NEWS ROUNDUP: 2 - 8 March
- James Tradgett
- Mar 8
- 6 min read
Spring has sprung, and so too has the annual awards season, with the WhatsOnStage awards taking place today, and the Oliviers having announced their nominees this week. All that and more in this week’s news roundup...
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ROMEO & JULIET
Upcoming west end revival extends by two weeks
Due to phenomenal demand for tickets, the upcoming west end production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo & Juliet”, starring Sadie Sink (Juliet), Noah Jupe (Romeo) and Clark Gregg (Capulet) has been extended by two extra weeks. Originally slated to run until the 6th of June, the production will now have its final performance at the Harold Pinter Theatre on the 20th of June. Tickets for the extra two week period are now on sale via the ATG website, and there is still moderate to low availability for the remainder of the run.
The production will open at the Harold Pinter Theatre on the 18th of March, with an official press night on the 31st of March.
REDCLIFFE
Full cast announced for new Jordan Luke Gage musical
Ahead of its fully staged world premiere later this year, the full cast has been revealed for brand new musical "Redcliffe", written by and starring west end favourite Jordan Luke Gage (Titanique), who will perform the role of William. Alongside him will be Rebecca Lock (Here & Now) as Mother, Daniel Krikler (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) as Richard, Jess Douglas-Welsh (Redcliffe Workshop) as Abigail, Adrian Hansel (Military Wives) as Baber, Melissa Jacques (Everybody's Talking About Jamie) as Georgie / Judge, Jade Johnson (The Book of Mormon) as Landlady, Phoebe Kyriakopoulos (pro debut) as Esther, Joseph Peacock (Bat Out Of Hell) as Arthur / 2nd Officer, and Steven Serlin (Heathers) as Officer / Felix.
The musical had its first workshop presentation at The Other Palace in 2024, and will open at Southwark Playhouse Borough from the 22nd of May, with press night on the 27th of May, and it will play until the 9th of July this year, in a strictly limited 6-week run. You can find out more about the show, as well as purchase tickets, via the Southwark Playhiouse website.
SWEENEY TODD
Further casting announced for Birmingham revival
My lord, the great judge Turpin has been found, in the form of west end broadway legend David Bedella (& Juliet). He joins previously announced Ramin Karimloo and Meow Meow as Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett respectively, in the upcoming regional revival of Hugh Wheeler and Stephen Sondheim’s musical masterpiece “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”, to play at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre this summer. The production will be directed by Joe Murphy, and designed by Elin Steele, with further casting and creatives to be revealed in due course.
This is the first time "Sweeney Todd" has been staged professionally in the UK since it ran at the Adelphi Theatre in 2012, starring Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, each taking home an Olivier Award for their respective performances. The show will run at Birmingham Rep from the 4th of July until the 9th of August, in a strictly limited 5-week run. You can book tickets now via The Rep website, where you can also find out more about the show.
BANK OF DAVE
Initial casting announced for world premiere in Salford
The first names joining the cast of the upcoming world premiere production of the new Rob Madge and Pippa Cleary musical "Bank of Dave" have been announced. The musical is based on the real life story of Burnley-based entrepreneur Dave Fishwick, and is co-produced by ROYO, Future Artists Entertainment, Curve and Lowry. Joining the cast are Hayley Tamaddon (Mamma Mia!) as Nicky, Lucca Chadwick-Patel (Mean Girls) as Hugh, Claire Moore (Les Misérables) as Maureen and Lauryn Redding (Coven) as Alex.
The show had a press launch at The Lowry last year, where it will also have its world premiere, with performances to begin on the 2nd of May, and concluding on the 16th of May, before transferring to the Leicester Curve Theatre, where it will run from the 20th to the 30th of May. You can find out more about the show, including how to book tickets for both venues, via the official Bank of Dave website.
JOY WOODS
Tony & Grammy nominated actress to have London concert
Following her London stage debut last year in the 30th anniversary production of Jason Robert Brown's musical "Songs for a New World", it has been revealed that Joy Woods (The Notebook, Gypsy) is set to perform a London concert, presented by Lambert Jackson Productions. Woods made her broadway debut as Catherine Parr in "Six" at the Lena Horne Theatre in 2022, prior to which played Chiffon in the 2019 off-broadway production of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman's cult horror musical "Little Shop of Horrors", subsequently taking on the role of Audrey, performing alongside Matt Doyle and Jeremy Jordan as Seymour.
Woods will perform her solo concert at 5pm on the 14th of June 2026 at London's Cadogan Hall, in a one night only performance. Subsequent to this, she will return to broadway to star in new rock musical "Galileo", opening at the Shubert Theatre this autumn. You can find tickets for the concert via the Cadogan Hall website, including a limited number of meet-and-greet tickets.
DARK OF THE MOON
Musical adaptation to receive world premiere in London
A brand new musical, based on the 1941 play by Howard D Richardson and William Berney, is set to have its world premiere in London this spring. With a book by Jonathan Prince, and a score by Lindy Robbins, Dave Bassett and Steve Robson, “Dark of the Moon” is a story about two worlds that collide, one a charming town in the countryside and the other a mystical, smoky mountain landscape inhabited by warlocks and witches, and the story follows a cross-world love story.
The musical will run at the Charing Cross Theatre from the 18th of May to the 8th of August, with a press night on the 26th of May. Full casting and creative team will be revealed at a later date, and tickets are now on sale from the venue’s website.
HAMILTON
Leslie Odom Jr. to make west end debut
Following his sold out return to the Broadway production, it has been revealed that Leslie Odom Jr. (Purlie Victorious) is set to make his west end debut this summer, reprising the role of Aaron Burr which he originated at the Public Theater in New York, and subsequently on broadway, in 2015, earning him a Tony and a Grammy, among a whole host of other awards and nominations. He will begin performances at the Victoria Palace Theatre on the 3rd of July, and perform in the show until the 5th of September, in a strictly limited nine-week run.
Tickets for the run have been taken off sale for the time being, and you can sign up for first access via the Delfont Mackintosh website. You can sign-up for priority tickets closes at midday on the 11th of March, and the tickets will go on sale at 11am on the 12th of March.
OLIVIER AWARDS 2026
Full nominations announced for 2025-26 season
The time has come to find out who has been nominated for the most prestigious awards in London theatre, with the full list of nominees for the 2026 Laurence Olivier Awards having been announced earlier this week. Big hitters include brand new west end darling "Paddington: The Musical" at the Savoy Theatre, and the current revival of "Into The Woods" at the Bridge Theatre, each receiving 11 nominations apiece. Other productions that feature heavily are "Stereophonic", "All My Sons", and "Kenrex", each with 6 nominations, as well as "Evita" with 5, "The Producers" & "Punch" with 4 each, and "The Seagull", "The Great Gatsby" & "Here We Are" all receiving 3 nominations.
Not every show was so fortunate, perhaps surprising omissions from nominations include "The Fifth Step" at @sohoplace, "Shadowlands" at the Aldwych Theatre, and "Hercules" at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This year's ceremony will take place on the 12th of April at the Royal Albert Hall, and will be hosted for the first time by actor and comedian Nick Mohammed, in the 50th anniversary of the awards; you can view the full list of nominations here.
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