Welcome to Musical Theatre Network’s listings page! This is a space where we can keep you up to date on all the new British musicals being produced or premiered in the UK. You can submit the details of your new British musical for our listings here. Listings of musicals produced/hosted by MTN members can additionally include an image, bookings link and short description.
NOW PLAYING
November 2011 – Ongoing
‘Matilda’
Book by Dennis Kelly, Music & Lyrics by Tim Minchin, Authored by Roald Dahl
Cambridge Theatre, London & UK Tour
uk.matildathemusical.com
Matilda The Musical is the multi-award winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book by the incomparable Roald Dahl. With book by Dennis Kelly and original songs by Tim Minchin, Matilda The Musical tells the tale of an extraordinary girl who is determined to change her own story, even if it means being a little bit naughty…
Winner of over 85 international awards, including 16 for Best Musical, Matilda The Musical continues to delight audiences in London. Matilda began its first UK & Ireland Tour in March 2018
November 2016 – Ongoing
‘School of Rock’
Music by Andrew LLoyd Webber, Lyrics by Glenn Slater, Book by Julian Fellowes.
New London Theatre, London
uk.schoolofrockthemusical.com
November 2017 – Ongoing
‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’
Music by Dan Gillespie Sells, Book & Lyrics by Tom McRae
Apollo Theatre, London
everybodystalkingaboutjamie.co.uk
11 July 2018 – 31 January 2021
‘Six’
By Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss
The Arts Theatre, London & UK Tour
www.sixthemusical.com
SIX, ‘the most uplifting piece of new British musical theatre’ (✭✭✭✭✭ The Evening Standard) is the phenomenon everyone is losing their head over! Critically acclaimed across the UK with a sound-track storming up the UK pop charts, the sell-out intoxicating Tudor take-off is back!
From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of historical heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of 21st century girl power. These Queens may have green sleeves but their lipstick is rebellious red.
9 February 2019 – 25 April 2020
‘Only Fools and Horses’
Based on the programme ‘Only Fools and Horses’ written by John Sullivan
Additional lyrics by John Sullivan and Chas Hodges
Theatre Royal Haymarket, London
onlyfoolsmusical.com
12 October 2019 – 20 June 2020
‘Oi Frog & Friends!’
Adapted from stories by Kes Gray and Jim Field
Music by Luke Bateman
Lyrics by Richy Hughes
UK Tour
oifrogandfriendslive.com
8 November – 8 March 2020
‘The Boy In The Dress’
From the Novel by David Walliams, Book by Mark Ravenhill,
Music & Lyrics by Robbie Williams & Guy Chambers
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon
www.rsc.org.uk
‘I think I might be different. I might not be the same.’
Dennis is 12 years old and his school football team’s star striker. But when Mum leaves home, life is tough. The only reminder Dennis has of Mum is a photo of her in a beautiful yellow dress. A dress rather like the one on the cover of Vogue on sale at Raj’s newsagents. And also a bit like the one that Lisa James, the coolest girl in the school, is sketching in her note book. What do you do if you like both football and dresses? And what will Mr Hawtrey the headteacher do when he discovers that his strict uniform code has been broken by a boy in a dress?
JANUARY OPENINGS
23 January – 18 April
‘Dennis and Gnasher’
By Will Brenton
UK Tour
selladoor.com
FEBRUARY OPENINGS
3 February – 7 March
‘Guy: A New Musical’
By Leo and Hyde
UK Tour
leoandhyde.com/guy
Guy is a gay millennial looking for love… Guy is fat, nerdy and shy… Guy feels like he doesn’t fit in to the gay community. But when a rejection on Grindr pushes Guy to make terrible life choices, he is forced to confront his inner demons, all the while pushing away everyone close to him. With 12 heart-pounding electronic-pop anthems, this millennial odyssey through bingeing, gyming, prejudice, hook ups, beauty standards, and stolen identity is a much-needed reminder that the only person you can be is yourself.
11 February – 7 March
‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’
By Living Spit
The Kings’ Head Theatre, London
www.kingsheadtheatre.com
18 – 23 February
‘Nearly Human’
By Perhaps Contraption
As part of Vault Festival 2020
The Forge, The Vaults, London
vaultfestival.com
23 February
‘BUZZ: A New Musical’
Book and Lyrics by Robyn Grant & Daniel Foxx, Music by Tim Gilvin
Southwark Playhouse, London
southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
Bridget Jones meets The Book of Mormon in BUZZ, a hilarious musical journey through the history of the vibrator and a brutally honest story of a singleton’s quest to fall back in love with herself. Join us as we finally uncover the untold struggle for women’s sexual independence throughout the ages.
The University of Chichester is delighted to be enabling the research and development of this new British musical. This performance will consist of a semi-staged, rehearsed reading of Act 1 followed by a description of Act 2 and a Q&A after the interval. Book and Lyrics by Robyn Grant & Daniel Foxx, Music by Tim Gilvin. Direction by Allie Munro, Musical Direction by Tim Shaw. This workshop performance is facilitated and produced by Andrew Wright at the University of Chichester, working in collaboration with Laura Elmes Productions LTD.
28 February – 1 March
‘The Emperor’s Clothes’
Music and Lyrics by Phil Hornsey, Book by David Bedford
Arden Theatre, Kent
ents24.com
29 February – 1 March
‘Asian Pirate Musical’
By Nemo Martin and Zhui Ning Chang
As part of Vault Festival 2020
Pit, The Vaults, London
vaultfestival.com
MARCH OPENINGS
3 – 5 March
‘In Our Bones’
By Diniwe and the Hadedas
As part of Vault Festival 2020
Crescent, The Vaults, London
vaultfestival.com
3 – 8 March
‘Ride’
By Freya Smith and Jack Williams
As part of Vault Festival 2020
Forge, The Vaults, London
vaultfestival.com
3 – 8 March
‘Stages’
By Chris Czornyj
As part of Vault Festival 2020
Network Theatre, London
vaultfestival.com
10 – 12 March
‘Superman’
By Rose Eye Productions
As part of Vault Festival 2020
The Forge, The Vaults, London
vaultfestival.com
10 – 15 March
‘Sugar Coat’
By Lily Pollard & Joel Samuels
As part of Vault Festival 2020
The Forge, The Vaults, London
vaultfestival.com
12 March – 4 April
‘The Wicker Husband’
Book by Rhys Jennings
Music and lyrics by Darren Clark
Based on an original short story by Ursula Wills-Jones
The Watermill Theatre, Newbury
watermill.org.uk
‘Once upon a withy on the edge of a deep damp swamp, nestled in the arms of a winding river, stood a pretty little town…’
A folk-inspired new musical, The Wicker Husband, tells the timeless tale of the outsider. In a superficial world, where beauty is only skin-deep, meet the so-called ‘Ugly Girl’. Ostracised by the shallow townsfolk because she doesn’t fit in, the Ugly Girl becomes the envy of her neighbours when the mysterious Old Basketmaker makes her a strong and loving husband woven from living wicker. As bitter rivalry and jealousy threaten to tear the community apart, the townsfolk embark on a cruel and destructive plan. Will the Ugly Girl’s happiness be ruined forever?
A captivating and powerful new musical, The Wicker Husband will have its world premiere at The Watermill. It was the winner of the inaugural MTI Stiles + Drewe Mentorship Award in 2016 celebrating new British musical theatre writers and was included in the National Alliance for Musical Theatre’s 30th Annual Festival of New Musicals in New York.
17 – 22 March
‘A Lightweight Disposable Product’
By Alinement
As part of Vault Festival 2020
The Forge, The Vaults, London
vaultfestival.com
20 March – 11 April
‘Milky Peaks’
By Seiriol Davies
Theatr Clwyd, Mould & UK Tour
theatrclwyd.com
20 – 21 March
‘DORIAN’
Music and lyrics by Joe Evans
Written by Linnie Reedman
Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray
lwtheatres.co.uk
“Who am I, really?”
“What is love?”
Dorian Gray, the secret child of love and death is suddenly thrust into a confusing world. A world where love dare not speak its name, yet everybody is searching for it. On his search Dorian comes across the many mirrors of his soul. The dangerous and charismatic Lord Henry casts him into a hedonistic lifestyle; Sibyl Vane sees him as the Romantic lead and Lady Henry merely wants to prey on him. But it is the gentle society painter, Basil Hallward, who shows him as he truly is. On his quest to find his true identity, Dorian must decide if it is better to be loved or to be feared.
Inspired by Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray, DORIAN is set in a fantasy world, revealing both sides of Dorian Gray’s tragic life: the real one and the portrait.
APRIL OPENINGS
17 – 18 April
‘Flower Cutters’
By Josh Bird and Rachel Bellman
Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham
birminghamhippodrome.com
Birmingham Hippodrome Musicals Young Company present a coming-of-age thriller about friendship, betrayal, and the lengths we will go just to feel like we belong. Desperate to fit in at university, Cass finds herself hanging out with Mia, Luke and Tom, an eccentric and exclusive group on the fringes of campus society. What Cass doesn’t know is that they are part of a university project, shrouded in mystery, that has drawn them into the black market world of endangered flowers. Yes, that’s a thing. And they’re extremely valuable. When the group find themselves subjects of a criminal investigation, Cass clings onto their fragmenting friendship. But at what cost?
Performed by our Musicals Young Company.
In association with Perfect Pitch.
20 – 26 April
‘No Limits: A Song Cycle’
By Sam Thomas
The Other Palace, London
lwtheatres.co.uk
Have you ever felt that you’re behind in life? That you’re not where you want or think you should be?
“Everybody’s getting married and being promoted and having babies and moving elsewhere, but it doesn’t mean you’re losing if you’re not!” No Limits is an exciting new song-cycle by Sam Thomas that shatters the notion of falling behind in life – because there’s really no such thing. It follows characters as they dare to believe in themselves and strive for a better tomorrow.
From confessing their dreams of becoming a rock star to catfish-ing their attractive neighbour, this powerful collection of songs sees characters let go of their anxieties, take leaps of faith and fight for what they’re worth. Featuring relatable stories of the heartfelt, soul-baring and even kinky variety, it highlights how we’re really all in the same boat, and that with enough self-belief, we can always overcome what’s holding us back. A show with heart, humour and a message we should all take on board… “Know no limits!”
22 – 25 April
‘Berlin Girl’
Book by George Rennison
New Wimbledon Theatre, London
atgtickets.com
27 April
‘Undermined: The Fatberg Musical’
By Tilly Lunken, Kate Sketchley and Michael Clulow
The Other Palace, London
lwtheatres.co.uk
Undermined – The Fatberg Musical, a disgustingly fun dystopian explosion of music and science. Fatberg in 2020, a gross symptom of our flush away society; in 2342 it’s the main energy source for the divided city of Londonberg. But the very thing that Londonberg depends on for survival is the very thing capable of destroying everything and everyone left.
It’s up to unlikely friends Kate and Jeannie to team up to uncover the horrors beneath and fight for their collective future. In a genre-mash of sci-fi/comedy/horror Undermined confronts complex scientific and environmental issues, dramatising the consequences of our actions/inaction. Fatbergs are made by us and in some ways they are us. Entirely preventable they form beneath our city and lurk in the imagination of our futures.
This is a sharing of scenes, songs and music followed by an expert fatberg panel including science and industry partners; in discussion and Q&A.
MAY OPENINGS
16 May – 21 June
‘101 Dalmatians: A New Musical’
Based on a story by Dodie Smith
Book by Zinnie Harris, Music and Lyrics by Douglas Hodge
Regents Park Open Air Theatre, London
openairtheatre.com
Based on Dodie Smith’s iconic story set in the heart of Regent’s Park, this new musical is written by Zinnie Harris and Douglas Hodge. Timothy Sheader directs with puppetry created and directed by Toby Olié (Running Wild). 101 Dalmatians is directed by Timothy Sheader, choreographed by Liam Steel, musically directed by Tarek Merchant, orchestrated and musically supervised by Sarah Travis, with set and costume by Katrina Lindsay.
17 – 18 May
‘Chronic’
By Cat Bensley and Stuart Foulston
The Other Palace, London
lwtheatres.co.uk
One day in 2018, Catherine woke up with persistent numbness in her hands and feet. As the months passed, the pain grew, and doctors provided no answers.
In Chronic, a darkly comic new musical, Catherine reflects on her ongoing journey through an invisible chronic illness, facing head-on the gender bias she experienced throughout her treatment. Join her as she celebrates moments of unexpected happiness and overwhelming support from family and friends, and questions how far we’ve really come since the Freudian days of medical misogyny.
JUNE OPENINGS
2 – 20 May
‘You And I: A New Musical’
By Cordelia O’Driscoll and Tom Williams
The Other Palace, London
lwtheatres.co.uk
What do you do when the world’s first super-intelligent robot turns up at your door asking about the origins of the universe, karaoke and the meaning of porn? Fran is about to find out. ‘You and I’ follows the story of this aspiring musician as she learns to conquer fear, cope with loss and find her voice, all through her new friendship with a robot named Robert.
“’You and I’ is a delightful comedy […] counterpointed by a more poignant tone about dealing with loneliness and loss.” – British Theatre
After a critically acclaimed run in 2019 that delighted audiences from around the UK, ‘You and I’ is set to take The Other Palace by storm. Tom Williams and Cordelia O’Driscoll’s sophomore show comes after the huge success of their debut, ‘Buried’, which recently won them the Best Book and Best Music awards at the New York Musical Festival. With a soulful folk score from this award-winning duo, this touching new musical comedy explores what it really means to be human.
“The score is by turns hilarious and wonderfully, surprisingly poignant” – Miro Magazine
★★★★★ – Broadway Baby
11 June – 18 July
‘Our Man In Havana’
By Ben Morales Frost & Richard Hough
The Watermill Theatre, Newbury
www.watermill.org.uk
26 June
‘Gretel The Musical’
By Liv Warden and Charlie Turner
The Other Palace, London
lwtheatres.co.uk
It’s 1940s England: a country ravaged by war. When a young girl finds her mother’s abandoned storybook, Hansel and Gretel, she feels a glimmer of hope – but, faced with evacuation, her mother is too afraid to let her open the book and sink into the story, distracting her from their dangerous reality. Inside the story, the characters are bored without an audience; growing irritable, restless and looking elsewhere. Only Gretel is desperate to connect to the real world to remind both mother and daughter the joy fairytales can bring.
After it’s initial sellout run at The Other Palace studio space, Gretel! The Musical is back with all the hits from the show. An innovative take on a concert showcase; let the story take you away with magical illustration that will bring the forest alive. Gretel! is a tale of childhood, loyalty, and the power of fantasy to arm us against a dark reality. In a world where your fate is seemingly already written, it’s a reminder that we all have the power to create our own story – for sometimes destiny could use a little help.
JULY OPENINGS
6 – 17 July
‘Black Love’
By Chinonyerem Odimba
With music by Ben Ringham and Max Ringham
Oldham Coliseum Theatre, Oldham
coliseum.org.uk
18 – 19 July
‘Groove On Down The Road’
By ZooNation
Birmingham Hippodrome, Birmingham
birminghamhippodrome.com
31 July – 19 September
‘Identical’
Based on the novel ‘The Parent Trap’ by Erich Kästner
Lyrics by Anthony Drewe, Music by George Stiles
Book by Stuart Paterson
Theatre Royal Bath & Nottingham Playhouse
www.identicalmusical.com
This is the world stage musical premiere of the classic story of twin girls separated at birth, reunited by chance at a summer camp ten years later.
In an attempt to get to know their parents and reconcile the two halves of their family, they decide to swap places and live each other’s lives. The show is directed by Olivier and Tony award-winning Sir Trevor Nunn responsible for some of the greatest hits in the world (Les Miserables, Starlight Express, Cats and Sunset Boulevard).
Identical has music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, the multi award-winning writers of the West End hit Honk! who also created a new score for the international smash-hit Cameron Mackintosh/Disney production of Mary Poppins and a book by Stuart Paterson.
SEPTEMBER OPENINGS
15 September – January 2021
‘Hexborn’s School of Sorcery’
By Robyn Grant and Daniel Foxx
The Vaults, London
thevaults.london
Journey deep beneath Waterloo station, through the abandoned tunnels and into a world of magic and mischief. Choose your house (or let the sorting toad choose for you), attend classes, and explore the twisting corridors of Hexborn’s. Whether it’s uncovering the mysteries of this strange new world or impressing your professors with your knowledge of mythical beasts, Hexborn’s will unleash your full magical potential – and you might even earn a few house points along the way! The cauldrons are bubbling and the tables are piled high for the Start-of-Term Feast. But there are rumours of dark forces stirring… and everything is not quite as it seems. So grab your wands, don your robes and prepare to live out your childhood dreams. A new school year is about to begin…
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