Touring shows

Touring theatre podcast episodes

News

Outdoor experience: a typical Heartbreak production

Three new outdoor shows for Heartbreak

31 May 2023

Warwickshire-based Heartbreak Productions is presenting three new plays as part of its 31st year of outdoor theatre across the UK.

La Bamba! gets into Latin stride

30 May 2023

La Bamba!—a new dance musical featuring a soundtrack of Latin pop anthems—will be at The Lowry in Salford this summer and then on tour.

Dahl company delivers new productions

30 May 2023

The Roald Dahl Story Company has exciting new theatre productions.

Shrek heads for Sunderland

30 May 2023

Shrek The Musical comes to Sunderland Empire February 6–10.

Catch Me by Upswing - NNF Garden Party 2019

Without Walls open for submissions

29 May 2023

Without Walls, a consortium of 30+ festivals and arts organisations, is inviting submissions for new outdoor work to tour in 2024.

Mousetrap to spring into Sunderland

22 May 2023

New casting is announced for the 70th Anniversary tour of The Mousetrap.

Sheffield books in an adaptation

22 May 2023

Utopia Theatre and Sheffield Theatres have cast a new production of Anna Hibiscus’ Song.

Ghost Story for Blackpool & Sunderland

22 May 2023

An additional 10 venues will receive the UK tour of supernatural thriller 2:22—A Ghost Story.

Cirque for Stockport

22 May 2023

Cirque—The Greatest Show at Stockport Plaza combine showstoppers with aerialists, contortionists and trapeze artistes.

Main Man for Wicked

22 May 2023

West End legend Carl Man is joining the cast of the Wicked UK and Ireland tour, which returns to Manchester December 2024.

Wise way into Blue Beard

22 May 2023

Artistic director of Wise Children, Emma Rice, is staging a world première of her adaptation of Blue Beard.

Tony Blair musical for Lowry

7 May 2023

A reckless reappraisal of the life of Tony Blair, that’s Tony! by Harry Hill and Steve Brown coming to The Lowry in Salford October 2–7.

Singing Mermaid for Dukes

7 May 2023

Julia Donaldson’s classic story The Singing Mermaid comes to Lancaster’s Dukes Theatre May 30–31.

Flying Dutchman on tour

7 May 2023

OperaUpClose has announced a re-imagined version of The Flying Dutchman which will tour the UK this summer.

Dinosaurs twice a day

7 May 2023

Family show Dinosaurs and All That Rubbish heads to The Lowry Studio May 28 at 1PM and 3PM.

Showstopper! in Lancaster

7 May 2023

Showstopper! is the first-ever spontaneous musical comedy to have a full West End run and be nominated for and win an Olivier Award.

Jungle Book in Salford

7 May 2023

Akram Khan’s new dance-theatre production Jungle Book is reimagined in Salford on May 13.

Six women form chorus for Julius Caesar in Nottingham

21 April 2023

A Nottingham councillor, a primary school teacher and a trustee for City of Literature will be in a community chorus for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Julius Caesar.

Tommy Cooper booked for Glastonbury!

20 April 2023

A one-man show celebrating one of Britain’s best entertainers will be back on the road touring the UK.

The Way Old Friends Do in Salford

20 April 2023

The Way Old Friends Do is at The Lowry from May 22–27.

Book of Will to tour

20 April 2023

The Book Of Will will visit Octagon Theatre Bolton and Shakespeare North Playhouse, opening April 27.

Hamilton to have 10-week season in Birmingham

19 April 2023

Olivier, Tony, Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Hamilton is to play a 10-week season at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2024.

Grounded: the tour of The Birds and the Bees

The Birds and the Bees tour called off

15 April 2023

A UK tour of Canadian comedy The Birds and the Bees which was due to feature Helen Lederer and Michael Starke has been cancelled.

Katie's stage debut in crime thriller

12 April 2023

Coronation Street’s Katie McGlynn will be joining the UK tour of Peter James’s Wish You Were Dead.

Family Tree for Lakeland

12 April 2023

Family Tree is a new drama exploring race, health and the environment, inspired by one of the most influential women of modern times, Henrietta Lacks.

Tom Chambers who will lead the cast of Murder in the Dark

Tom Chambers in Murder ghost story

12 April 2023

Original Theatre and Trafalgar Entertainment will co-produce a new Torben Betts thriller, Murder in the Dark, for a UK and Ireland tour from September 2023.

Futuristic space odyssey play to go on tour

5 April 2023

STARS: An Afrofuturist Space Odyssey by Mojisola Adebayo about an older woman who goes into outer space to search for her orgasm is to tour.

Crown Jewels for Salford

3 April 2023

The Crown Jewels, which premières in the West End this summer, comes to the The Lowry, Salford in September.

Reviews

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story

Alan Janes

The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth

30 May–3 June 2023

Megan Louise Wilson, Lucy Gray, Dannie Harris, Leah Jamieson and Emmy Stonelake

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)

Isabel McArthur after Jane Austen

Tron and Royal Lyceum theatres, and Blood of the Young

Festival Theatre, Malvern

30 May–3 June 2023

I, Daniel Blake

Adapted by Dave Johns from the film written by Paul Laverty

Northern Stage

25 May–18 November 2023

Quality Street

J M Barrie

Northern Broadsides and New Vic Theatre

The Crucible

25–27 May 2023

Wish You Were Dead

Peter James, adapted by Shaun McKenna

Joshua Andrews and Peter James

The Lowry, Salford

23–27 May 2023

Blue Now

Derek Jarman with music by Simon Fisher Turner

WeTransfer, Fuel and Basilisk Communications

HOME, Manchester

22 May 2023

Quality Street

J M Barrie

Northern Broadsides and New Vic Theatre

York Theatre Royal

16–20 May 2023

Family Tree

Mojisola Adebayo

Actors Touring Company and Belgrade Theatre Coventry in association with Brixton House

The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth

16–20 May 2023

Ben Locke as Blue Dragon Edwin, Danny Hendrix as Zog and Eliza Waters as Ronnie the Pink Dragon

Zog

Adapted by Emily Kilbey from the book by Julia Donaldson illustrated by Axel ...

Freckle Productions in association with Rose Theatre Kingston

The Lyric, Theatre Royal Plymouth

15–17 May 2023

The Mousetrap

Agatha Christie

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham

15–20 May 2023

Jungle Book Reimagined

Script by Tariq Jordan, direction and choreography by Akram Khan

Akram Khan Company

The Lowry, Salford

13 May 2023

Laura Ogden (Sis), Charlie Brooks (Ursula) and Trevor Fox (Dad)

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Novel by Neil Gaiman, adaptation by Joel Horwood

National Theatre

Sheffield Lyceum

9–20 May 2023

STARS: An Afrofuturist Space Odyssey

Mojisola Adebayo

Tamasha and Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA)

Contact, Manchester

9–11 May 2023

An Inspector Calls

J B Priestley

National Theatre

Sheffield Lyceum

2–6 May 2023

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler adaptation of the novel by Christy Lefteri

Martin Dodd for UK Productions Ltd, Nottingham Playhouse in association with Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse

Richmond Theatre

2–6 May 2023

The Odyssey – The Island of The Sun

Lindsay Rodden

National Theatre

The Fire Station, Sunderland

28–29 April 2023

Luke Thornton as Stanley and Lucy Elizabeth Thorburn as Beryl

Brief Encounter

Noël Coward, adapted by Emma Rice

New Wolsey Theatre, Wiltshire Creative, Yvonne Arnold Theatre

New Wolsey Theatre

26 April–13 May 2023

Esme Kingdom, Kirsty MacLaren and Tamara Fairbairn

Protest

Hannah Lavery

Fuel, Imaginate and Northern Stage in association with National Theatre of Scotland

Northern Stage, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

26 April–6 May 2023

Fisherman's Friends The Musical

Book by Amanda Whittington, based on a screenplay by Nick Moorcroft, Meg Leon...

ROYO

Cambridge Arts Theatre

25–29 April 2023

Drive Your Plow over the Bones of the Dead

Adapted from the novel by Olga Tokarczuk

Complicité

The Lowry

25–29 April 2023

Quality Street

J M Barrie

Northern Broadsides and New Vic Theatre

Octagon Theatre, Bolton

25 April–6 May 2023

Dave Hearn and Amy Revelle in The Time Machine

The Time Machine: A Comedy

Steven Canny and John Nicholson

Original Theatre in association with New Wolsey Theatre

Theatre Royal Bath

24–29 April 2023

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)

Isobel McArthur after Jane Austen

Tron Theatre Company, the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh and Blood of the Young with Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, Leeds Playhouse, Northern Stage and Oxford Playhouse

Leeds Grand Theatre

24–29 April 2023

Wodehouse in Wonderland

William Humble

Cahoots Theatre Company in association with Jamie Clark Theatre

York Theatre Royal

20–22 April 2023

Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror

Hattie Naylor and Jamie Beddard with music by Charles Hazlewood

Extraordinary Bodies, Bristol Old Vic and Theatre Royal Plymouth

The Lowry, Salford

20–22 April 2023

The SpongeBob Musical

Book by Kyle Jarrow, based on the series created by Stephen Hillenburg

The Path Entertainment Group

The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

18–22 April 2023

Vincent Pirillo as Moe Katz and Jason Merrells as Frank Galvin

The Verdict

Barry Reed, adapted by Margaret May Hobbs

Middle Ground Theatre Company

Theatre Royal Bath

18–22 April 2023

The Beekeeper of Aleppo

Nesrin Alrefaai and Matthew Spangler adapting the novel by Christy Lefteri

Martin Dodd, UK Productions Ltd, Nottingham Playhouse and Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse

The Lowry, Salford

18–22 April 2023

The Bodyguard The Musical

Book by Alex Dinelaris based on the screen play by Lawrence Kasdan, music and...

Michael Harrison, David Ian, Crossroads Live, MEHR-BB Entertainment, Playing Field Theatre Ltd, Marvish Productions and Michael Watt

Curve Theatre, Leicester

17–22 April 2023

Eileen Nicholas as Barbara, Phiip Labey as Peter, Maximilian Fairley a Harry, Mark Benton as Kevin and Faye Wiggan as Debbie

Village Idiot

Samson Hawkins

Theatre Royal Stratford East, Nottingham Playhouse and Ramps on the Moon

Theatre Royal Stratford East

13 April–6 May 2023

Aminita Francis, Keziah Joseph, Mofetoluwa Akande and Aimée Powell

Family Tree

Mojisola Adebayo

Actors Touring Company and Belgrade Theatre Coventry in association with Brixton House

Brixton House

12–23 April 2023

The Time Machine: A Comedy

Steven Canny and John Nicholson

Original Theatre in association with New Wolsey Theatre

Octagon Theatre, Bolton

12–22 April 2023

Rose Quentin (Vivie) and Caroline Quentin (Kitty)

Mrs Warren's Profession

George Bernard Shaw

Theatre Royal Bath

Festival Theatre, Malvern

11–15 April 2023

Arthur Lee as Jacob Yeung, Stephen Hoo as Anthony Chow, Jennifer Lim as Penny Chow and Sara Chia-Jewell as May Wang

Worth

Joanne Lau

New Earth Theatre and Storyhouse in association with Arcola Theatre

Arcola Theatre

7–29 April 2023

Mother Goose

Jonathan Harvey

Ambassador Theatre Group Productions

The Lowry

5–9 April 2023

Sister Act

Music by Alan Menken. Lyrics by Glen Slater. Book by Ceri and Bill SteinKellner

Jamie Wilson, Kevin McCollum, Gavin Kalin, Robbie Wilson and Curve

Sheffield Lyceum

4–15 April 2023

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story

Alan Janes and Rob Bettinson

Theatre Royal Bath

4–8 April 2023

Dominic Ramsden, Keir Ogilvy (Boy), Aimee McGolderick and Millie Hikasa (Lettie)

The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Joel Horwood, based on the novel by Neil Gaiman

National Theatre

The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford

4–8 April 2023

The Bodyguard

Book by Alex Dinelaris based on the screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan, music and ...

Michael Harrison, David Ian, Crossroads Live, MEHR-BB Entertainment, Playing Field Theatre Ltd, Marvish Productions and Michael Watt

The Palace, Manchester

3–15 April 2023