NEWS ROUNDUP: 15 - 21 September
- James Tradgett
- Sep 22
- 7 min read
As we say goodbye to another week, it's once again time to have a look back at the most notable and exciting news announcements that have come out over the past seven days.
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RIDE THE CYCLONE
Full cast announced for UK premiere
It’s time to find out who’s joining us for a theatrical rollercoaster ride this autumn! Set to star in the upcoming UK premiere of “Ride The Cyclone” will be Edward Wu (A Little Night Music) as The Amazing Karnak, alongside Baylie Carson (Mean Girls) as Ocean, Grace Galloway (Priscilla The Party!) as Jane Doe, Robyn Gilbertson (pro debut) as Constance, Damon Gould (Cabaret) as Noel, Bartek Kaszewski (pro debut) as Mischa and Jack Maverick (pro debut) as Ricky.
Completing the cast are understudies Nathaniel Purnell and Rebecca D’Lacey; written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, this production of the cult musical will be directed and choreographed by Lizzie Gee, with musical direction by Ben McQuigg. It will run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from the 14th of November until the 10th of January, with press night on the 19th of November. Tickets are selling fast, and you can book now on the Southwark Playhouse website.
CABLE STREET
London return announced
It has been revealed that, following two hugely successful initial runs last year, Tim Gilvin and Alex Kanefsky musical “Cable Street” is set to return to London in early 2026 for a third stint. The show initially ran at Southwark Playhouse Borough in February-March 2024, returning to the venue in September-October during that same year.
Set in London’s east end, the musical tells the story of the 1936 “battle of cable street”, of three diverse communities, and their respective unity to try and stop Oswald Mosley and his British Union of Fascists from marching through the area. The musical will run from the 16th of January until the 28th of February 2026, playing at the Marylebone Theatre, and tickets can be purchased through the venue's website.
FUN HOME
Jeanine Tesori musical gets regional premiere
The Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester have revealed their 2026 season, which includes Sondheim’s “A Little Night Music”, and Jeanine Tesori’s Tony winning and Pulitzer nominated musical “Fun Home”, in what will be its UK regional premiere. It was last seen in 2018, when it played at the Young Vic, in a production led by Jenna Russell
“Fun Home” tells of Alison Bechdel, as she discovers her sexuality, as well as her relationship with her closeted gay father, and her attempts to unlock the mysteries surrounding his life. The show will play at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre from the 3rd of July until the 1st of August 2026; tickets are now available for all of next year’s productions, and can be found on the Royal Exchange Theatre website.
INTO THE WOODS
Full cast revealed for London revival
They have to take the journey, as we now know who will be making the trek through the Bridge Theatre’s revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine’s “Into The Woods”, to play this winter. Leading the cast will be Kate Fleetwood (My Master Builder) as the Witch, Jamie Parker (Next To Normal) as the Baker, Katie Brayben (Tammy Faye) as the Baker’s Wife, Chumisa Dornford-May (Here We Are) as Cinderella, Jo Foster (Why Am I So Single) as Jack, and Julie Jupp (Bad Girls) as Jack’s Mother; also featuring will be Jennifer Hepburn (Fiddler on the Roof) as Cinderella’s Stepmother, Hana Ichijo (The Baker’s Wife) as Lucinda, Gabrielle Lewis-Dodson (Identical) as Florinda, Bella Brown (Evita) as Rapunzel, Gracie McGonigal (Fangirls) as Little Red Riding Hood, Oliver Savile (Pretty Woman) as Cinderella’s Prince/Wolf, Rhys Whitfield (The Devil Wears Prada) as Rapunzel’s Prince, Valda Aviks (The Addams Family) as Grandmother/Giant, Geoffrey Aymer (The Big Life) as Cinderella’s father, Hughie O’Donnell (The Tempest) as the Steward, and Michael Gould (King Lear) as the narrator/mysterious man.
The cast is completed by Taite-Elliot Drew, Jacob Fowler, Sophie Linder Lee and Chloe Saracco, who all act as standbys. “Into The Woods” will be directed by Jordan Fein, with musical direction by Mark Aspinall. Performances begin on the 2nd of December, and will run until the 18th of April 2026, with tickets for all performances now on sale from the Bridge Theatre website.
THE BOOK THIEF
Full cast announced for staged concerts
The upcoming staged concert production of “The Book Thief” have announced the full cast, as well as further performances to be staged. Joining previously announced Melanie La Barrie as Death will be Isaac Gryn as Max Vandenburg, Jack Lord as Hans Hubermann, and Cat Simmons as Rosa Hubermann. Also featuring are Leo Abad as Tommy Muller, Matthew Caputo as Walter Kugler, Oonagh Cox as Paula Meminger, Michal Horowicz as Eva Vandenburg, Thomas-Lee Kidd as Mayor Hermann, Nell Martin as Ilsa Hermann, Corinna Powlesland as Frau Holtzapfel, Gleanne Purcell-Brown as Barbara Steiner, Edwin Ray as Alex Steiner, Timo Tatzber as Isaac Kleinmann, and Russell Wilcox as Wolfgang Edel, all also playing others.
The production, which initially revealed a single performance on the 19th of October at 5:00pm, will now feature two additional shows on the 26th of October, at 1:30pm and 6:00pm, all to take place at the Prince of Wales Theatre. It will be directed and choreographed by Tom Jackson Greaves (The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry), with musical direction by Natalie Pound; tickets for all performances are on sale from the Delfont Mackintosh website.
ACORN ANTIQUES
Full cast announced for staged concert
Hope Mill Theatre have revealed who will be performing in the stages concerts of “Acorn Antiques: The Musical” this November, marking 20 years since its original premiere in London. Featured will be Katherine Kingsley as Miss Babs, Gina Beck as Miss Berta, Anna-Jane Casey (Cabaret) as Miss Bonnie, Tony Jayawardena as Mr Clifford, Rob Madge (Cabaret) as Derek, Harry Hepple (Hamilton) as Tony, May Tether as Mimi, Elliot Broadfoot (Kathy & Stella Solve a Murder) as Hugh, Grace Mouat (13 Going On 30) as Miss Wellbelove, Sally Bankes as Christine, George Crawford (Newsies) as Minchin’s lad, Laura Medforth () as Miss Cuff, Steve Elias as Mr Watkins, Samuel Holmes as Mr Furlong, Daniele Coombe as Miss Willoughby, Bradley Judge as Postie and Althea Burey as Lucy Lollipop.
The performance is the second collaboration between Hope Mill and the Manchester Opera House, following their joint concert staging of Sondheim and Styne musical “Gypsy” starring Jodie Prenger, however is also the first time a Hope Mill production has been staged in the west end. The musical will stage two performances at the Manchester Opera House, on the 2nd and 16th of November, with a performance at the Shaftesbury Theatre on the 9th of November; tickets are now on sale for all three performances, click here for Manchester tickets, and here to book for London.
WAITRESS
New UK Tour and initial casting announced
Jenna is hitting the road again, as the Tony and Olivier-winning Sara Bareilles and Jessie Nelson musical “Waitress” is set to tour the UK in the new year. The show was one of the earliest productions to tour following venue reopening in 2021, and now returns to UK stages in the wake of the success of its professional filmed performance in celebration of its 10th anniversary. Lead casting has also been announced, with Carrie Hope Fletcher taking on the role of Jenna Hunterson for a limited run.
The tour will kick off at New Wimbledon Theatre in March 2026, then going on to perform Brighton, Bradford, Woking, Birmingham, Sunderland, Edinburgh, Dublin, Manchester, Cardiff, Southend, Oxford, Stoke, Blackpool, Belfast, Bristol, Nottingham, Llandudno, Bournemouth, Hull, Liverpool, Eastbourne, Milton Keynes, Glasgow, Sheffield and Salford. Tickets are on sale for a handful of venues, with others releasing them within the next month or so; you can find out more, including exact dates and wen tickets go on sale, via the official Waitress UK website.
MOOMINVALLEY IN NOVEMBER
Full cast announced for world premiere
It’s time to meet the folk who will be making the journey to Moominland, as the full cast of the upcoming premiere production of “Moominvalley in November” has been revealed. Jane Quinn (Handbagged) will play Fillyjonk, the neighbour of the Moomins, Matthew Heywood (Zorro the Musical) takes on fan-favourite character Snufkin, while Stuart Simons (Magic of the Musicals) will play Hemulen, a collector and organiser.
Joining them will be Izzie Winters (My Sister is Missing) as Toft, a mysterious orphan eager to meet the Moomins, Martin Callaghan (Merrily We Roll Along) as the happily senile Grandpa Grumble, and Abigail Yeo (pro debut) will take on the role of the free-spirited Mymble. The show will open on the 23rd of October, and run until the 16th of November, at Upstairs At The Gatehouse off-west end; more information and ticket sales can be found on the Gatehouse website.
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