TOM STOPPARD’S JUMPERS TO BE REVIVED AT HAMPSTEAD THEATRE PLUS THREE PREMIERES ANNOUNCED
Tom Stoppard’s Jumpers will be revived at Hampstead Theatre later this year, alongside the premieres of three new plays.
Stoppard’s dazzling 1972 comedy of murder, marriage and metaphysics has not been seen in London for more than 20 years. Directed by Blanche McIntyre, this new production of Jumpers follows Hampstead Theatre’s record-breaking revivals of Stoppard’s Indian Ink, The Invention of Love, Rock ‘n’ Roll and Hapgood. It will play Hampstead’s Main Stage from 25 November 2026 to 23 January 2027. A Gala performance of Jumpers will be held on Saturday 16 January 2027 as a fundraiser for Hampstead Theatre.
Receiving its world premiere is The Urmetazoanby Alex Rugman, a graduate of Hampstead’s INSPIRE programme for emerging playwrights. Directed by Anna Ledwich, the play explores the complex bond between two very different sisters who reconnect while facing an unimaginable goodbye. It will play Hampstead Downstairs from 18 September to 24 October.
Following the sell-out success of Bellringers in 2024 playwright Daisy Hall returns to Hampstead Downstairs with the world premiere of Dogstar– a darkly comic tale set aboard an icebound whaling ship where the crew are dropping like flies, mutiny brews and strange visions spread. Performances are from 30 October to 5 December.
Multi-award-winning writer Lauren Yee‘s acerbic comedy Mother Russia receives its UK premiere following a smash-hit run at New York’s Signature Theater earlier this year. Set in St. Petersburg in 1992, in the aftermath of the collapse of the Soviet Union, the play follows two friends who stumble into working in surveillance. It plays Hampstead Downstairs from 11 December to 30 January.
Hampstead Theatre’s Producer and Chief Executive, Greg Ripley-Duggan said;
“Bringing Jumpers back to London after more than 20 years is tremendously exciting, particularly as we continue to celebrate an extraordinary playwright whose work has become such a vital part of Hampstead Theatre’s recent history. Alongside it, we’re proud to present three brilliantly original new plays by playwrights who are beginning to make a name for themselves. Together they reflect everything we strive for at Hampstead Theatre and speak to our enduring commitment to great writing.”
These four productions join the previously announced European premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, Kimberly Akimbo by David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori. Starring Maria Friedman and directed by Michael Longhurst it plays on the Main Stage from 28 August to 7 November.
Alongside these productions, Hampstead Theatre’s ENGAGE programme for adults at risk of loneliness and isolation in Camden will present a large-scale community production on the Main Stage this summer. Dragonflies is a heartfelt new play by Juliet Gilkes Romero about grief, resilience, belonging and the transformative power of community. Directed by Jennifer Davis the production combines a professional cast with a community chorus of Camden residents. It will have two performances on 31 July and 1 August.
Tickets for Jumpers go on sale to Patrons from today, Thursday 11 June, to Friends Plus on Friday 12 June and to Friends on Monday 15 June. Public booking opens on Thursday 18 June. Tickets for The Urmetazoan, Dogstar and Mother Russia go on sale to Patrons and Friends on Monday 6 July with public booking opening on Friday 10 July.
and directed by Felix Barrett, visionary director behind Punchdrunk
Based on the Paranormal Activity films, first written and directed by Oren Peli and broughtto the screen by Blumhouse and Solana Films
Following the recent announcement that Paranormal Activity is set to return to its West End home, the Ambassadors Theatre, this summer, producers Melting Pot are today delighted to announcecasting for its fourth extension. From Tuesday 11th August, the masterclass in supernatural suspensewill star Ty Fanning (Othello,Ethel Barrymore Theatre, opposite Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal)as ‘James’, Ami Okumura Jones (My Neighbour Totoro, Barbican; Hostage,the Netflix political drama) as ‘Lou’, Kirsty Bushell (BBC, Motherland; King Lear, Chichester Festival Theatre) as ‘Etheline Cotgrave’ and welcomes the return of Pippa Winslow in her role as ‘Carolanne’ following her celebrated runs in the Leeds Playhouse and first West End season.
Tickets for the new booking period, Monday 5 October – Saturday 7 November areon sale now at www.paranormalonstage.com. From Tuesday 11 August 2026, the show’s performance schedule will be evenings Monday –Saturday at 7.30pm with Friday and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm.
Blurring the line between cinema and live theatre, Paranormal Activity has been hailed as a ‘relentlessly frightening – arm-clutchingly, stranger-embracingly so’ (Metro) theatrical experience— leaving audiences jumping out of their seats and questioning what’s lurking in the dark long after the curtain falls.
Praised for its inventive storytelling and terrifying atmosphere, Paranormal Activity is a must-see event for thrill-seekers and theatre lovers alike. Following its original run at Leeds Playhouse and its first West End engagement, which saw the show play at the Ambassadors Theatre from Friday5 December 2025 – Saturday 25 April 2026,Paranormal Activity began a North American tour last autumn, with dates including the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Center Theatre Group, Ahmanson Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington DC and American Conservatory Theatre, San Francisco. Paranormal Activity marks its Canadian premiere at the CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre, Toronto this June, ahead of a run at Boston’s Emerson Colonial Theater in July, before embarking on a 20-week Broadway season at the August Wilson Theatre from August 14 2026.
James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are… Inspired by the iconic, terrifying film series, Paranormal Activity is a new story live on stage.
Ty Fanning makes his West End debut as ‘James.’ Broadway: Othello, alongside Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. Off-Broadway includes SPAIN (Second Stage) and Crooked Cross (Mint Theater). Regional credits include the title role in Hamlet (DCPA), Lindiwe (World Premiere, Steppenwolf), The First Lady of Television (World Premiere, Northlight), McNeal (Regional Premiere, Milwaukee Rep), Teenage Dick (Chicago Premiere, Theater Wit), Death of a Salesman (Palm Beach Dramaworks), Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (Indiana Rep), 5 seasons at American Players Theatre, 2 seasons at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, and multiple productions at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. TV/Film: ‘Chicago Med’ (NBC), ‘Search Party’ (HBO), ‘Hot Mess Holiday’ (Comedy Central), and the upcoming ‘Bolio: Spirit of the Mustang’ with Tony Shalhoub. BFA Acting, Oklahoma City University.
Ami Okumura Jones is ‘Lou’. Ami originated the breakout leading role of ‘Satsuki’ in the RSC’s Olivier award-winning production of My Neighbour Totoro, playing the role from its sell-out debut at the Barbican Theatre through to its West End run at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. On screen, she can be seen starring in Matt Charman’s high-stakes Netflix series Hostage as ‘Zadie’, Acorn’s Art Detectives, and the BBC’s gritty Rebus reboot opposite Richard Rankin. She also leads the cast as Steph in the short film Shrike. An alumnus of East 15 Acting School, her early career includes television roles in EastEnders as ‘Mieko Yoshi’ and Midsomer Murders as ‘Erin Turner’, followed by starring stage roles in Scandaltown (Lyric Hammersmith) and Wendy & Peter Pan (Leeds Playhouse).
Kirsty Bushell as ‘Etheline Cotgrave’Theatre includes:In Case of Emergency (Southbank Centre), A View From The Bridge & Angels In America (Headlong, UK Tour), The Tempest (Jermyn Street), Richard III, The White Devil, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors (RSC); King Lear (Chichester & West End); Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Globe); Edward II, 13, Edgar and Annabel, There is a War, Danton’s Death, The Voysey Inheritance, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (National Theatre); Antigone (Barbican & International Tour), The Cherry Orchard (Bristol & Royal Exchange); Torn (Royal Court); Boys Will Be Boys, Disgraced, 2000 Feet Away (Bush Theatre); A Thousand Stars Explode in the Sky, Don Juan (Lyric Hammersmith); Fen, Far Away, Plenty (Sheffield Crucible) Pornography, Testing The Echo (Tricycle) Belongings, I Know How I Feel About Eve (Hampstead) Hedda Gabler (Salisbury Playhouse), The Seagull (Northampton), The Importance of Being Ernest (The Watermill); An Inspector Calls (West End) Blue Heart (Out of Joint). Television includes: Run Away, Ellis, Inspector Lynley,Tom Jones, Murder in Provence, The Dark Tower, Motherland, This Way Up, Silk, Pulling, Injustice, Casualty, Pornography, Midsomer Murders, Eastenders, FM Radio Takeover, Tumanba. Law & Order, Is This Love, Pulling, Talk To Me, Family Business, Holby City, Midsomer Murders, The Bill, Life Isn’t All Hee Ha Ha, EastEnders, Roger Roger.
Pippa Winslow performs as‘Carolanne.’ Theatrical credits include: Bonnie & Clyde (Garrick and Arts Theatres); Eureka Day, Other Desert Cities (Old Vic); Strangers on a Train (Gielgud Theatre); Buried Child (Trafalgar Studios); Paranormal Activity: A New Story, Live on Stage (Leeds Playhouse); Follies (Grand Opera House, Belfast); Flowers for Mrs Harris (Riverside Studios); Mame, Perfectly Ordinary, The Exonerated (Hope Mill Theatre); Oklahoma!, Hairspray, Sister Act, Cougar the Musical, 9 to 5 the Musical, Phantom, The Sound of Music (UK and Ireland tour). TV includes: The Bombing of Pan Am 103 (BBC/Netflix); Silo (AppleTV+); The Crown and Rebecca (Netflix); The King’s Man (Disney+); Ten Percent, The Piper, Jericho Ridge (Amazon Prime); Revolution X; Dead Island 2 (video game).
A new story inspired by the worldwide horror phenomenon, Paranormal Activity, is directed by immersive theatre pioneer and Punchdrunk’s Founder and Artistic Director, Felix Barrett and written by playwright Levi Holloway, whose pulse-pounding theatrical thriller Grey House chilled Broadway audiences.
Paranormal Activity reimagines the modern ghost story with an unsettling intimacy only theatre can provide. Immersing audiences in an atmosphere of creeping dread, unseen forces, and psychological tension, Levi Holloway’s script offers a bold reinterpretation of the original, blending domestic horror with mind-bending theatricality. Felix Barrett, known for breaking boundaries between audience and performer, brings his signature visionary style to the production. With innovative staging and chilling soundscapes, Paranormal Activity invites audiences to witness the inexplicable up close—and feel the fear in real time.
The creative team also includes Fly Davis as Set and Costume Designer, Illusions by Chris Fisher, Anna Watson as Lighting Designer, Gareth Fry as Sound Designer, Video Design by Luke Halls and Casting Direction by Stuart Burt CDG and Ginny Schiller CDG and Associate Director, Anna Marshall.
‘Will I be scared? Yes. How scared? Very. Cleverly, too.’
Chicago Tribune
Released by Paramount Pictures in 2009, the original Paranormal Activity is a master class in psychological terror. Reimagining the found footage genre for a new generation, the film became a global sensation, grossing nearly $200 million worldwide and kicking off a blockbuster franchise spanning seven feature films. Now, the legacy of fear comes to the intimate world of the theatre as the terrifying phenomenon transitions to the West End stage. Get ready to experience Paranormal Activity in real life.
Paranormal Activity is produced by Simon Friend & Hanna Osmolska for Melting Pot in association with Gavin Kalin, Ken Davenport, Jenny King, Patrick Gracey, Jonathan & Rae Corr and Leeds Playhouse.
ATC Music Group, Vivek J. Tiwary for TEG+ and Nate Koch present
the Royal Shakespeare Company and Factory International production
Shakespeare meets Radiohead as Hamlet Hail to the Thief has its London premiere at the Barbican Theatre from 31 October 2026 to 23 January 2027 following sold out runs at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Aviva Studios, home of Factory International last year.
Thom Yorke, Christine Jones and Steven Hoggett have collaborated on a dynamic new version of Hamlet where Shakespeare’s words are illuminated by Radiohead’s celebrated album Hail to the Thief re-worked by Yorke and performed live by a cast of musicians and actors.
Samuel Blenkin will reprise his role as Hamlet alongside Ami Tredrea as Ophelia. The returning cast also includes Paul Hilton as Claudius/ Ghost, Claudia Harrison as Gertrude, Alby Baldwin as Horatio, Brandon Grace as Laertes, Felipe Pacheco as Guildenstern, Romaya Weaver as Barnarda/ Player Queen and Marienella Phillips as Offstage Swing. Further casting is to be announced.
Tickets for the Barbican Theatre go on sale to the public at 10am on Friday 26 June at www.hamlethailtothethief.com
Following an acclaimed world premiere at Aviva Studios home of Factory International and the Royal Shakespeare Company last year, where it captivated sold out houses, Hamlet Hail to the Thiefwill have its London premiere at the Barbican Theatre from 31 October 2026 to 23January 2027. Shakespeare’s great tragedy collides with Radiohead’s 2003 albumin this frenetic production co-created by Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke, and directors, Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones.
In this fast-paced distillation of the play, Shakespeare’s words and Radiohead’s songs illuminate one another in thrilling new ways that fuse theatre, music and movement. Personally reworked by Yorke, the deconstructed album is performed live onstage by a cast of musicians and actors.
Thom Yorke said “I’m into finally bringing ‘Hamlet Hail to the Thief’ to London, and to the Barbican of all places!It is fascinating and very strange to me how this came to life and how it has worked. When it revealed itself to us over time I was shocked, having never had this kind of experience before.I am happy for it to be seen by a wider audience in such an intense space.”
Christine Jones said: “Bringing this brutal play into the Barbican’s brutalist space seems fated. I feel fiercely fortunate to regroup with these incisive collaborators and push our work further. Both the play and the album continue to speak urgently to the convulsed world we find ourselves in. For me, working on this project is one way to find the ground beneath me.”
Steven Hoggett said: “The chance to put all the learnings into the next stages of a show is a great privilege. What were guesstimates and hopes become areas we can now push into, knowing we can create more precision. The fact that this is the process that will find its home on stage at the Barbican is truly thrilling. The show will become richer in its elision of music, movement and text which makes this space a perfect home. I myself have sat in the auditorium on many, many occasions and had the boundaries blown apart as to what theatre might be. We’re following some giants but also many of my personal inspirations. In this way we hope to continue this dazzling tradition – a commitment to theatre that looks to meet the expectations of a multi-generational audience with an intention to be as radical as we are reverential.”
Samuel Blenkin (Alien: Earth, FX; Mickey 17, Warner Bros; Black Mirror, Netflix) reprises his role as Hamlet,alongside Ami Tredrea (The Shitheads, Royal Court; Wendy and Peter Pan, RSC/Barbican) asOphelia. Paul Hilton (Mass, Donmar Warehouse; Olivier nominated for An Enemy of the People, West End) returns as Claudius/ Ghost,opposite Claudia Harrison (The Line of Beauty, Almeida Theatre; Princess Anne in The Crown, Netflix) as Gertrude.
The returning cast also includes Alby Baldwin (The Unbelievers, Royal Court; Tender, Bush Theatre) as Horatio, Brandon Grace (Summerfolk and London Tide, National Theatre)as Laertes,Felipe Pacheco (The Hunger Games, Troubadour Theatre; Metamorphosis, Frantic Assembly) as Guildenstern, Romaya Weaver (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Globe Theatre; The Cabinet Minister, Menier Chocolate Factory) as Barnarda/ Player Queen, and Marienella Phillips(Love’s Labour’s Lost, RSC; A Christmas Carol, The Lowry)as Offstage Swing. Further casting to be announced.
Olivier award-winner Steven Hoggett recently collaborated with David Byrne as choreographer on Who is the Sky.His extensive choreography credits include Nye, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime and Black Watch, and he was a founding member of Frantic Assembly. Tony and Olivier award-winner Christine Jones is Creator and Artistic Director of the acclaimed Theatre For One (most recently performed at the Barbican in March 2026), and Co-Creator along with Hoggett and David Byrne of Social Distance Dance Club, the post-pandemic immersive dance experience at the Park Avenue Armory. Steven and Christine’s projects together as choreographer and designer respectively include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, American Idiot and Let the Right One In.
Elsinore has a new ruler,and the air bites. ‘Hamlet Hail to the Thief’ centres on Hamlet and Ophelia’s awakening to the lies and corruption infectingtheir war-like state. In this witching hour, when ghosts revealwild and hurling truths, hectic pulses through the blood of its citizens. When minds and hearts are overthrown, music speaks loudly.
Hail to the Thief(2003) is Radiohead’s sixth studio album with singles including ‘There There’, ‘2+2=5’ and ‘Go to Sleep’. Recorded in the wake of the September 11 attacks and the subsequent ‘War On Terror’, the album underscores a period of paranoia, fear and anxiety, with dystopian themes incorporating Orwell inspired lyrics and theatrical, Brothers Grimm style fables. Inspired by Thom’s preparation work for Hamlet Hail to the Thief, Radiohead released ‘Hail To The Thief – Live Recordings’ last September, revisiting archived tracks from across live shows from 2003 to 2009.
Hamlet Hail to the Thief rounds out the Barbican’s autumn/winter theatre and dance season, which includes exceptional international work from some of the most highly regarded names in theatre, dance and literature, and was announced on Tuesday. For more information visit barbican.org.uk.
Theatre@41 in York is currently showing Black Treacle Theatre’s latest production, Educating Rita, by well-known playwright Willy Russell.
Under the direction of Jim Paterson, this two character piece follows the story of Rita (Flo Poskitt), a married working-class hairdresser from Liverpool. She is wanting to find herself, she feels like she needs more, and wants to broaden her horizons. She tentatively enrols in an Open University course in literature. Her tutor, Frank (Jamie McKeller), is a disillusioned university lecturer, who only took her on for the extra money, to waste away on drink and frequenting the pub. He doesn’t want to be there, she does.
The character development throughout the play is particularly impressive. Both their outlooks on life begin to change with their evolving relationship, forming the emotional heart of the play. Rita transforms from someone seeking change into a more confident and independent individual, I suppose just what she was after. This comes at a price though, she loses her identity, becoming someone who we don‘t recognise. At the same time, Frank begins to question his own attitudes and choices and he becomes a better man, until things spiral.
With the help of Set and Prop Designer, Richard Hampton, Lighting Designer, Sage Dunn-Krahn and Stage Technician, Victoria Ryan, the stage is set exactly how it should be, taking place solely in Frank’s office. Quite simple but effective. This means that the audience can focus on Rita and Frank, and their interactions with each other.
Both Poskitt and McKeller are gripping to watch in this dialogue laden work, you can’t help but be fully engaged by their characters. Rita is played with humour, honesty and energy, but underneath there is insecurity. Frank is jaded, sarcastic and intelligent. These qualities create an interesting relationship, exploring themes such as education, class, identity and personal growth. The chemistry between the two is convincing and kept the audience invested in their evolving friendship.
This production of Educating Rita is witty, moving and thought-provoking. Throughout, the play balances comedy and drama effectively, with the hunt for the bottle behind the books drawing the biggest laughs. It fully engrosses the audience in the two characters, highlights the transformative power of education, and keeps the humour sharp. I was thoroughly engaged throughout this emotional rollercoaster of a show.
York has such a strong amateur theatre community, and Black Treacle Theatre continues to uphold this tradition with their excellent production of Educating Rita.
Single White Female began as a book, was adapted for the big screen and now we have a stage version – this time set here in dear old blighty.
The story concerns a recently single mum with not much money taking in a lodger in order to keep her daughter in good schooling and the roof over their heads. Unfortunately, the person who becomes the lodger turns out to be more than a tad deranged…
Our two leading ladies made a really compelling and complimentary pair. Lisa Faulkner (as Allie, mother of Bella and the one seeking a lodger) was rather posh but down on her luck, high on aspirations and rather conservative in nature. By contrast, Kym Marsh played Hedy with a sultry, mysterious air. Kym truly shined in the unhinged moments and subtle looks, which chilled the room. A magnificent femme fatale!
Amy Snudden was utterly believable as 15 year old Bella, daughter of Allie; full-on angst at not being popular, with attitude aplenty and emotions turning a sixpence. Dare I say – a star is newly emerging.
The cast was rounded out by two fine male characters; Andro as Graham, business partner and friend of Allie and Jonny McGarrity as Sam, ex husband and general pain in the side of Allie, cause of most of her misfortune. Varied parts in terms of characters but essential to the story and skillfully acted with gusto.
The programme points out that the scene has been transplanted to “present day in a new build nightmare tower block”. Cleverly playing on the high rise cladding nightmare claustrophobia of being trapped inside your own home due to a lack of funds to escape the poverty trap, Adapter Rebecca Reid brings this classic bang up to date. There is some humour but overall it’s a quietly brooding piece, like a slow cooked casserole that simmers before unleashing it’s full flavour.
The set was designed by Morgan Large, giving us an interesting, gloriously lived in, 90’s concoction of black and neon, which lit entertainingly whilst period bangers blasted out. This clever device gave the stage hands time to get props to be put in place and the actors an opportunity to readjust themselves. Lots of loud bangs and jumpy moments adding to the tense atmosphere and highlighting some key points of the story in a subtle but clever way.
I’ll also mention that there was some superb use of original music throughout, with very low thuds and rumbles executed at just the right places to enhance the on-stage action. I presume this was composed by Sound Designer Max Pappenheim. It was very filmic and propelled the story along nicely using (I’m sure) many a subconscious cue which hearkened back to all those Hitchcockian memories which inhabit the dark corners of our psyche.
I really enjoyed tonight’s play. I only vaguely remembered the original film but that didn’t matter as this piece stands on its own merits. Not perfect (yet) but a classic in the making and well worth a visit to your friendly neighbourhood theatre to catch. Very much recommended.
Leeds Grand Theatre – until Saturday 13th June2026
Reviewed by Adam Craddock
4****
Last night I had the privilege to be invited along to the lovely Leeds Grand Theatre to review the latest leg of the tour of Legally Blonde: The Musical. Starring Amber Davies as Elle Woods, Legally Blonde follows the famed sorority girl turned law student as she leaves sunny Malibu to study at the world famous Harvard Law. We also follow her story of young love and just what she will do to keep it.
Amber Davies is strong as Elle Woods, really playing the ditzy blonde well but having enough depth to show us the woman underneath. Davies has a strong dance ability although sometimes the vocal did lack in my opinion compared to her peers, for me there was too much of a growl to her tone that I would perhaps expect from a far less experienced singer than Davies. George Crawford co stars as Emmett, the lawyer who welcomes the new students at Harvard and supports them along the way. Crawford and Davies have a real natural chemistry and this was one of my personal highlights in the show. Hannah Lowther was fabulous as Margot, giving the expected level of energy and a very strong vocal. I would definitely enjoy seeing her alternate Elle performance. Karen Mavundukure was strong as Paulette, with a great comedic performance and vocal, although in the more serious moments I didn’t really feel much emotion there, for me some key beats of the song Ireland were missed from a character point of view. Adam Cooper was fair as Callahan, with a smooth vocal but perhaps missing some of the suaveness I would want from this character. Jamie Chatterton was good as Warner, again with a strong vocal but for me he could’ve been even more of a bad guy, I didn’t actually dislike him that much which for this part was strange to me. Annabelle Terry was fabulous as Vivienne, playing the awful new girlfriend well but having the best character journey in the show for me and definitely the most impressive vocal. Bravo!
In terms of production values the sound was mostly strong, although there were a few patchy mics throughout dropping in and out which can ruin your immersion. The lighting was crisp and spot on and the costuming was strong. I also thought the set worked well for what was required. Special Mention to the adorable Sprout and Nellie playing our four legged friends, Bruiser and Rufus and their handling team as both did a pawfect job!!
Overall I would recommend a visit to see Legally Blonde whilst it is in town. This is definitely a strong production of this show and had some very bright moments. Snaps to all involved.
Award-winning music artist, composer, writer, actor and filmmaker Khalil Madovi is announced as the final cast member for the world premiere ofHIT MACHINE A play about family, art and the making of music Written by Jonathan Caren Original Music by Ben Harper and CJ Harper Directed by Daniel Bailey
Award-winning music artist, composer, writer, actor and filmmaker, Khalil Madovi is today announced as the final cast member for the world premiere of the play Hit Machine by Jonathan Caren. CJ Harper has also joined the team writing original music alongside three-time Grammy Award winner Ben Harper.
Madovi joins the previously announced US actors Josh Radnor (‘Ted Mosby’ on the Emmy-nominated TV series How I Met Your Mother) and Noah Galvin (Evan in Dear Evan Hansen) – both making their London stage debut – in the production at Soho Theatre directed by Daniel Bailey.
Hit Machine is a sharply comedic and emotionally charged collision between two estranged brothers, a genre-bending artist and a song that becomes the battleground for everything they have never been able to say. Madovi plays Defy, a fast-rising, once-in-a-generation hip-hop talent who is trying to straddle commercial success with the sound that launched him. Featuring original music by Ben Harper and CJ Harper, Hit Machine is an intimate, biting and explosive play about how pain becomes art, how art becomes commerce, and what gets lost when the machine starts feeding on the people who made it.
Khalil Madovi is an award-winning music artist, composer, writer, actor and filmmaker. After emerging in 2012 as Josh Carter in the hit TV series 4 O’Clock Club, for which he received the BAFTA award for Best Children’s Performer, he has gone on to embark on a diversified career in arts and entertainment, working across music, TV, film and theatre. After composing for and featuring in Can I Live?, for Complicité and The Barbican in 2021, he went on to design for Bush Theatre’s critically acclaimed Red Pitch, for which he received a Best Sound Design Offie nomination. Other credits include Nouveau Riche and New Diorama Theatre’s Brenda’s Got A Baby, The Old Vic’s This Is What The Journey Does and Bola Agbaje’s Gone Too Far! with the National Youth Theatre. In 2024 Khalil was nominated for a Black British Theatre Award for his sound design and composition work. Khalil most recently performed in Chadwick Boseman’s Deep Azure at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre.
Jonathan Caren said today: “I always wanted Defy The Leader to be played by a real musician – someone who has lived the artistic life of the character. Khalil brings that from the inside. He moves seamlessly across genres and mediums, and because he’s playing a musician and designing the sound of the production, his presence will be woven into the entire piece in a fresh way. It’s exactly what the play is about: art as collaboration. You’ll feel his imprint everywhere.”
Josh Radnor is a filmmaker, actor, and musician best known for his nine-season run as the star of the Emmy-winning How I Met Your Mother. He wrote and directed two feature films (happythankyoumoreplease & Liberal Arts) both of which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, the former winning the 2010 Audience Award. Recent TV: Hunters (opposite Al Pacino) and the critically acclaimed Fleishman Is in Trouble. On stage he most recently starred in the world premiere of Itamar Moses’ Pulitzer Prize-nominated The Ally at The Public Theater for which he received a Lucille Lortel nomination, Richard Greenberg’s The Babylon Line at Lincoln Center, and the Broadway production of Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize winning play Disgraced. He made his Broadway debut in 2002 in The Graduate opposite Kathleen Turner and Alicia Silverstone. He released two indie-folk albums with Aussie musician Ben Lee as Radnor & Lee. His releases as a solo artist include One More Then I’ll Let You Go, Eulogy: Volume 1 & Volume 2.
Noah Galvin is an actor, singer, writer, and producer. He wrote, produced, and starred in Theater Camp, which Noah co-wrote alongside Ben Platt, Molly Gordon, and Nick Lieberman. The musical comedy film premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble. For his role as ‘Glenn’, Noah received a Best Supporting Performance nomination at the 2024 Independent Spirit Awards. He was the second actor to star as Evan in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, taking over from Ben Platt, whom he married in 2024. His other Broadway credits include Ogie in Waitress. He also starred in a one night only 50th anniversary concert of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Lincoln Center. On TV’s The Good Doctor he played ‘Dr. Asher Wolke’.
Producers are Juliet Berman (Spiral Stairs Entertainment), Kater Gordon and BPM Theatrical. Co-producers are Jessica Goldman Foung and Owen Drake.
General Management by James Steel Productions. Photography by Emilio Madrid Artwork design by Regular People
Creative Team Jonathan Caren – Playwright Daniel Bailey – Director Set & Costume Designer Amelia Jane Hankin Lighting Designer Laura Howard Sound Designer Khalil Madovi Original music by Ben Harper and CJ Harper
Jonathan Caren – Playwright Jonathan Caren is an American playwright and screenwriter. He won multiple awards for The Recommendation (Ovation Best New Play, NAACP Award, Craig Noel Award/Old Globe), Canyon (directed by Whitney White ) and Need to Know. In TV, he has written for multiple shows including The Sinner, Boots & We Were The Lucky Ones, and is currently developing a pilot for HBO.
Daniel Bailey – Director Director Daniel Bailey made his West End debut with the award-winning Red Pitch, which he originally directed at the Bush Theatre, and for which he received The Stage Debut Award for Best Creative West End Debut. Other directing work at the Bush Theatre includes Beru Tessema’s Wolves On Road, Lenny Henry’s August in England (co-directed with Lynette Linton), and Temi Wilkey’s The High Table (Stage Debut Award winner 2020).
Westminster launch of new national alliance calling for greater recognition of independent regional theatre
Five regional independent theatres (Birmingham Hippodrome, Leeds Heritage Theatres, Norwich Theatre, Newcastle Theatre Royal, and Marlowe Canterbury) launched the Regional Independent Theatre Alliance (RITA) at a Parliamentary Reception in Westminster on Wednesday 10 June.
They set out three key asks to government: formally recognise the independent not-for-profit model within policy and funding frameworks; establish a regular data-sharing relationship with government so the sector’s contribution can be properly counted and understood; and champion a national co-investment strategy for independent theatre.
New sector data reveals that RITA’s five founding members generate 2.6m annual attendances, £83m gross income and a projected £781m five‑year economic impact. Economic impact beyond stages includes £52m in local audience spending, £27m through supply chains and support for £10m of ACE‑funded touring work.
Five regional independent theatres launched the Regional Independent Theatre Alliance (RITA) at a Parliamentary Reception in Westminster. The alliance set out three clear asks to government and presented new data demonstrating their national economic and cultural value.
The event, sponsored by Dame Caroline Dinenage MP, Chair of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, brought together theatre leaders, parliamentarians and sector stakeholders to mark the formal launch of RITA: a new alliance of independent, not-for-profit regional theatres that are neither subsidised nor purely commercial. Describing themselves as the third way: mission-driven, financially self-reliant and growth engines, they are generating jobs, building skills and measurable economic impact without day-to-day public subsidy and with no banker of last resort.
At the reception, RITA used the platform to make three clear asks: formally recognise the independent not-for-profit model within policy and funding frameworks; establish a regular data-sharing relationship with government so the sector’s contribution can be properly counted and understood; and champion a national co-investment strategy for independent theatre.
The alliance also presented data showing the scale of that contribution. Across its five founding members, RITA represents more than 8,000 theatre seats, more than 2.6 million annual attendances, more than £83 millionin gross income, and a projected five-year economic impact of £781 million evidence, the alliance argues, that independent regional theatres are already delivering growth, resilience and public value at scale.
That wider value extends well beyond the box office. RITA’s founding members generate £52 million a year in audience spending for local restaurants, pubs, taxis and hotels, contribute more than £27 million through local supply chains, and support more than £10 million of Arts Council England-funded touring work through their venues, underlining the alliance’s argument that independent regional theatres are not only cultural assets, but vital economic infrastructure in places across the country.
Dame Caroline Dinenage MP said: “This launch is about bringing an awareness of RITA’s Third Way model to Westminster and demonstrating how independent theatres are self-sustaining community pillars. RITA’s members are driving growth across the UK, creating jobs outside of London and powering cultural hotspots. I’m excited for the future of this alliance.”
Stephen Crocker, Chief Executive & Creative Director of Norwich Theatre, said: “RITA has been formed to give independent, not-for-profit regional theatres a shared voice in national policy conversations and to challenge binary perceptions of the sector as ‘subsidised’ or ‘commercial’ by shining a spotlight on ‘the third way’. Norwich Theatre is proud to stand alongside fellow regional independent theatres and make the case for a model that is delivering extraordinary impact for audiences, communities and local economies without reliance on revenue subsidy. Through the launch of RITA and the impact data we are presenting, we are inviting government to recognise a part of the theatre ecology that is critical, but which goes unseen.
“At Norwich Theatre we generate income so that every year we can commit as much resource as possible to playing our fullest role in supporting a thriving local and regional cultural sector and continue to invest in enabling publicly-funded work to come to the East of England and enable a healthy national touring ecology. We are proud of our self-subsidy model and how that allows us to invest in this way but we need our unseen investment and impact to be recognised and matched with government capital co-investment is we are to sustain this into the future.”
Marianne Locatori, Chief Executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal said: “Our theatres are rooted in the communities they serve. The work on our stages and the impact of our creative engagement programmes reflects the places and people around us, creating far-reaching social and economic value.
“At Newcastle Theatre Royal, we see every day how investment in the ‘third way’ supports jobs, skills, confidence, and pride of place, helping our city and region to thrive.
“Our theatres are more than performance venues; they are cultural hubs that bring people together and strengthen communities. While RITA is not asking for ongoing subsidy, we do need recognition, support and co-investment to future-proof our buildings, so they remain fit for purpose for generations to come.”
Deborah Shaw, Chief Executive of Marlowe Canterbury said: “There’s a general assumption that outside of the West End, theatres need subsidy in order to exist. But RITA shows that in the right circumstances there is a viable model whereby the best elements of the commercial and subsidised sectors combine, and where commercial success is reinvested in supporting and creating great art and in making our cities and regions better places to live, work and study.
“RITA theatres provide access schemes to ensure everyone can enjoy world-class theatre on their doorstep. We are in the vanguard of providing vocational training and nurturing the next generation of theatre makers. And at a time of increasing polarisation in society, we are places of dialogue and empathy, where everyone can feel safe. We work with the health sector on wellbeing and the education sector on bringing creativity back into the classroom.
“The Marlowe is delighted to be part of this event, shining a light on the work we all do within our ‘third way’.”
Jon Gilchrist, Artistic Director and Chief Executive Officer of Birmingham Hippodrome said: “All the venues in this partnership are more than just theatres: we are important civic infrastructure. We exist to curate diverse programmes of world class work on our stages and use our assets to support artists and provide for our communities. But our venues are large and complex annual costs of repairs are increasing. Without a medium- and long-term investment plan for capital renewal we risk reducing the variety in our programme, limiting artistic ambition and increasing the chance of closure periods.”
Vicky Cheetham, Chief Executive of Leeds Heritage Theatres said: “Independent regional theatres play a hidden but vital infrastructure role within the national cultural ecology. We are not simply venues; we are the stages, technical platforms, skilled workforces and audience networks that enable subsidised productions to reach communities across the country. The success of much publicly funded touring work depends on theatres like ours being able to absorb risk, commit valuable stage time and provide the expertise needed to bring ambitious productions to life.
“The national cultural ecology depends on this partnership. While much of the focus is rightly on the work being created, it is important to recognise the theatres that provide the infrastructure that allows it to reach communities. If we value a thriving touring sector, we must also value and invest in the venues that make it possible.”
Producers Darren Bell and Cuffe & Taylor for Live Nation are delighted to welcome the full castfor the WhatsOnStage Award-winning concert production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Diesat the London Palladium. The concert run at 7.30pm on 16 October and 2.30pm and 7.30pm on 17 & 18 October.
Joining the previously announced Jamie Muscato as Phantom, Celinde Schoenmaker as Christine, George Blagden as Raoul, Courtney Stapleton as Meg and Mazz Murray as Giry will be Holly James (Moulin Rouge, Boston/Broadway; American Psycho, Broadway) as Fleck, Nic Greenshields (Les Misérables, Arena World Tour; The Wizard of Oz, West End) as Squelch and Charles Brunton (Matilda, West End; Bedknobs and Broomsticks UK & Ireland Tour) as Gangle. The cast is completed by Leslie Garcia Bowman (Hamilton, West End; The Red Shoes, Swan Theatre), Georgia Joan Clements (A Knights Tale, Manchester Opera House; Gypsy, Hope Mill Theatre), Sally Frith (Evita, West End; Cabaret, West End) Christian Knight (Hamilton, West End; Brigadoon, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Louis Mackrodt (Evita, West End; Hamilton, West End), Gleanne Purcell-Brown (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, West End; Shucked, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Hollie Jane Stephens (The Producers, West End; Guys & Dolls, Bridge Theatre) and Tommy Wade-Smith (Mean Girls, West End/UK & Ireland Tour; Annie, UK & Ireland Tour).
The concert will be directed by Shaun Kerrison with choreography by Joanna Goodwin, set and costume design by Rebecca Brower, lighting design by Tim Deiling, sound design by Paul Gatehouse, music supervision by Simon Lee, casting by Sarah Jane Price Casting CDA, costume supervision by Jennie Quirk, props supervision by Katie Balmforth, associate sound design by Charlie Smith, orchestra management by Nicola Rossiter, production management by Pete Kramer and general management by Sam Quested for QUBE Theatricals.
The company is completed by Peter Barnett (company stage manager), Leea Smith (deputy stage manager) Ben Turnball & Declan Smith (assistant stage managers), Rachel Perry (head of wardrobe) and Annie Linfett (wardrobe assistant).
Love Never Dies – Phantom of the Opera’s spectacular sequel – returns to the story 10 years after the Phantom’s disappearance from the Paris Opera House. Escaped to a new life in New York, he has finally found a place for his music to soar. All that is missing is Christine Daaé – the young soprano whose sensational talent enchanted the Phantom and saw him fall deeply and dangerously in love.
In a final bid to win her back, the Phantom lures Christine, her husband, and their young son Gustave to America to perform one final time. As old wounds are reopened and forgotten memories unlocked, the Phantom sets out to prove that, indeed, Love Never Dies.
The original production of Love Never Dies has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, book by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton with Glenn Slater and Frederick Forsyth, lyrics by Glenn Slater with additional lyrics by Charles Hart and orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber.
This concert production comes as Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera celebrates its 40th yearin London’s West End at His Majesty’s Theatre. Phantom of the Opera is widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful and spectacular musicals. Since 1986, the global phenomenon has played to over 160 million people in 217 cities, 58 territories and 23 languages.
Love Never Diesis produced by Darren Bell and Cuffe & Taylor for Live Nation and presented by arrangement with LW Entertainment.
Phil&Ben Productions are delighted to announce a new production of Frederick Knott’s classic thriller DIAL M FOR MURDER, which will premiere as part of a Summer 2026 repertory season at Eastbourne Theatres. It will open at Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne where it will play from Thursday 2 – Saturday 11 July2026, before visiting Crewe, Fareham, Swindon, Westcliff, Harrogate, Blackpool, Coventry and Peterborough. Listings information below.
DIAL M FOR MURDER marks the beginning of a major long-term collaboration between Phil&Ben and PW Productions, aimed at strengthening the future of touring drama in towns and smaller cities across the UK. By combining Phil&Ben Productions’ experience and passion for mid-scale touring theatre with PW Productions’ extensive national touring expertise, the companies aim to create a practical and sustainable model for bringing high-quality drama back to venues that have seen touring opportunities diminish in recent years.
Phil and Ben said “We believe audiences in towns and smaller cities deserve regular access to outstanding live drama, and that the appetite for it remains strong. Dial M For Murder is an exciting production in its own right, but it also stands for something larger: a commitment to restoring confidence in mid-scale touring theatre and building lasting partnerships with venues and audiences.”
Iain Gillie of PW Productions added “For many venues, the challenge isn’t a lack of interest in drama — it’s the financial risk attached to presenting it. We want to help change that. Supporting Phil&Ben Productions allows us to invest in a model that prioritises sustainability, collaboration, and audience development, ensuring touring drama can continue to thrive beyond the major cities.”
Co-founder of the Local Theatre Touring Alliance and Chief Executive of Blackpool Grand Theatre Adam Knight said “Blackpool Grand Theatre warmly welcomes this partnership between Phil&Ben Productions and PW Productions. For mid-scale presenting venues, this kind of collaborative working and sustained commitment is exactly what is needed to grow audiences for touring drama while sharing risk more effectively and strengthening the long-term ecology for regional theatre.”
The partnership has been developed in response to growing concern across the theatre sector about the decline of touring drama, shrinking audiences, and the increasing financial pressures facing regional venues. Responding to Arts Council England’s independent review, ‘The State of Touring’, and aligned with the objectives of the Local Touring Theatre Alliance initiatives, the partnership seeks to address the report’s warning that touring drama is “likely to reach a critical level without intervention.” By strengthening opportunities for touring productions, the collaboration aims to support audience development, sustain regional venues, and help ensure that communities continue to have access to regular live theatre experiences.
The collaboration is built around a shared belief that live theatre plays a vital role in communities and that audiences across the country still have a strong appetite for accessible, high-quality drama when given the opportunity to experience it regularly.
PW Productions’ support will help underpin marketing, audience development, and long-term planning, allowing DIAL M FOR MURDER to play an important role in rebuilding audiences for touring drama and strengthening relationships between producers, venues, and local communities.
The companies hope the initiative will help re-establish regular touring drama in venues that have struggled to sustain it in recent years, while also creating a blueprint for a healthier and more resilient touring ecology nationwide.
This collaboration is committed to delivering quality, accessible drama with strong performances at its heart. Directed by Josh Mathieson, DIAL M FOR MURDER will star Tanya-Loretta Dee as Margot Wendice alongside Pete Ashmore as Tony Wendice. They are joined by Simon Pothecary as Max Halliday, Katy Dean as Inspector Hubbard, and Phil Stewart as Captain Lesgate.
With a company combining established touring experience and fresh contemporary talent, DIAL M FOR MURDER aims to reconnect audiences with the excitement, tension, and sophistication of classic live theatre.
