Groover City

Hairspray the Musical to embark on a major national tour

03-07-26 You can't stop the beat... The producers of Hairspray have announced that the feel-good musical will return for a major UK and Ireland tour in 2027, opening at Manchester's Palace Theatre before visiting theatres across England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Neil Hurst will reprise the role of Edna Turnblad, while Brenda Edwards returns to co-direct the production alongside Paul Kerryson. Olivier Award-winning choreographer Drew McOnie also returns to the creative team. Edwards knows the show better than most, having […]

July 3, 2026

Cast News

First Look: Divina De Campo joins Ride the Cyclone as record-breaking musical returns to London

02-07-26 One of the UK's most celebrated drag performers is joining the cast of one of musical theatre's fastest-growing cult hits. Following its record-breaking, sold-out UK premiere in 2025, Ride the Cyclone returns to Southwark Playhouse Elephant this month, with Divina De Campo taking on the role of The Amazing Karnak. The musical, which runs to 22 August, became the venue's fastest-selling production when it premiered last year, before breaking its own box office record when tickets for this return […]

July 2, 2026

General

Disney releases live-action Moana soundtrack ahead of cinema debut next Friday

Updated 04-07-26 With days to go until Disney's live-action Moana sails into cinemas, the film's original soundtrack has been released. Available now on all major streaming platforms - and playlisted on Matinee Musicals - the album reunites the creative team behind the beloved 2016 animated classic, with original songs by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Opetaia Foaʻi and Mark Mancina. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_dOXTpwV5s&list=RDD_dOXTpwV5s&start_radio=1 Alongside familiar favourites including How Far I'll Go, You're Welcome, We Know the Way and Shiny, the soundtrack also introduces brand-new song […]

June 29, 2026

Latest

New Alan Turing musical releases first music featuring Broadway and West End stars

Updated 29-06-26 We're always excited to discover new musical theatre writing at Matinee Musicals, and a brand-new concept EP inspired by the life of Alan Turing has certainly caught our attention. TURING, a new musical by Timothy L. Michuda and Ben Ward, is set to release a six-track concept EP over the coming months, with the first single, Amongst the Stars, now available now. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qm8tRzVyuEg&list=RDQm8tRzVyuEg&start_radio=1 The musical tells the story of pioneering mathematician and codebreaker Alan Turing, exploring not only […]

June 29, 2026

Show Announcements

New Musical to Make Debut at Storyhouse

18-04-26 A brand-new musical written and composed by Chester resident Matthew Harry Dodd is set to make its exclusive debut at Storyhouse this summer, bringing a heartwarming message of diversity, acceptance and belonging to the stage. Woof!: A Dog’s Tale follows the journey of a young puppy who struggles to fit in because he was born without a tail. Determined to find a place where he is accepted for who he is, the puppy embarks on an adventure in search […]

June 20, 2026

Cast News

Roger Bart returns as Doc Brown in Back to the Future The Musical

09-06-26 The first casting has been announced for the inaugural UK and Ireland tour of Back to the Future The Musical. Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Roger Bart will return to the role of Doc Brown, having originated the character in Manchester before going on to perform the role in the West End, on Broadway and in Sydney. He will be joined by Australian performer Axel Duffy, who will play Marty McFly after originating the role in the Australian […]

June 9, 2026

Latest

Review: The Bodyguard

08-06-2026 at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford by Stuart Clarkson It’s been on the stage since 2012 but this was the first time I’d seen the musical adaptation of the 1992 film The Bodyguard - a blockbuster success that spawned several hit singles for Whitney Houston including I Have Nothing, Run To You, I’m Every Woman, Queen of the Night and of course I Will Always Love You. These all feature in the stage musical - alongside other Whitney classics such […]

June 8, 2026

Reviews

Review: Mrs Dalloway

18-04-26 Storyhouse, Chester by Jamie Griffiths Virginia Woolf's Mrs Dalloway has a reputation for being one of the great novels of the twentieth century. It also has a reputation for being rather intimidating. Built from streams of consciousness, memories and internal monologues, it is not an obvious choice for adaptation. Yet Storyhouse's remarkable new production somehow manages to capture the essence of Woolf's masterpiece while creating something that feels entirely theatrical in its own right. Co-created by director Jen Heyes […]

June 3, 2026

General

Our guide to the greatest LGBTQIA+ musicals

The greatest LGBTQIA+ musicals Updated 01-06-26 We list the important shows with LGBTQIA+ themes that have shared histories, celebrated communities, given strength, touched, entertained and uplifted audiences across the world. 🎭❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤎🖤🤍🎭 My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) (2021) Written and performed by Rob Madge, My Son’s a Queer (But What Can You Do?) is a one-person autobiographical play that celebrates the joys and challenges of growing up queer. The show centers on Madge's childhood attempts to stage […]

June 1, 2026

Now Playing

Latest news