& JULIET
Touring from July
Long-awaited tour for the rainbow-coloured, exhilarating and surprisingly moving sort-of sequel to the Shakespeare, putting Max Martin pop bangers into a funny, knowing script by Schitt’s Creek’s David West Read, with dazzling staging. This is a thumping great night out.
https://www.andjulietthemusical.co.uk
A CHORUS LINE
The Curve, Leicester – 28 June to 13 July
then Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London – 31 July to 25 August
The Broadway classic celebrating and demystifying the blood, guts and temperament that goes into creating musical theatre gets a whole new sheen in this much lauded Nikolai Foster-Ellen Kane revisal. I missed it first time around, so can’t wait to see this return run. Adam Cooper and Carly Mercedes Dyer are set to return to their previous roles.
https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/a-chorus-line-2/
BEN AND IMO
Swan Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon – 21 February to 16 April in repertoire
Samuel Barnett and Victoria Yeates stars in Mark Ravenhill’s revisal of his 2013 play, originally written to mark the centenary of Benjamin Britten’s birth, about the extraordinary bond between the Peter Grimes composer and the wildly contrasting Imogen Holst, daughter of Gustav and a fine musician in her own right. Recent Artistic Director of the RSC, Erica Whyman, helms the production.
https://www.rsc.org.uk/ben-and-imo/
BHANGRA NATION
The Rep, Birmingham – 17 February to 16 March
American director Stafford Arima comes to Birmingham to lead a team of international creatives to stage this new tuner. There’s nothing as infectious as a Bhangra beat, the story is a potent, uplifting one of rivalry in dance competitions, and honouring existing traditions while making new ones. The show went down a storm in its USA West Coast premiere and could be a real winner here too.
https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/bhangra-nation-a-new-musical/
BLUE BEARD OPEN THE BLOODY DOOR
Touring from February
Emma Rice’s inspirational Wise Children company put a feminist spin on the unsettling fairytale. This should be wildly imaginative and theatrical, multi disciplinary in terms of the skills of the cast, and possibly a little bit sick. Bracingly original theatre making.
https://www.wisechildrendigital.com/blue-beard
BURLESQUE
Opera House, Manchester – 13 to 29 June
The cult movie is set to become a lavish stage musical, and Christina Aguilera, star of the original film, is on the team of producers. There are no plans as yet beyond the initial Manchester dates but I predict it’ll be a smash. I’m expecting something camp, gaudy and unrestrained, full of big pop tunes and bigger hair.
https://burlesquethemusical.com
COME FROM AWAY
Touring from March
Get your hankies out, the good people of Gander are back in this utterly entrancing, life-enhancing musical that succeeds in moulding something humane, warm and exhilarating out of the dark days following 9/11. This beautiful show will clean up on tour, and the new cast has some seriously great singing actors in the ensemble.
https://comefromawaylondon.co.uk
SWEAT
Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester – 26 April to 25 May
Lynn Nottage’s powerful, hard edged but deeply humane drama about disillusioned blue collar workers seriously let down by the American Dream was an absolute firecracker in its 2018 Donmar production. Here comes the UK regional premiere at this fine Manchester producing house. It’ll be interesting to encounter Nottage’s vivid creations in an in-the-round staging.
https://www.royalexchange.co.uk/event/sweat/
THE ARTIST
Theatre Royal, Plymouth – 18 to 25 May
New York-based ballet and musical theatre star Robert Fairchild, best known here for the An American In Paris musical, returns to the British theatre to star in this adaptation of the well received ‘modern’ romantic comedy silent movie from a dozen years back. Expect this to be suitably dance heavy, especially since it’s staged by Drew McOnie, with music by Tony-winning genius Simon (Girl From The North Country, Cold War) Hale.
https://theatreroyal.com/whats-on/the-artist/
THE GAP
Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester – 9 February to 9 March
Jim Cartwright is like a poet for the Northern working classes, a writer with heart, grit and often startling originality. This is his first new play in seven years so it’s something of a coup for Hope Mill, especially with a cast consisting of Denise Welch and Matthew Kelly playing some 1960s hellraisers reunited after 50+ years.
https://hopemilltheatre.co.uk/event/the-gap/
THE WHISTLING
The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye – 27 September to 16 November
A brand new thriller, based on a ghost story by Rebecca Netley set on a remote Scottish island, and directed by Joseph Pitcher who has repeatedly created theatrical magic at this atmospheric dinner theatre in a converted water mill on the banks of the Thames. A spine chiller in this space is likely to be deeply unsettling….I can hardly wait.
https://millatsonning.com/shows/the-whistling/
WHITE CHRISTMAS
The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye – 27 November to 18 January 2025
Musicals at this delightful venue are rightly viewed as a bit of an event. Their current High Society is a joy and last year’s Gypsy an out-and-out triumph. It’ll be lovely to see how the festive magic is created in this intimate, sometimes surprising space. A classic musical with a Christmas dinner included with in the ticket price…should be a real winner.
ajhlovestheatre 
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