NEWS ROUNDUP: 7th - 13th September

There is no shortage of new shows set to open in the coming months, with both London, regional and touring productions heading into arguably the busiest period of the year. With that also comes a plethora of news stories to round up, so let's dive right into it...

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BILLY ELLIOT

Full cast announced for UK tour and west end return

The full cast for the upcoming return of “Billy Elliot: The Musical” has been revealed, with additional tour stops also announced. As previously reported, Spencer Collins, William Gurney, Noah Mannion and Rafferty Smale will play Billy, while one of the thee original Billy Elliots, Liam Mower, will return to play older Billy. Also returning to the show are Annette McLaughlin, reprising the role of Mrs Wilkinson having played the part in the show’s last UK and Ireland tour, and Deka Walmsley, to return to play Billy’s dad Jack Elliot following his west end engagement.

They are joined by Jack Bandeira as Tony and Lesley Joseph as Grandma, with Michael being shared by Harper Etienne, Dalton Jones, Theo Kamande and Oisin-Luca Pegg, and Debbie being portrayed by Lola Cant, Paige Cook and Scarlett Gardener. The adult cast is rounded off by Tanesha Aba, Marc Akinfolarin, Natasha J Barnes, Robbie Boyle, Lydia Bradd, Jack Bromage, Jennifer Caldwell, Alex Christian, Adam Crossley, Natalie Durkin, Nathan Elwick, Ian Gareth-Jones, Shirley Jameson, Jenny Legg, Jay Luca Allan, Charlie R Miller, Lewis Mortier, Perry O’Dea, Matt Overfield, Mark Pearce, Aidan Stuart and Lucy Warway.

Finally, the ballet girls will be played by Vivien Abreu, Ivy-Rae Battams, Chloe Boyle, Mikeila Buljan-Bakotic, Rose Butler, Ella Collins, Willow Crabtree, Amari Dumbuya, Ava Evans, Daisy-Mae Ford, Kyla Fowles, Lux Hardy, Marian Nguema Ndjondjo, Zizha Nguema Ndjondjo, Jessica Pipe, Eva Ramtohul, Mia Raggio and Anabelle Tran. New tour dates added will include runs in Cardiff, Dublin, Bradford and Bristol, following previously announced stops in Sunderland, Manchester and Edinburgh, as well as a 5-month run at the Adelphi Theatre in the west end; further tour stops will be announced at a later date. Head on over to the official Billy Elliot website for more info.

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA

Teri Hatcher to join west end company from next month

It has been revealed by producers that star of screen, Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominee Teri Hatcher is set to take over the role of Miranda Priestly in the west end production of the Elton John, Mark Sonnenblick, Shaina Taub and Kate Wetherhead musical “The Devil Wears Prada”. She takes over from the departing Vanessa Williams, who first played the role back in October 2024, leaving the show after a two year engagement. The current cast also features Stevie Doc as Andy, Taila Halford as Emily, Dominic Andersen as Christian, Keelan McAulay as Nate.

Hatcher begins performances at the Dominion Theatre on the 20th of October, following Williams’ final performance on the 19th of September. Debbie Kurup will play the role in the interim, and Matt Henry will continue as Nigel, with further casting yet to be revealed. Head on over to the official Devil Wears Prada website to find out more, as well as to book tickets, now booking until the 25th of September 2027.

BACK TO THE FUTURE

Full cast announced for UK touring production

Great Scott! The full cast for the upcoming tour of “Back to the Future: The Musical” has been revealed, with Roger Bart also having extended his run in the show, now set to perform at all venues until Liverpool. Joining previously announced Bart and Brian Conley as Doc Brown and Axel Duffy as Marty McFly, will be James Oliver as George McFly, Danielle Rose as Lorraine Baines, Brandon Lee Sears as Goldie Wilson / Marvin Berry, Toby Shellard as Biff Tannen, Tash Bacarese-Hamilton as Jennifer Parker, Rhys Owen as Strickland, Katrina Stenning as Linda McFly, and Blake Jordan as Dave McFly.

The cast is completed by Chloe Bell, Nicole Carlisle, Tilly Ducker, Rebecca French, Tia Gyngell, Kai Harris, Katie Hutton, Keir Hylands, Arthur Janes, Stephen Lewis-Johnston, Zachary Miller, George Olney, Trézel Sergeant and Lashane Williams; Janes will also play the role of Marty McFly at certain performances. The tour will commence at the Bristol Hippodrome in October, going on to perform in Edinburgh, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Birmingham, Sunderland, Bradford, Southampton, Manchester, Plymouth and Cardiff. Find out more via the official Back to the Future website.

DEATH NOTE

Musical to return to London in the spring of 2027

The musical adaptation of “Death Note”, having just concluded its full UK premire run at the Barbican Theatre, is set to return to the London stage in the new year, with a second chance at life at the same venue. The show had its first ever UK performances with two concerts at the London Palladium back in 2022, later transferring to the Lyric Theatre the following year for an extra week of shows, before making its fully staged debut this summer. The production featured Xander Pang as Light, Colin Ryan as Detective L, Stephanie Zaharis as Misa Amane, Telly Leung as Ryuk, Grace Mouat as Rem, Paolo Montalban as Soichiro Yagami, Chloe Saracco as Jerasu, and Elsie Buckley as Sayu

With music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Jack Murphy, and a book by Ivan Menchell, “Death Note” will return to the Barbican from the 23rd of March 2027, and will run until the 15th of May; tickets are now on sale for all dates, and further details, including casting, will be revealed at a later date. You can find out more, as well as book tickets, via the Barbican website.

WEST SIDE STORY

Major London revival to playthe National Theatre

As part of the National Theatre’s new season announcement, it has been revealed that a major new staging of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim’s musical “West Side Story” is planned, to be co-directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell. It has been over 25 years since the show, based loosely on Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet", was last seen in London, with the last production featuring Anna-Jane Casey as Anita, with a UK tour transferring to the Prince Edward Theatre back in 1998.

Part of a newly announced season, that also comprises new James Graham play “Major” and Tennessee Williams’ “Suddenly Last Summer“, further details for “West Side Story”, including exact dates, ticket information and casting, to be revealed at a later date; all that is known is that it will open at the Olivier in the autumn of 2027, with Jerome Robbins’ choreography to be recreated and adapted by Julio Monge. You can sign up for further news via the National Theatre website.

BALLET SHOES

National Theatre production to tour the UK

As part of this evening’s announcement of the new National Theatre season, it has been revealed that the Kendall Feaver play “Ballet Shoes”, based on the Noel Streatfeild novel of the same name, is set to tour the UK next year, with Strictly Come Dancing judge and former professional Anton Du Beke announced to be joining the cast. The show first opened at the Olivier back in 2024, running over the festive period, later returning for a second winter engagement late last year, to considerable critical acclaim, including a 5* review from this page in early 2025.

Directed by Katy Rudd, the show’s creative team includes set design by Frankie Bradshaw, costume design by Samuel Wyer, choreography by Ellen Kane, original music composed by Asaf Zohar, lighting design by Oliver Fenwick, sound design by Ian Dickinson, and illusions by Chris Fisher. Further details, including exact dates and venues, as well as full cast, will be revealed at a later date.

THE TRAITORS: ACTS OF BETRAYAL

Host revealed for west end run of TV phenomenon

It’s official: Claudia Winkleman has given her seal of approval to Nick Mohammed as the host of “The Traitors: Acts of Betrayal”, making him take the oath ahead of the show’s premiere at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on the 11th of May 2027. The actor, writer and comedian, himself aformer celebrity contestant on the TV series, returns to the west end for one of the most hotly anticipated new productions of the new year, with the rest of the cast to be announced at a later date.

The creative team is to include design by Ben Stones, lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, choreography by Kate Prince, music by Martin Lowe, and casting direction by Stuart Burt for CDG CSA. Tickets can be purchased via the LW Theatres website.

A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

Royal Exchange production announces its full cast

Ahead of a regional revival this winter, the full cast for the upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical “A Little Night Music” at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester has been revealed. The show is to be directed by artistic director Selina Cartmell, with choreography by Dame Arlene Phillips, musical direction by Matthew Malone (also musical supervision and orchestrations), design by Francis O’Connor, lighting design by Mark Henderson, and sound design by Tom Marshall. The show will run at the Royal Exchange from the 5th of December until the 30th of January, with tickets on sale from he venue’s website for all dates.

The cast will feature Michelle Gomez as Desiree Armfeldt, Michael D. Xavier as Fredrik Egerman, Gillian Bevan as Madame Armfeldt, Marley Fenton as Henrik Egerman, Liv Andrusier as Anne Egerman, Oliver Thornton as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, Courtney Bowman as Petra, Laura Harrison as Countess Charlotte Malcolm, Kaya Farrugia as Fredrika Armfeldt, Esme Laudat as Mrs Anderssen (Quintet), Carolina Alegria as Mrs Nordstrom, Michael Robert-Lowe as Mr Lindquist (Quintet), Sam Kipling as Mr Erlanson and Monique Young as Mrs Segstrom; the cast is completed by ensemble members David Ouch and Chloe Taylor.