Half a millennium apart: West End’s Anne Boleyn meets her 1583 likeness

On the eve of the opening of a major new exhibition, the actress who currently portrays Anne Boleyn in the West End stepped into the ill-fated Queen’s childhood home of Hever Castle, to come face-to-face with one of her earliest surviving images.

Thảo Therese Nguyễn, who currently plays Anne Boleyn in the hit West End musical Six, had a sneak peak of the newly re-dated Hever ‘Rose’ portrait at Hever Castle, ahead of the exhibition’s opening on Wednesday 11 February. Painted in 1583, the Hever ‘Rose’ portrait is one of the very few likenesses to depict Anne’s hands, and a ground-breaking new exhibition argues it was probably painted this way to disprove the idea she was a witch, and to prove she had five digits. 

The portrait features in Hever Castle’s Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn, a landmark exhibition bringing together over 30 likenesses and depictions of Anne from the 16th century to the present day.

Dressed in her striking Six the Musical costume, Thảo Therese Nguyễn was there to see the curatorial team hang the 16th-century portrait ahead of the exhibition that seeks to explore how Anne Boleyn’s likeness has been continually re-imagined over time by politics, art, fashion, and popular culture from Tudor portraits to modern interpretations on stage and screen.  

Two women separated by 500 years yet bound by one of history’s most powerful stories.

Thảo Therese Nguyễn said: (To be amended and adapted by Thao and Arabella)

“Standing in Anne Boleyn’s childhood home, centuries after her death, coming face-to-face with Anne via this set of likenesses, and seeing the amazing Hever ‘Rose’ portrait, was incredibly moving. I play Anne every night on stage but being here at Hever Castle where her story truly began as a child, brought Anne home to me. It felt like meeting her across half a millennium. Meeting her this way via the new exhibition definitely underlined what I knew of Anne and how powerfully her image and her voice still speak to us today.”

The curatorial team at Hever Castle said:

“Anne Boleyn has never stopped being re-interpreted. Each generation reshapes her image through its own lens – from her own daughter Elizabeth’s use of her image to writers, directors and actors today who share her through print, literature, film or on stage. This exhibition shows how Anne’s likeness has evolved with the times, and her cultural significance has only grown. Seeing Thảo, a modern Anne, meet her 16th-century image perfectly captures that continuing conversation across history.”

Capturing a Queen: The Image of Anne Boleyn opens on 11 February to the public at Hever Castle in Kent www.hevercastle.co.uk.

Six the Musical is currently playing at the Vaudeville Theatre in London’s West End. https://sixthemusical.com/london/

BROADWAY INTERNATIONAL GROUP

MARC ROUTH  SIMONE GENATT

HY CULTURE COMPANY     CHINA ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT GROUP 

   MANUEL AND WILLETTE KLAUSNER TRUST    DOUGLAS L. MEYER

AND BROADWAY ASIA

PRESENT
 

THE NEW MUSICAL

WORLD’S GREATEST LOVER

BOYBAND AND X FACTOR WINNERS UNITE

FOR LONDON PREMIERE OF POP ROCK MUSICAL

WORLD’S GREATEST LOVER

DIRECT FROM NEW YORK DEBUT AND AWARD-WINNING EDINBURGH FRINGE RUN

STARRING X FACTOR WINNERS MATT TERRY & DALTON HARRIS WITH UNION J’S JAYMI HENSLEY, 17:28’S JOAQUIN PEDRO VALDES, WITH LEONARDO VIEIRA AND ALEX HAYDEN

THE OTHER PALACE

12 APRIL – 7 JUNE 2026

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW

WGLMUSICAL.COM

[Tuesday 10 February 2026] Following its New York debut and an acclaimed, award-winning run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025, the electrifying pop-rock musical World’s Greatest Lover transfers to London this spring. The production opens at The Other Palace on Sunday 12 April 2026, playing until Sunday 7 June 2026, with a national press night on Wednesday 22 April.

Tickets go on sale today, 10 February, as the full London cast is announced, led by X Factor winners Matt Terry and Dalton Harris, alongside Union J star Jaymi Hensley and West End favourites Joaquin Pedro Valdes, Leonardo Vieira and Alex Hayden.

A bold, high-energy pop-rock musical, World’s Greatest Lover features music and book by Julien Salvia with lyrics and book by Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal. The long-standing writing partnership has created award-winning and record-breaking shows seen around the world for over 15 years, including the Marius Award-winning The Prince & The Pauper and the Trophées de la Comédie Musical-nominated The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Their work extends beyond the stage to screenwriting on Living with Dad (M6), with their most recent songwriting credit being the Luxembourg’s 2025 Eurovision Song Finalist.

The production is directed and choreographed by Broadway’s Joshua Bergasse, Emmy Award winner for his choreography on Smash and Tony and Astaire Award nominee for the 2014 Broadway revival of On The Town, with set design by Beowulf Boritt  (Act One, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), costume design by David Woolard (West Side Story, First Date) and lighting design by Jason Lyons (Bring It On: The Musical, Hand to God) Casting by Rob Kelly ( Hades Town ,This Bitter Earth), General Management by Thomas Hopkins Productions

World’s Greatest Lover brings together the most iconic romantics in history in a witty, irreverent and unexpectedly heartfelt exploration of love, desire and identity, asking what it truly means to be the greatest lover of all time.

With explosive choreography and a sensational pop-powered score, Romeo, Casanova, Cyrano de Bergerac and the Marquis de Sade collide in a wildly entertaining, no-holds-barred battle to uncover the truth about love.

Seductive, hilarious and surprisingly moving, World’s Greatest Lover is as heartfelt as it is outrageous.

Prepare to be seduced…

Matt Terry will star as ‘CDB’. An X Factor winner and chart-topping singer-songwriter, Matt has amassed more than 250 million artist streams and over one billion streams as a songwriter. His theatre credits include Rock of Ages, Madagascar and The Grinch, direct from Broadway.

Dalton Harris will star as ‘Val’. Dalton is the winner of The X Factor and a chart-topping recording artist whose winning duet reached No.1 in the UK. A powerful vocalist and songwriter with millions of streams worldwide, his stage credits include the UK tour of The Drifters Girl, alongside film and documentary work exploring his life and activism.

Jaymi Hensley will star as ‘Sade’: Best known as a member of boyband Union J, Jaymi rose to fame on The X Factor before signing to Sony Music and releasing two studio albums. On stage he starred as Joseph in the UK tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and has appeared widely across TV and radio, including co-hosting CBBC’s Got What It Takes. He has recently toured internationally performing to audiences around the world.

Joaquin Pedro Valdes will star as ‘Romeo’. A London-based theatre performer and recording artist, Joaquin’s credits span the West End and international productions including The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical, Death Note in Concert, Heathers, The Baker’s Wife, Pacific Overtures and Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Musical. He was previously a member of Philippine boyband 17:28 before launching his solo recording career.

Leonardo Vieira will star as ‘Caz’. Trained at Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts, Leonardo’s credits include Bat Out of Hell (UK & Ireland Tour), Burn the Floor, Godspell in Concert and Aladdin.

Alex Hayden completes the company as an off-stage Swing. Alex trained at ArtsEd and recently appeared in The Book of Mormon on its UK and International Tour. His credits also include Sweet Charity, RENT and the Olivier Awards 2024 concert.

This London production brings the show’s infectious score, muscular choreography and razor-sharp wit to the capital.

Direct from New York, produced by Broadway International Group, Marc Routh and Simone Genatt, WORLD’S GREATEST LOVER is a smart, funny and irresistible new show about romance, reputation, and what happens when the greatest lovers of all time discover they may not understand love at all.

Marc Routh, President of Broadway Asia, is one of the most prolific producers on Broadway, with recent productions being Back To The Future, Winter Garden and The Roommate Starring Mia Farrow and Pattie LuPone, Booth Theatre. He is a seven-time Tony Award winner for Oklahoma!, Angels In America, The Band’s Visit, The Norman Conquests, Company, Hairspray, and The Producers.

Alongside his Broadway endeavours, Routh is the producer of off-Broadway’s Drama Desk and Obie Award-Winning Stomp and the legendary award-winning nightclub 54 Below.

Simone Genatt, Chairperson and Co-Founder of Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia, has been responsible for shows in over 60 countries including recent productions of An American in Paris, Anastasia, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Beetlejuice, COOKIN’ and The Sound of Music with Le Grand Theatre de Geneve, Theatre du Chatelet; Fuji TV; Shanghai Culture Square, Warner Bros Theatricals and Rodgers & Hammerstein among many others.  With a commitment to presenting live theatrical entertainment to cultures throughout the world, Simone Genatt remains focused on expanding the boundaries of entertainment and communication throughout the global markets.

Broadway International Group is among the largest production, management, distribution, licensing and touring companies of live entertainment throughout the Asia Pacific region, and its founders, Simone Genatt and Marc Routh, are two of the most active commercial Broadway producers throughout the global markets. Over the last 30 years, theatrical productions by the Broadway International Group and Broadway Asia partners have garnered more than 50 global theatrical awards through its many collaborations. Select productions include many Tony and Olivier Award-winning musicals and other live action spectacular entertainment productions.

Producers Marc Routh and Simone Genatt said, “World’s Greatest Lover is a wildly entertaining showdown among the hottest lovers of all time.  The premise is wonderfully absurd and witty punctuated by sizzling choreography by Joshua Bergasse with a powerful boyband pop score.  This new musical is seductive and electric and just might make you fall in love all over again.  We’re absolutely thrilled to be bringing World’s Greatest Lover to the Other Palace this Spring.”

@WGLmusical on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and X

SAPLING BY GEORGINA DUNCAN WINS

THE WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR PLAYWRITING 2025

Sapling by Georgina Duncan is today announced as the winning script for The Women’s Prize for Playwriting 2025. Produced by Ellie Keel Productions and Paines Plough, the Prize is the only national award dedicated to championing and supporting exceptional playwrights who identify as female or non-binary.

The winner was announced at an awards ceremony held on 9 February 2026 at @sohoplace,in front of an audience of invited guests and leading figures from the UK theatre industry. This year’s Prize received a record-breaking 1,275 submissions which were judged by Director of the National Theatre Indhu Rubasingham (Chair); directors Milli Bhatia and Alice Hamilton; actress Romola Garai; literary agent Mel Kenyon; playwright and screenwriter Morgan Lloyd Malcolm; Artistic Director of Bristol Old Vic Nancy Medina; Literary & Development Associate at Wessex Grove Kat Pierce; the National Theatre’s Director of New Work Nina Steiger; and Guardian Editor-in-Chief Katharine Viner.

Also announced today, Kristin Scott Thomas is the winner of WPP’s inaugural Leading Light award, a lifetime achievement prize recognising a leading female in the arts industry for their enduring influence, distinguished body of work, and outstanding contribution to culture. The ceremony also featured a special monologue – written by Abi Morgan with contributions from the longlisted writers – performed by Dame Meera Syal, celebrating the legacy and continuing impact of women shaping British theatre.

Ellie Keel Founder Director of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting today said, “Sapling is the rare kind of play that producers dream of discovering and audiences yearn to watch: gripping, fearless, and profoundly moving. Georgie’s writing is full of heart and vivid energy, matching its extraordinary craft in every scene. The judges’ meeting was particularly rigorous this year, reflecting the impressive standard of all our Final Five plays, which were selected from our highest number of submissions yet. These plays and writers have incredible futures on big stages and I can’t wait to follow their journeys. It’s a privilege to be at the helm of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting as we continue to grow and reach more writers, and champion the wealth of female and non-binary talent we all know is out there, but is sometimes overlooked or compromised by old-guard gatekeepers. The future for big plays by women is getting brighter all the time, but we need to keep our foot on the pedal.”

Katie Posner and Charlotte Bennett, Joint Artistic Directors of Paines Plough, and Debo Adebayo Deputy Artistic Director added, “We are prouder each year of the growing impact of this prize and the very real difference it makes to female and non-binary writers. This was the most competitive year yet, with the highest number of submissions so far, and an incredibly difficult decision for the judges to choose just one from the incredible Final Five. A huge congratulations to all five finalists, whose work was such a privilege to read. Georgina’s winning script is a deeply assured piece of storytelling: a tender, powerful portrait of a family and community living in the long shadow of grief, written with confidence, skill, care and love. Since the prize began, we’ve produced three winning plays – bringing them to over 35,000 audience members in 31 locations nationwide – and we’re so excited to see Sapling grow and connect with audiences on that same scale.”

Elizabeth Newman, Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, commented, “Sheffield Theatres is so proud to be the new venue partner of the Women’s Prize for Playwriting, we are so immensely proud to be working alongside Ellie and WPP Team and Katie and Charlotte at Paines Plough. We are already deeply involved in planning a future production of Georgina Duncan’s Sapling. As a national organisation, this powerful partnership represents our deep commitment to champion bold new writing across the country and ensuring that exceptional work by women is not only celebrated, but brought to life on stage.”

Founded in 2019, the prize has championed female and non-binary playwrights, and campaigns for their plays to be presented on national stages in the UK and Ireland. Open to English-language plays running over 60 minutes, the prize offers its First Prize winner £20,000 alongside an option for Ellie Keel Productions, Paines Plough, and Sheffield Theatres to co-produce the work. The prize is sponsored by Samuel French Ltd, a Concord Theatricals company, the official publishing partner of the prize.

Previous winners of the prize include Amy Trigg (Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me), Ahlam (You Bury Me), and Karis Kelly (Consumed). Their plays have gone on to critical success and major productions, with Consumed recently completing a hit UK tour and sell-out run at the Traverse as part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe, ahead of transfers to Lyric Belfast and Park Theatre in Spring 2026. The most recent winner, Sarah Grochala, is developing her play Intelligence with Paines Plough and Ellie Keel Productions.

SAPLING

By Georgina Duncan

Conor Flynn’s murder at the hands of another child sends shockwaves through a community already scarred by years of violence.

A decade later, 16 year old Gerry Flynn is striving for normality in Belfast during the last gasps of The Troubles. Despite a deteriorating home-life, the pains of adolescence, and the lingering shadow of a brother who never grew up, he’s just about keeping it together – until the events of one day shatter everything.

His brother’s memorial garden is destroyed, his killer released from prison, and the arrival of a charismatic stranger, Ryan, forces Gerry to confront the haunting dilemma: is Ryan the solution to his problems or the reason they exist in the first place?

Sapling is a tender and darkly funny story about what grows when deep-rooted pain is left untended.

Georgina Duncan is a working class writer and actor from East Lancashire, now based in London. 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. Georgina debuted and performed her one woman show ASBO BOZO at Riverside Studios.

www.womensprizeforplaywriting.co.uk

Instagram: @womensprize_forplaywriting

Park Theatre announces

Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] 4

a Wild West immersive takeover for 2026

WITH RETURNING CELEBRITY GUEST SHERIFFS INCLUDING GILLIAN ANDERSON, EMMA TOMPSON, ADRIAN DUNBAR, JIM BROADBENT, SANDI TOKSVIG, SANJEEV BHASKAR AND HUGH BONNEVILLE – WITH MANY MORE TO BE ANNOUNCED

https://parktheatre.co.uk/events/whodunnit-unrehearsed-4/

Artistic Director Jez Bond, Executive Director Catherine McKinney, and the whole team at Park Theatre today announce further details of Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] 4, the next instalment of its hugely popular fundraising comedy spectacular, which returns from 11 May – 27 June 2026 with the most ambitious version yet.

Set in the lawless Wild West town of Graveside, Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] 4 will see Park Theatre transformed into a fully immersive world – taking over the entire building for the first time, from the street outside to the bars, foyers and both auditoria.

At every performance, a different celebrity will take on the central role of Sheriff – completely unrehearsed! Armed only with an earpiece feeding them lines moments before they speak, each guest must attempt to solve the murder, survive the mayhem and keep the show on track, while the audience watches events spiral in gloriously unpredictable ways. And yes, Sir Ian McKellen returns to lend his voice to the chaos.  

Seven of the headline celebrity guest sheriffs are revealed today – all returning to the show after appearances in the show’s previous iterations: Gillian Anderson, Emma Thompson, Adrian Dunbar, Jim Broadbent, Sandi Toksvig, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Hugh Bonneville, with many more star names to be announced.

Accompanying the celebrity guest sheriffs in the cast will be Toby Baddeley (The Rivals and Twelfth Night with The New Forest Players and Antigone with Vienna’s English Theatre) as ‘Buck Steed’, in the role of ‘Dawn Frencham’ is Caroline Deverill (Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] 3 at Park Theatre, Typical Rainbow with Turbine Theatre), playing the part of ‘Jim Ranson’ will be Gabriel Fogarty-Graveson (The Co-op at Park Theatre and English Theatre of Hamburg, Our Little Life at the Black Box Studio, Slovenia, The Merry Wives of Windsor with OVO), Iona Fraser (The Creakers at Southbank Centre and Theatre Royal Plymouth, The Play That Goes Wrong at Duchess Theatre, Dear Evan Hansen at Noel Coward Theatre) will play ‘Verity Hargreaves’, ‘James Early’ will be played by Edward Kaye (Multi-instrumentalist making his London Theatre debut), playing ‘Rev. Virgil’ is Matthew Romain (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at Ambassadors Theatre, The Score at Theatre Royal Haymarket, Grapes of Wrath with National Theatre) and in the role of ‘Meg Frencham’ will be Susanna Wolff (Totally Fine at Cambridge Junction, Hope Theatre, Hen & Chickens Theatre and Park Theatre, Everyone’s a Playwright at Alexandra Palance Theatre)

Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] 4 is a vital fundraiser for Park Theatre, which receives no regular public subsidy. Proceeds from the production directly support the running of the building, the development of new work, and the theatre’s extensive community and education programmes – helping Park Theatre remain an accessible, creative hub for artists and audiences alike.

For 2026, audiences will step straight into Graveside the moment they arrive, with the exterior of the building reimagined as a Wild West streetscape, and both levels of the theatre’s bars dressed with hay bales, whisky barrels and Old West décor. Studio space Park90 becomes The Last Chance Saloon – an exclusive immersive space for cabaret seat and Band A+ ticket holders. Here, audiences will find themed drinks, nibbles, live music, roaming characters and mock gambling, alongside a dedicated cloakroom and bar.

A community chorus will roam the building throughout the evening, playing out scenes, striking up conversations with audience members and occasionally erupting into bar fights. Audiences are encouraged to arrive early, dress up and explore, with a dressing-up box and photo booth adding to the experience. Front-of-house, bar and box office staff will all be in Old West costumes.

When the doors to the Park200 auditorium open, the experience continues with a pre-show welcome from the house band, featuring piano, banjo, fiddle and percussion. Inside, selected seating will be removed to create cabaret-style tables, bringing audiences closer to the action than ever before.

The fourth wall will be constantly broken, with audience members becoming fellow saloon patrons, members of the congregation, courtroom spectators and more. The production features songs throughout, including audience sing-alongs, and two onstage bartender roles – specific tickets that allow audience members to step directly into the world of the show and interact with the guest sheriff.

A fully themed food and drink offer completes the experience, with a selection of Old West-inspired cocktails available to enjoy.

Jez Bond, co-writer & director, and Park Theatre’s Artistic Director said, “Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] has become a vital fundraiser for Park Theatre, helping to keep the building open, accessible and creatively ambitious. For 2026, we wanted to honour that by going all in – turning the entire theatre into a living, breathing Wild West town and inviting audiences to play along. It’s joyful, anarchic theatre with a serious purpose behind it: raising crucial funds while giving people an unforgettable night out. No two performances will ever be the same.”

Further celebrity guest sheriffs will be announced.

Instagram: ParkTheatreLondon

Facebook: ParkTheatreLondon

BEN PLATT TO STAR IN THE UK PREMIERE OF

MARK SONNENBLICK’S MIDNIGHT AT THE NEVER GET

DIRECTED BY DAVID CROMER AT THE MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

PRIORITY BOOKING OPENS FOR MENIER SUPPORTERS ON 2 MARCH

PUBLIC BOOKING OPENS ON 11 MARCH

Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winner Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen, Parade), will make his Menier stage debut in Midnight at The Never Get with book music and lyrics by Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winner and Academy Award nominee Mark Sonnenblick (“Golden”, KPop Demon Hunters). The production comes to the Menier for a strictly limited season in a brand-new production for its UK premiere directed by Drama Desk and Tony Award-winner David Cromer (The Band’s Visit).

Mark Sonnenblick said today, “This show means a tremendous amount to me and it’s a gift to collaborate with Ben again – he’s a once-in-a-generation performer. I can’t wait for audiences to experience his performance in the beautifully intimate theatre at the Menier. It’s also a huge privilege to work with the brilliant David Cromer as we realise the piece afresh for its UK premiere.”

Ben Platt added, “I’m thrilled to be undertaking my first full run on the London stage at the Menier as it transforms into the nightclub setting of The Never Get. It’s truly wonderful to work with Mark, who is not only a genius songwriter, but who has also become a true friend. It’s a very special piece, my first wholly original musical since Dear Evan Hansen, and we look forward to working with the generationally talented David Cromer to create this singular experience.”

Midnight at The Never Get opens at the Menier Chocolate Factory on 20 July, with previews from 11 July, and runs until 12 September. Full casting will be announced shortly. Priority booking for supporters of the Menier Chocolate Factory opens on 2 March, with priority booking opening on 11 March.

MIDNIGHT AT THE NEVER GET

Book, Music & Lyrics by Mark Sonnenblick

Conceived by Sam Bolen, Max Friedman, and Mark Sonnenblick

Cast includes: Ben Platt

Director: David Cromer; Set Design: Scott Pask

11 July – 12 September

The Menier Chocolate Factory, in association with Greg Berlanti & Robbie Rogers, and ATG Productions (by Kristin Caskey, Bee Carrozzini,and Mike Isaacson) present the UK premiere of Mark Sonnenblick’s Midnight at the Never Get – David Cromer directs Ben Platt is his London theatre run debut.

1965, New York City. Trevor Copeland and Arthur Brightman’s romance is against the law.

In their secret nightclub act, “Midnight”, they perform love songs in an act of defiance of a world that demands they stay hidden. As tensions rise at the start of a historic movement, Trevor and Arthur are torn between their own surreptitious affair and the oncoming storm of social revolution.

Tony and Grammy Award-winner Ben Platt reopened the Palace Theatre last May with a three-week solo residency, Ben Platt: Live at the Palace. Previously, he played Leo Frank in Parade at New York City Center, which later transferred to Broadway – for which he received his second Tony Award nomination. In 2023, Platt produced, co-wrote and starred in the award-winning Sundance darling Theater Camp, which was released by Searchlight Pictures. Platt won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in the title role of Dear Evan Hansen, as well as the Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance (youngest recipient in history). He later reprised his role in the Universal Pictures film adaptation alongside Julianne Moore and Amy Adams. He starred in Ryan Murphy’s popular Netflix series The Politician, where he served as the executive producer – his performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. Additionally, Platt has begun filming Merrily We Roll Along, an adaptation of the seminal Sondheim musical, alongside Beanie Feldstein and Paul Mescal. Other film and television credits include Pitch Perfect 1 & 2, The People We Hate at the Wedding, Ricki & The Flash, and a guest appearance on Will & Grace. An accomplished recording artist, Platt has released three albums – 2019’s Sing to Me Instead, 2021’s Reverie, and 2024’s Honeymind. He completed three solo tours following the release of each subsequent album, which saw him headlining sellout crowds at venues including the Hollywood Bowl, Madison Square Garden, and Radio City Music Hall. 

Golden Globe and Grammy Award-winner and Academy Award nominee Mark Sonnenblick is a songwriter based in Brooklyn.  He most recently co-wrote seven songs for the Netflix and Sony Pictures Animation movie KPop Demon Hunters, including the global hits “Golden” and “Your Idol.”  The soundtrack earned him an extended run as the #1 songwriter on Billboard’s Hot 100 as well as the Golden Globe, Critics’ Choice, and Grammy awards. He also received a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year—the first time an animated musical has been nominated since The Lion King.  In 2024, Sonnenblick collaborated with Elton John and Shaina Taub on the score for the stage adaptation of The Devil Wears Prada, which stars Vanessa Williams and is currently in its second year in the West End. Other projects include Theater Camp (Searchlight Pictures, Sundance Special Jury Award), Spirited (with Pasek and Paul, Apple TV+), Lyle Lyle Crocodile (with Pasek and Paul, Sony Pictures), Saturday Night Seder (youtube.com), and Harlem (Amazon Prime). He’s been nominated for Primetime Emmy and Drama Desk awards and won a Jonathan Larson grant (American Theater Wing), the Harold Adamson Award (ASCAP), and Best Production at the New York Fringe Festival (RIP). 

David Cromer’s New York credits include Bug, Dead Outlaw, Good Night and Good Luck, The Antiquities, The Counter, I’m Almost There, Prayer for the French Republic, Camp Siegfried, A Case for the Existence of God,  The Sound Inside, The Band’s Visit – 2018 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical, The Treasurer, The House of Blue Leaves, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Nikolai and the Others, The Effect, When the Rain Stops Falling, Tribes, Adding Machine, Our Town and Orson’s Shadow. In Chicago his directing credits include Next to Normal, A Streetcar Named Desire, Picnic, Booth, Cherrywood, Mojo, The Hot l Baltimore, The Cider House Rules (co-directed with Marc Grapey at Famous Door), and Angels in America (The Journeymen). For his work he has received a Tony Award, three Tony Award nominations, a Drama Desk Award, three Obie Awards, three Lortel Awards, and in 2010 was named a MacArthur Foundation fellow.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY

FALLEN ANGELS

Until 21 February

THE HOLY ROSENBERGS

27 February – 2 May

EQUUS

8 May – 4 July

Theatre Royal Bath: 13 – 25 July

MIDNIGHT AT THE NEVER GET

11 July – 12 September

MENIER ELSEWHERE

THE PRODUCERS

Garrick Theatre

Currently booking until 19 September

SABRAGE

Lafayette London

Currently booking until 6 September

Box Office: 020 7378 1713 (£2.50 transaction fee per booking)

Website: www.menierchocolatefactory.com (£1.50 transaction fee per booking)

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Instagram: @menierchocolatefactory

Cast, Doncaster – until Saturday 7th February 2026

Reviewed by Claire Moore

4****

Making its touring debut in Doncaster, imitating the dog reimagine The War of the Worlds in a way that feels as much like cinema as it does theatre. It tells the well known apocalyptic story of alien invasion and the breakdown of everyday life — cities left in ruins, people fleeing in panic, and the sense that everything we take for granted can disappear very quickly. Using miniature environments, model props, live and pre-recorded camera footage and projection, the story unfolds in layers. You’re watching the performance and the making of it at the same time, which is fascinating and slightly unsettling in equal measure.

The stage design by Abby Clarke is deceptively simple, with two walls of projected imagery and a central screen that drops down to show live video. What’s really gripping is the constant pull between watching the finished film on screen and the action happening below it — cameras moving, models being adjusted, scenes created right in front of you. You often find yourself not quite sure where to look, but in a good way.

Performed by just four actors, it’s genuinely impressive how smoothly three of them manage the cameras and miniature props throughout. With so much happening at once, it’s remarkable how well it holds together. There were the odd tiny misalignments but given the complexity of what’s being created live on stage, and it just starting out, that feels almost inevitable. The level of planning and behind-the-scenes work involved is clear, and hugely impressive.

At the heart of it all is Gareth Cassidy, whose performance anchors the entire piece. His camera presence is completely absorbing — small facial expressions and subtle shifts do a lot of the storytelling, making it feel intimate and believable.

Amy Dunn is excellent as his wife, delivering a performance that’s both tender and grounded, there’s a real warmth to her presence. Bonnie Baddoo and Morgan Bailey play multiple characters, deliberately uncomfortable to watch, and commit fully to each one

Written and directed by Pete Brooks and Andrew Quick, this version of The War of the Worlds says a lot with very few words. The storytelling is visual and atmospheric, thanks to Simon Wainwright’s video and projection design.

imitating the dog have built a reputation for retelling well-known stories through video-led, semi-cinematic performances, and this production shows exactly why. It’s bold, different, and asks you to watch theatre in a completely new way — but once you settle into it, it’s a really absorbing experience.

Definitely worth a watch… just maybe have some upbeat tunes lined up for the journey home to lighten the mood.

Birmingham Hippodrome – until 7th February 2026

Reviewed by Emma Millward

4****

Teaċ Daṁsa is a Dance-Theatre company founded by Michael Keegan-Dolan in 2016. The company is deeply rooted in the heritage, folklore, and culture of rural Ireland. MÁM began life in a West Kerry community centre in 2019 as a collaboration between all artists involved. The centre’s location at the base of a mountain inspired the production’s title, MÁM has multiple meanings in the Irish language, including ‘mountain pass’. Since then, it has appeared at festivals and venues worldwide and received Olivier Award nominations. This year marks its first UK tour, presented by Dance Consortium, visiting nine venues over the next two months.

As the performance begins, the auditorium lights remain up for a while, immediately wrong-footing the audience and leaving them uncertain if the show has truly started. We are met with the uneasy sight of a figure in white lying on a table as a concertina player (Cormac Begley) clad in a black ram mask slowly begins to play. The figure is revealed as a young girl (Delilah Neilson) dressed in white, who begins to eat a packet of crisps (the first of many appearances of the Tayto Crisps brand!). In the first of three cleverly orchestrated set changes designed by Sabine Dargent, a curtain is pulled aside to reveal the dancers, all dressed in black dresses and ties, they sit on a row of chairs watching, clapping and rhythmically stamping in apparent celebration of the girl. Wearing strange masks and under eerie lighting by Adam Silverman, they appear otherworldly. What follows is a whirlwind of dancing, laughing and often bizarre behaviour. This is all set in what resembles a community centre function room. The young girl remains a silent witness as the adults around her dance, kiss, swing chairs around and even scream at each other, with Cormac Begley’s ever-present concertina music underscoring the action. Sometimes the dancing is soft and sensual, at other times it’s aggressive and uncomfortable to watch.

The second curtain pull reveals contemporary music collective s t a r g a z e, who add an extra layer to the already atmospheric music. Rather than staying in the background, the musicians become part of the action, with the dancers interacting directly with them. The dancers work strongly as an ensemble, and everyone gets their own moment to shine, but a special mention must go to James Southward. Throughout, my eye was constantly drawn to him. His exaggerated movements and sharp comic timing drew many laughs from the crowd. This was especially true during the memorable scene where he moves around the stage and kisses almost everyone in turn.

At the conclusion, the final curtain is pulled back to reveal stark tube lighting and a huge fan that blows fog towards the audience. As the girl begins to conduct the dancers as they sing, and one by one break the fourth wall and face the audience for the final time.

Michael Keegan-Dolan has said that MÁM is a show he wants the audience to experience and feel rather than simply watch. He also notes the narrative of the piece is deliberately ambiguous and left open to interpretation. I will admit for the first half of the piece I was so busy trying to figure out what was happening and asking myself does it take place at a funeral wake, a wedding, a cult gathering? But as the show progressed, it became clear there really are no definitive answers.

MÁM is by no means an easy watch. Unsettlingly hypnotic, yet unexpectedly tender at times, it’s a performance that leaves the audience questioning what they have just witnessed.

EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

10^TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR

UPDATED FOR 2027 INCLUDING A BRAND NEW SONG

TO COMMENCE JANUARY 2027

Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, two sold-out UK & Ireland Tours and Amazon Studios award-winning film, the smash-hit and critically acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie returns for the 10^th Anniversary Tour featuring a brand new song from Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae.  It will open in Leeds 10 years after the original opening at the Sheffield Crucible prior to the West End, national tours and playing across the world including USA, Korea, Japan and Italy. Jamie is coming home to the UK again for possibly the last time.

The tour will open at Leeds Grand Theatre on 15 January 2027 before visiting Chester, Sunderland, Sheffield, Manchester, Wimbledon, Liverpool, Glasgow, Birmingham, Aylesbury, Oxford, and Woking. Further tour dates and casting to be announced. 

Jamie New is sixteen and lives on a council estate in Sheffield.

Jamie doesn’t quite fit in.

Jamie is terrified about the future.

Jamie is going to be a sensation.

Supported by his brilliant loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight.

This ‘Funny, outrageous, touching’ (Daily Telegraph), musical sensation is to be experienced by all the family and not to be missed! With an original score of catchy pop tunes that will ‘blow the roof off the Theatre’ (Mail on Sunday) by lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling, Dan Gillespie Sells and writer Tom MacRae (Doctor Who), this ‘Sparkling coming-of-age musical’ (The Times) will have everybody talking about Jamie for years to come. Sixteen: the edge of possibility. 

Time to make your dreams come true.

Nica Burns, Producer, said “Ten years ago I got on a train to Sheffield to see the final matinee of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and ten years later this heart-lifting true story with wonderful songs has played every inhabited continent.  Join us on our tenth anniversary tour with a new song, a sparkling cast and a story that will make you laugh, cry, sing and want to dance.  A show for everyone.”

Jonathan Butterell (Director), Dan Gillespie Sells (Music) and Tom MacRae (book and lyrics) said “It will be 10 years in February next year since Jamie New first stepped out into the world. 10 years since the people of Sheffield laughed and cried and celebrated his story at The Crucible. 10 years since Nica Burns and Nimax Theatres brought Jamie to London and sent him off dancing on his own two sparkling feet.

Jamie’s courage in unveiling himself in all his glorious, fabulous joy has been applauded by millions of people in dozens of countries, and next year, to celebrate the show’s 10th birthday, he will be returning home to stages all around the UK.

We were inspired by the true story of Jamie and Margaret Campbell, and we are thrilled that their story is still inspiring the world with its sass-filled magic.

We could not be more grateful for the Jamie family we share across the globe, and are so excited to bring a new Jamie, Margaret, Pritti, Hugo, Ray, Miss Hedge and Dean, plus all the wonderful drag queens and year 11s, back together and out into UK theatres next year.  In the place where we belong.”

★★★★★

Time Out, The Stage, WhatsOnStage, The Times, Financial Times, The Independent

Music by Dan Gillespie Sells

Book and Lyrics by Tom MacRae

From an idea by Jonathan Butterell

Directed by Jonathan Butterell

Tour directed by Matt Ryan

Design by Anna Fleischle

Choreography by Kate Prince

Lighting design by Lucy Carter

Sound design by Paul Groothuis

Musical Supervision by Theo Jamieson

Casting by Will Burton

Facebook and Instagram:     Jamie Musical

Current Tour dates 

Leeds Grand Theatre

Friday 15 – Saturday 23 January 2027

General on sale: Friday 13 February

Storyhouse Theatre, Chester

Tuesday 26 January – Saturday 2 February 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 February 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Sunderland Empire

Tuesday 9 – Saturday 13 February 2027

General on sale: Fri 6 February

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 February 2027

General on sale: Friday 13 February

Wolverhampton Grand

Monday 22 – Saturday 27 February 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Wycombe Swan

Tuesday 2 – Saturday 6 March 2027

Sheffield Lyceum

Monday 8 – Saturday 13 March 2027

General on sale: Saturday 14 March

Manchester Palace Theatre

Monday 15 – Saturday 20 March 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

New Wimbledon Theatre

Monday 23 – Saturday 27 March 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Liverpool Empire

Tuesday 30 March – Saturday 3 April 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

King’s Theatre, Glasgow

Tuesday 27 April – Saturday 1 May 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 May 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham

Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 May 2027

On sale: Friday 13 February

The Alexandra, Birmingham

Monday 17 – Saturday 22 May 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury

Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 May 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 June 2027

On-sale w/c 13 April

Theatre Royal, Nottingham

Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 June 2027

General on sale: Monday 9 February

New Theatre, Oxford

Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 June 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

New Victoria Theatre, Woking

Monday 28 June – Saturday 3 July 2027

General on sale: Friday 6 February

Further dates to be announced.

SELLING OUT ACROSS THE UK &

IRELAND

‘CAMERON MACKINTOSH’s

SUPERB NEW SAIGON FOR OUR

TIMES’

Daily Telegraph, Nov 25

OPENS IN LONDON MAY 2027

STRICTLY LIMITED SEASON 

AT THE PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE

SIGN UP NOW. BOX OFFICE OPENS MARCH 2026

Cameron Mackintosh, in association with Michael Harrison, today announces that this thrilling new production of MISS SAIGON will play a strictly limited West End season in 2027, more than a decade since MISS SAIGON last performed in London, at that same theatre. Currently on a sell-out UK & Ireland Tour that is booking through to August 2026 (see website for tour dates) and includes return visits to Manchester and Birmingham due to phenomenal demand, MISS SAIGON will begin performances at the Prince Edward Theatre in May 2027.

Tickets go on sale in March 2026. For news, dates and access to priority booking, sign up at www.miss-saigon.com

Full information about the West End season, including dates and casting, will be announced at a later date.

Cameron Mackintosh says:

“The most thrilling aspect of the extraordinary response, from both audiences and critics, to our latest production of Miss Saigon (my third since it premiered 37 years ago) is that this great musical feels more contemporary and relevant than ever. This is no mean feat for a rare musical rooted in real historical events, where only a handful of works have truly succeeded.

We set out to achieve this by moving away from the show’s original operatic Madame Butterfly inspiration and instead refocusing on its gritty 1970s dramatic and musical roots. The show, through its extraordinary score, retains its epic scale and emotional power. But now – 50 years on from when our war-torn love story was set, during the Fall of Saigon – the plight and struggles of its innocent characters fighting for survival are more poignant and moving than ever in a world still beset by many conflicts.

It has been immensely gratifying to play to sell-out audiences across the UK and Ireland, and to see new, younger generations react so passionately to this unique piece of musical history. Our national tour continues until August of this year, but I am delighted to announce that London audiences will also have the chance to see this reborn, modern Miss Saigon, in all its glory, for 8 months only from May 2027. You won’t want to miss Saigon – in a way you have never seen it before.”

In the last days of the Vietnam War, 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There, she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he’s fathered a son.

Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh’s original production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s epic musical MISS SAIGON became one of the most successful musicals in history. The original Broadway production of MISS SAIGON opened on April 11, 1991, and played for nearly ten years with its 4,097 performances attended by more than 6.3 million people. Cameron’s last London production of MISS SAIGON opened in London in May 2014 to record-breaking advance sales and critical acclaim. During this run, in 2016, the spectacular 25th Anniversary Gala Performance of this timeless musical, featuring appearances by the original cast, including Jonathan Pryce and Lea Salonga, took place and was filmed for television and cinema and continues to be shown around the world. Re-opening in Tokyo this Autumn, MISS SAIGON continues to be one of the most successful and popular western musicals ever, breaking box office records across Asia with local companies, including recent sold-out seasons in Japan, Korea, Manila and Singapore where the show is regularly produced.

The soaring musical score features the hit songs The Heat is On in Saigon, The Movie in My Mind, Last Night of the World and The American Dream. September 2024 marked 35 years since the show’s opening in the West End.

MISS SAIGON has been performed in 33 countries, 378 cities in 15 different languages, has won 75 major awards including 2 Olivier Awards, 3 Tony Awards, and 4 Drama Desk Awards and has been seen by over 38 million people worldwide.

MISS SAIGON has music by Claude-Michel Schönberg with lyrics by Richard Maltby Jr. and Alain Boublil, adapted from the original French text by Alain Boublil, with additional lyrics by Michael Mahler and New Orchestrations by Stephen Metcalfe based on the Original by William David Brohn.

For this new production, Jean-Pierre van der Spuy, whose recent credits include co-direction of Oliver! at the Gielgud Theatre and Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular, is the Director. Chrissie Cartwright (Associate Director and Choreographer for CATS Worldwide and choreographic recreation of Phantom of the Opera, West End and North American tour), and Carrie-Anne Ingrouille (SIX The Musical) are Co-Choreographers. Andrew D. Edwards is Set and Costume Designer (Tartuffe, Theatre Royal Haymarket and numerous productions at The Globe);Olivier Award-winner Bruno Poet is the production’s Lighting Designer (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Frankenstein at the National Theatre); Sound Design is by Olivier Award winner Adam Fisher (Oliver! Gielgud & Chichester Festival Theatre; Sunset Boulevard Savoy & Broadway); and Video Design is by George Reeve (2025 Tony Award recipient for Best Scenic Design of a Musical, Maybe Happy Ending, Disney’s Hercules and Oliver! Chichester Festival Theatre and West End); Graham Hurman is the Musical Supervisor.

Tour dates announced for 

Original Theatre and Reading Rep Theatre’s acclaimed production

of Micheál Mac Liammóir’s

The Importance of Being Oscar 

directed by Michael Fentiman 

and starring Alastair Whatley 

Following a critically acclaimed, sold out London run in 2025, co-producers Original Theatre and Reading Rep Theatre present a Spring/Summer 2026 tour of Micheál Mac Liammóir’s celebrated play, The Importance of Being Oscar, directed by Michael Fentiman (Amelie, Jekyll & Hyde, The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe) and starring Original Theatre’s Artistic Director Alastair Whatley.

The Importance of Being Oscar will play Floral Pavillion, New Brighton (30 April-2 May), The Theatre Chipping Norton (12-13 May), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (15-16 May), Newbury Corn Exchange (2-3 June), Lichfield Garrick Theatre (4-5 June), Theatre Royal Wakefield (9-10 June), New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich (12-13 June), Malvern Theatres (1-3 July) and Darlington Hippodrome (14-16 July). Further dates are to be announced. 

Oscar Wilde was a dandy of speech, a dandy of manner, a dandy of dress, and a dandy, even, of ideas and intellect. He fell in love with eccentric socialites, travelled to America with nothing to declare except his genius, and found worldwide success as a playwright. This is the story of how his life of fame, glamour, and romance led him to become an imprisoned outcast. 

The Importance of Being Oscar immerses audiences in a compelling journey through the loves and losses, successes and struggles of the man. It is a beautiful tribute to an icon of the world of theatre, liberally laced with Wilde’s signature wit and wisdom and featuring excerpts of many of his best-loved works including An Ideal Husband, The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Ballad of Reading of Gaol.

The one-man show’s run at Reading Rep Theatre in 2024 and subsequent Jermyn Street Theatre dates marked Alastair’s return to the stage, with Alastair having last performed in 2017 in the New York transfer of Original Theatre’s production of Torben Betts’ Invincible. Alastair’s other acting credits include Birdsong, The Importance of Being Earnest, Three Men in a Boat, See How They Run, Twelfth Night, Vincent in Brixton, Dancing at Lughnasa and Henry V (RSC).

Director Michael Fentiman said: “I am delighted Original Theatre will be taking our production of The Importance of Being Oscar on tour. Alastair is such a delight in this piece and it’s wonderful more people are going to get the chance to see him in it. It’s going to be a real pleasure to delve into the shadows of Oscar’s genius and tragic history, once more.”

Set and Costume Design are by Madeleine Girling, Lighting Design is by Chris Davey, and Composition and Sound Design are by Barnaby Race.

For more information about The Importance of Being Oscar, visit the production website: oscarplay.co.uk. 

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Show: The Importance of Being Oscar

Running Time:  90 minutes

Age suitability: 12+

Content warnings: Please be aware this show contains mild haze and blackouts. At one point during the show, there is also a flash of light towards the audience.

2026 TOUR DATES

Thu 30 April – Sat 2 May                                                                      Floral Pavillion, New Brighton

Tues 12 – Weds 13 May                                                                        The Theatre Chipping Norton

https://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/the-importance-of-being-oscar

Fri 15 – Sat 16 May                                                                       Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford 

www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on/importance-being-oscar 

Tues 2 – Weds 3 June                                                                                     Newbury Corn Exchange

https://cornexchangenew.com/events/the-importance-of-being-oscar

Thurs 4 – Fri 5 June                                                                                        Lichfield Garrick Theatre

ON SALE FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY

Tues 9 – Weds 10 June                                                                                   Theatre Royal Wakefield

ON SALE SOON

Fri 12 – Sat 13 June                                                                              New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich 

ON SALE SOON

Weds 1 – Fri 3 July                                                                                                      Malvern Theatres

Tues 14 – Thurs 16 July                                                                                   Darlington Hippodrome

https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk/whats-on/The-Importance-of-Being-Oscar

Further dates are to be announced.