life together from the crummy first flat they lived in to when life got better and they started making plans together about what they would do once their children had left home and they would be alone together once more and could enjoy life again as a couple.
Things didn’t work out like that, of course, and Liz Jadav gives a wonderfully emotional yet controlled and highly nuanced performance as Suria. There are times you just want to give her a big hug and tell her how brave she is being, and that things are going to turn out all right in the end.
One of the big changes Suria has to adjust to in life is the way people look at her differently now she is a widow… the friends who don’t know what to say to her and now cross the road to avoid having to speak… the men who see her as fair game … these are just some of the challenges she has to deal with in the new situation she now finds herself in.
We probably all know someone who has been widowed much earlier than they expected. This play challenges how we dealt with them and how we maybe should have done things a bit differently.
This might sound like a depressing and sad play, but it really isn’t. There is plenty of humour in it and is life affirming and you will leave the theatre determined to do better next time.
Birmingham Rep today announced the full cast of its brand-new production of the beloved Christmas classic, The Snowman™,which premieres on its main stage, The House, from Tuesday 20 October – Sunday 1 November 2026. It then heads to the Peacock Theatre, Sadler’s Wells’ home in the West End, for winter 2026, running from Saturday 21 November 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. The production is based on the much-loved wordless picture book by Raymond Briggs published by Penguin and featuring Howard Blake’s acclaimed score, including the iconic Walking in the Air.
Sharing the role of The Boy in this enchanting new production, directed and choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Will Tuckett, are Felix Anderson, Jake Durant, Tristan Marwa and Tate Masuku.
They are joined by an ensemble of dancers – Teague Applegate, Andrew Ashton, Serafina Sofia Barbieri, Ross Black, Natasha Chu, Eleanor Copping, Kynda Ng, Alice O’Brien, Andrii Osadchyi, Suzy Osadchyi, Ben Randall, Aaron Smyth.
Also announced today is that Tahra Zafar, who has over 30 years of experience of live events in theatre, film and TV will be designing the Snowman costume. Her most recent iconic design is that of Paddington Bear in Paddington The Musical at The Savoy Theatre, for which she won an Olivier Award. Her many other credits include Antman III, Star Wars VII, In the Night Garden (her first collaboration with Will Tuckett), The Monster in Lady Gaga’s Monster Tour and she was responsible for 23,000 costumes for the London 2012 Olympic opening and closing ceremonies, including that of the late Queen Elizabeth’s II’s sky-diving double.
Also joining the Olivier Award-winning director and choreographer, Will Tuckett (West Side Story (RSC/The Sage Gateshead), Into the Woods (Royal Opera House), and The Nutcracker (National Ballet of Japan)) to create this new version of the stage show are the already announced multi award-winning production designer Anna Fleischle (Punch, 2:22 A Ghost Story, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Hangmen) video designer Nina Dunn for PixelLux (Enoch Arden (New National Theatre, Tokyo), Othello (West End), 9 to 5 The Musical (West End, UK Tour, Australia, Korea)), Tony Award-winning illusions designer Chris Fisher (Stranger Things: The First Shadow (Broadway and West End), Back to the Future (Broadway, Tokyo, West End), The Hunger Games on Stage (Troubadour Canary Wharf) and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (West End and Worldwide))and puppet designer Daisy Beattie (The BFG (RSC), Spirited Away (Tokyo), The Enormous Crocodile (Roald Dahl Story Company).
The creative team is completed by lighting designer Matt Daw, sound designer Kelsh Buckman-Drage, flying directors Floyd Hughes and Adam Bailey (for Flying by Foy), Amy Beadel CDG (For Grindrod Burton Casting), Emma Brunton (Associate Puppetry Director), Keziah Ferguson (Associate Production Designer) and Paul James Rooney (Assistant Director and Choreographer).
The original Rep production first opened to Birmingham audiences in 1993 and has charmed audiences young and old for 32 years, becoming The Rep’s longest-running production. The Snowmanhas embarked on UK tours, melting the hearts of families across the country, and broken records as the West End’s longest running festive show, with its 29-year seasonal residency at Sadler’s Wells’ Peacock Theatre.
Now, more than three decades after its original staging, Raymond Briggs’cherished story returns in a fresh new production that will bring the timeless tale to life once again for new generations.
Will Tuckett said: “It is incredibly exciting to be starting work on this re-imagining of Raymond Briggs’ The Snowman with an absolutely first-class cast. With the brilliant Tahra Zafar joining the incredible team of creatives, we have everyone we need to shape this magical world into what will be a truly spectacular new staging. I cannot wait to share this world premiere with audiences of all ages.”
Birmingham Rep’s Artistic Director Joe Murphy added: “The Snowman has a very special place in the history of The Rep. For over 30 years this beloved production has enchanted thousands, possibly millions, of theatre-goers, for many of whom it will have been their introduction into the captivating world of theatre. With all the magic and joy of the original, and of course the unforgettable score by Howard Blake, this freshly-minted production looks set to thrill the next generation. I can’t wait for audiences to see what Will Tuckett and his exceptional team have created, and it’s a privilege and honour that it will premiere here in Birmingham at The Rep.”
Artistic Director and Co-Chief Executive of Sadler’s Wells, Sir Alistair Spalding CBE said: “The Snowman at the Peacock Theatre is always such a beloved part of our programming. For us, and our audiences, it heralds the start of the festive season. The fact that it has been the longest-running Christmas show in the West End speaks volumes to the timelessness of Raymond Briggs’wonderful story. We can’t wait to see the magic this brilliant new cast and creative team will bring to the production.”
To book for the Birmingham Rep run, visit birmingham-rep.co.uk or call the Box Office on 0121 236 4455 (Monday to Friday from 12pm to 6pm. Saturdays 12pm to 6pm, or 4pm if there is no evening performance scheduled). For tickets at the Peacock Theatre, please visit sadlerswells.com
ROYO, Fiery Angel, Gavin Kalin Productions and Curve are delighted to announce that a brand-new production of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, the musical adaptation, based on the much-loved story by Roald Dahl, will open at the London Coliseum for a strictly limited run from 4 June 2027 until 18 September 2027 starring double Olivier Award-winning, Grammy nominated, multi-platinum recording artist Michael Ball OBE*. The musical will feature the much-loved songs Pure Imagination, The Candy Man and I’ve Got a Golden Ticket from the classic 1971 film WILLY WONKA & THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY, written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley. They join the musical’s original score by Marc Shaiman, with lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and book by David Greig. Based on the novel by Roald Dahl and the Warner Bros. film. The production will be directed by Curve Artistic Director, Nikolai Foster.
Tickets are on sale Tuesday 29 September. Sign up at charliethemusical.com for access to an exclusive priority booking window.
Join Charlie Bucket on the adventure of a lifetime when he finds a golden ticket and discovers a world of wonder behind closed doors. Step through the factory gates into a spectacular world where chocolate rivers flow, Oompa-Loompas sing, inventions defy imagination and every room holds a delicious surprise. Alongside Grandpa Joe, Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde and Mike Teavee, Charlie discovers that nothing is quite as it seems inside Wonka’s extraordinary factory.
Michael Ball OBE is one of Britain’s best-loved entertainers, a double Olivier Award-winning musical theatre star, Grammy-nominated recording artist and acclaimed radio and television presenter. Over a career spanning more than 40 years, he has become one of the UK’s leading figures in musical theatre, earning critical acclaim on both the West End and Broadway.
His theatre credits include Edna Turnblad in Hairspray (London Coliseum/English National Opera and Original West End Cast), Javert in Les Misérables – The Staged Concert (Gielgud Theatre and UK & Australia Arena Tour), Anatoly in Chess (London Coliseum/English National Opera), Mack in Mack and Mabel (Chichester Festival Theatre and UK Tour), the title role in Sweeney Todd (Adelphi Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre), for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, The Woman in White (Palace Theatre and Broadway), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium), The Phantom of the Opera, Passion and restaging of Aspects of Love (West End & Broadway), and creating the role of Marius in the original West End production of Les Misérables. He also won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Edna Turnblad in the original West End production of Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre).
Alongside his stage career, Michael has enjoyed huge success as a recording artist, including a series of chart-topping albums with Alfie Boe, selling more than 1.6 million albums in the UK. He also presents his own BBC Radio 2 show and has fronted television programmes for the BBC, ITV and Channel 5.
A Sunday Times bestselling author, Michael has published two novels and a memoir, with his debut novel The Empire currently in development for television. In 2026, he released Glow, his 23rd solo album and his first collection of entirely original, self-written songs, marking a significant new chapter in his career. The album will also form the centrepiece of Michael’s upcoming theatre tour, Glow, bringing this new chapter to audiences live on stage.
CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY will originate at Curve, Leicester, and will be directed by Nikolai Foster (Bank of Dave, Curve; Legally Blonde, UK & Ireland Tour; Kinky Boots, London Coliseum and UK & international tours) with choreography by Ebony Molina (Avenue Q, Shaftesbury Theatre; Just for One Day, Old Vic), set design by Leslie Travers (Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812, Donmar Warehouse; Road, Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester), costume design by Katrina Lindsey (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Palace Theatre and Broadway for which she won an Olivier Award for Best Costume Design, The Motive and the Cue, Noel Coward Theatre/National Theatre), lighting design by Ben Cracknell (Kinky Boots, London Coliseum; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, London Palladium), sound design by Adam Fisher (Sunset Boulevard, Adelphi Theatre & Broadway; Into the Woods, The Bridge Theatre), video design by George Reeve (Maybe Happy Ending, Broadway for which he won the Tony Award for Best Set Design; Hercules, Theatre Royal Drury Lane), wigs, hair and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates (High Society, Barbican; Paddington The Musical, Savoy Theatre), illusion design by Chris Fisher (Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Phoenix Theatre; Back To The Future: The Musical, Adelphi Theatre/North American Tour/Tokyo/ Sydney/Royal Caribbean Cruises), puppet design by Rachael Canning (The Wizard of Oz, Curve, London Palladium and UK tour), prop supervision by Marcus Hall Props (13 Going On 30, World Premiere), musical supervision by Stephen Brooker (Sunset Boulevard, Curve and National tour), orchestration adaptations by George Dyer (Kinky Boots, Curve, UK, Ireland and Europe tours and London Coliseum), musical direction by Isaac McCullough (Mary Poppins, UK and International tour), casting by Olivia Laydon (The Sound of Music, Curve) for Jill Green Casting, associate direction by Jordan Isaac (Kinky Boots, Curve, UK, Ireland, Europe tours and London Coliseum), associate sound design by Ollie Durrant (Kinky Boots, London Coliseum) and associate choreography by Dale White (Bank of David The Musical, Curve and Lowry).
This brand-new production of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY is produced by ROYO, Fiery Angel, Gavin Kalin Productions and Curve.
There will be additional performances on Monday 7 June 7pm, Sunday 20 June 5pm, Sunday 25 July 3pm, Sunday 1 August 3pm.
There will be no matinee performances on Tuesday 8 June, Tuesday 15 June, Tuesday 20 July and Tuesday 27 July.
Access performances:
Captioned – Wednesday 23 June 7pm
Signed – Wednesday 14 July 7pm
Audio Described – Tuesday 7 September 7pm
Tickets from: £20
Box Office: 020 7845 9300
*Michael Ball will only be performing at The London Coliseum. At certain performances the role of Willy Wonka will be played by the alternate, to be announced in due course. Please check the website for dates.
Tamsin Greig to star in Cranford by Lin Coghlan and Shaun McKenna based on the original novel by Elizabeth Gaskell
Initial casting for King Lear and Richard II
Noël Coward’s The Vortex will be led by Olivia Williams, directed by Jonathan Munby
The world premiere of Sapling by the 2025 winner of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, Georgina Duncan
Claire Skinner to star in Penelope Skinner’s new play Infamous Anne
A brand-new programme of live music, in collaboration with St Mary Magdalene church
OT’s flagship project Primary Shakespeare returns, along with Shakespeare: Up Close
Ahead of their upcoming productions of asmall and quiet light with Priyanga Burford and Murder in the Cathedral with David Suchet, the Orange Tree Theatre (OT) today announce full programming for its 2026/2027 season. This Christmas, multi-award-winning actress Tamsin Greig will lead the company in Cranford by Lin Coghlan and Shaun McKenna, based on the original novel by Elizabeth Gaskell, co-created and directed by Josh Roche. The production will reunite Coghlan, McKenna and Roche following their critically acclaimed adaptation of The Forsyte Saga (Park Theatre, RSC). Cranford will open on 13 November, with previews from 3 November 2026, and runs until 16 January 2027.
Joining the previously announced Roger Allam and Freddie Fox in King Lear and Richard II will be Arthur Hughes and Amber James who will perform the Shakespeares in repertory. Directed by OT’s Artistic Director, Tom Littler, the productions will open on 3 March, with previews from 15 February, and runs until 10 April 2027.
Noël Coward’s The Vortex will be led by Olivia Williams, marking her OT debut, and be directed by Jonathan Munby, bringing this striking psychodrama to the OT stage. The play will open on Friday 23 April, with previews from 17 April, and runs until 29 May 2027. The 2025 winner of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, Georgina Duncan’s play Sapling will have its world premiere directed by Claire O’Reilly. This is a co-production with Sheffield Theatres, Paines Plough, and the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, opening on 9 June, with previews from 5 June, and runs until 3 July 2027 before transferring to Sheffield.
Next, the world premiere of acclaimed playwright Penelope Skinner’s Infamous Anne will see Claire Skinner make her OT debut in the titular role of Anne. This new comedy will be directed by Charlotte Gwinner. The production opens on 16 July, with previews from 10 July, and runs until 7 August 2027.
Also announced today, a brand-new collaboration with St Mary Magdalene church to present OT Music, bringing world-leading musicians to the heart of Richmond. The season, curated by Seb Gillot, will welcome internationally acclaimed artists to perform in a programme of solo and chamber recitals. OT Music is programmed up until June 2027, alongside the return of the OT’s Sunday Morning Coffee Concerts presented by Dorothea Vogel, former violist of the Allegri Quartet. Highlights include British pianist Harry Baker’s exploration of Impressions, from Debussy to Coltrane, OT favourite Jane Asher in Constanze, a musical exploration of Mozart’s beloved wife written by Tim Coates, Schubert’s two great song cycles, Die schöne Müllerin and Mark Padmore in Winterreise, as well as performances from soprano Dame Emma Kirkby, the London Conchord Ensemble, and celebrated pianist David Owen Norris.
Artistic Director of the Orange Tree Theatre, Tom Littler, said today: “The Orange Tree is a home for great writing illuminated by great acting. And what a feast of writing this is: Georgina Duncan’s new play, Sapling, winner of the 2025 Women’s Prize for Playwriting; Shaun McKenna and Lin Coghlan adapting Elizabeth Gaskell; the world premiere of Penelope Skinner’s new comedy; Noël Coward’s scorching breakout; and of course, two masterpieces from William Shakespeare.
There’s no better theatre to watch a world-class performance up close. I just can’t wait to see Tamsin Greig in Cranford, Claire Skinner in Infamous Anne, and Olivia Williams in The Vortex. And I’m looking forward to building a true rep company around the previously announced Roger Allam and Freddie Fox in Richard II and King Lear, with Arthur Hughes and Amber James already on board.
As the OT moves into the final phase of our front of house redevelopment project – our bar and foyer will reopen early next spring – we are striving to offer our audiences more than ever. We’re delighted to be starting a new chamber music programme packed with wonderful musicians.”
OT also announces today its upcoming programme of community work bringing Shakespeare and live theatre to young people.The OT’s flagship project, Primary Shakespeare will tour local primary schools with workshops ahead of school groups seeingTwelfth Night through May to July. Shakespeare Up Close: Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet will also return to tour secondary schools, in a co-production with Guildford Shakespeare Company in November.
OT Teatime Plays and Saturday Seminars will return, with OT Teatime Plays bringing classics, revivals and new work to the venue and Saturday Seminars next instalment taking place on Saturday 10 October, with a small and quiet light offering an insight into the world behind each production.
OT also continues to open its doors to theatre artists from all disciplines to join their free Artists’ Network which includes talks and events throughout the year with leading industry professionals.
In addition, OT maintains its commitment to making performances accessible to all with OT On Screen offering the chance to stream this year’s productions in the comfort of your own home. OT Under 30 Nights will continue to run with £20 tickets available, half price previews, plus subsidised access tickets, as well as the OT’s £1 ticket scheme for those in receipt of government support.
Finally, OT: Open to Everyone, the OT’s capital development project is currently taking place to transform the front of house and backstage areas while preserving the unique qualities of the theatre itself. There is just 6% of the £4.5 million target left to raise, for more information and to donate, please visit https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/open/
Priority bookings open for patrons and Ruby members from 3 September, Gold members from 8 September, Silver members from 9 September, and Bronze members from 10 September. To become an OT member, please visit https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/support-us/membership/.
I won’t listen to reason. Reason always means what someone else has to say.
Welcome to Cranford: a small town where gossip travels fast and traditions run deep. But in the 1840s, change is coming – whether anyone likes it or not.
Tamsin Greig leads an ensemble cast as Matty Jenkyns, who lives at the centre of a close-knit community of formidable women. Their lives are governed by a web of peculiar customs and unspoken rules. But as the outside world rushes in, the residents of Cranford must navigate troubled friendships, lost love, and the challenge of holding on to what matters most.
Elizabeth Gaskell’s 1853 novel celebrates the complexities of everyday life with humour, heart, and extraordinary insight. It stands alongside her North and South and Wives and Daughters as a masterpiece of Victorian fiction. Director Josh Roche reunites with writers Lin Coghlan and Shaun McKenna following their ‘masterpiece’ adaptation of The Forsyte Saga at Park theatre and the RSC.
Tamsin Greig plays Matty Jenkyns. Her theatre credits include The Deep Blue Sea (Theatre Royal Bath), Backstroke (Donmar Warehouse), Peggy for You, IHO, Longing (Hampstead Theatre), Talking Heads Live: Nights in the Garden of Spain (Bridge Theatre), A Kind of Alaska (Harold Pinter Theatre), Labour of Love (Noël Coward Theatre), Twelfth Night, Gethsemane (National Theatre), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre), Jumpy (Royal Court Theatre), God of Carnage (Gielgud Theatre), The Little Dog Laughed (Garrick Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing, King John (RSC), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Gatehouse Theatre), Abigail’s Party (Exeter Northcott Theatre), Bell, Book and Candle (Queens Theatre, Hornchurch), Burning Houses, No Flies On Mr Hunter (The Chelsea Centre), Don Carlos (Hammersmith Lyric Studio), French Without Tears (Watford Palace Theatre), Great Expectations (The Duke’s Playhouse), The Return of the Native (Worcester Swan Theatre), and Venom (The Drill Hall). Her television credits include The Completely Made Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Suspect, Sex Beast, The Amazing Mr Blunden, The Diary of Anne Frank, Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, Belgravia, Elementary, Diana and I, Inside No 9, The Guilty, White Heat, Episodes, Friday Night Dinner, Emma, Green Wing, Black Books, Blind Men, Blue Heaven, Cry Wolf, Dr Who, Falling Apart, Going Postal, Happiness, High Stakes, Jonathan Creek, Kinsey, Love Soup, Neverwhere, Numero Uno, People Like Us, Tech Heads, The Lenny Henry Show, The World of Pub, When I’m 64, Wycliffe; and for film, Land of Legend, My Happy Ending, Official Secrets, Romeo & Juliet, Days of the Bagnold Summer, Tamara Drewe, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Breaking the Bank, Stop The World, Captain Eager & The Mark Of Voth, Cheese Makes You Dream, Cuckoo, Glasses Break, Miranda, Pure, Ready When You Are Mr McGill, Shaun of the Dead, and The Amazing Mr Blunden.
Lin Coghlan’s theatre work includes The Forstye Saga (Park Theatre, RSC), Kingfisher Blue (Bush Theatre), Apache Tears (Clean Break – Peggy Ramsay Award), Mercy and Waking(Soho Theatre), The Miracle (National Theatre), Bretevski Street (Theatre Centre) and The Night Garden (National Theatre Studio and Northcott Theatre, Exeter). Screen work includes First Communion Day (Dennis Potter Play of the Year Award), Electric Frank (Leopard of Tomorrow Award at Toronto Film Festival), Some Dogs Bite (Audience Award at Nantes Film Festival) and Patrick’s Planet. Radio credits include The Forsytes.
Shaun McKenna’s work for theatre includes The Forstye Saga (Park Theatre, RSC), The Lord of the Rings for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Musical (Watermill Theatre Newbury, Theatre Royal Drury Lane and Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto – Dora Mavor Moore Award for Best Musical), The Paradine Case, Wish You Were Dead, Looking Good Dead, The House on Cold Hill, The Perfect Murder, Dead Simple and Not Dead Enough (UK tours), Maddie (New York Theater Festival and Lyric Theatre), Boy on the Roof (Ted Shawn Theatre, Becket), Ladies In Lavender for which he won a BroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Regional Play (Royal and Derngate, Northampton and UK tour), Last Dance (York Theatre, New York), Heidi and Heidi and Johanna (Walenstadt – Prix Walo Award nomination), La Cava (Victoria Palace Theatre and Piccadilly Theatre), Only You Can Save Mankind (Pleasance Edinburgh), Ruling Passions, How Green Was My Valley and To Serve Them All My Days (Royal and Derngate, Northampton),and Fever (Old Red Lion Theatre). Screen work includes The Crooked Man, Like Father Like Son, The Cuckoo,and Great West End Theatres. Radio credits include The Forsytes, and Home Front (BBC Audio Drama Award for Outstanding Contribution to Radio Drama).
Josh Roche directs. His credits for theatre include The Forstye Saga (Park Theatre, RSC), My Name is Rachel Corrie (Young Vic – JMK Award), Home (Minerva Theatre, Chichester), Orlando (59E59 Theaters, New York), Radio (Arcola Theatre), It’s a Motherf**king Pleasure (Soho Theatre and Underbelly Edinburgh – Underbelly Untapped Award), Winky (Soho Theatre), No Particular Order (Theatre503), Pennyroyal (Finborough Theatre – BroadwayWorld UK Award for Best Director), Magnificence and A Third (Finborough Theatre), I Feel Fine, Specie and Uninvited (New Diorama Theatre), Plastic (Old Red Lion Theatre and Mercury Theatre Colchester), and This Must Be The Place (VAULT Festival). Associate and Assistant Director work includes Dr Faustus and The Alchemist (RSC at Barbican Theatre), Death of a Salesman (RSC at Nöel Coward Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew (Shakespeare’s Globe, UK and international tours), Doctor Scroggy’s War (Shakespeare’s Globe), and Farinelli and the King (Duke of York’s Theatre).
KING LEAR & RICHARD II
By William Shakespeare
Directed By Tom Littler
Performed in Repertory
Cast includes Roger Allam, Freddie Fox, Arthur Hughes and Amber James
15 February – 10 April 2027
How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!
When King Lear (Roger Allam) gives up his crown in favour of his three daughters, he triggers a civil war which tears his country apart. As the royal family disintegrates, the villainous Edmund (Freddie Fox) seizes his chance for glory. Siblings turn on siblings, children turn on fathers, and a country turns against itself in William Shakespeare’s most powerful tragedy.
Triple Olivier Award winner Roger Allam plays King Lear. One of Britain’s finest stage actors, renowned for his Shakespearean performances, Allam’s screen credits include Endeavour, The Choral, The Thick of It, and Tamara Drewe. He is joined by Freddie Fox as Edmund, Arthur Hughes (a much-praised Richard III at the RSC) as Edgar, and Amber James (Ian Charleson Award winner) as Cordelia, with more casting to be announced. This repertory company will also perform in Richard II.
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.
A kingdom on a knife-edge. King Richard (Freddie Fox) is a monarch of absolute power and divine right to rule. Easily swayed and badly advised, Richard plunges England into an ever-deepening crisis, as his uncle, the Duke of York (Roger Allam), tries to rescue the country from disaster. But Richard’s enemies – led by his cousin, Henry Bolingbroke (Arthur Hughes) – are powerful, angry, and out for revenge.
Shakespeare’s most beautiful and accessible history play is a story about the mysteries of gaining, keeping, and losing power. Richard is played by Olivier Award nominee Freddie Fox, one of Britain’s most exciting young actors, known for House of the Dragon and Slow Horses. Roger Allam, one of the greatest classical actors of his generation, plays the Duke of York. Together they lead a repertory company who all also appear in King Lear.
Allam and Fox are joined by Arthur Hughes (Richard III at the RSC) as Bolingbroke, and Amber James (Ian Charleson Award winner) as Isabella, with more casting to be announced. This repertory company will also perform in King Lear.
Roger Allam returns to the Orange Tree to play King Lear / Duke of York – he previously appeared in Churchill in Moscow. His other theatre credits include How the Other Half Loves (Old Vic), Frank and Percy (Theatre Royal Windsor, Theatre Royal Bath, The Other Palace), A Number (Bridge Theatre), Rutherford and Sons, Afterlife, The Cherry Orchard, Albert Speer, Summerfolk, Money – Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor, Troilus and Cressida, The Way of the World (National Theatre), Limehouse, Privates on Parade – Olivier Award for Best Actor (Donmar Warehouse), The Moderate Soprano (Hampstead Theatre, Duke of York’s Theatre), The Tempest, Henry IV Parts I and II – Olivier Award for Best Actor,(Shakespeare’s Globe), La Cage Aux Folles (Duke of York’s Theatre), God of Carnage (Theatre Royal Bath, UK tour), The Giant, Semina (Hampstead Theatre), Boeing Boeing, What the Night is For (Comedy Theatre), Pravda (Chichester Festival Theatre), Blackbird (King’s Theatre Edinburgh, Noël Coward Theatre), Democracy (National Theatre, Wyndham’s Theatre), Art (Wyndham’s Theatre), Arcadia (Haymarket Theatre), City of Angels (Prince of Wales Theatre), Les Misérables (Barbican), The Learned Ladies, and Macbeth (RSC). His television credits include Berlin Noir, Secret Service, The Sandman, Murder in Provence, Game of Thrones, Endeavour, The Missing, The Life of Rock, Bad Education, Politician’s Husband, Parades End, The Jury, Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire, Ashes to Ashes, The Curse of the Steptoe, The Thick of It, A Class Apart, I Do, Spooks, The Catherine Tate Show, Meet the Robinsons, Inspector Lynley, Manchild, Foyle’s War, Walking the Dead, Chambers, A Century of Troubles: Cromwell’s War, Henry IV, Inspector Morse, Between the Lines, Landing on the Sun, and The Jury; and for film Frank and Barley, The Choral, Steve, Tetris, Say Your Prayers, The Hippopotamus, The Truth Commissioner, Mr Holmes, Girls Night Out, The Book Thief, The Angels Share, The Iron Lady, The Woman in Black, Pirates of the Caribbean, Tamara Drewe, Speed Racer, The Queen, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, V for Vendetta, A Cock and Bull Story, The Roman Spring of Mrs Stone, The Swiss Family Robinson, RKO 281, WILT, and The Lady in the Van.
Freddie Fox returns to the Orange Tree to play Edmund / King Richard – he previously appeared in She Stoops to Conquer. His other theatre credits include High Society (Barbican Theatre), Hamlet (Guildford Shakespeare Company), Travesties (Apollo Theatre), An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre), Edmond de Bergerac (Birmingham Rep), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Southwark Playhouse), Romeo and Juliet (Sheffield Theatres), The Judas Kiss (Duke of York’s Theatre), Hay Fever (Noël Coward Theatre), Cause Célèbre, A Flea in Her Ear (Old Vic), and The Last 5 Years (Barbican). His television credits includes House of the Dragon, Slow Horses, The Great, The Pursuit of Love, White House Farm, The Crown, Cucumber and Banana; The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Shadow Line, Any Human Heart, Worried About the Boy and Parade’s End; and for film, Pride, The Riot Club, The Three Musketeers, St Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold, Frankenstein, Knights of the Round Table: King Arthur,and Fanny Lye Deliver’d.
Arthur Hughes plays Edgar / Bolingbroke. His theatre credits include Richard III,War of the Roses (RSC), La Cage Aux Folles (Park Theatre), Vassa (Almeida Theatre), Our Town (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Julius Theatre, Saint Joan (Sheffield Theatres), The Solid Life Of Sugar Water (National Theatre), Romeo and Juliet (Roath Park, Cardiff), Alex in Wundergarten (The Other Room Theatre), and Tracy (White Bear Theatre). His television credits include Shardlake, The Barbara Met Alan, 4Stories, Shakespeare and Hathaway, Help, and The Innocents.
Amber James plays Cordelia / Isabella. Her previous theatre credits include As You Like It (Theatre Royal Bath), Fair Maid of the West, Cymbeline, Troilus and Cressida, Dido, Queen of Carthage (RSC), Anthony and Cleopatra, Titus Andronicus (RSC, Barbican Theatre), On the Ropes (Park Theatre), Wendy and Peter Pan (Leeds Playhouse), Snowflake (Kiln Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), Vassa (Almeida Theatre), A Streetcar Named Desire (UK tour), Much Ado About Nothing (Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch), Two Gentleman of Verona (Shakespeare’s Globe), and The Gathered Leaves (Park Theatre). Her television credits include The Game, Heartstopper, Grace, Dodger, Vera, Ransom, and Doc Martin; and for film, Reawakening and Macbeth.
THE VORTEX
By Noël Coward
Directed by Jonathan Munby
Cast includes Olivia Williams
17 April – 29 May 2027
It’s never too early for a cocktail.
Society London, 1924. Florence Lancaster (Olivia Williams) has everything: beauty, wealth, a rich husband and a young lover. But beneath the glittering surface, cracks are beginning to show.
When Florence’s son Nicky returns from Paris, he is determined to confront the truth. As Florence’s friends and family decamp for a weekend in the country, mother and son are forced into a reckoning that neither can escape.
The Vortex was the play that made Noël Coward’s name at just 24. Combining his whip-smart comedy with startling honesty, it scandalised audiences with its portrait of addiction, vanity, and emotional neglect.
Olivia Williams leads Coward’s striking breakthrough drama, directed by multi-award-winning Jonathan Munby.
Olivia Williams plays Florence Lancaster. Her previous theatre credits include Mary Seacole, Hotel In Amsterdam (Donmar Warehouse), Tartuffe, Mosquitoes, Waste, Happy Now?, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Richard III (National Theatre), Scenes From A Marriage (St James Theatre), In a Forest Dark and Deep (Garrick Theatre), The Changeling (Barbican Theatre), Peer Gynt, The Wives Excuse, The Broken Heart, Wallenstein, Misha’s Party (RSC), Summer Lightning (Harrogate Theatre), Bulldog Drummond, A Number (Nuffield Theatre), The Art of Success (Camden Studio), and A View From the Bridge, Up ‘N’ Under (Palace Theatre, Westcliffe). Her television credits include The Good Daughter, Funny Woman, Monster, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Wheel of Time, Dune: Prophecy, The Crown, Ten Percent, My Name is Leon, Unprecedented, The Nevers, Counterpart, The Halcyon, Manhattan, Salting the Battlefield, Playhouse Presents: City Hall, Case Sensitive, Dollhouse, Miss Austen Regrets, Krakatoa, Agatha Christie, Jason & The Argonauts, Friends, Emma, Van Der Valk, and Ruth Rendell; and for film, Another End, The Trouble with Jessica, Victoria and Abdul, Man Up, Altar, Maps to the Stars, Sabotage, Last Days On Mars, Seventh Son, Hyde Park On Hudson, Anna Karenina, Now is Good, Hanna, Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, An Education, The Ghost, Flashbacks of a Fool, There For Me, X-Men 3, Tara Road, Valiant, To Kill A King, Heart of Me, Below, Man From Elysian Fields, Lucky Break, Born Romantic, The Body, Dead Babies, 4 Dogs Playing Poker, Sixth Sense, Rushmore, The Postman, Gaston’s War, and Wesley: A Brand From The Burning.
Noël Coward was one of the premiere entertainers of the 20th century. A prolific actor, lyricist, composer, singer, director, producer and playwright, Fallen Angels was one of four Coward productions performed on the West End at the same time in 1925 alongside On With The Dance, Hay Fever, and The Vortex. Famed for his acerbic wit as much as his fashion sense, the quartet of productions would promote him to one of the defining British voices of the 1920s. His more than fifty published works also include Cavalcade, Private Lives, Design for Living, Tonight at 8:30, Present Laughter, This Happy Breed and Blithe Spirit.
Jonathan Munby directs. His directing credits include The Price (Marylebone Theatre), The Taxidermist’s Daughter, The Country Wife (Chichester Festival Theatre), Wendy and Peter Pan (Leeds Playhouse, RSC), An Enemy of the People, The Crucible (Cocoon Theatre, Japan), Frozen (Theatre Royal Haymarket), King Lear (Duke of York’s Theatre), King Kong: Legend of a Boxer (Fugard Theatre, South Africa), The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare’s Globe, international tour), All The Angels, Antony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Shakespeare’s Globe), Othello, Julius Caesar (Chicago Shakespeare Company), A Human Being Died That Night (BAM, New York), Twelfth Night, Company (Sheffield Theatres), Thérèse Raquin (Theatre Royal Bath), Measure for Measure, The Dog in the Manger (Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington), Romeo and Juliet (Akasaka Act Theatre, Tokyo and Theatre Brava, Osaka), The Recommendation (Old Globe, San Diego), The Winter’s Tale (Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis), ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Prince of Homburg, Life is a Dream (Donmar Warehouse), A Number (Menier Chocolate Factory, Sheffield Theatres), The White Devil (Menier Chocolate Factory), The 24-Hour Plays (Old Vic), Gilgamesh (National Theatre), Henry V, Mirandolina (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester), Serious Money, and She Stoops to Conquer (Birmingham Rep). Munby is currently the Director of Performance at Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama.
SAPLING
By Georgina Duncan
Directed by Claire O’Reilly
A co-production with Sheffield Theatres, Paines Plough, and the Women’s Prize for Playwriting
5 June – 3 July 2027
Belfast, man. Nothin’ changes, eh?
Northern Ireland, 1990. Gerry is a young lad on the cusp of adulthood. Car park hangouts with his pal, tagging the chippy wall, dreaming of elsewhere. Usual teenage boy stuff.
But now, ten years after his brother’s murder, the killer is released under a new identity, the memorial garden has been destroyed, and a stranger has arrived in town. Gerry’s life is about to be swept away in the storm.
Winner of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, Georgina Duncan’s Sapling is a warm-hearted, funny and tender coming-of-age tale. The OT’s previous collaborations with the Women’s Prize include the Evening Standard Award-winning and Olivier Award-nominated The Swell.
GeorginaDuncan won the Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2025 for Sapling. As a playwright, her work has been both shortlisted and longlisted for various playwriting competitions including BOLD Theatre, Theatre Royal Haymarket, Papatango, Theatre503 International Prize and Druid Theatre. In 2024 she was commissioned to write a new play, Penalty for Improper Use, for LAMDA’s MishMash Festival. The play was then subsequently selected to have a rehearsed reading at Theatre503. Duncan debuted and performed her one woman show ASBO BOZO at Riverside Studios.
Claire O’Reilly directs. Her directing credits include Death of a Salesman, A Family Business (Staatstheater Mainz, Germany), A Christmas Carol (Gate Theatre, Dublin), Bán, Christine (Peacock Theatre), Emma (Abbey Theatre, Dublin), Amelia (Dublin Theatre Festival), Talking about the Fire (Royal Court Theatre), This Solution, Hothouse, Accents (Project Arts Centre), Marie Antoinette (Theatre Royal Bath), Before You Say Anything, Chapel Royal (Dublin Castle), Bulrusher (Lir Academy), EAST (Samuel Beckett Theatre), WONDER BOY (Bristol Old Vic), LOVE+ (Beijing Inside Out Festival), BlackCatfishMusketeer (Summerhall, Edinburgh), JERICHO (Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh), Everything Not Saved (Project Arts Centre), and HOME (Blanchardstown). As Associate Director, her credits include A Streetcar Named Desire (Phoenix Theatre), The Meaning of Zong, Dr. Semmelweis (Bristol Old Vic); and as Assistant Director, Uncle Vanya (Harold Pinter Theatre) and Translations (National Theatre).
INFAMOUS ANNE
By Penelope Skinner
Directed by Charlotte Gwinner
Cast includes Claire Skinner
10 July – 7 August 2027
One minute you’re driving to Willesden with carrot soup, next thing you know, you’ve run someone over.
When Anne (Claire Skinner) hits a stranger with her car, he crashes straight into her carefully guarded world. What follows is funnier, messier, and more tender than either of them was ready for. As Billy faces the fallout, Anne is forced to confront painful memories, while grappling with a new future… and perhaps even a new identity.
Infamous Anne is a sharp, warm, witty and unexpectedly moving portrait of one woman’s small, safe life gloriously blown open. One of Britain’s most acclaimed playwrights, Penelope Skinner (The Village Bike, Linda, Angry Alan) returns with a brand-new play, directed by Charlotte Gwinner (The Distance). Claire Skinner, adored by millions for her performance as Sue in Outnumbered and celebrated stage work, which won her the Critics’ Circle Awardfor Best Actress, makes her Orange Tree debut as Anne, with further casting to be announced.
Claire Skinner plays Anne. Her theatre credits include The Narcissist (Chichester Festival Theatre), A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Trafalgar Theatre), Prism, Rabbit Hole (Hampstead Theatre), The Father (Tricycle Theatre, Wyndham’s Theatre), Blurred Lines, Mrs Affleck, The Winter’s Tale, Othello, Invisible Friends (National Theatre), Deathtrap (Noël Coward Theatre), Candida (Rose Theatre, Kingston), The Glass Menagerie (Donmar Warehouse, Harold Pinter Theatre), Look Back in Anger (Royal Exchange Theatre), Moonlight (Almeida Theatre, Harold Pinter Theatre), The Importance of Being Earnest (Aldwych Theatre), Measure for Measure (RSC), Talking Steps, Othello, The Revenger’s Comedies (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Peterborough), A Winter’s Tale (Liverpool Everyman, Playhouse Theatre), and Playboy of the Western World (Oldham Coliseum). Her television credits include The Lady,Outnumbered (as series regular Sue Brockman), Riot Women, Inside No. 9, Coma, McDonald and Dodds, The Chelsea Detective, Murder, They Hope, Kate and Koji, Ted Lasso, Housebound, The Pale Horse, Vanity Fair, Next of Kin, Critical, Silk, Homefront, Trinity, and Life Begins; and for film, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Bridget Jones: Mad about the Boy, The Critic, and Boxing Day.
Penelope Skinner is an award-winning playwright. Her plays include The Village Bike, which won the George Devine Award for Most Promising Playwright, Lyonesse, Meek, Angry Alan, The Ruins of Civilization, Fred’s Diner, The Sound of Heavy Rain, Greenland (co-written), Eigengrau, Midnight at the Hotel Beauregard, and Fucked. Her television writing credits include Fresh Meat and The Following Events Are Based on a Pack of Lies; and for film, How I Live Now.
Charlotte Gwinner directs. Her directing credits include The Long Song (Chichester Festival Theatre), Waiting for Godot, Crave, 4.48 Psychosis, The Distance, Benefactors (Sheffield Theatres), Sunspots (Hampstead Theatre), A View from the Bridge (Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse), Bytes (Royal Court Theatre), Our New Girl, The Knowledge (Bush Theatre), Taking Part (The Criterion Theatre), and The Uncertainty Files (UK tour).
Relaxed and distanced performance: Tuesday 5 January at 8pm
Audio described performance: Wednesday 6 January at 8pm
Captioned performance: Tuesday 12 January at 8pm
Saturday Seminar: Saturday 9 January at 11am
OT Music: CONSTANZE
St Mary Magdalene Church, TW9 1SN
Friday 27 November at 7:30pm
OT Music: SCHUBERT: DIE SCHÖNE MÜLLERIN
St Mary Magdalene Church, TW9 1SN
Sunday 17 January at 3pm
OT Music: SCHUBERT: WINTERREISE
St Mary Magdalene Church, TW9 1SN
Saturday 13 February at 7:30pm
KING LEAR
15 February – 10 April 2027
Creative Insight Night: Tuesday 16 March
OT Under 30 Night: Friday 19 March at 7:30pm
Relaxed and distanced performance: Wednesday 24 March at 7:30pm
Audio described performance: Wednesday 7 April at 7:30pm
Captioned performance: Tuesday 30 March at 7:30pm
Saturday Seminar: Saturday 3 April at 11am
RICHARD II
18 February – 10 April 2027
Members’ & Patrons’ evening: Tuesday 9 March
OT Under 30 Night: Friday 12 March at 7:30pm
Relaxed and distanced performance: Monday 29 March at 7:30pm
Audio described performance: Tuesday 6 April at 7:30pm
Captioned performance: Wednesday 31 March at 7:30pm
Saturday Seminar: Saturday 3 April at 11am
OT Music: SOLACE OF PILGRIMS
St Mary Magdalene Church, TW9 1SN
Sunday 14 March at 3pm
THE VORTEX
17 April – 29 May 2027
Members’ & Patrons’ evening: Tuesday 27 April
OT Under 30 Night: Friday 7 May at 7:30pm
Relaxed and distanced performance: Tuesday 18 May at 7:30pm
Audio described performance: Wednesday 26 May at 7:30pm
Captioned performance: Tuesday 25 May at 7:30pm
Saturday Seminar: Saturday 22 May at 11am
OT Music: MORTAL WOUNDS
St Mary Magdalene Church, TW9 1SN
Friday 30 April at 7.30pm
OT Music: A MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF SHAKESPEARE
St Mary Magdalene Church, TW9 1SN
Sunday 30 May at 3pm
SAPLING
5 June – 3 July 2027
Members’ & Patrons’ evening: Wednesday 16 June
OT Under 30 Night: Friday 25 June at 7:30pm
Relaxed and distanced performance: Tuesday 22 June at 7:30pm
Audio described performance: Wednesday 30 June at 7:30pm
Captioned performance: Tuesday 29 June at 7:30pm
Saturday Seminar: Saturday 26 June at 11am
OT Music: DAVID OWEN NORRIS
St Mary Magdalene Church, TW9 1SN
Friday 25 June at 7.30pm
INFAMOUS ANNE
10 July – 7 August 2027
Members’ & Patrons’ evening: Tuesday 20 July
OT Under 30 Night: Friday 30 July at 7:30pm
Relaxed and distanced performance: Tuesday 27 July at 7:30pm
Audio described performance: Wednesday 4 August at 7:30pm
Captioned performance: Tuesday 3 August at 7:30pm
Saturday Seminar: Saturday 31 July at 11am
ABOUT THE ORANGE TREE THEATRE We are a local theatre with a global reputation.
A show at the Orange Tree is close-up magic: live, entertaining, unmissable. We’re an intimate theatre with the audience wrapped around the stage. We believe in celebrating what it means to be human. We believe in putting people at the centre of the stories we tell. And we believe in the power of a writer’s words, an actor’s voice, and an audience’s imagination to transport us to other worlds and other lives.
We punch above our weight to create world-class productions of new and contemporary drama, revitalise classics and re-discoveries, and introduce children and young people to the magic of theatre.
We are deeply rooted in our local community in South West London. We work with thousands of people aged 0 to 100 in Richmond and beyond through participatory theatre, bringing generations together to build confidence, connection, and joy. Our groundbreaking Primary Shakespeare and Shakespeare Up Close projects pack the theatre with children and ignite a spark to last a lifetime.
We’re a registered charity (266128). With only 180 seats and no regular support from Arts Council England, we rely on the generosity of our audiences and donors to raise £650,000 a year. These funds support our outstanding work on stage and in the community and invest in the next generation of talent.
The Orange Tree was named Theatre of the Year at The Stage Awards in 2025.
Sheffield Theatres is home to four theatres: the Crucible, the Sheffield landmark with a world-famous reputation; the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, an intimate, versatile space for getting closer to the action; the gleaming Lyceum, the beautiful proscenium that hosts the best of the UK’s touring shows, and the Montgomery, a theatre and arts centre with a longstanding history of championing children’s creativity.
Sheffield Theatres is the ticket to big names and local heroes, timeless treasures and new voices, and each year welcomes over 400k audience members.
With a longstanding reputation for bold new work, many multi-award-winning shows have been made in Sheffield including Life of Pi and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie which have both enjoyed West End and international transfers before returning to the theatres as part of UK tours.
Other recent transfers include the acclaimed Accidental Death of an Anarchist, and the sensational Sheffield-set new musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge which transferred to the National Theatre and the West End in 2024. Jack Holden and Ed Stambollouian’s KENREX had a sell-out run in the Playhouse in autumn 2024, transferring to Southwark Playhouse Borough in February 2025, and more recently to The Other Palace for Christmas 2025-26 and then onto Broadway where it ran from April 2026 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York.
Committed to investing in the creative leaders of the future, Sheffield Theatres’ dedicated talent development hub, The Bank, supports a new cohort of emerging theatre-makers from the region every year.
In January 2025, the Montgomery Theatre and Arts Centre joined the Sheffield Theatres family of venues. A leading arts centre for children, families and community groups in Yorkshire, the Montgomery is also home to many of Sheffield Theatres participatory strands for children and young people.
PAINES PLOUGH
Paines Plough is a theatre company, led by Joint Artistic Directors Charlotte Bennett and Katie Posner. As a touring company dedicated to new writing, we discover, develop and empower writers, sharing their explosive new stories with audiences all over the UK and beyond.
Founded in 1974, we have worked with over 500 playwrights including Sarah Kane, Abi Morgan, Dennis Kelly, Miriam Battye, James Graham, Nathan Bryon, Kae Tempest, Vinay Patel, Mike Bartlett, Chloë Moss and Anna Jordan.
Our plays are nationally discovered and locally heard. Each year, we tour our shows to over 30,000 people and recently worked with 400 writers through our nationwide, multi-year writer development programme, Tour The Writer.
In 2019, alongside Ellie Keel, we co-founded the Women’s Prize for Playwriting to redress the imbalance of stories being told on our national stages. So far, we have co-produced and toured three of the winners: Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me by Amy Trigg, You Bury Me by Ahlam, and Consumed by Karis Kelly.
THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR PLAYWRITING The Women’s Prize for Playwriting is the leading award for female and non-binary playwrights in the UK and Ireland, championing extraordinary new voices and working to transform the landscape of contemporary theatre.
Founded by Ellie Keel and Paines Plough in 2019 to address the persistent gender imbalance on major stages in the UK and Ireland, the Prize exists to discover bold, ambitious and beautifully crafted plays – and to ensure that this work is brought to life in brilliant productions that audiences enjoy and remember.
In just six years, the Prize has established itself as a significant force in British and Irish theatre. Its 2025 competition attracted a record 1275 submissions. The Prize has supported hundreds of writers through its submission, longlisting and development processes, while its winners have gone on to major productions, national tours, international festival presentations and publication. The Prize’s talent development programme, Future Light, is offered free-of-charge to all longlisted writers, and includes writing courses with leading playwrights and tutors, industry networking events, and a bespoke dramaturgical report and meeting on each longlisted script.
The Prize’s impact is designed to extend far beyond the award itself. The winning writer receives a £20,000 prize alongside a pathway towards professional production and publication, with the winning play optioned for production by the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, Paines Plough and Sheffield Theatres, and publication by Concord Theatricals.
Previous winners include Amy Trigg, Ahlam, Karis Kelly, Sarah Grochala and Georgina Duncan. Their winning plays have gone on to reach major stages and festivals including Kiln Theatre, Orange Tree Theatre, the Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Bristol Old Vic, the Edinburgh International Festival and Sheffield Theatres.
The Prize is also distinguished by the calibre of its judging panels. The current Chair of Judges is Indhu Rubasingham, Director and Co-Chief Executive of the National Theatre. Rubasingham has been involved with the Women’s Prize for Playwriting since its inaugural year and has chaired both the 2023 and 2025 Prizes. Other judges include actresses Monica Dolan, Romola Garai, Nicola Walker and Jodie Whittaker; Editor-in-Chief of the Guardian, Katharine Viner; writers Lucy Kirkwood and Winsome Pinnock; and the National Theatre’s Head of New Play Development, Nina Steiger.
By championing stories that challenge conventions, expand whose voices are heard and redefine what audiences can expect from new plays, the Prize is helping to build a more equitable, ambitious and representative future for theatre.
From Monday 12 October 2026, the global smash hit musical MAMMA MIA! at London’s Novello Theatre, a Delfont Mackintosh Theatre, welcomes a new cast with Sara Poyzer and Richard Standing returning as Donna & Sam respectively. The musical will also extend booking through to 2 October 2027 with tickets on sale today.
The full 2026/2027 London cast stars Sara Poyzer (Come From Away, UK tour) as Donna, Vivien Carter (Anything Goes, Barbican) as Tanya, Laura Medforth (Muriel’s Wedding, Curve) as Rosie, Richard Standing (Faith Healer, Pitlochry Festival Theatre) as Sam, Daniel Crowder (Gypsy, The Mill at Sonning) as Harry, Rakesh Boury (Matilda the Musical, West End) as Bill, Ellie Gilbert-Grey (Freaky Friday the Musical, Home Manchester) as Sophie, Kyle Cox (&Juliet, UK & Ireland Tour) as Sky, Natorii Illidge (Moulin Rouge! The Musical, West End) as Ali, Foxy Valentine (MAMMA MIA!) as Lisa, Edward Turner (Grease, International Tour) as Eddie and Charlie Garton (Matilda the Musical, UK & Ireland tour) as Pepper, with Emma Odell (Sister Act, West End) playing Donna at certain performances.
Other new cast members include Margaret Atta, Dan Burstow, Will Forgave, Erin-Sophie Halliday, Nicole Ingram, Harry Jack, Imogen Malone, David Nairne, Andy Rees, Julie Repérant, Beth Shaw, and Matt Trevorrow.They join remaining cast members Matthew Barrow, Lawrence Guntert, Laura Jayne-Hardie, Deena Kapadia, Benjamin Kempton,Tom Parsons, Emily Squibb, Ria Turner.
MAMMA MIA! celebrated its 27th birthday on 6 April 2026 and is the third longest-running West End musical of all time.
Since premiering in London’s West End in 1999, the exhilarating smash-hit has become a global phenomenon, with over 70 million people having seen it worldwide. The musical returned to Broadway, at the musical’s original home, the Winter Garden Theatre, on 2 August 2025 for a highly successful limited six-month run until 1 February 2026. Originally opening in New York in 2001, the production played for a record-breaking 14 years at the Winter Garden and then at the Broadhurst Theatre, making it Broadway’s ninth longest-running show of all time. A new UK Tour began on 24 October 2025 and will run through to January 2027 before moving into Europe.
The sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads on a Greek island idyll, all unfolding to the magic of ABBA’s timeless pop masterpieces, has been seen in over 50 productions in 16 different languages, grossing more than £4.5 billion at the box office, and turned into two record-breaking movies – MAMMA MIA! The Movie and MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again.
MAMMA MIA! originally opened in London at the Prince Edward Theatre on 6 April 1999, before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2004, and then to the Novello Theatre in 2012. The London production of MAMMA MIA! has been seen by over 11 million people, played over almost 11,000 performances and has broken box office records in all three of its London homes. In February 2024, it set a new record for the highest ever weekly gross in the musical’s London history and, on 28 December 2024, achieved the production’s highest ever grossing performance. As part of MAMMA MIA!’s 25th year celebrations, Judy Craymer was Executive Producer of ITV’s MAMMA MIA! I Have a Dream, which searched for new young talent to join the stage musical.
Produced by Judy Craymer, MAMMA MIA! The Movie became the highest-grossing live-action musical film of all time upon its release in 2008. A second film, MAMMA MIA! Here We Go Again, opened in 2018 and is the most successful live musical movie sequel of all time. Both films starred Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, with Lily James, Andy Garcia and Cher joining them in the second film.
With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! is written by Catherine Johnson, directed by Phyllida Lloyd and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. The production is designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Andrew Bruce & Bobby Aitken, and musical supervision, additional material & arrangements by Martin Koch.
MAMMA MIA! is produced by Judy Craymer, Richard East & Björn Ulvaeus for Littlestar in association with Universal Music Group.
LISTINGS INFORMATION
Novello Theatre
Aldwych
London WC2B 4LD
Ticket Prices: from £20*
*Tickets priced £50 and under will include a £2.50 booking fee and tickets over £50 will include a £3.50 booking fee, with all ticket prices including a £1.90 restoration levy.
Early Bird Pricing – anyone booking 12 weeks or more in advance of the performance they are attending (Monday to Thursday performances only) will save £20 on Band B, Band A and Premium tickets, but only through Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, either online or by calling the Novello Theatre Box Office.
Family Ticket Rate – £199 for a group of four on Band B or Band A tickets (up to a saving of £131), OR £99 for a group of four on Band D and Band C tickets (up to a saving of £121), for Monday to Thursday performances, excluding peak performances, but only through Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, either online or by calling the Novello Theatre Box Office.
Seniors Ticket Rate – people aged 60 and above can purchase tickets up to £98.50 each reduced to £37.50 (including booking fee) for valid Thursday matinees. Exclusions: 26-31 October 2026, 21 December 2026 – 2 January 2027, 15-20 February 2027, 26 March – 10 April 2027, 31 May – 5 June 2027, 28 June – 31 August 2027.
Group Rate for groups of 10+: Band A+ £95, Band A+ £105, Band A £82.50, Band A £95, Band B £67.50, Band B £77.50, Band C £55, Band C £65 (Stalls, Dress Circle and Grand Circle) all priced at £45 each, valid on Monday to Friday performances. Exclusions apply.
Group Rate for groups of 20+: Band A+ £95, Band A+ £105, Band A £82.50, Band A £95, Band B £67.50, Band B £77.50, Band C £55, Band C £65 (Stalls, Dress Circle and Grand Circle) all priced at £42.50 each, valid on Monday to Friday performances. Exclusions apply.
Performance Times:
Monday – Saturday 7.30pm
Matinees – Thursdays & Saturdays 3.00pm*
*Extra Tuesday 3.00pm matinees on 27 October 2026, 16 February 2027, 6 April 2027, 6 July 2027 & 17 August 2027.
Captioned performance (StageText): 3.00pm, 16 January 2027
Audio described performance (and touch tour) (VocalEyes): 3.00pm, 23 January 2027
Christmas 2026/27 Performance Schedule
Monday 21 December 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Tuesday 22 December 7.30pm
Wednesday 23 December 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Thursday 24 December NO PERFORMANCE
Friday 25 December NO PERFORMANCE
Saturday 26 December 7.30pm
Sunday 27 December 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Monday 28 December NO PERFORMANCE
Tuesday 29 December 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Wednesday 30 December 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Thursday 31 December 2.00pm
Friday 1 January 2027 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Saturday 2 January 3.00pm and 7.30pm
Sunday 3 January NO PERFORMANCE
Booking to 2 October 2027
The performance lasts 2 hours and 35 minutes (including a 15-minute interval)
A Sheffield Theatres and Evolution Productions co-production
ORE ODUBA JOINS THE CAST OF LYCEUM PANTOMIME, CINDERELLA
Written and directed by Paul Hendy
Saturday 28 November 2026 – Sunday 3 January 2027
SheffieldTheatres and EvolutionProductions announce the further cast for Cinderellaat the Lyceum Theatre this Christmas: star of stage, screen and Strictly, Ore Oduba joins the Lyceum pantomime. Ore is an actor and presenter, becoming a household name when he won the fourteenth series of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. He’s since gone on to star in musical theatre productions up and down the country, including Pretty Woman, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Young Frankenstein and more.
Ore joins CBeebies’ favourite Andy Dayand the legendary Damian Williams who returns for his nineteenth year as Sheffield Theatres’ beloved, award-winning Dame. He’s brought his ‘sister’ too, played by Matt Daines. Further, final casting will be revealed soon.
Bringing the magic and sparkle to the Lyceum, Cinderella promises to be top-quality entertainment for all ages this Christmas, including an additional week of performances due to demand. The show will once again be written and directed by Paul Hendy (The Last Laugh, Aladdin) and produced by the award winning Evolution Productions, the same team behind smash-hit panto Snow White, winner of Best Pantomime 2024 at the UK Pantomime Awards.
Cinderellaopens on Saturday 28 November 2026 and runs until Sunday 3 January 2027 at the Lyceum. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.
‘CANDY STORE’ VIDEO FILMED IN ICONIC LOCATIONS IN LONDON, NEW YORK AND SYDNEY
WITH MANILA AND ADDITIONAL NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED
Today, the Heathers, Heathers and Heathers come together to celebrate Heathers Day. As a thank you to the show’s fans across the globe, this exclusive Candy Store music video stars the iconic trio from our Australian, New York and the UK & Ireland companies. Filmed across three continents, it’s a celebration of Heathers the Musical with one of the show’s most popular songs – how very!
This video features the UK & Ireland Heathers. Liberty Stottor (Heather Chandler), Jessica Ibadin(Heather Duke) and Lou Henry (Heather McNamara). From the New York cast, Zan Berube (Heather Chandler), Jackera Davis (Heather Duke) and Ava DeMary (Heather McNamara) and the Australian cast including Calista Nelmes (Heather Chandler), Amélia Rojas (Heather Duke) and Abigail Sharp (Heather McNamara).
The current UK & Ireland touring production is also set to venture to Manila for a limited run from 21 January to 7 February 2027 at The Theatre at Solaire. This cast includes Gerardine Sacdalan(@Juliet) as Veronica Sawyer, Louis Hearsey (I Was a Teenage She-Devil) as Jason ‘J.D’ Dean, Liberty Stottor (Six the Musical) as Heather Chandler, with Jessica Ibadin (professional debut) as Heather Duke and Lou Henry (Six the Musical) as Heather McNamara. Veronica Carabai (Black Power Desk) as Ms. Fleming/ Veronica’s Mom,Sophie Manners(professional debut) as Martha Dunnstock, Markus Södergren (Here and Now – The Steps Musical) as Kurt Kelly, Beau Jackson(professional debut)as Ram Sweeney,John Gurdían (West End debut)as Ram’s Dad/Big Bud Dean/Coach Ripper, Reuben Browne (School of Rock) as Kurt’s Dad/Veronica’s Dad/Principal Gowan, with Christian De-Gallerie(Midnight) as Preppy Stud/Officer, Ellouise Delooze(The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical) as New Wave Party Girl, Caitlin Garcia(West End debut)as Drama Club Drama Queen, Alexander Howarth (West End debut) as Hipster Dork, Charlotte O’Rourke(Cruel Intentions The Musical) as Midwestern Surfer Punk, Thomas Oxley (Bonnie & Clyde) as Beleaguered Geek, Tola Sokoya(professional debut)as Young Republicanette and Carys Taylor(professional debut) as Stoner Chick.
The North American Tour of Heathers the Musical has also added more venues to their roster with the tour launch being the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore in May 2027. It then travels to New Haven, Chicago, Charlotte, Greenville and Hershey, with further dates to be announced soon.
The current New York production at New World Stages opened in June 2025 to the largest advance in the venue’s history, originally planned to run until 28 September 2025. Due to overwhelming demand, the show has been extended for a fourth and final time to 8 November 2026.
Heathers the Musical has been making its way across Australia and New Zealand this past year, having stops in Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Gold Coast, Canberra, Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and concluding in Perth this October.
With three smash-hit West End runs and three record-breaking UK and Ireland tours under its belt, Heathers has become a fan-favourite. It won the 2019 WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Musical and was filmed for streaming on The Roku Channel in 2022.
Welcome to Westerberg High, where popularity is a matter of life and death, and Veronica Sawyer is just another of the nobodies dreaming of a better day.
But when she’s unexpectedly taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams of popularity finally start to come true.
That is, until J.D., the mysterious teen rebel, turns up and teaches her that it might
kill to be a nobody, but it’s murder being a somebody…
Based on the iconic 1989 cult film starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Heathers first premiered in Los Angeles in 2013 to sold-out audiences before transferring to New York’s New World Stages in 2014. The show was reimagined for its 2018 London debut, featuring new songs and updated script.
Heathers the Musical is directed by acclaimed American screen and stage director Andy Fickman, with choreography by Gary Lloyd, design by David Shields, lighting by Ben Cracknell, sound by Dan Samson,musical supervision by Will Joy, music associate Jeremy Wootton and is produced by Bill Kenwright Ltdand Paul Taylor-Mills.
LISTINGS
BILL KENWRIGHT LTD & PAUL TAYLOR-MILLS PRESENT
HEATHERS THE MUSICAL
Book, Music and Lyrics Kevin Murphy & Laurence O’Keefe
WINTER SEASON 2026/27 AT CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE
This Winter, Chichester Festival Theatre is the place to see some of the country’s most exciting touring theatre, music, comedy and dance.
From James Graham’s Olivier Award-winning Best New Play Punch and the cult phenomenon turned smash-hit musical Heathers, to imaginative looks at three fascinating trios: the comedians Tommy Cooper, Bob Monkhouse and Eric Morecambe in The Last Laugh, and Labour politicians Roy Jenkins, Denis Healey and Tony Crosland in The Gang of Three – both direct from London runs – there’s a wealth of unforgettable stories. A gripping new production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time featuring Joe McFadden and Charlie Brooks sits alongside Noël Coward’s celebrated comedy Present Laughter starring Tracy-Ann Oberman, James Dreyfus and Adrian Lukis.
More beloved novels come to the stage with Dickens’ classic A Tale of Two Cities and Khaled Hosseini’s acclaimed A Thousand Splendid Suns, while Jane Asher, Matthew Cottle, David Robb and Samantha Womack evoke the fashion choices of the late Queen in By Royal Appointment, and Giovanna Fletcher returns in the tense thriller Before I Go To Sleep.
At the heart of the Christmas programme is Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure, brought to life by Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, and the return of Hey! Christmas Tree, alongside our much-loved Santa’s Grotto and Christmas Concerts. Enchanting ballet The Nutcracker rounds off the festive season in magical style.
An outstanding programme of one-night events includes Dame Judi Dench, Sir Derek Jacobi, The Archers Live at 75and Sara Pascoe.
The Winter season follows the final shows of Festival 2026, created specially for our stages: A Midsummer Night’s Dream relocates Shakespeare’s exuberant comedy to 1990s Sussex, where rave culture collides with magic on the South Downs; while in the Minerva Theatre, Antigone Exits brings Greek tragedy blazing into the present day. Meanwhile, our newest venue, The Nest, continues to buzz with a vibrant year-round programme.
THE LAST LAUGH 3 – 7 November | Festival Theatre Direct from a London run, The Last Laugh imagines three of Britain’s all-time greatest comedy heroes – Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse – in a dressing room, discussing the secrets of life, death, comedy and what it means to be really funny…
Written and directed by Paul Hendy, The Last Laugh stars Damian Williams as Cooper, Simon Cartwright as Monkhouse and Steve Royle as Morecambe. Poignant, nostalgic, warm and funny, this is a heartfelt celebration of a golden age of British entertainment.
HEATHERS The Musical 10 – 14 November | Festival Theatre Welcome to Westerberg High, where popularity is a matter of life and death, and Veronica Sawyer is just another of the nobodies dreaming of a better day. But when she’s unexpectedly taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers, her dreams of popularity finally start to come true. That is until J.D., the mysterious teen rebel, teaches her that it might kill to be a nobody, but it’s murder being a somebody.
Following smash hit runs in London, New York and Melbourne, Heathers the Musical comes to Chichester. With book, music and lyrics by Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe, based on the iconic movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater and written by Daniel Waters, Heathers the MusicaI – directed by Andy Fickman – is wickedly funny, deliciously dark and full of big fun. For ages 14+
THE GANG OF THREE 10 – 14 November | Minerva Theatre Deep in the heart of the corridors of power, the Labour Party’s Roy Jenkins, Denis Healey and Tony Crosland clash over the soul of British socialism and their own relentless ambitions. Set against the backdrop of economic crisis, Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky’s acclaimed political drama brings to life the personalities, principles and private tensions that shaped a generation of politics.
Following a sell-out smash hit run in London, The Gang of Three is a chance to revisit a defining moment in the battle for the soul of the Labour Party, which captures the towering intellects, fierce rivalries and the private tensions behind public power. Sharp, provocative and richly entertaining, this is political theatre at its most gripping. Directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward, the production stars original cast members Alan Cox as Tony Crosland, Hywel Morgan as Roy Jenkins and Colin Tierney as Denis Healey.
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME17 – 21 November | Festival Theatre Chris Boone is gifted with a brilliant mind for numbers but unsettled by the unpredictability of people and everyday life. When a neighbour’s dog is discovered killed, she comes under suspicion. Determined to prove her innocence, Chris becomes both detective and suspect, drawn into a mystery that grows darker and more complex with every clue uncovered. What begins as the search for a culprit soon reveals secrets closer to home, forcing Chris to confront truths that will test her courage, family, and understanding of trust, independence, and the wider world.
Mark Haddon’s internationally celebrated novel that captivated 10 million readers, adapted by Simon Stephens, comes to Chichester in a brand-new staging. Joe McFadden (The Shawshank Redemption, UK tour; 2:22 A Ghost Story, West End; Strictly Come Dancing winner 2017) and EastEnders favourite Charlie Brooks (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, UK tour; The Ocean at the End of the Lane, National Theatre) star as Chris’s parents, Ed and Judy. Inventive, gripping, and moving, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time combines the intrigue of a whodunnit with a powerful coming-of-age story.
THE SILENCE AND THE NOISE 17 – 21 November | Minerva Theatre Daize has a sharp tongue and a sharper blade. Ben has killer trainers and not much else. She’s determined to protect her mum from his drug-dealing boss – but can two neglected teenagers change their destinies? These natural enemies start to find something in each other no adult has ever given them.
Winner of the 2021 Papatango Prize from over 1,400 scripts, Tom Powell’s extraordinary play beautifully portrays two young people finding hope together. This stage premiere from Papatango Theatre Company and Pentabus is directed by Papatango’s Artistic Director George Turvey. For ages 13+
Tracy-Ann Oberman, James Dreyfus and Adrian Lukis in PRESENT LAUGHTER 24 – 28 November | Festival Theatre Geri Essendine is a hugely successful actress (who has been 39 for the best part of a decade). Her personality, wit and charm have earned her a legion of devoted fans, and a coterie of friends, acquaintances and hangers-on. Just as she is about to depart for a tour of Australia, Geri finds herself besieged by a bevy of would-be lovers, not to mention her long-suffering secretary, estranged husband and an obsessed young playwright. Will she ever disentangle herself from their tightening clutches and incessant demands? And deep down, does she really want to…?
Tracy-Ann Oberman – known to millions from roles in EastEnders, Doctor Who and Friday Night Dinner – stars as Geri Essendine in this new production of Noël Coward’s celebrated and hilarious portrayal of the temptations and pitfalls of theatrical celebrity, returning to the stage following her highly acclaimed performance in The Merchant of Venice 1936.James Dreyfus is well-loved for his TV roles in Gimme, Gimme, Gimme, The Thin Blue Line and Mount Pleasant. Adrian Lukis’s screen credits include Pride and Prejudice, The Crown, Judge John Deed and in theatre, Being Mr Wickham which he co-wrote and has performed in London, New York, and on tour. Lindsay Posner directs.
CHRISTMAS CONCERTS 1 – 5 December | Festival Theatre Ages 7+ The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Collingwood and Chichester Cathedral Choir return for the Festival Theatre’s traditional, uplifting Christmas Concerts – guaranteed to leave audiences feeling merry and bright. Brimming with yuletide cheer, the concerts promise cherished carols and classic melodies, alongside new arrangements and a seasonal sing-a-long.
HEY! CHRISTMAS TREE 5 – 27 December | Minerva Theatre Written by Vicki BerwickRelaxed Performance: 9 December From a poem by Michael Morpurgo Music and Lyrics by Eamonn O’Dwyer Enchanting, funny and heart-warming, this festive story about the importance of finding friendship and somewhere to call home, created especially for Chichester Festival Theatre by Michael Morpurgo and written by Vicki Berwick, returns to the Minerva Theatre following its hugely popular 2024 premiere.
Tree is rescued from the forest on Christmas Eve by Mavis, the motorbiking park ranger, who lives with her cheeky cat Winston and 9-year-old Yulia, who doesn’t want to talk and is a long way from home. Tree has never had Christmas before and isn’t sure about all the decorations he has to wear. But he meets Father Christmas and the Snow Woman, and with Yulia to care for him, he starts to dance. The seasons come and go, Tree grows taller, and soon Christmas comes around once again. And alongside the gifts in their stockings is the best present of all.
Inspired by Michael Morpurgo’s book of poems My Heart Was a Tree, it’s a perfect first festive theatre trip for 3 to 7 year olds. Dale Rooks, whose Chichester productions include The Butterfly Lion, Running Wild and A Boy Called Christmas, directs.
Original cast members Olivia Arnold (Yulia), Callum Balmforth (Winston), Amanda Gordon (Mavis) and Nick Howard-Brown (Tree) return, joined by Iona Crampton as Father Christmas/Susan the Snow Woman.
Chichester Festival Youth Theatre present 14 – 30 December | Festival Theatre Stiles and Drewe’s PETER PAN – a musical adventure Music by George Stiles Lyrics by Anthony Drewe In a new version by Anthony Drewe Based on the book by Willis Hall Adapted from J.M. Barrie’s original play with permission from Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children.
One of the most beloved stories of all time, in a wonderful version with songs by Stiles & Drewe (Honk!, The Three Little Pigs, Half a Sixpence), Peter Pan – a musical adventure is the perfect Christmas show for all the family.
Join Chichester Festival Youth Theatre in this magical and exciting tale about the three Darling children – Wendy, John and Michael – whose world changes when a boy who doesn’t want to grow up flies into their London bedroom, and teaches them how to take wing themselves. And so begins an awfully big adventure more deliciously dangerous and thrilling than they could ever have imagined.
Reaching the island of Never Land, they meet the cheeky fairy Tinker Bell, quarrelsome Lost Boys, mysterious mermaids, rapscallion pirates and, of course, the elegant and menacing Captain Hook…!
An unmissable, classic musical adaptation presented by the multi-talented Chichester Festival Youth Theatre, directed by Lucy Betts (The Wizard of Oz) and supported by a full professional creative team.
For ages 7+. There will be a Relaxed Performance on 30 December at 2pm.
New English Ballet Theatre
THE NUTCRACKER 6 – 10 January | Festival Theatre New English Ballet Theatre (NEBT) presents a bold reimagining of The Nutcracker, performed live on stage to Tchaikovsky’s original, much-loved score. Blending classical tradition with imaginative storytelling, this production offers an enchanting experience for audiences of all ages.
At a glittering modern-day Christmas party, Clara is gifted a Nutcracker by an eccentric entertainer, unaware that it will lead her into a dreamlike world of snowy landscapes, mystery and magic.
This fresh interpretation of the timeless ballet is created by Valentino Zucchetti, one of NEBT’s Associate Choreographers and a First Soloist of The Royal Ballet. The production features elegant, expressive movement and breathtaking performances by inspiring guest artists. Perfect for families, first-time and seasoned ballet-goers alike, The Nutcracker is reimagined with sparkle, heart, and joyful creativity – a magical celebration of the festive season.
BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT 19 – 23 January | Festival Theatre The late Queen Elizabeth II was famous for her discretion. She never said anything in public that could ruffle the lightest of feathers. But she had one way of expressing what she really thought – through her wardrobe. She charms the world through coats and admonishes her family through a carefully chosen hat. But the Queen herself is uninterested in fashion; her look is managed by her Designer, her Milliner and most powerful of all, her Dresser: a working-class girl who goes from advising the Queen on the colour of her lipsticks to the real power behind the throne. But The Dresser, like all royal favourites, is living on borrowed time.
By Royal Appointment is a funny, poignant and celebratory new play and a behind thescenes peek into the world of our most popular monarch and the image she presented to the world. Starring Jane Asher as The Queen, stage and screen star Samantha Womack as The Dresser, Downton Abbey star David Robb as The Designer with Matthew Cottle as The Milliner, the play is written by Daisy Goodwin who created the hit ITV series Victoria and directed by Anthony Banks.
SPITFIRE GIRLS 19 – 23 January | Minerva Theatre New Year’s Eve, 1959. Decades after answering the call, two women separated by the war meet again as the rain hammers down on the windows of The Spitfire pub. As we hear their story, we’re transported back to a time when female pioneers defied expectations and soared through the skies.
Spitfire Girls, written by Katherine Senior, is inspired by the extraordinary true stories of the women who dared to fly during WWII and the incredible bond that tied them together. Funny and heart-warming, this is an untold story of strength, courage and loss. But above all else, hope. For ages 10+
Giovanna Fletcher in BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP 2 – 6 February | Festival Theatre Actor, author and podcaster Giovanna Fletcher stars in the world stage premiere of Before I Go To Sleep. Based on the international bestselling novel by S.J. Watson which became a hit film, it is adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and directed by Loveday Ingram. This tense, fast-paced psychological thriller explores the fragile vulnerability of memory, identity and trust – with twists and turns that will keep audiences gripped until its shocking climax. For ages 15+.
Christine appears to have an idyllic life – with one terrible exception. Every night, when she goes to sleep, she loses her memory. Every morning she wakes up remembering nothing from the last 20 years of her life – not even the loving husband lying next to her. As she desperately tries to piece her life back together, hidden and terrifying truths begin to emerge, forcing her to question everything and everyone around her.
THE RECKONING 2 – 6 February | Minerva Theatre A journalist meets a man in a ruined village outside Kyiv. The Man from Stoyanka is a security guard, just an ordinary man. But when everyone else flees, he stays. As his home turns into a no man’s land, he chooses to take extraordinary action. And she’s there to record it – for the history books, the courts, for humanity.
Playful and unsettling, Offie-nominated The Reckoning, written by Anastasiia Kosodii and Josephine Burton, blends storytelling, movement, music and cooking to bring one man’s truth into sharp, startling relief. Based on real events within The Reckoning Project’s verified archive of witness testimonies of the Russian war in Ukraine, each performance is followed by Food for Thought, a reflection from a journalist, lawyer or those with direct experience of the conflict.
Charles Dickens’ A TALE OF TWO CITIES 9 – 13 February | Festival Theatre In 1770s Paris, revolution is stirring. Sydney Carton is a brilliant yet cynical barrister from England. Charles Darnay is the rebel child of French aristocrats. When they both fall for charming émigré Lucie Manette, a chain of events is set in motion which will endanger everyone. As the Reign of Terror rages on the streets of Paris, for some, love is a lifeline; for others, a sentence to the guillotine.
Adapted by Terence Rattigan (The Winslow Boy, The Deep Blue Sea) and John Gielgud, based on Dickens’ classic novel, this epic story of love, sacrifice and redemption asks: is there any price too great to pay for love? A Tale of Two Cities is a Marlowe Theatre production, directed by Michael Fentiman (Amélie, RCS’s Titus Andronicus, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Loot).
BIRDCATCHER 10 – 13 February | Minerva Theatre Birdcatcher is a darkly comic drama about a teenage girl navigating life inside a doomsday cult. Set in East Yorkshire, the play shines a light on the murky, repressive underworld of religious “high control groups” in the UK – and asks how you find yourself in a world you think is about to end.
This production from Pentabus, the Nation’s Rural Theatre, is directed by BAFTA-winning Artistic Director Elle While (Mother Courage, Richard III Shakespeare’s Globe) and written by rising star and award-winning playwright Laura Waldren, whose first play Some Demon won the 2023 Papatango Prize. All performances have audio description integrated into the production. For ages 12+
A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS 16 – 20 February | Festival Theatre Birmingham Rep presents its powerful production of Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns – which has sold over 38 million copies worldwide and is Hosseini’s spiritual sequel to The Kite Runner – adapted for the stage by Ursula Rani Sarma.
In 1992 in an Afghanistan ravaged by war, an orphaned Laila is left alone in an increasingly threatening world. Her older neighbour Rasheed is quick to open his home and takes Laila as his second wife. Rasheed’s first wife Mariam has no choice but to accept her younger, and now pregnant, rival. As the Taliban take over, life for all of them becomes a desperate struggle against starvation, brutality and fear, and the two women find themselves unlikely allies.
PUNCH 23 – 27 February | Festival Theatre Winner of the Olivier, Critics’ Circle and London Standard Awards for Best New Play: a powerful true story of hope, humanity, and the possibility of change. Following sold-out runs at the Nottingham Playhouse and Young Vic, and simultaneous openings on Broadway and in the West End, Punch comes to Chichester for one week only as part of its UK tour. Suitable for ages 12+.
From Olivier Award-winning writer James Graham (Dear England, This House, BBC’s Sherwood), based on the book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne, Punch brings Jacob’s extraordinary true story to the stage in a gripping, high-energy and deeply moving production directed by Adam Penford (Atonement, The Sound of Music).
Jacob Dunne, a teenager from Nottingham, spends his Saturday nights seeking thrills with his friends. One fateful evening, an impulsive punch leads to fatal consequences. After serving prison time, Jacob finds himself lost and directionless. Searching for answers, Joan and David – the parents of his victim James – ask to meet, sparking a profound transformation in Jacob’s life
Music, Performance and Comedy
Judi Dench: Is it too late to make a run for it? 28 October | Festival Theatre Dame Judi Dench joins her friend and writing partner Brendan O’Hea in conversation about her extraordinary new memoir. At turns deeply touching and riotously funny, this evening will show Judi at her inimitable best: telling the stories of a lifetime spent as one of the world’s best-loved performers.
Liza Pulman & Joe Stilgoe: Hooray for Hollywood 29 October | Festival Theatre The dynamic duo return with their hit new show, weaving a century of movie-musical songs to life, once again in their own unique fashion, in an evening of laughter, romance and pure joy.
Stitches Comedy Club present Sara Pascoe, Zoe Lyons and Stephen K Amos 30 October | Festival Theatre Three amazing household-name comedians come to CFT for a one-off night of hilarity, introduced by award-winning comedian and compere James Alderson. For ages 16+
The Archers: Live at 75 31 October | Festival Theatre Hosted by comedian and superfan Angela Barnes and set at the beloved Ambridge Flower & Produce Show, The Archers steps onto the stage with Timothy Bentinck (David Archer), Charlotte Martin (Susan Carter), Ben Norris (Ben Archer) and Annabelle Dowler (Kirsty Miller).
Juliet & Romeo 5 – 7 November | Minerva Theatre It turns out Juliet & Romeo they didn’t die in a tragic misunderstanding; they grew up and lived happily ever after. Well, they lived at least. With Lost Dog’s blend of dance, theatre and comedy, this duet, directed by Olivier Award-nominated Ben Duke, takes on our cultural obsession with youth and our inevitable issues with longevity. For ages 13+
Mitch Benn: The Lehrer Effect 23 November | Minerva Theatre Mitch Benn looks at the legacy of elusive American comic songwriting legend Tom Lehrer, the creative debt that he – and all who mix humour and melody – owe to him, and performs some of his own more Lehreresque songs. Expect a few Mitch Benn-ified covers of Tom’s most famous creations as well.
Mark Thomas: 40 in Stand-Up Years 24 November | Minerva Theatre Mark Thomas celebrates 40 years at the mic. In that time he has changed laws on tax, jailed arms dealers, kickstarted a comedy circuit in Palestine, given evidence before three Parliamentary select committees and taken the police to court three times and won. Expect a taster menu of mayhem, jokes and rants. For ages 16+
Burt Bacharach: His life story in music and theatre 25 & 26 November | Minerva Theatre Composer, songwriter, record producer and pianist, Burt Bacharach is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures of 20th-century popular music. His life is revealed as his four wives gather at the Brill Building at the behest of Hal David to share memories of Burt. Written and directed by Mike Carey, featuring an 11-piece ensemble.
Zoe Rahman: Hull Suite Live 27 November | Minerva Theatre Zoe Rahman and her electrifying world-class jazz trio present their thrilling new album Hull Suite Live. Based on themes of voyage, migration and the sea, expect earthy blues influences, soulful melodies and cinematic musical textures.
I Musicanti 9 January | Minerva Theatre Founded and directed by the internationally acclaimed double bassist Leon Bosch, I Musicanti is a mixed instrument chamber ensemble bringing together many of Britain’s leading musicians, internationally renowned soloists and principal orchestral players. Soloist Jack Liebeck joins the quintet to perform pieces by Mozart, Farrenc and Beethoven.
Yippee Ki Yay / Top Gunchained 11 – 16 January | Minerva Theatre Director and performer Richard Marsh with Yippee Ki Yay and Top Gunchained – his joyfully funny, unauthorised parody celebrations of favourite films Die Hard and Top Gun. Essential viewing for superfans and newcomers alike.
Fascinating Aïda: Bawdacious! 14 January | Festival Theatre Devilishly funny and gloriously glamorous Dillie, Liza and Adèle, with Michael Roulston on piano, are back. With brand new songs generated by human neural networks and using their combined deep‑learning age of 278 years, they have data-mined their back catalogue to bring audiences their greatest, most sensationally analogue show ever!
Tarantara! A Gala Celebration of Gilbert & Sullivan 15 January | Festival Theatre Featuring favourites from The Mikado, The Pirates of Penzance and HMS Pinafore, these gala concert performances from Tarantara’s brilliant 34-piece orchestra and eight renowned soloists will be a glorious celebration of all that’s best in G&S’s extraordinary operas.
Sir Derek Jacobi in conversation with Richard Clifford 16 January at 2.30pm | Festival Theatre Sir Derek Jacobi has BAFTA, Olivier, Emmy, Screen Guild and Tony Awards. With his partner, actor and director Richard Clifford in the driving seat, there will be an incredible insight into his life and work, with the joy of Shakespeare and so much more.
Friday Night Is Music Night: BBC Concert Orchestra 28 January | Festival Theatre Join the BBC Concert Orchestra and conductor Tess Jackson for the BBC’s popular, longrunning radio show, including Percy Grainger’s Shepherd’s Hey, Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte, Ruth Gipps’ Knight in Armour and Haydn’s evergreen Trumpet Concerto with star trumpeter Kate Moore.
The BBC Big Band and Claire Martin: The Art of Swing 29 January | Festival Theatre The BBC Big Band are joined by multi-award winning vocalist Claire Martin and renowned conductor Barry Forgie for a celebration including Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Peggy Lee, plus classics from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Benny Goodman.
The Magic Flute 30 & 31 January | Minerva Theatre An acclaimed dance-theatre adaptation of Mozart’s opera, The Magic Flute, adapted and directed by Luca Silvestrini. Join the fun-loving Papageno and Prince Tamino as they journey through a magical world. Brought to life through Protein’s playful mix of dance, storytelling, singing and striking visuals, this enchanting family show for ages 7+ is filled with humour, adventure and heart
The Lion Inside 16 – 21 February | Minerva Theatre Ages 3+ Daytimes, check schedule Based on the book by Rachel Bright & Jim Field, adapted & directed by Sarah Punshon with music & Lyrics by Eamonn O’Dwyer, The Lion Inside is a heart-warming tale about confidence, self-esteem, and a shy little mouse who sets out on a journey to find his roar.
Who Let the Gods Out? 24 – 28 February | Minerva Theatre Ages 7+ Daytimes, check schedule With book and lyrics by bestselling author Maz Evans and music by Luke Bateman, this first adventure in the brilliant Who Let The Gods Out? series is brought to life in a hilarious brand-new stage musical. Elliot needs to save the world – and save his mum. Enter some epic Greek Gods with a few tricks up their togas…
Nerina Pallot: Fire Escape Symphonies 12 March | Minerva Theatre Following her acclaimed Royal Albert Hall performance celebrating 25 years of music, Brit and Ivor Novello nominated singer-songwriter Nerina Pallot performs completely solo, armed only with her songs, stories, piano and guitar: a rare opportunity to experience her music in its most direct and personal form.
Community events
Intermezzo 7 & 8 January | Minerva Theatre An eclectic new repertoire of works presented by Chichester College dance students, encompassing a diverse range of dance styles from jazz to contemporary and commercial.
Children’s Concert 12 January | Festival Theatre Southern Pro Musica’s ever-popular introduction to live music played by a full professional orchestra, compered by musical magician Neil Henry and conducted by Jonathan Willcocks.
United Voices 13 January | Festival Theatre Primary school children from across the Chichester area come together to sing songs linked by the theme of connection and community, celebrating and showcasing the love of singing in harmony, conducted by Emily Barden.
Shoah – Chichester Marks Holocaust Memorial Day 27 January | Minerva Theatre Preserving the memory of children of the Holocaust. In three parts: a piece by local children, Butterflies, a play inspired by artwork of holocaust victims, written by playwright Tim Pitman and Robert Mauro’s Children of the Holocaust.
Tango Criminoso 3 March | Minerva Theatre TWF School of Dance presents a compelling show which fuses drama and humour with modern and traditional tango music and dance.
Ovation Rock Show 5 & 6 March | Minerva Theatre Two evenings of live music featuring children and young people (ages 8 – 18) from local schools, Chichester Music Academy and Ovation Music
FestivALL 9 March | The Nest 10 & 11 March | Minerva Theatre Our annual celebration of the talents and creativity of learning-disabled and neurodivergent performers in our community. Bringing together numerous local companies, including CFT’s own Friday Company for two evenings of captivating live performances as well as an open mic opportunity.
Off-Stage Events Throughout the Winter season, a multitude of talks, activities, cabaret and family fun are on offer.
Santa’s Grotto is back from 4 – 23 December, with an opportunity to help the Elves with their festive tasks before meeting Father Christmas himself and get an early present. Mistletoe & Melodies: A Musical Supper in The Brasserie (11 – 12 December) is an enchanting evening of festive dining and Christmas music from West End performers. Cabaret Nostalgique present (‘Twas) The Cabaret Before Christmas, an evening of festival frolics (5 December) while Scrooge Live to Film (19 December) enhances the film with a live score played by the three piece FB Pocket Orchestra.
Black History Month is marked with two ‘In Conversation’ events: In Conversation with Catherine Joy White (3 October) sees the award-winning author in discussion about her book This Thread of Gold, a lyrical celebration of the history of Black women who challenged stereotypes through film, politics, activism and beyond (with a free interactive installation in our foyer space throughout the month); and on 14 October, fresh from his Chichester debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, actor and comedian Munya Chawawa joins Artistic Director Justin Audibert to talk about his career to date and establishing his Black Boys Theatre Club, introducing young boys to the performing arts.
Throughout the season there are Post-Show Talks as well as Backstage Tours.Creative Careers Day (26 January) and International Women’s Day (8 March) return, while an exhibition of Afghan Art and Textiles runs alongside A Thousand Splendid Suns.
For families, That Pesky Rat returns to The Nest on 10 & 11 September following a tour of local schools; HurlyBurly’s After Party (25 September) offers immersive fun for 0 – 2 year olds. Creation Station and The Brick People return for October half term craft activities; Pop-up Play Cafés run before selected Minerva Theatre family performances, and weekly Family Fun provides free crafts, colouring in fancy dress and a reading zone. Bring Your Own Baby Comedy (19 March) offers grown-up comedy for adults with babes in arms.
What happens when you are caught between two worlds? That question lies at the heart of Sea Change, a brand-new musical making its debut in Birmingham. Written by Birmingham-based creatives Will Jackson and Elinor Peregrin for British Youth Music Theatre, the production combines folklore, live music and a talented young ensemble in a charming exploration of identity, community and the courage to embrace change.
Set in the coastal town of Blackwater Cove, the story centres on the Selkies who emerge from the sea during a rare Tidal Eclipse, giving them just one week to experience life on land. As the full moon approaches, they must decide whether to return to the sea or remain among the humans. Meanwhile, the residents of Blackwater Cove must confront their own long-held ideas about the mysterious seal-like creatures they have been taught to fear. At its heart, this is a story about outsiders and the assumptions we make about those who are different from ourselves. The parallels with modern society are clear without ever becoming heavy-handed.
Will Jackson’s direction makes particularly good use of the intimate Patrick Studio space. Lighting by Catja Hamilton often gives an otherworldly feel to scenes. Choreography by Eleanor Rattenbury makes effective use of such a large ensemble. Kritika Agarwal’s set and costume design doesn’t rely on elaborate scenery, allowing its young performers to create parts of the world around them. A beautiful shadow-puppet sequence behind a strategically placed cloth is a particular highlight. The same ingenuity is evident in the delightful portrayal of the donkeys, with two cast members working together to create each animal. Complete with seaside spade ears, a sandcastle bucket forming the mouth and a rope tail that swishes behind them, the effect is wonderfully simple and inventive.
With 36 young performers, it would be impossible to mention everybody individually, but each deserves recognition for the commitment and enthusiasm they bring to the production. Among the ensemble, some particularly catch the eye. Millie Whale is a delight as Mysterious Mags, the narrator with excellent comic timing who often remains at the back of the action yet somehow draws your attention whenever she appears. Ella McFetrich is a quieter presence among the louder townsfolk as Isla, the lonely daughter of the lighthouse’s owners, determined to fight for its future when plans are made to sell it.
Peregrin’s folk-inspired score is one of the production’s strongest elements. Nautical tunes and shanties under Sarah Morrison’s musical direction give the musical a distinctive identity, with a live onstage accompaniment of guitar, violin, accordion and percussion.
There are moments where Sea Change still feels like a new musical finding its feet, but that is also part of its appeal. While the show itself has been developed over the past year, the full creative, technical and pastoral team only came together with the complete young company two weeks ago to build the finished production. Given that remarkably short window, what the company has achieved is impressive, particularly how confidently such a large ensemble works together.
Sea Change feels like a production that has already established a strong identity and plenty of promise. With an appealing score, inventive staging and an enthusiastic young company, it is a welcome reminder of how exciting new musical theatre can be. Sea Change may still have room to grow, but this is an enchanting musical adventure with a bright future.
Imagine a world where tele-voting decides the fate of real people’s lives. This is the premise that Island Tides portrays. Island Tides is a tv show where each week some monumental decision has to be made and the ‘contestants’ for want of a better word have to agree in advance to stick with the decision made by the viewing/voting audience. Think Judge Rinder or Judge Judy but not with petty squabbles between people but major, life changing decisions like should a married couple get divorced or not.
One ordinary morning, June, a high-profile divorce lawyer, receives a strange call. A television debate programme, Island Tides, invites her to take part in a special discussion. Faced with a difficult divorce case, she finds herself opposite an intimacy consultant who argues to hold the relationship together, confronting the same question: “Should Mr. and Mrs. Smith stay in their marriage… or walk away?”
By agreeing to appear on the programme Mr and Mrs Smith agree that if the viewing public think they should divorce then they must do so and they cannot ever remarry each other, if on the other hand the vote goes the way of the relationship counsellor then the married couple must have the counselling and stay together for the rest of their lives whether they want to or not.
As the studio lights come on and the cameras begin rolling, where will Mr. and Mrs. Smith’s marriage end up?
The concept of this play is a good and very worrying one for the day and age we live in. With the continued rise of reality tv just how much of a stretch of the imagination is it that we will one day be seeing a programme just like the one described above, but the problem is that we just don’t care about Mr and Mrs Smith at all. We only see them in a short pre-filmed segment where their marriage has obviously broken down and they are no longer communicating with each other at all. We have no idea how happy the marriage has been previously and only learn what has caused the breakdown relatively late in the play.
Most of the time is taken up with the lawyer and counsellor trying to cajole the studio audience and those watching at home to vote for them. Instead of it being a serious vote about two people’s lives it becomes a popularity vote about which of the two advocates are liked best – a bit like Strictly Come Dancing isn’t all about who is the best dancer at all but who the audience and studio judges like the most.
If only either the lawyer or the counsellor had some charisma or something about them to make the audience sit up and take note of what they are saying – but sadly they don’t. They are too wrapped up in their own worlds and trying to score points off each other to show any sort of personality at all. And what the sudden break of these two and the studio compere into singing rap music had to do with anything I really don’t know. Getting down wiv the kids? Appealing to the yoofs of today? Give me a clue!
For this play to work it needs much stronger casting and acting because at the moment it really doesn’t come alive at all.
