Burlesque Is Back!

30-01-26

One of the most talked-about musical theatre productions of recent years is officially returning and this time, it’s coming back bigger than ever! Burlesque The Musical will open in the West End at the brand-new Arts at Marble Arch, while a second production embarks on a major UK tour, bringing the show to audiences across the country from summer 2026 through early 2027.

For Matinee, this news lands with particular excitement. When Burlesque played Manchester in 2024, we awarded it five stars, praising its confidence, spectacle and sheer sense of occasion. It was a show that knew exactly what it was and delivered it with style. It was bold, unapologetic and thrillingly theatrical and this return feels less like a revival and more like the next chapter.

Based on the Golden Globe-nominated film starring Christina Aguilera and Cher, Burlesque The Musical is written and directed by Steven Antin, who also penned the original screenplay. The stage version expands the film’s world into a full-blooded theatrical experience, combining high-energy choreography, powerhouse vocals and a story rooted in self-discovery and found family.

Ali arrives in New York searching for her mother, only to find herself pulled into a dazzling underground club where sequins shimmer, ambition burns brightly and lives can change overnight. As she finds her voice, she also finds an unlikely family — misfits, dreamers and schemers all trying to survive under the glow of the spotlight.

The score features songs by Christina Aguilera, alongside music from Sia, Diane Warren, Jess Folley and Todrick Hall, blending pop, soul and contemporary musical theatre into a sound that feels at home both on stage and on the radio.

Following a completely sold-out, critically acclaimed limited run at the Savoy Theatre, Burlesque The Musical will open in London again — this time settling in at Arts at Marble Arch, where it will run from September 2026 to January 2027.

Produced by Christina Aguilera, alongside Adam Paulden, Jason Haigh-Ellery, Steven Antin, Clint Culpepper and In Fine Company, the West End production cements Burlesque as a major contemporary musical with staying power.

Cast and creative team details for both the West End and touring productions are set to be announced.

Alongside its London return, Burlesque The Musical will tour extensively across the UK, ensuring audiences nationwide get the chance to step inside the Burlesque lounge.

UK Tour Dates

Woking – New Victoria Theatre | 25 July – 1 August 2026

Sunderland – Empire Theatre | 6 – 15 August 2026

Stoke-on-Trent – Regent Theatre | 25 – 29 August 2026

Cardiff – Wales Millennium Centre | 1 – 5 September 2026

Glasgow – King’s Theatre | 8 – 19 September 2026

Bradford – Alhambra Theatre | 22 – 26 September 2026

Southend-on-Sea – Cliffs Pavilion | 29 September – 3 October 2026

Birmingham – Alexandra Theatre | 6 – 17 October 2026

Sheffield – Sheffield Theatres | 27 – 31 October 2026

High Wycombe – Wycombe Swan | 3 – 7 November 2026

Aylesbury – Waterside Theatre | 17 – 21 November 2026

Liverpool – Liverpool Empire Theatre | 24 November – 6 December 2026

Leeds – Grand Theatre & Opera House | 8 – 12 December 2026

Blackpool – Winter Gardens Opera House | 22 December 2026 – 2 January 2027

Manchester – Opera House | 5 – 23 January 2027

Northampton – Royal & Derngate | 26 – 30 January 2027

Edinburgh – Edinburgh Playhouse | 16 – 27 February 2027

Llandudno – Venue Cymru | 16 – 20 March 2027

Wolverhampton – Grand Theatre | 6 – 10 April 2027

Hull – Hull New Theatre | 4 – 8 May 2027

Oxford – New Theatre | 4 – 8 May 2027

New Wimbledon Theatre – Outer London | 11 – 15 May 2027

Burlesque is big.
Burlesque is beautiful.
Burlesque is back.

And we’ll be watching closely.