NEWS ROUNDUP: 17 - 23 August

We're back once again with another week of theatre news, in a week during which we've seen temperatures dip and the rain come back with a vengeance, especially north of the border, with a handful of shows at the Edinburgh fringe being cancelled due to flash flooding. Here are the stories from the past week which have been the most noteworthy...

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RIGHT BEFORE I GO

Edinburgh Fringe success to transfer to London next month

In the midst of an enormously successful run at the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Stan Zimmerman’s play “Right Before I Go” is set to transfer off-west end next month, for a limited 6-day run. Iz Hesketh (Renegade Nell), Dominique Moore (Horrible Histories), Claire-Marie Hall (Operation Mincemeat) and Emrhys Cooper (Nosferatu) will join Zimmerman himself on stage, with direction by Abigail Morris (Kindertransport).

The play, a profound suicide awareness piece told by means of notes left by those who have taken their own lives, is currently running at Pleasance Dome in Edinburgh, and will transfer to the SoHo Theatre in London from the 5th - 10th of September, with tickets now on sale from the venue’s website and box office.

AS YOU LIKE IT

All-male RSC production announces its full cast

The full cast for the upcoming all-male staging of William Shakespeare’s comedy “As You Like It”, to run at the RSC this autumn, has been revealed. It is set to run in Stratford-upon-Avon from the 26th of September through to the 7th of November, with tickets on sale through the RSC website. Previously announced is Jonathan Groff (Just In Time) as Rosalind, and Fisayo Akinade as Celia, who will be joined by Gary Wilmot in dual roles of Duke Frederick and Duke Senior, Richard McCabe as Jaques, and Greg Haiste as Touchstone.

The remainder of the company will comprise Elliot Barnes-Worrell (Orlando), Giles Cooper (Le Beau), Greg Haiste (Touchstone), Steffan Harri (Gwilym/Syr Osian), Rhys Parry Jones (Corin/Hymen/a Lord at Court/a Lord in Arden), Edward Judge (Charles the Wrestler/Silvius), Gareth Kennerley (First Lord in Arden), Luke McCall (Amiens), Richard McCabe (Jaques), Tim Preston (Phoebe/a Lord at Court), Caleb Roberts (Oliver), and Gareth Snook (Adam/Audrey), with the ensemble completed by Jamal Franklin and Steffan Hughes.

PADDINGTON

Show saved from cancellation after swing learns role in hours

The west end production of "Paddington: The Musical" was just hours away from cancelling a performance this week, after all three covers for the antagonistic principal role of Millicent Clyde had ended up being off on the same evening during Victoria Hamilton-Barritt's scheduled vacation. That is until cover Rose O'Reilly, who wasn't meant to be covering the role, stepped up and agreed to learn the entire role, songs, lines, choreography, blocking and all, in only 4 hours, going completely off book for the evening performance on Tuesday the 18th of August, and saving the show from having to cancel.

Posting later on Instagram, O'Reilly stated it was “the craziest 24 hours of my life, there are no words to describe how I am feeling right now. I am so overwhelmed by all the love and support I have received it means the absolute world to me. Playing a role like Millicent Clyde is something I have dreamed of for as long as I can remember.” Producers Friedman and Eliza Lumley also expressed their gratitude to her for doing the near impossible, and pulling off a stunning, unplanned debut in a role that wasn't in her initial list of tracks.

BRADLEY JADEN

West end favourite to make his broadway debut

Following his highly critically acclaimed performances in the "Les Miserables", including a run at New York's Radio City Music Hall, it has been revealed that west end favourite Bradley Jaden is set to make his broadway debut later this year, in a new musical by Angelica Chéri and Ross Baum entitled "Wanted". Originally premiering at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, the show later ran at the Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey back in 2024, and will now open at the James Earl Jones Theatre, with previews beginning on the 15th of October, ahead of an official opening night on the 8th of November.

Jaden joins a cast that includes previously announced Solea Pfeiffer as Mary Clarke, Liisi LaFontaine as Martha Clarke, Luke James as Elijah, and Ledisi as Tallulah Clarke.

CAISSIE LEVY

"Next to Normal" star to perform London solo concert

It has been announced by LW Theatres that award winning actress Caissie Levy, star of broadway and the west end, is set to give a solo concert in the west end this winter. Levy was laat seen in London performing in the UK premiere of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s Tony and Pulitzer-winning musical “Next To Normal”, for which she was nominated for an Olivier; since then, she has completed a run in the broadway revival of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty's musical “Ragtime”, winning her a Tony for her performance as Mother.

The concert, presented by Darren Bell Productions and Cuffe & Taylor, will take place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on the 13th of December, starting at 7pm, and tickets will go on presale on the 27th of August, with general sale to open on Friday the 28th of August. It will feature songs from Levy’s stage career, including from “Ghost”, “Wicked”, “Hair” and “Frozen”, as well as contemporary songs and stories from her life. Head on over to the LW Theatres website for more information, and to sign up for presale.

MOULIN ROUGE

Full cast announced for sixth year in the west end

The latest casting for the west end production of “Moulin Rouge”, based on the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film, has been revealed. Joining Karis Anderson as Satine and Alistair Brammer as Christian will be James Doherty (Come From Away) as Harold Zidler, and Daniel Fraser (Christmas Carol Goes Wrong) as The Duke. Richard Lloyd King continues to play Toulouse-Lautrec, alongside Ivan De Freitas as Santiago and Lindsey Tierney as Nini. Nick Len (Matilda) will play Baby Doll, and Billie-Kay (Kinky Boots) will play Arabia, joining Athena Collins as La Chocolat, and Angela Marie Hurst as Alternate Satine.

The cast is completed by Gabriela Acosta, Andy Barke, Callum Bell, Alexandros Beshonges, Emily Bolland, Taylor Bradshaw, Robson Broad, Lucy Campbell, Bethany Chan, Lucia Coleman, Katie Deacon, James Davies-Williams, Kelly Downing, Onyemachi Ejimofor, Myles Hart, Annabelle Laing, Holly Liburd, PaddyJoe Martin, Jacob McLay Reid, Jago Mottart, Marios Nicolaides, Ben Rutter, Hassun Sharif, Jamie Shields, Risha Tavernier, Kalila Khan, Hakeem Tinubu and Tija Tkalcevic. Head on ovr to the ATG website to buy tickets for all performances.

HAY FEVER

Further cast announced for Noël Coward west end revival

The full cast has been revealed for the upcoming west end revival of Noël Coward’s play “Hay Fever”, to open in London this autumn. Previously announced Christine Baranski and Richard E Grant, playing Judith and David respectively, are to be joined by Nancy Carroll (Woyzeck) as Myra Arundel, Will Close (Dear England) as Simon Bliss, Charles Edwards (Best of Enemies) as Richard Greatham, Ophelia Lovibond (The Hills of California) as Sorel Bliss, Ash Hunter (Hamilton) as Sandy Tyrell, Lucy Karczewski (Stereophonic) as Jackie Coryton, and Jo McInnes (Coram Boy) as Clara.

“Hay Fever” was last performed in London over a decade ago, starring Felicity Kendal as Judith and Simon Shepherd as David. This new production will open at Wyndham’s Theatre on the 22nd September, where it will run until the 12th of December, with tickets available via Delfont Mackintosh.