NEWS ROUNDUP: 12 - 18 May
- James Tradgett
- May 18
- 5 min read
We have had plenty of exciting announcements come out in the past seven days, our collective theatrical appetites are well and truly whetted. Here are the most intriguing and noteworthy news stories from the past week.
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON
Original London cast recording released
It has been revealed by the show’s producers that Olivier winning musical “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” will release its original cast recording to stream and download this Friday (16th of May). The musical, which tells the F Scott Fitzgerald story of an of Cornish man who ages backwards, premiered at Southwark Playhouse in May 2019, with music and lyrics by Darren Clarke, and lyrics and book by Jethro Compton.
The full album, which was recorded live at the Ambassador’s Theatre, was released on streaming services at midnight on the 16th of May, and its physical CD copy will be available to purchase both online and in person at the Theatre from the 20th of June. The show itself continues to run, with performances currently scheduled through to August 2025.
50 FIRST DATES
New musical adaptation of 2004 rom com film
Another 2004 romantic comedy film is getting a musical adaptation! It has been announced that “50 First Dates”, the film where a couple fall in love only to realise one of them suffers from short term memory loss, is set to be made into a stage musical, and will premiere in London this autumn.
Initial casting has also been revealed, with Georgina Castle (Mean Girls) and Josh St Clair (Ghost) set to take on the roles of Lucy and Henry respectively. Music and lyrics will be by David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, with direction by Tony winner Casey Nicholaw. 50 First Dates will run at the Other Palace from the 14th of September until the 16th of November 2025, with tickets now on sale! Further casting will be revealed at a later date, and tickets can be booked now at The Other Palace website.
CYNTHIA ERIVO IN DRACULA
New one-woman production from "Dorian Grey" team
From the creative team that brought us Sarah Snook’s unique take on “The Picture of Dorian Gray” comes a new one-woman staged production of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”, featuring broadway legend Cynthia Erivo as the iconic vampire among 22 other roles. This production marks Erivo’s first appearance on stage since her Tony-winning performance in the Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray musical "The Colour Purple".
This new production is adapted and directed by Kip Williams, and produced by Michael Cassel and Adam Kenwright with STC. It will run for a strictly limited 16 weeks at the Noël Coward Theatre, opening on the 4th of February 2026, and running until the 31st of May. Further information, including how to book tickets, will be revealed at a later date, and you can find more information, as well as sign up for updates, at the Delfont Mackintosh website.
A JAFFA CAKE MUSICAL
Full cast announced for final Edinburgh Fringe run
The full cast for the final Edinburgh Fringe run of the Gigglemug’s comedy “A Jaffa Cake Musical” has been revealed, with Sam Cochran, Sabrina Messer, Alex Prescot, Katie Pritchard and Harry Miller all returning to the show from last year’s critically acclaimed run.Joining them will be Toby De Salis (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Emily Kitchingham (Scouts!), and Alexander Jude (pro debut).
The show will be directed by Ali James (Showstopper!), with musical direction by Rob Gathercole (Faking Bad). A Jaffa Cake Musical will play two previews at the Mission Theatre in Bath on the 24th and 25th of July before running at the Pleasance Courtyard from the 30th of July to the 25th of August (excl. 12th August) as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, details of which can be found on the Edinburgh Fringe website.
LEGALLY BLONDE
New UK tour planned for 2026
It has been revealed that “Legally Blonde” is to embark on a new UK and Ireland tour in 2026, produced by Leicester Curve, where it will open on the 7th of February. Further details, including full cast and creative team, will be revealed at a later date. Based. on the 2001 comedy film, the musical adaptation of Legally Blonde first premiered on broadway in 2007, with a west end debut in 2010 starring Sheridan Smith.
Following its run in Leicester, the show will then perform in Southampton, Sheffield, Milton Keynes, Southend, Canterbury, Birmingham, Glasgow, Liverpool, York, Truro, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Plymouth, Leeds, Cardiff, Aberdeen, Bristol, Dublin, Belfast, Norwich, Edinburgh, Aylesbury, Wolverhampton, Wimbledon, Hull, Manchester, Stoke, Woking, Sunderland, and Brighton. Full tour dates and further updates can be found on the official Legally Blonde website.
TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL
West End production to close after seven years
It has been announced by the London producers of "Tina: The Tina Turner Musical" that the show, currently playing at the Aldwych Theatre, is set to play its final performance on the 25th of September 2025. The show first opened in March 2018, earning three Olivier nominations and then subsequently transferring to broadway the following year. It is the longest running show in the history of the Aldwych Theatre, becoming one of the few newer shows to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, and will have run for a total of seven and a half years upon closure in September.
Tina began touring the UK in March 2025, commencing in Leicester, and will continue into 2026. The final cast for the London production will include Fleur East, who is set to begin her limited number of performances on the 25th of June. Tickets for both the tour and the remaining London performances can be purchased on the official Tina website (London|Tour).
OPERATION MINCEMEAT
World tour to commence in February 2026
New intelligence just in! The agents of “Operation Mincemeat” will be taking their show overseas from February 2026, starting at The Lowry in Salford, the theatre where it all started! This will be followed by performances around the UK, USA, Mexico, Canada, China, Australia and New Zealand. The brainchild of British comedy group SpitLip (David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts), Operation Mincemeat is currently playing in both London and New York to packed houses and rave reviews.
After it opens in Salford, the show will play in Bath, Wolverhampton, Fareham, Oxford, Bradford, Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, Chester, Birmingham, Canterbury, Brighton, York, Milton Keynes, Woking, Newcastle, Plymouth, Kingston upon Hull, Northampton, Nottingham, Eastbourne, Aberdeen, Southend-on-Sea, Leeds, Cardiff, Swansea, High Wycombe, Norwich, Dartford, Halifax, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Southampton, and Crawley.
Venues and dates for the dates beyond the UK a will be announced at a later date, along with full cast and creative team. Tickets for UK dates will go on presale on the 5th of June, with general sale opening on the 6th. For more information, and to sign up to presale, visit the official Operation Mincemeat website.
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