NEWS ROUNDUP: 10 - 16 November

Well as temperatures have dipped this week, so too has the volume of stagey news announcements coming out, as it has been rather a quiet week on the news front, but that doesn't mean it's been completely silent, so here's a handful of recent stories making headlines...

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PIPPIN

Full cast announced for London revival

(clockwise from top left) Lewis Edgar, Emily Friberg, Clare Brice, Mia Quimpo, Oliver Wood, Helena Caldas

It's opening in just no time at all, so it's about time we met the cast for the upcoming revival of "Pippin", to be staged at Upstairs at the Gatehouse this winter. Leading the cast will be Lewis Edgar (Les Misérables) as Pippin, while Emily Friberg (Road Show) will take on the Leading Player. Joining them will be Clare Brice (Alice in Wonderland) as Berthe, Helena Caldas (Phantom of the Opera) as Fastrada, Oliver Wood (Something Rotten!) as King Charlemagne and Mia Quimpo (pro debut) as Catherine. Completing the cast will be ensemble members George Kipa, Imogen Amos and Daniel North.

Originally premiering on broadway in 1972, the show received a west end transfer the following year in a production starring Patricia Hodge, who later featured in the 50th anniversary concert in 2024, as well as Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones. This new production will run at the Gatehouse from the 11th of December 2025 until the 11th of January 2026, with tickets now on sale from the venue's website, where you can also find further information about the show.

IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE

New musical from Old Joint Stock announces it cast

Official artwork for "It's A Wonderful Knife"

The Old Joint Stock Theatre have announced the full cast for their first ever new Christmas musical “It’s A Wonderful Knife: Christmas Dundee”, with book and lyrics by the theatre’s artistic director James Edge, and music by Adam Gerber. Featuring in the cast will be Oliver Cartwright as Burt the Crocodile, Tom Kiteley as Arnold Schwarzenegger and others, Will Usherwood-Bliss as Hugh Jackman and others, Paul Westwood as Paul Hogan, and Thea Jo Wolfe as Kylie Minogue and others.

The musical is a mashup between Christmas classic film “It’s a Wonderful Life”, and the most viewed Christmas Day film of all time “Crocodile Dundee” (yep, I was surprised as well!) for what is sure to be a wonderfully wacky occasion. It will run at the Old Joint Stock in Birmingham from the 3rd until the 30th of December, and you can find out more, including how to book tickets now from the venue's website.

MRS PRESIDENT

Keala Settle to star in reimagined work about Mary Todd Lincoln

Official artwork for "Mrs President", featuring Keala Settle

In a new staging of a play about the long suffering wife of Abraham Lincoln, Keala Settle and Hal Fowler are both set to star in John Ransom Phillips's play "Mrs President", as directed by Bronagh Lagan, who also provides a new dramaturgy. The work centres around Mary Todd Loncoln, as she struggles to come to terms with the assassination of her husband, exploring her public and personal hardships, having already experienced the loss of her father and two sons prior to 1865, resulting in a long battle with depression.

The show will open at the Charing Cross Theatre from the 23rd of January, with press night on the 27th of January, and performing until the 8th of March 2026 in a strictly limited run, and in the process becoming the second play about Mary Todd Lincoln to open in London in as many months, following the west end debut of Cole Escola's Tony winning "Oh, Mary!", which opens at the Trafagar Theatre in December. Tickets for "Mrs President" can now be purchased from the Charing Cross Theatre website.

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOOS NEST

New UK revival to be staged at the Old Vic

Giles Terera and Aaron Pierre

A new staging of the Dale Wasserman play "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest", based on the novel by Ken Kesey, is setto run at the Old Vic next spring, with lead casting already announced. The play will star Aaron Pierre (Othello) as Randle P McMurphy, and Giles Terera (Hamilton) as Dale Harding, with further casting to be revealed at a later date. The story was made famous by means of the 1975 Miloš Forman film starring Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher as McMurphy and Nurse Ratched respectively, which won five Oscars including best picture, as well as acting gongs for the lead pair.

Directed by Clint Dyer (Death of England), this new staging will form part of Michael Warchus' final season as artistic director of the Old Vic, prior to Rupert Goold taking over in September 2026. "One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest" will run at the theatre from the 1st of April until the 23rd of May 2026, with press night on the 15th of April, and tickets are now on sale for all performances from the Old Vic website.

2:22 A GHOST STORY

Cast announced for 2026 tour of horror play

(L-R) James Bye, Shvorne Marks, Natalie Casey, Gary Lucy

The latest cast to join the UK tour of the popular play “2:22 A Ghost Story” have been revealed, joining the cast will be James Bye (Death Comes To Pemberley) as Sam, Natalie Casey (Stepping Out) as Lauren, and Gary Lucy (The Full Monty) as Ben, taking over from the departing Stacey Dooley, Kevin Clifton and Grant Kilburn; Shvorne Marks continues in the cast, this time as Jenny, having previously played the role of Lauren in the 2025 cast.

Written by Danny Robbins, 2:22 has become a hugely popular west end and touring play, having performed at a handful of London theatres such as the Nöel Coward, the Criterion and the Gielgud Theatres, and featuring a whole host of actors, including Lily Allen, Tom Felton, Hadley Fraser and Laura Whitmore. The new tour cast will begin performances in January 2026, and you can find out more via the official 2:22 website.

LIVERPOOL EVERYMAN/PLAYHOUSE

Merseyside venues announce their 2026 season

Official artwork for "Prima Facie" featuring Jodie Comer

The latest array of productions to play at the two Liverpool theatres have been revealed, with the lineup at the Playhouse being headed by the return of Jodie Comer-led solo play "Prima Facie", a role that won the Liverpool native actor an Olivier and a Tony award for her performances in the west end and on broadway respectively. Other shows to be staged next year include "Inspector Morse: House of Ghosts", "The Woman in Black", "War of the Worlds" from imitating the dog, the RSC’s "The Constant Wife", stage versions of both "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Single White Female", and "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold".

The Everyman meanwhile will play host to world premiere of Alexandra Wood's new play "The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher", based on the 2014 Hilary Mantel short story of the same name. Further productions will include Julia Cranney’s "Attachment", YEP’s 18 to 25 company staging of "Jekyll & Hyde", and a new production of "Waiting For Godot" starring Matthew Kelly. You can browse what's on at both venues, as well as book tickets, via the Everyman Playhouse website.