PRODUCTION NEWS
The latest news from our Production Teams.
HUGH BONNEVILLE & MAGGIE SIFF STAR IN SHADOWLANDS
BAFTA, Primetime Emmy, and Golden Globe Award-nominated actor Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Paddington, Twenty Twelve) stars as C.S. Lewis alongside acclaimed actor Maggie Siff (Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy, Billions) as the spirited American poet Joy Davidman whose unexpected love transforms the orderly academic life of C.S Lewis – the celebrated author of The Chronicles of Narnia.
What begins as a meeting of minds becomes an uplifting and powerful journey of love and the fragile beauty of life.
Based on a true story, Shadowlands is written by William Nicholson and was adapted from his own original BAFTA Award-winning TV Movie. It soon became a West End smash-hit winning the Evening Standard Award for Best Play, followed by a triumphant Tony Award-winning Broadway transfer. In 1993 the play was adapted into a major feature film directed by Richard Attenborough and starring Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger, which subsequently won the BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Film.
Originally a sell-out production at Chichester Festival Theatre, Rachel Kavanaugh directs this strictly limited engagement at London’s Aldwych Theatre from 5 February 2026.
The West End run is presented by Jonathan Church Theatre Productions, Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Tilted.
ROCKY HORROR HEADS TO BROADWAY!
The Rocky Horror Show is heading to New York! Directed by Tony Award-winner Sam Pinkleton (Oh, Mary!), the show will play at Studio 54 on Broadway from 26 March until 21 June 2026. The cast of Richard O’Brien’s cult musical will be led by stage and screen star Luke Evans, making his Broadway debut as Frank-N-Furter.
Luke is a star of both stage and screen. He last performed in the West End in 2023 in Backstairs Billy at the Duke of York’s Theatre. Evans’ other stage credits include Rent, Miss Saigon and Piaf. He is best known for his roles in films including Clash of the Titans, Beauty and the Beast, and The Hobbit trilogy. His TV credits include Nine Perfect Strangers.
Director Sam Pinkleton said: “I’m giddy to crack this untameable classic open with the razor-sharp Luke Evans at the centre. And I hope to do at Studio 54 what The Rocky Horror Show has done for people around the world for decades – open a dimension to another possible reality. It seriously is the honor of a lifetime to bring the freakiest people I’ve ever met into the freakiest theatre I’ve ever been in to revisit the freakiest show there’s ever been. No pressure, of course. Rocky Horror is, to me, a sublime, ridiculous, giant-hearted act of love – a trashy little musical that means so many things to generations of tender weirdos with mascara streaming down their faces.”
JERSEY BOYS TOURS THE UK FOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Hit West End and Broadway musical Jersey Boys about Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons is back out on the road in 2026 and 2027, touring the UK and Ireland for its 20th anniversary.
Jersey Boys will start its 31-date tour at London’s New Wimbledon Theatre on 17 June 2026, and will call at some of Trafalgar’s regional venues including the Wycombe Swan, Orchard Theatre Dartford, Congress Theatre Eastbourne, and Cliffs Pavilion Southend.
Most recently in the West End, Jersey Boys reopened the refurbished Trafalgar Theatre in July 2021, finishing its run in January 2024.
Jersey Boys is the winner of 65 major awards including Broadway’s Tony, London’s Olivier and Australia’s Helpmann Awards for Best New Musical, and has been seen by over 30 million people worldwide. The show was also voted the favourite Olivier Winning musical of the 21st Century in a survey of theatregoers by The Stage newspaper.
BEGINNERS PLEASE: ROMEO AND JULIET AT TRAFALGAR THEATRE
Amber Allen tells us about about her foray into theatre producing with Beginners Please at Trafalgar Theatre.
‘Beginners Please’ was pitched to the Trafalgar Entertainment Trust as the first performance-based outreach project in our West End venue, similar to the regional Summer Youth Projects. However, I wanted it to be a little different to the regional SYPs. We decided that we wanted to work with older people (16y/o+) and that the production needed to have meaning and not just putting on a show because we can. It was also important for us to work with people who had an interest in theatre but maybe didn’t know where to start.
So we decided to focus the programme on an issue in society, something that we are all aware of, but maybe find difficult to approach. We started strong with knife crime, something every Londoner is acutely aware of, and opened auditions to people who wanted to get involved and who had been affected by knife crime.
We also added an education element to the programme by partnering with Act On It, and offered the opportunity to our participants to earn an EPQ (equivalent to half an A-level). We now have three of them signed up!
The programme was 15 weeks of rehearsals and specialised workshops (led by TE’s own Sally Fellows) and stage combat workshops led by Charlotte Price (True Edge) and former Jersey Boys fright captain Huon Mackley.
Our cast off 11 came to us from a variety of backgrounds – some had done some smaller shows, or school productions and for others, it was their first time ever doing a play before (never mind Shakespeare). But regardless of their experience, they all became such a tightknit, supportive unit.
On 16 November, the Trafalgar Theatre was the host to 11 West End debuts, with a lively audience of 421! The atmosphere was electric as they put their heart and souls in to an amazing performance. The audience were having the best time and it was extremely rewarding to be a part of their journey. I truly hope we can continue the programme in the future.
JUSTIN LIVE TIME TO ROCK
On 25 October, the Churchill Theatre in Bromley erupted in cheers and applause as the much-anticipated Justin Live – Justin Time to Rock tour opened to a thrilled audience. The show marks the return of CBeebies megastar Justin Fletcher, in a high-energy, all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza that has already begun making waves ahead of a UK-wide tour through spring 2026.
From the moment the lights dimmed, Bromley was treated to an infectious surge of rock-tastic fun. Justin, joined by his friends, launched into the show with boundless energy. The premise is simple yet brilliant: Justin and his pals are forming a rock band, but they need help choosing the best songs — and they call on the audience to decide. This interactive element proved to be a hit with families, as youngsters cheered, shouted their favourite tunes, and even joined in dancing.
Produced by Imagine Theatre, Justin’s vision came to life with flair — energetic choreography, clever staging, and a warm, inclusive tone. Though the show is designed for children, there’s enough charm for adult audience members too: parents could watch Justin’s playful quips and watch their little ones light up, making the evening feel like a genuine family celebration. You can find out more at www.justinlivetour.co.uk
Spotlight on Just Imagine: The Imagine Theatre Podcast
If you haven’t tuned in yet, now’s the perfect time to discover Just Imagine – Imagine Theatre’s very own podcast that takes listeners behind the scenes of the magic we create all year round.
Launched to celebrate the creativity, passion and hard work that go into every Imagine production, Just Imagine offers a warm, insightful and often humorous look at life in the world of pantomime and family theatre. Each episode invites listeners into conversations with the people who make our shows sparkle – performers, creatives, technicians, producers, and the wider team who help bring our stories to life.
From exploring how a pantomime is built from scratch, to hearing backstage tales from touring shows, to celebrating the community engagement and year-round projects Imagine leads, the podcast shines a spotlight on every corner of our organisation. It’s a chance to share knowledge, celebrate successes, and give audiences a deeper appreciation of what makes Imagine unique.
Whether you work onstage, backstage, in production, in the office or on the road, Just Imagine is also a brilliant opportunity to connect with the wider Imagine family. You might even hear familiar voices talking about the projects you’ve helped bring to life!
Episodes are designed to be relaxed, entertaining and easy to listen to—perfect for the commute, a coffee break, or while prepping for the next big show. So, if you’d like to stay in the loop, feel inspired, or simply enjoy a peek behind the curtain, make sure you give Just Imagine a listen.
Upcoming episode guests:
21 Nov: Rob Marsden & Simon Sladen
5 Dec: Elaine C Smith
19 Dec: Suzanne Shaw
2 Jan: Andy Ford
