Written by Jenna for Theatre and Tonic..

It’s curtain up on this new season’s most exciting theatre news, from world premieres to beloved revivals. As always, Theatre & Tonic brings you a run-down of the hottest news you need to know, with venues and dates so you can plan your stagey calendar. Don’t forget to check out our recent reviews to see what’s currently playing in the world of UK theatre!

Cast announced for World Premiere of The Greatest Showman in 2026

Samantha Barks and Oliver Tompsett, photos by Sebastian Nevols and © 20th Century Studios

Whoah! This is the Greatest Show! A brand-new stage adaptation of The Greatest Showman premieres at the Bristol Hippodrome in March 2026. Expect all the spectacle: big numbers, circus-style staging and the movie’s most beloved songs reimagined for live theatre. This week it was announced that the cast will be led by Oliver Tompsett as P.T Barnum, Samantha Barks as Charity Barnum, Ben Joyce as Phillip Carlyle and Lorna Courtney as Anne Wheeler. Don’t miss this limited run from 15th March 2026 to 10th May 2026.

New musical ‘Roam’ to be staged in one-night concert in the West End

Brand new musical Roam is billed as a rock-pop-Romani musical concert evening, coming to the Shaftesbury Theatre on 23rd November 2025. With a star-studded line-up including Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom of the Opera), alongside Diego Rodriguez (Evita) and Jordan Luke Gage (& Juliet). Joining them are Frances Mayli McCann (The Great Gatsby), Melanie La Barrie (Hadestown) and Olivier Award winner David Thaxton (Sunset Boulevard) - a powerhouse ensemble ready to bring this new musical to life. Expect a powerful new soundscape in one big evening of storytelling through song.

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert announces UK & Ireland Tour Cast

To mark its 30th anniversary, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is back and more fabulous than ever, touring the UK & Ireland in 2026. It opens at the Palace Theatre, Manchester on 19th February 2026, before moving onwards around the country. The cast includes Strictly star Kevin Clifton as Tick/Mitzi, alongside Adèle Anderson (Fascinating Aïda) as Bernadette, Nick Hayes (Groundhog Day) as Felicia/Adam, and Peter Duncan (Hairspray) as Bob/Preacher. Expect glamour, heart and dance in true Priscilla style!

Cats Revival will head to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre in 2026

The beloved Andrew Lloyd Webber classic Cats is being revived in a new production at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London. Directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie, this version brings fresh feline energy to the show in one of London’s most atmospheric outdoor theatre spaces. It will run from 25th July 2026 to 12th September 2026, before it continues on a UK tour.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time announces new UK Tour

A major new adaptation of the celebrated novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is coming to the Birmingham Rep. It will open there in September 2026; following that it will embark on a UK tour stopping off at Woking, Brighton, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Leicester, York, Liverpool and Bath, with more venues to be announced. This version offers a new staging of the gripping whodunnit story, written by Mark Haddon and adapted by Simon Stephens.

Cast announced for UK premiere of Daniel’s Husband

Michael McKeever’s successful off-Broadway play Daniel’s Husband is having its UK premiere at the intimate Marylebone Theatre. The cast includes David Bedella, Joel Harper-Jackson, Liza Sadovy, Raiko Gohara and Luke Fetherston. The emotionally charged story explores the nature of commitment in modern relationships. It runs from 4th December 2025 to 10th January 2026.

Shadowlands, starring Hugh Bonneville coming to London

Downtown Abbey and Paddington star Hugh Bonneville returns to the stage as author C.S. Lewis in Shadowlands, William Nicholson’s play about love, loss and faith. It plays at the Aldwych Theatre from 5th February 2026 to 9th May 2026. It’s a limited-season staging, charting the life-changing bond between Lewis and American writer Joy Davidman.

More cast announced for Kiss of the Spider Woman revival in 2026

From the creators of Cabaret and Chicago comes a bold new revival of Kiss of the Spider Woman, starring Layton Williams (Titanique), George Blagden (Les Miserables) and Anna-Jane Casey (Cabaret). The show is opening at Curve, Leicester on 7th November 2025, before moving to Bristol Old Vic on 3rd December. This gripping story follows two prisoners whose unlikely friendship and vivid fantasies blur the line between reality and illusion. Directed by Paul Foster, the Tony Award-winning musical makes its first major UK return in over 30 years, finishing its run at Mayflower Southampton later in the season.

New Musical ‘Redcliffe’ to debut at Southwark Playhouse

Redcliffe is Jordan Luke Gage’s new musical making its full-scale staging debut at Southwark Playhouse Borough next Spring. The run is scheduled from 22nd May until 4th July 2026. After earlier sold-out workshops at The Other Palace, this production brings the complete show to a London stage in what looks set to be one of the freshest new musicals of the season. Gage, best known for starring in Heathers, &Juliet and Bonnie & Clyde will also perform, reprising his role as William.

That’s your compact playbill for this week, an exciting mix of big premieres, fresh revivals and a few starry cast announcements. Don’t forget to check back next week for another roundup of the most talked about theatre news!

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