Birmingham Hippodrome until 31st January 2026

Reviewed by Emma Millward

5*****

Please Do Not Touch arrived at Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio this week. The play is a co-production between Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre and China Plate. This one-man show follows the story of Mason (Selorm Adonu), a young Black man who uses TikTok to document the colonial history of artefacts found in British museums and stately homes. During a broadcast, he points out a Somali wooden afro comb placed in a glass cabinet with a sign reading ‘Please Do Not Touch’. He notices the cabinet is unlocked and removes the comb. He is charged with theft and sentenced to 18 months in a Young Offenders Institution in Wolverhampton.

What follows is Mason’s journey through the prison system as he comes to terms with the injustice of such a harsh sentence. He finds solace in the prison library and discovers a passion for reading and writing. The script is based on former Birmingham Poet Laureate Casey Bailey’s poetry collection of the same name. Bailey’s gift for writing and the spoken word is evident throughout the show. He gets his messages across without ever becoming preachy.

Selorm Adonu’s performance is calm, captivating and deeply absorbing. There are moments of humour, quiet anger, and vulnerability that are genuinely uncomfortable to witness. The closeness of the Patrick Studio means there is nowhere to look but at him, and that proximity makes the experience all the more powerful. Adonu portrays the other characters he encounters, including his visiting parents and Davis, the prison guard who offers Mason advice on fitting in when he first arrives. Adonu skilfully embodies the other characters. He not only adopts other voices, but also changes his entire body language and posture for each character. A standout moment came when he was playing Mason’s mother. For a few moments, he totally embodied that character, complete with tender motherly love mixed with rage at the injustice her son is enduring. Adonu’s movement around the stage choreographed by Movement Director Keiren Hamilton-Amos is mesmerising.

The set design by Miriam Nabarro is simple, but incredibly effective. We begin the show with a starkly lit orange background of the stately home, before transitioning to the prison cell with bunk beds and a table. There is also a metal case that opens out to reveal the library. The set is built on a revolving base that Selorm Adonu moves around at different points in the performance. Gillian Tan’s tube lighting is built into the edges of the set and often flickers to match the onstage action. Throughout, Kayodeine’s exceptional music and sound design almost becomes a character in its own right. The eerie lighting, combined with the atmospheric score adds an uncomfortable and often downright claustrophobic edge to proceedings. Gail Babb’s direction is as tight as expected of a 65-minute show, where every minute is used wisely to keep the narrative moving along. As the show concluded, Selorm Adonu received a well-deserved standing ovation.

As Mason’s mother emphasises at one point, “What is legal isn’t always right and what is illegal isn’t always wrong.” We are not encouraged to break the law, but to have more conversations about how such situations continue to happen in real life. Overall Please Do Not Touch offers a thought-provoking, bold message that lingers long after the show finishes.

Leeds Grand Theatre – On Tour until 28th March 2026

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

The new production of Opera North’s The Marriage of Figaro is being premiered this season. Composed by Mozart and the libretto by Lorenzo da Pointe, and based on the play by Pierre Caron de Beaumarchais. The opera firstly premiered in the 18th Century in Vienna, Austria. This production is directed by Louisa Muller and the story centres on a day of chaos between a group of people from all walks of life. Figaro (Liam James Karai) and Susanna (Hera Hyesang Park) to marry but the setback is Count Almaviva (James Newby) who desires Susanna.

Figaro with Susanna, the ditched Countess Almaviva (Gabriella Reyes) and the womanising Cherubino (Hongni Wu) conspire to challenge the Count with his venture and to teach him a moral lesson. Their plans lead to webs of alleged and conflicted romantic feelings, misunderstandings, mistaken identities, disguises, and confusions. All these attributes are gradually unveiled throughout the plot. It eventually ends, or almost ends, all well with conflicts being resolved, identities being verified, disguises being revealed and forgiveness being pursued.

This production is excellently put together with exceptional portrayals from Karai (Figaro), Park (Susanna), Newby (Count Almaviva), Reyes (Countess Almaviva) and Wu (Cherubino). The cast are joined by the Opera North Chorus who play the supporting roles as members of the community. Mozart’s ingenious and unique music and the company’s singing and acting, courtesy of Rebecca Howell’s choreography, fully optimise the story and is musically directed by Valentina Peleggi.

Madeleine Boyd’s staging, with a touch of contemporary, humanity and modernity, and Malcolm Rippeth’s lighting successfully compliments the production. The change of each scenes transitions is smooth between each of the acts.

This exceptional production of The Marriage of Figaro is sung in Italian with English surtitles, a certainly lives up to the comedic element of this opera. The audience is guaranteed an evening of entertainment from beginning to end and it is an unmissable production to see during this season.

Bobbie Fenton sat down with writer Lucy Hayes and her father performer Vincent Hayes to discuss Jack and his Giant Stalk currently playing at Brick Hall Music Hall until 7 March 2026 – get tickets here

1. What do you think makes an adult panto work so well for British audiences?

VINCENT – Firstly, it’s worth saying, we don’t do adult panto – we do a pantomime for grown-ups. There is a difference. I think panto evokes memories of childhood and other experiences of being together through the panto traditions.

2. How do you balance the line between naughty and nice – keeping it cheeky and adult without crossing the line?

VINCENT – Once you swear you’re doomed – there’s no way back.

3. Were there any jokes or scenes that made you think, “Can we really get away with that?”

VINCENT – Every time.

4. Has there ever been a time you’ve pushed the boundary just a little too far?

VINCENT – Everything has its period and there are things that I’ve portrayed in the past that I wouldn’t do now. You have to go with the flow.

5. Do you test the jokes on anyone before opening night, or do you trust the Brick Lane audience to tell you what lands?

VINCENT – I listen to the audience. They’re my barometer.

6. Have there ever been any memorable audience reactions that stand out?

VINCENT – There’s always the next show – I don’t hold those things to heart really.

7. If you had to describe the show’s sense of humour in three words, what would they be?

VINCENT – Camp-r-us.

8. What is your favourite double entendre from Jack and His Giant Stalk?

LUCY – That would require him to have actually read the script.

9. When writing an adult panto, what is the creative process like? Do you start with the innuendos and work backwards, or do they sneak in naturally?

LUCY – This is only my second panto – and I’m so aware there are people (including my dad) who are absolute experts at the genre, and have honed their craft over many years. The type of humour in pantomime is also very specific: it’s much bigger than my own personal sense of humour so in some ways I feel like I’m starting on the backfoot. I always start with the story and the characters, try to make the story as economic and pacy as possible, and create fun, quirky characters that can have different kinds of comedy. I collect jokes and ideas on a note on my phone across the whole year, and fit them in where I can – and then I leave 80% of the innuendos up to the cast in rehearsals.

10. Is there a moment in Jack and His Giant Stalk that you’re particularly proud of from a directing standpoint – something that turned out exactly as you imagined?

LUCY – I would say however that the scenes I’m always most proud of in panto are those that are underscored or involve the band in a build up to a number – the band is so important in panto in creating its internal rhythm and I feel it really comes together when the music is integrated.

11. Have you ever had an ad-lib go so well it ended up becoming a permanent part of the show?

VINCENT – Everything has a time and place – you can’t say because you got a laugh with something yesterday that you’ll get one today.

12. What is your favourite moment or line in the show to perform, and why?

VINCENT – The end.

13. Do you have a go-to pre-show ritual?

VINCENT – I don’t really – I think the audience does it for me.

LUCY – He’s more likely to be check the heating or the plumbing before the show than he is spending time getting ready!

14. What do you admire most about each other’s work on Jack and His Giant Stalk?

VINCENT – Lucy’s attention to detail. Her commitment. Her discipline.

LUCY – My dad’s spontaneity. His ability to find something – a line or a look, that perfectly suits a moment. His humour. His desire to want people to feel held at the same time as they’re entertained. How he creates communities out of his audiences, and brings people together in a way that feels so natural.

15. If Jack and His Giant Stalk had a signature cocktail, what would it be?

LUCY – Gin and Dubonet. Sweet, nostalgic with a twist of lemon.

Brick Lane Music Hall’s Pantomime ‘Jack and His Giant Stalk’ opens on 22nd January and runs until the 7th March 2026. Tickets include either an afternoon tea or a three-course lunch or dinner, depending on the performance time.

For tickets and more information, visit: https://www.bricklanemusichall.co.uk/shows/pantomime/ .

Brick Lane Music Hall, London – until 7th March 2026

Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton

5*****

If you think you know pantomime, Jack and His Giant Stalk at Brick Lane Music Hall is here to prove you very wrong — and very quickly. This is pantomime turned completely on its head: loud, proud, and gloriously adult from start to finish. Where a traditional family panto relies on subtle nods and blink-and-you’ll-miss-them jokes for the grown-ups, this production throws subtlety out of the window entirely and leans wholeheartedly into innuendo, double entendres, and cheeky humour that leaves absolutely nothing to the imagination.

As with all shows at Brick Lane Music Hall, the audience is treated to either an afternoon tea or a three-course lunch or dinner, depending on the time of the show.

From the moment the show begins, it is clear exactly what kind of evening the audience is in for. The jokes come thick and fast, with a relentless stream of adult humour that had the audience laughing, gasping, and occasionally groaning in equal measure. This really does feel like the reverse of a family panto — here, the jokes are very much for the adults, with no attempt made to soften the edges. It’s bold, brazen, and unapologetically rude, and that is exactly what makes it work so brilliantly.

The story follows Jack Trott (Josh Benson), his mother Dame Fanny Trott (Andrew Robley), Daisy the karaoke star cow (Lucy Reed), Willy Trott (Vincent Hayes), and Jill (Samantha McNeil) as they struggle to find ways to pay the incredibly high amount of rent due to the giants wife, Ophelia Loosebottom (Hayley-Jo Whitney) and her right-hand woman Poison Ivy (Charlotte Fage). Luckily, they have the help of the fabulous fairy known as The Spirit of The Beans (Jack Pallister). You’d think it would be easy to predict what is going to happen as the story unfolds, however this is definitely not the case. For example, the final scene of the first half features Jack Trott (Josh Benson) swallowing some Viagra pills and unsuccessfully attempting to shield the audience and the other characters from the effects of this medication.

What elevates Jack and His Giant Stalk beyond being simply a collection of naughty jokes is the sheer talent of the cast delivering them. Every performer on stage boasts an incredible singing voice, and the musical numbers are a genuine highlight throughout the show. This production features amazing live music performed by Martine Layzell and Andy Pook as well as parodied pop songs by many different artists, such as ABBA Queen, and Shania Twain. The cast work effortlessly together, bouncing off one another with impeccable comic timing and confidence. It’s clear they are completely at ease with the material, committing fully to the chaos and inviting the audience along for the ride. Audience interaction is woven seamlessly into the show, creating a lively atmosphere that makes the entire room feel part of the joke. I especially loved the moments where Vincent Hayes strayed from the script, causing chaos and confusion on stage as the rest of the cast attempted to steer the show back on script.

Ultimately, Jack and His Giant Stalk is an absolute triumph of pantomime for grown-ups, expertly written by the wonderful Lucy Hayes. It knows exactly what it is, who it’s for, and never once tries to pretend otherwise. With outrageous humour, exceptional vocals, and a cast firing on all cylinders, it delivers a night of theatre that is joyful, shameless, and endlessly entertaining. If you’re looking for festive fun with absolutely no filter, this is the panto for you.

One of the most talked about shows of the decade is announcing a West End return… and a major 33-week UK tour!

BURLESQUE IS BIG
BURLESQUE IS BEAUTIFUL
BURLESQUE IS BACK!Christina Aguilera
Adam Paulden & Jason Haigh-Ellery   Steven Antin  
Clint Culpepper   In Fine Company

are thrilled to announce that spectacular Burlesque the Musical  
will open in the West End at the new theatre
THE ARTS AT MARBLE ARCH

Previews from Saturday 12 September
(booking to Sunday January 31, 2027)
Gala press night: Wednesday 23 September

At the same time, a second production will start a major UK tour
and continue through 2026 & 2027

Burlesque the Musical, based on the iconic Golden Globe Best Picture nominated film starring Christina Aguilera and Cher, written and directed by Steven Antin, will return in triumph to the West End this summer following its 100% sold out critically acclaimed strictly limited season at the Savoy Theare.

At the same time, a second production will set out on a major 33-week UK tour, opening at New Victoria Theatre, Woking for 2 weeks from Saturday July 25, running throughout 2026 and 2027.

Burlesque the Musical will be staged in the West End’s newest theatre, The Arts at Marble Arch, where over the next two years, more than 500,000 people are expected to attend performances.

Written by Steven Antin, Burlesque the Musical is a scintillating journey of self-discovery that absolutely sizzles with songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia, Diane Warren, Jess Folley and Todrick Hall.

Welcome to Burlesque the Musical, the glamorous, gritty and outrageously fun new musical based on the much-loved hit movie that reminds us…Life Isn’t Fair…It’s Fabulous!

Discover a club like no other…a place beneath the city lights where the sequins sparkle, seduction shimmers, and a life can change in the flick of a feather boa.

When Ali heads to New York in search of her mother, she finds herself drawn into a dazzling underground world where the beat of the music and the heat of the dance moves will change her life forever. Ali will unwittingly find her extraordinary voice and a most unlikely family of misfits, dreamers, and schemers.

Cast and creative team to be announced soon.

Burlesque The Musical is produced by Christina Aguilera, Adam Paulden & Jason Haigh-Ellery   Steven Antin, Clint Culpepper, In Fine Company.

WEST END LISTINGS INFO

Christina Aguilera
Adam Paulden & Jason Haigh-Ellery   Steven Antin
Clint Culpepper   In Fine Company
present

BURLESQUE THE MUSICAL

The Arts at Marble Arch,
Marble Arch,
London, W1H 7DX

Performances
Saturday 12 September 2026  –
Sunday 31 January 2027

Gala Press Night:
Wednesday 23 September

Performances:
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday Matinee
Thursday Evening
Friday
Saturday Matinee
Saturday Evening
Sunday

Box Office:
burlesquethemusical.com

Sign up for to be the first to hear
about priority booking at
burlesquethemusical.com

UK Tour dates on sale soon
Please check with your local venue

Social Media

Website: burlesquethemusical.com

Facebook: @burlesquethemuscialuk

Instagram: @burlesquethemusicalofficial

TikTok: @burlesquethemusicaluk

BURLESQUE THE MUSICAL  2026/2027 UK TOUR DATES

2026

WOKING
New Victoria Theatre
Saturday 25 July – Saturday 1 August

SUNDERLAND
Sunderland Empire
Thursday 6 – Saturday 15 August (2 weeks)

STOKE ON TRENT
Regent Theatre
Tuesday 25 – Saturday 29 August

CARDIFF
Wales Millennium Centre
Tuesday 1 – Saturdav 5 September

GLASGOW
King’s Theatre
Tuesday 8 – Saturday 19 September (2 weeks)

BRADFORD
Alhambra Theatre
Tuesday 22 – Saturday 26 September

SOUTHEND
Cliff’s Pavilion Theatre
Tuesday 29 September – Saturday 3 October

BIRMINGHAM
The Alexandra
Tuesday 6 – Saturday 17 October (2 weeks)

SHEFFIELD
Lyceum Theatre
Tuesday 27 – Saturday 31 October (2 weeks)

HIGH WYCOMBE
Wycombe Swan
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 November

AYLESBURY
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 November

LIVERPOOL
Liverpool Empire
Tuesday 24 November – Saturday 5 December (2 weeks)

LEEDS
The Grand Theatre & Opera House
Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 December

BLACKPOOL
Winter Gardens
Tuesday 22 December – Saturday 2 January (2 weeks)

2027

MANCHESTER            
Opera House
Tuesday 5  – Saturday 23 January (3 weeks)            

NORTHAMPTON        
Royal & Derngate
Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 January              

EDINBURGH              
Edinburgh Playhouse      
Tuesday 16 – Saturday 27 February (2 weeks)              

LLANDUDNO              
Venue Cymru
Tuesday 16 – Saturday 20 March

YORK                              
Grand Opera House
Tuesday 23 March – Saturday 3-April (2 weeks)              

WOLVERHAMPTON  
Grand Theatre
Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 April            

HULL                              
New Theatre  
Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 April              

OXFORD                        
New Theatre
Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 May            

WIMBLEDON              
New Wimbledon Theatre
Tuesday 11 – Saturday 15 May            

PHIL DANIELS

AND

MICHAEL FOX

JOIN

REBECCA LUCY TAYLOR

AKA SELF ESTEEM

IN THE 50^TH ANNIVERSARY WEST END REVIVAL OF

DAVID HARE’S

TEETH ‘N‘SMILES

AT THE DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE

FROM 13 MARCH – 6 JUNE 2026

Producers Wessex Grove and Gavin Kalin Productions are delighted to announce the full cast for the 50^th Anniversary West End revival of David Hare’s rebel play TEETH ‘N’SMILES.

Joining the previously announced Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem, as Maggie, are Michael Fox as Arthur, Phil Daniels as Sarrafian, Bill Caple as Nash, Michael Abubakar as Wilson, Samuel Jordan as Smegs, Jojo Macari as Peyote, Noah Weatherby as Inch, Joseph Evans as Randolph, Aysha Kala as Laura, Christopher Patrick Nolan as Snead and Roman Asde as Anson. Gregor Milne, Damien James, Levi Heaton, Guy Amos and Daniel Crespin complete the company.

David Hare said: “It’s thrilling for me to watch Rebecca Lucy Taylor and a brilliant ensemble revive the play that shook the plaster off the ceiling of the Royal Court Theatre just fifty years ago.”

Directed by Daniel Raggett, TEETH ‘N’SMILES will play at the Duke of York’s Theatre for 12 weeks only from 13 March – 6 June 2026.Tickets on sale now teethnsmilesplay.com

Before the New York Dolls. Before Debbie Harry. Before Kurt Cobain. There was Maggie Frisby.Once the roaring voice of 60s counterculture, now broke and disillusioned, a band’s youthful dreams of anarchic rebellion collapse into bitterness. Amidst the wreckage, lead singer Maggie tears through the night fuelled by booze, fury, and a voice that refuses to die.50 years after David Hare’s trailblazing play set The Royal Court alight, TEETH ‘N’ SMILES is ready to burn things down all over again.

Written by David Hare and directed by Daniel Raggett, TEETH ‘N’SMILES has music by Nick Bicât and lyrics by Tony Bicât, with new additional music and lyrics by Rebecca Lucy Taylor. Set design is by Chloe Lamford, costume design by Alex Mullins, lighting design by Matt Daw, sound design by Ben and Max Ringham and music supervision by Liam Godwin. The casting director is Bryony Jarvis-Taylor CDG and associate director is George Jibson.

Michael Fox’stheatre credits include The Land of the Living and Kerry Jackson, both at the National Theatre, Farewell Mister Haffmann and Clybourne Park, both at the Park Theatre, The Fear of 13 at the Donmar Warehouse, Othello at Riverside Studios, All in a Row and A Lie of the Mind, both at the Southwark Playhouse, and An Enemy of the People at Chichester Festival Theatre. Michael’s television credits include Should we bomb Auschwitz?, Endeavour, Downton Abbey, Marvellous, The Ark, New Worlds, Little Big Mouth, Family Affairs and Mrs Bradley Mysteries. Michael releases music as one half of Michael and Michelle under Decca. He recently released his solo EP, Bones.

Phil Daniels can most recently be seen in the BBC/Sister Pictures series Waiting for the Out, as well as HBO’s House of the Dragon, Inside No. 9 and Boat Story. Other notable screen credits include Beyond Paradise, Scum, Adult Material, I Hate Suzie, Eastenders, The Hatton Garden Job, Death of England: Face to Face and Quadrophenia. Phil recently finished filming Will Sharp’s new series Prodigies for AppleTV. Phil’s extensive stage credits include, most recently, Marianne Elliot’s production of Cock in the West End, as well as A Very Very Very Dark Matter at the Bridge Theatre, King Lear at Chichester Festival Theatre, and This House and Dealers Choice, both at the National Theatre.

Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem, returns to the stage following her hugely successful run playing Sally Bowles in the multiple Olivier Award-winning Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club in London’s West End, where her time on stage was extended due to popular demand.

One of the UK’s most exciting breakout stars of the past decade, Rebecca Lucy Taylor, emerged from cult favourite status to mainstream hero following the huge success of her empowering, truth-telling 2021 single ‘I Do This All The Time’. Her hugely acclaimed albums Prioritise Pleasure and last year’s A Complicated Woman have garnered her an Ivor Novello Award and Album of the Year accolades from the Guardian and Sunday Times, alongside Mercury Prize, BRIT Award, Sky Arts and NME Award nominations. She released her first book, also titled A Complicated Woman, on 30 October via Octopus Books / Hatchette. Taylor marked the book’s release by co-curating the London Literature Festival at the Southbank on 1 November.

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham – until 31st January 2026

Reviewed by Jacqui Radford

5*****

The Buddy Holly Story, an award -winning show has been delighting audiences since 1989. Billed as a musical, it tells the story of Buddy Holly’s rise to rock ‘n’ roll fame before his untimely death, aged just 22.

The style of the production is such that it reminds the audience of the context around Buddy’s arrival on the music scene and some of the poignant moments along the way, but these are more incidental to the performance than central to it. The ‘wow factor’ lies in the immersive experience provided by each rendition of Buddy’s hits.

The cast in this show are truly electric, building the pace towards the finale using a bewitching mix of musical talent, humourous displays and energetic celebration of the cultural influence and importance of music. Through the course of the show, the audience gradually warms from spectator status to near fan status.

A J Jenks (Buddy Holly) delivers a fantastic portrayal of a man immortalised as inspirational, convincingly elevating glasses to ‘must have’. Other notable figures and influencers in Buddy’s path to fame are woven throughout the entire show and played by Miguel Angel (Ritchie Valens), Joshua Barton (The Big Bopper). Equally, Laura-Dene Perryman, playing Marlene Madison reminds us that Buddy and his support band broke onto the scene against a backdrop of rock ‘n’ roll being the genre that was introduced by Black artists.

In essence, this show is less of a musical and more of a tribute to Buddy Holly (and The Crickets), the music its enduring legacy. As you leave the auditorium, it’s hard to conceal the smile on your face and the ‘feel good’ factor. There is so much joy in shared music and inter-generational enjoyment of something that is widely acknowledged as iconic.

Hull New Theatre – until 1st February 2026

Reviewed by Anne Walker

4****

Rick Riordan’s beloved tale of Percy Jackson, a demigod son of Poseidon, comes to Hull New Theatre with playful adventure and mythic spectacle. With Lizzi Gee doubling as director and choreographer, and Rob Rokicki penning the music and lyrics, the production strikes a vibrant balance between dynamic movement and catchy pop-rock melodies that capture the story’s youthful spirit. Clever staging and inventive effects bring fearsome monsters and gods to life, immersing audiences in Percy’s perilous quest to clear his name after being framed for stealing Zeus’ thunderbolt.

Vasco Embaló shines as Percy, with fabulous vocals through every number while conveying the character’s blend of confusion, courage and vulnerability. Opposite him, Kayna Montecillo infuses Annabeth with keen wit and understated resilience. Her singing impresses, particularly in her standout track ‘My Grand Plan‘. Danny Beard as Mr. D brings his unique character to life with delightful grumpiness, adding a quirky, cantankerous charm to the role. The ensemble delivers spirited performances, energy and great harmonies to the group numbers.

Having enjoyed both book and film, I found much to like – but pacing faltered, feeling rushed in parts, especially in the finale. The show runs out of steam, craving an epic closure but it did not deliver. The main villain is barely explained before being defeated. Newcomers may be confused by the abrupt cliffhanger, and fans will feel the ending lacks weight. Understandably, theatre has a time constraint but we were left feeling a little underwhelmed at the climax.

All in all, it is a very entertaining, visually engaging adaptation which we did enjoy

THE DONMAR WAREHOUSE ANNOUNCES

NEW PROGRAMMING FOR 2026 SEASON

Highlights of the season include:

• Carrie Cracknell directs world premiere of Mass by Fran Kranz, with cast including Adeel Akhtar, Monica Dolan, Paul Hilton and Lyndsey Marshal
• Russell Tovey to lead new play The Guilty by Chloë Moss, directed by Felix Barrett
• A major revival of Brian Friel’s A Month in the Country directed by Lyndsey Turner
• World premiere of Danny Lee Wynter’s Ilford Boy, directed by the Donmar’s Artistic Director Tim Sheader

With the critically acclaimed When We Are Married running at the theatre and the world premiere of Anna Ziegler’s Evening All Afternoon currently in rehearsals, the Donmar’s Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch today announce further programming for the 2026 season including three world premieres and a major revival.

Evening All Afternoon will be followed by the world premiere of Mass, Fran Kranz’s debut play, adapted from his screenplay of the same name which premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival. Carrie Cracknell, making her Donmar debut, directs Adeel Akhtar, Amari Bacchus, Monica Dolan, Paul Hilton, Lyndsey Marshal, Rochelle Rose and Susie Trayling in this profoundly moving new play.

Next, Russell Tovey returns to the Donmar to star in The Guilty– a new thriller by Chloë Moss, based on the films Den Skyldige and The Guilty, directed by Punchdrunk’s Felix Barrett. The season continues with a major revival of A Month in the Country by Brian Friel after Ivan Turgenev directed by Lyndsey Turner.

Finally, the season concludes with the world premiere of Danny Lee Wynter’s joyful family drama Ilford Boy, directed by Tim Sheader.

Tim Sheader and Henny Finch said “We are delighted to announce our next four productions coming up at the Donmar: three world premieres and a major revival. It’s always a pleasure to welcome back returning directors and writers; including this season Lyndsey Turner who will further explore her relationship with Brian Friel’s work.  Equally, we are excited that a number of leading artists will be making their debuts at the Donmar – including directors Carrie Cracknell and Felix Barrett and writers Fran Kranz, ChloëMoss and Danny Lee Wynter.

As ever, the stories we tell live on the Donmar stage are created to connect us all and celebrate our togetherness – whether that’s a conversation between heartbroken parents in Mass; a shared gasp and thrill in The Guilty;  a sweeping summer romance in A Month in the Country or a funny, moving coming of age story in Ilford Boy. We want to ensure as many people as possible can experience the powerful intimacy of the Donmar space, so we are delighted to be able to continue to offer thousands of tickets across the season for just £20 for audiences aged 35 and under.”

In addition to the £20 tickets for under 35s, throughout the upcoming season the Donmar will provide more than 1800 tickets for local schools, enabling young people to see productions for free and take part in workshops that develop a deeper understanding of the company’s work. Artists will also be working in residence in five local schools during the run of Ilford Boy to create work with young people inspired by the production.

Since its launch in 2021, the CATALYST Talent Development has supported over fifty people, from backgrounds historically underrepresented in the theatre sector, to grow their skills in paid creative and administrative roles at the Donmar. This season the Donmar will welcome emerging artists working as assistant set, costume, lighting and sound designers across four productions. PATHWAYS, a hands-on careers insight programme for young people delivered by the Donmar team, will also work to support the next generation of talent in theatre.

Also in 2026, a new production of The Fear of 13, in association with the Donmar Warehouse,opens on Broadway in March with Adrien Brody. The Fear of 13 had its world premiere at the Donmar in October 2024, directed by Justin Martin.

The 2026 Season is generously supported by Charles Holloway OBE, Season Supporter.

Priority booking for Donmar supporters opens from 29 January, with public booking opening on 6 February.

Instagram and Facebook: @donmarwarehouse

Bluesky: @donmarwarehouse.bsky.social

World premiere

MASS

Written by Fran Kranz

Cast: Adeel Akhtar, Amari Bacchus, Monica Dolan, Paul Hilton, Lyndsey Marshal, Rochelle Rose and Susie Trayling

Director: Carrie Cracknell; Set and Costume Designer: Anna Yates; Lighting Designer: Guy Hoare; Sound Designer: Donato Wharton; Composer: Stuart Earl; Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG

18 April – 6 June

I’m really grateful to finally see you all together. May I say that. And I hope we all feel this was the right thing to do once we’ve left here today.

In a quiet room of an Episcopal church, two couples meet to have a conversation no parent should ever have to face.

As defences fall away and memories surface, they attempt to reach across a divide carved by violence.

Carrie Cracknell directs Adeel Akhtar, Amari Bacchus, Monica Dolan, Paul Hilton, Lyndsey Marshal, Rochelle Rose and Susie Trayling in MASS, a cathartic and profoundly moving drama by Fran Kranz.

Mass is the debut play from Fran Kranz, adapted from his debut screenplay of the same name which premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim and received the Robert Altman Award and an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Screenplay. Also an actor, his theatre credits include Good Night, and Good Luck (Winter Garden Theatre), Death of a Salesman (Ethel Barrymore Theatre) and You Can’t Take It With You (The Public Theater, Second Stage, Longacre Theatre). His television credits include Julia, The Loudest Voice, Homecoming, and Invasion; and for film, The Cabin in the Woods, Much Ado About Nothing, The Dark Tower, Training Day, Donnie Darko, and The Village.

Adeel Akhtar returns to the Donmar to play Jay – he previously appeared in The Cherry Orchard (also St Ann’s Warehouse, New York). His other theatre credits include The Estate (National Theatre), A Christmas Carol (Noël Coward Theatre), Hamlet (Young Vic), Satyagraha (London Coliseum), Wuthering Heights (Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), In My Name (Old Red Lion, Trafalgar Studios) and Zero (Theatre Absolute). His television credits include Down Cemetery Road, Black Doves, Showtrial, Fool Me Once, Sweet Tooth (Children’s and Family Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Performance), Sherwood (BAFTA and RTS Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role), Killing Eve, Back to Life, Les Miserables, Ghosted, Counterpart, Unforgotten, The Last Dragon Slayer, The Circuit, Apple Tree Yard, Murdered By My Father (BAFTA for Best Actor), The Night Manager, Capital, River, Flowers, Utopia, The Job Lot, Trollied, The Angelos Epithemiou Show, Hooked – Coming Up Season, Trial and Retribution and Britz; and for film,Murder Mystery 2, Enola Holmes 2, Save the Cinema, Ali & Ava (British Independent Film Award for Best Actor), The Nest, Enola Holmes, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, Murder Mystery, Swimming with Men, Victoria and Abdul, The Big Sick, Hampstead, Pan, War Book, Convenience, Jadoo, The Dictator, Four Lions, Traitor and the forthcoming Elsinore.

Amari Bacchus makes his professional stage debut as Carlos. His television credits includeCrookhaven, The Gentlemen and Adolescence; and for film, Frank and Percy, The Night House, Dragged Up Dirty and Power to Make a Change (The Mid Life) Vol 4. 

Monica Dolan returns to the Donmar to play Linda – she previously appeared in Appropriate and The Same Deep Water As Me. Her other theatre credits includeDoubt (Chichester Festival Theatre), Talking Heads: The Shrine (Bridge Theatre), All About Eve Role (Noël Coward Theatre – Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role), Plaques & Tangles, The Twits, Sliding with Suzanne, The Glory of Living (Royal Court Theatre), Chalet Lines (Bush Theatre), King Lear, The Seagull, The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (RSC), Jane Eyre (Trafalgar Studios), Macbeth (Wilton’s Music Hall and UK tour), Mary Stuart (Nuffield Theatre Southampton), She Stoops to Conquer, A Laughing Matter, The Walls (National Theatre), Hay Fever (Savoy Theatre)and The Glass Menagerie (Lyceum Theatre).Dolan wrote and starred in The B*easts at the Edinburgh Festival and Bush Theatre – winner of The Stage Edinburgh Award for Outstanding Performance and Olivier Award nomination. Her television credits include Smoggie Queens, Sherwood, Mr Bates vs the Post Office, A Ghost Story for Christmas, Inside No. 9, Black Mirror: Loch Henry, The Change, The Thief, His Wife and The Canoe, Talking Heads: The Shrine, Unprecedented, Urban Myths, Hang Ups, Black Mirror: Smithereens, A Very English Scandal, Vanity Fair, Strike, The Witness for the Prosecution, Mid Morning Matters with Alan Partridge, The Casual Vacancy, Wolf Hall, W1A, Complicit, Call the Midwife, Coming Up, Appropriate Adult (BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress), U Be Dead, Occupation, The History of Mr. Polly, Wallis & Edward, Tipping the Velvet, and The Gift; and for film The Lost Children of Tuam, Typist Artist Pirate King, Empire of Light, Cyrano, The Dig, Days of the Bagnold Summer, Official Secrets, Eye in the Sky, Pride, The Falling, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, Sightseers, The Arbor, Never Let Me Go, Within the Whirlwind, King Lear, Topsy-Turvey, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the forthcoming Elsinore.

Paul Hilton returns to the Donmar to play Richard – he previously appeared in Polar Bears and The Wild Duck. His other theatre credits include A Christmas Carol (The Old Vic), Hamlet: Hail to the Thief, The Mysteries – The Creation/The Passion, Romeo and Juliet, The Cherry Orchard, Richard III (RSC), Juno and the Paycock (Gielgud Theatre), An Enemy of the People, The Glass Menagerie, In Celebration, All New People (Duke of York’s Theatre), Rifleman, Three Sisters (Trafalgar Studios), Doctor Faustus, As You Like It (Shakespeare’s Globe), Ghosts (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse), Othello, Peter Pan, Mosquitoes, The President of an Empty Room, Mourning Becomes Electra, Three Sisters, The Oresteia (National Theatre), The Inheritance (Young Vic, Noël Coward Theatre, Ethel Barrymore Theatre – Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play),The Daughter-in-Law, The Cherry Orchard (Young Vic), Anatomy of a Suicide, Terrorism, Mountain Language (Royal Court Theatre), Rosmersholm, The Storm (Almeida Theatre), The Homecoming, Les Blancs, Ghosts (Royal Exchange Theatre), wonder.land (Manchester International Festival, National Theatre), Dr Dee (English National Opera), Twelfth Night, A Small Family Business and Stone Free (Bristol Old Vic). His television credits includeA Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story, Silent Witness, All Creatures Great & Small, Slow Horses, The Crown, A Very English Scandal, Grantchester, The Crimson Field, The Driver, Case Histories, Labyrinth, Silk, Twenty Twelve, Laconia, Garrow’s Law, Robin Hood, True, Dare, Kiss, The Relief of Belsen, Dalziel and Pascoe, Medieval Heist, Trial and Retribution, The Family Man, The Princes in the Tower and The Last Dragon; and for film, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, Wasteman, Sweet Sue, Earwig, Eternal Beauty, Lady Macbeth, Swansong, London Road, Doctor Faustus, Wuthering Heights, Klimt, Edge, and the upcoming The Housekeeper and The Estate.

Lyndsey Marshal returns to the Donmar to play Gail – she has previously appeared in Force Majeure, Absurdia and Boston Marriage (also Ambassadors Theatre – Winner of Critics’ Circle Theatre Award for Best Newcomer). Other theatre credits include A Christmas Carol (Bridge Theatre), The Wild Duck, Blood Wedding, The Hypochondriac (Almeida Theatre), Diminished (Hampstead Theatre), The Oresteia (HOME, Manchester), Othello, Greenland, A Matter of Life and Death (National Theatre), Three Days of Rain (Apollo Theatre), The Pride, Fire Face (Royal Court Theatre), Sleeping Beauty (Young Vic, Barbican, Broadway), The Crucible (Sheffield Theatres), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Bristol Old Vic – Winner of TMA Theatre Award for Best Supporting Actress), Bright (Soho Theatre), Fireface, Redundant (Royal Court Theatre) and Top Girls (New Vic). Her television credits include Criminal Record, Death in Paradise, Insomnia, Inside Man, Dracula, Agatha and The Curse of Ishtar, Hanna, Trauma, League of Gentleman, Silent Witness, From Darkness, Inside No.9, That Day We Sang, Blackout, Titanic, Garrow’s Law, The Cricklewood Greats, The Fuse, Being Human, Ding Dong, A Short Stay In Switzerland, Kiss of Death, Green, Rome II, The Shadow In The North, Poirot, Rome, The Young Visitors and Sons and Lovers; and for film, The Choral, Truly Naked, Restless, Up the Catalogue; 1,2,3,4; Trespass Against Us (International Film Festival Macao Award for Best Actress), The Forgotten, Hereafter, Festival, Man With A Movie Camera, Frozen, The Calcium Kid, The Gathering Storm and The Hours.

Rochelle Rose plays Kendra. Her theatre credits include Black Power Desk (Brixton House); Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play (Young Vic); Rockets and Blue Lights (National Theatre / Royal Exchange Theatre); salt. (Royal Court); The Ridiculous Darkness (Gate Theatre); The Mountaintop (UK tour); Cinderella and Aladdin (Oxford Playhouse); The Winter’s Tale (Orange Tree Theatre); and One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show (Kiln Theatre / Eclipse Theatre).  Her television credits include: The Witcher; Death in Paradise and Lawful Killing; and for film, Boxing Day, ear for eye.

Susie Trayling plays Judy. Her theatre credits includeBreaking the Code (UK tour), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre), The Iphigenia Quartet, Idomeneus, Vanya (Gate Theatre), Arthur Miller’s The Hook (Northampton Theatre Royal, Liverpool Everyman), Vast White Stillness (Brighton Festival), The Crucible, Twelfth Night (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Thomas Tallis (Globe Theatre), The Seagull (Manchester Library Theatre), Sons Without Fathers (Belgrade Theatre, Arcola Theatre), King John, A Soldier in Every Son, Richard III (RSC), The Constant Wife, Private Lives, Waters of the Moon (Salisbury Playhouse), Antony and Cleopatra (Nuffield Theatre Southampton), Mary Goes First, The Mob (Orange Tree Theatre), Love’s Labour’s Lost (Rose Theatre, Kingston), A Doll’s House, The Portrait of a Lady, Habeas Corpus, Measure for Measure (Theatre Royal Bath), Iphigenia, Dream Play, Women of Troy, The Forest (National Theatre), Closer, The Importance of Being Earnest (Northampton Theatre Royal), Don’t Look Now (Sheffield Lyceum, Lyric Hammersmith), Skylight (Stephen Joseph Theatre), Anna Karenina, Private Lives (Bolton Octagon Theatre), Camera Obscura (Almeida Theatre), Hamlet (Exeter Northcott Theatre), and Edward II (Sheffield Crucible). Her television credits include A Woman of Substance, Killing Eve, Will, Father Brown, The White Princess, We’ll Take Manhattan, Emma and Hearts & Bones; and for film, 10Dance, Fragile, Piccadilly Jim, Fog Bound and All the Queen’s Men.

Carrie Cracknell directs. Her stage credits include Grapes of Wrath, Julie. The Deep Blue Sea. Medea, Blurred Lines (National Theatre), Portia Coughlan, Oil (Almeida Theatre), Seawall / A Life (Hudson Theatre, The Public Theater), Macbeth (Young Vic, Birmingham Rep, HOME), Birdland, Pigeons (Royal Court Theatre), A Doll’s House (Young Vic, Duke of York’s Theatre, Brooklyn Academy of Music), Elektra (Gate Theatre, Young Vic), Breathing Irregular, Hedda, I am Falling, The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents (Gate Theatre), Death and the City (The Tron Theatre), Stacy (National Theatre of Scotland), Broken Road (Hush, British Council Showcase), A Mobile Thriller (UK tour), The Hush (Steven Joseph Theatre, Ohio Theatre), Carmen (Met Opera) and Wozzeck (English National Opera); and for film Persuasion.

World premiere

THE GUILTY

Written by Chloë Moss

Cast: Russell Tovey

Director: Felix Barrett; Set Designer: Alex Eales; Lighting Designer: Anna Watson; Sound Designer: Gareth Fry; Video Designer: Luke Halls; Associate Director: Elin Schofield; Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG

20 June – 15 August

Yes I can help you. That’s what I’m here for.

Russell Tovey is troubled police officer Joe, stuck on the night shift, who takes a desperate 999 call from Emily.

As he scrambles to decode fragmented clues from a woman in danger, a real-time thriller unfolds. In a night filled with unsettling twists, Joe has a mounting sense that nothing is quite as it seems.

Directed by Felix Barrett, The Guilty is by award-winning writer Chloë Moss, based on the films Den Skyldige and The Guilty.

Chloë Moss plays include This Wide Night (Clean Break, Soho Theatre, Peter Jay Sharp Theatre – winner of Susan Smith Blackburn prize), Run Sister Run (Arcola Theatre, Paines Plough, Soho Theatre, Sheffield Theatres), The Gatekeeper (Royal Exchange Theatre), The Way Home (Liverpool Everyman), and Christmas is Miles Away (Bush Theatre and Connelly Theatre). Her television credits include Six Wives, Dickensian, New Tricks, Prisoner’s Wives, and Care Switch (co-written with Tim Price). She is currently writing on a new drama series about Marie Antoinette for Canal Plus – as well as developing an original drama for C4 and writing plays for Headlong Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre.

Russell Tovey returns to the Donmar to play Joe – he previously appeared in Constellations ( Vaudeville Theatre). His other theatre credits include Pinter at the Pinter (Harold Pinter Theatre), Angels in America (National Theatre), A View from the Bridge (Lyceum Theatre), The Pass, A Miracle, Plasticine (Royal Court Theatre), Sex with a Stranger (Trafalgar Studios), The Sea (Theatre Royal Haymarket), A Respectable Wedding (Young Vic), The History Boys (National Theatre, Broadhurst Theatre, New York), Tintin (Barbican), The Laramie Project (Sound Theatre), His Dark Materials, His Girl Friday, Henry V, Howard Katz (National Theatre), and The Recruiting Officer, and Troy (Chichester Festival Theatre). His television credits include The War Between the Land and the Sea, Feud: Capote vs The Swans, Suspect: The Shoot of Jean Charles Menezes, Juice, The Fortress, American Horror Story, Starstruck, The Sister, Flesh and Blood, Years & Years, Freedom Fighters, Legends of Tomorrow, The Flash, Quantico, Rebekah, The Night Manager, Banished, Looking, Talking to the Dead, What Remains, The Job Lot, Walking The Dogs, Coming Up, Sherlock, Him and Her, Being Human, The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Nargaret, Little Dorrit, Mutual Friends, Ashes to Ashes, Doctor Who, Annually Retentive, Gavin & Stacey, My Family and Other Animals, Messiah: The Harrowing, Servants, Ultimate Force, NCS, Suffocation, Hope & Glory, Anchor Me, Lily & The Learning Seed, Mud, and Sort It; and for film,Plainclothes, Love Again, Allelujah, White Widow, The Good Liar, Hippopotamus, Mindhorn, The Lady in the Van, The Pass, Pride, The Muppets, Blackwood, Effie Gray, Tower Block, Grabbers, Pirates, Huge, The History Boys and The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Felix Barrett is the founder and artistic director of Punchdrunk, where he has conceived, directed and designed all the company’s  site-sympathetic shows, including Viola’s Room (also The Shed), Sleep No More Seoul, The Burnt City, Sleep No More Shanghai, The Drowned Man: A Hollywood Fable, Sleep No More New York, The Crash Of The Elysium, The Duchess Of Malfi, It Felt Like A Kiss, The Masque Of The Red Death, Faust, and The Firebird Ball. He most recently directed Lander23, a live-action video game currently playing at Punchdrunk’s home in Woolwich. Other stage credits include Paranormal Activity (Ambassador’s Theatre, Leeds Playhouse, US tour), Luna, Luna (The Shed) and as creative director on Shakira’s The Sun Comes Out global tour, and Mumford & Son’s Delta tour. His television credits include The Third Day.

A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

By Brian Friel

After Ivan Turgenev

Director: Lyndsey Turner; Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG

22 August – 3 October

Hundreds of women would envy me, wouldn’t they?

A beautiful house in the Russian countryside.

A doting husband, a circle of admirers.

A life of order, tranquillity and quiet restraint.

It’s enough to make you scream.

Natalya Petrovna looks to all the world like a contented woman, but the arrival of a penniless young tutor stirs a restless heart, igniting a spark of desire that sets the Summer ablaze.

A Month in the Country pits passion against propriety, as a cast of characters struggle to reconcile the lives they lead with the happiness they crave. Lyndsey Turner directs Brian Friel’s reworking of Turgenev’s most famous play.

Brian Friel (1929 – 2015) is widely regarded as one of Ireland’s greatest dramatists, having written over 30 plays across six decades.  He was a member of Aosdána, the society of Irish artists, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Irish Academy of Letters, and the Royal Society of Literature where he was made a Companion of Literature. He was awarded the Ulysses Medal by University College, Dublin. His major works include Afterplay, The Bear, The Yalta Game, Molly Sweeney, Wonderful Tennessee, Dancing at Lughnasa, Making History, The Communication Cord, Translations, Aristocrats, Faith Healer, Living Quarters, Volunteers, The Freedom Of The City, The Gentle Island, Philadelphia Here I Come!, and The Enemy Within; and other major adaptations include Hedda Gabler, Uncle Vanya,  and Three Sisters.

Lyndsey Turner returns to the Donmar, having previously directed Far Away, Aristocrats, Faith Healer, Fathers and Sons, and Philadelphia Here I Come!. Other theatre credits include 1536 (Almeida Theatre, The Ambassadors Theatre from May 2026) , The Treatment (Almeida Theatre), Chimerica (Almeida Theatre, Harold Pinter Theatre – Olivier Award for Best Director) Coriolanus, Roald Dahl’s The Witches, The Crucible, Under Milk Wood, Top Girls, Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, There is a War and Edgar and Annabel (National Theatre), Moonlight (Harold Pinter Theatre), After the End (Theatre Royal Stratford East), A Number (The Old Vic), Hamlet (Barbican), Girls and Boys, Posh and Contractions (Royal Court Theatre).

World premiere

ILFORD BOY

Written by Danny Lee Wynter

Director: Tim Sheader; Set Designer: Peter McKintosh; Costume Designer: Ryan Dawson Laight; Choreographer: Ebony Molina; Voice Director: Barbara Houseman; Dialect Coach: Hazel Holder; Casting Director: Lotte Hines CDG

10 October – 28 November

The boy lives in Ilford, of course he’s depressed.

Mixed-race teenager Ted Martin is growing up in 90s East London in a house full of chaos, laughter and tough love.

One day Patrick arrives, shaking the foundations of Ted’s life with his sense of style, humour and love of show tunes. Another way to live explodes into view. One filled with art, possibility and people who see him clearly for the first time.

Directed by Donmar Artistic Director Tim Sheader, Danny Lee Wynter’s Ilford Boy is a funny, moving drama about the ghosts that follow us, the families we choose, and the Streisand that helps us survive.

Danny Lee Wynter‘s debut play Black Superhero opened at the Royal Court Theatre in March 2023. As an actor, he has worked extensively in theatre, film and TV – he most notably received an Olivier Award Nomination for his role in The Normal Heart (National Theatre). He was the founder of Act For Change, the UK campaign group that helped change representation across the live and recorded arts.

Tim Sheader is Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive of the Donmar Warehouse where he has directed When We Are Married and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 which was nominated for six Olivier Awards. He was previously Artistic Director of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre where he directed over 20 productions, including the Olivier and Evening Standard Award-winning musicals Into the Woods (also Central Park’s Delacorte Theater), Hello, Dolly!, Crazy For You (also West End), and Jesus Christ Superstar which, following two sold out seasons at Regent’s Park and a transfer to the Barbican, has been touring the US for three years, and is currently on tour in the UK and Australia. His critically acclaimed production of To Kill a Mockingbird also toured the UK ending with a sell-out run at the Barbican. Committed to taking the company’s work to as wide an audience as possible, he oversaw further UK tours of productions including Pride and Prejudice, Lord of the Flies and Running Wild. His other stage work includes The Monstrous Child (Royal Opera House), My Fair Lady (Aarhus Theatre), Barnum (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Magistrate (National Theatre), Don Pasquale (Opera National de Lorraine, Lausanne and upcoming in Nice and Toulon).

DONMAR WAREHOUSE

LISTINGS

41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9LX

Box Office: www.donmarwarehouse.com / 020 3282 3808

Instagram and Facebook: @donmarwarehouse

Bluesky: @donmarwarehouse.bsky.social

PERFORMANCE TIMES
Evenings Mon – Sat 7.30pm

Thursday & Saturday matinees 2.30pm

TICKET PRICES

Mass / A Month in the Country / Ilford Boy
£70 (£65) / £55 (£50) / £30 (£25)

Preview discounts apply to the first four performances only

Standing £15 tickets will be released at a later date

The Guilty
£72 (£67) / £57 (£52) / £32 (£27)

Preview discounts apply to the first four performances only

Standing £15 tickets will be released at a later date

Booking opens 12pm:

Thursday 29 January – Patrons

Tuesday 3 February – Best Friends

Wednesday 4 February – Friends

Thursday 5 February – Under 35s/Access

Friday 6 February – Public booking

SEASON AT A GLANCE

WHEN WE ARE MARRIED

Until 7 February 2026

EVENING ALL AFTERNOON

14 February – 11 April

Captioned: Monday 23 March at 7:30pm

Audio described: Saturday 28 March at 2:30pm

MASS

18 April – 6 June

Captioned: Wednesday 27 May at 7:30pm

Audio described: Saturday 30 May at 2:30pm

THE GUILTY

20 June – 15 August

Captioned: Monday 3 August at 7:30pm

Audio described: Saturday 8 August at 2:30pm

A MONTH IN THE COUNTRY

22 August – 3 October

Captioned: Monday 21 September at 7:30pm

Audio described: Saturday 26 September at 2:30pm

ILFORD BOY

10 October – 28 November

Captioned: Monday 16 November at 7:30pm

Audio described: Saturday 21 November at 2:30pm

35 AND UNDER TICKETS AT £20
Supported by Barclays

Aged 16-35? Sign up to our exclusive email list to book tickets for £20, located throughout the theatre including the front row. Book early to secure these prices. www.donmarwarehouse.com/your-visit/tickets/35-and-under-20-tickets/

Maximum two tickets per person – both need to be aged 35 or under at time of the performance. Subject to availability. ID will need to be shown at Box Office to collect tickets.

DONMAR DAILY RELEASE

New tickets on sale every day at the Donmar. Allocations of tickets will be made available every day for performances 7 days later. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.

ACCESS

The Donmar Warehouse is fully wheelchair accessible. Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome in the auditorium. There is a Loop system and a Radio Frequency system fitted in the main auditorium and there are also hearing loops at all the front of house counters.

ASSISTED PERFORMANCES
If you require a companion to attend the Donmar, their ticket will be free. To book call 020 3282 3808 or email access@donmarwarehouse.com.

For all other access enquiries or bookings call 020 3282 3808.

DONMAR WAREHOUSE

Welcome to the Donmar, where anyone with a passion or curiosity for seriously good theatre belongs. In our powerfully intimate space, we make vivid theatre that transports. Our audience doesn’t sit in the dark; they lean into the light. You’ll want to be in the room and in the moment.

Led by Artistic Director Tim Sheader and Executive Director Henny Finch, the Donmar is an independent non-profit theatre in London’s Covent Garden.

We’re intent on making sure theatre thrives for the next generation by inviting in new younger audiences, inspiring original voices and building the workforce of the future.

We’re grateful for the loyalty and generosity of our many donors and supporters who share our commitment to making this happen.

Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 7 February 2026

Reviewed by Jo Gordon 

5*****

Miss Saigon is a powerful and emotional production that fully deserves its five star rating. From the moment the show begins, the audience is drawn into a moving story of love, loss and survival, told on a grand scale but with real feeling.

The cast delivers outstanding performances throughout. Kim (Julianne Pundan) is portrayed with warmth and strength, making her journey of a woman in love, trying to survive in difficult times to fiercely protective mother easy to believe and deeply affecting. Her vocals are beautifully expressive, especially in the show’s most emotional moments. Chris (Jack Kane) is equally convincing, showing both tenderness and inner conflict as a man torn between love,  responsibility and the after effects of War. The Engineer (Seann Miley Moore) stands out as a commanding presence, bringing energy, dark humour and menace to the stage whenever he appears. His rendition of American Dream was phenomenal and had the whole theatre in awe throughout the whole scene. 

Musically, the show is impressive from start to finish. The well known songs are performed with care rather than excess, allowing the emotion of the lyrics to shine through. The ensemble numbers  were a visual treat while keeping the focus on the story. Quieter scenes are just as effective, giving the audience time to be drawn into the intimacy of what is happening.

Visually, Miss Saigon is stunning. The set design is detailed and atmospheric, with smooth transitions that keep the show flowing. Lighting is used to reflect changes in mood and setting, from moments of chaos to scenes of quiet reflection. The helicopter sequence is as dramatic as expected and remains a highlight, adding impact to the story.

The orchestra bring the score to life with warmth and intensity even during the busiest scenes. The Audiences reaction reflected the show’s impact, with moments of complete silence followed by long, enthusiastic applause. 

What makes this production so  emotional are the themes of sacrifice, displacement and the cost of war leaving a lasting impression. The production is moving, beautifully performed, and unforgettable with not a dry eye at the end.

 It is musical theatre at its best and a truly five star experience.