UK Theatre News Round-up 22nd – 28th February 2026

This is your weekly UK theatre news round-up, It’s been a busy week across the industry, with major tour announcements, new productions revealed, regional seasons unveiled, and several high-profile premieres confirmed for the coming year.

Watch the UK Theatre News Round-up Video

Paranormal Activity Announces UK Tour

Following its successful West End run at the Ambassadors Theatre, Paranormal Activity will head out on a UK tour beginning 5 September 2026. The stage adaptation of the hit horror film franchise proved a success in London. The production is known for its technical effects and tense atmosphere, bringing cinematic horror into a live theatre setting.

The Full Monty Announces 30th Anniversary Tour

The Full Monty will return for a 30th Anniversary UK tour in 2027, celebrating three decades since the original film premiered in 1997. The stage adaptation of the Sheffield-set story about unemployed steelworkers turning to stripping has been a long-running success in UK touring theatre. While full tour details are yet to be confirmed, the anniversary production is expected to revisit many of the elements that made earlier productions popular with audiences.

Dog Man: The Musical Announces UK Tour Dates

Based on the bestselling graphic novel series by Dav Pilkey, the show follows the adventures of the crime-fighting half-dog, half-police officer. The stage adaptation uses puppetry, physical comedy, and musical theatre - this is one of the more accessible family productions on the circuit.

Nottingham Playhouse Announces New Season

The programme includes:

• Till The Stars Come Down 

• The Market Deeping Model Railway Club 

• Scenes From a Friendship

The season will run across summer and autumn 2026 at Nottingham Playhouse.

Sheffield Theatres Announces 2026–27 Season

The programme includes:

• King Lear

• Twelfth Night

• The Ballroom 

• Never Look Back

• 12 Letters To My Name

• The Year of the Runaways 

• Sapling

• Singin’ in the Rain

Performances will take place across the Crucible Theatre, Lyceum Theatre, and Playhouse venues throughout the 2026–27 season.

RSC Announces Upcoming Productions

Highlights include:

• As You Like It – an all-male production marking Jonathan Groff’s RSC debut, scheduled for 2026.

• Middlemarch – a stage adaptation of George Eliot’s novel, to be performed at The Swan Theatre.

• The Three Musketeers – the company’s 2026 Christmas production.

Death Note Musical to Premiere at the Barbican

The musical Death Note will receive its world premiere at the Barbican Theatre in London from 30 July 2026. Based on the globally successful Japanese manga series, the musical follows a student who discovers a supernatural notebook with deadly powers. Previous concert versions have built a strong international fanbase, and the Barbican production marks the show’s first full-scale staging in the UK.

New Play About Donald Trump Premieres in Bath

Donald, a new play by Stefano Massini, will premiere at Theatre Royal Bath on 4 November 2026. The production explores the rise and influence of Donald Trump, continuing Massini’s interest in large-scale historical storytelling. The play is expected to examine political power, media influence, and modern leadership through Massini’s distinctive narrative style.

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice Musical in Manchester

The production will bring the famous magical tale to the stage as a festive family show, joining Manchester’s Christmas theatre offerings.

Ava Pickett’s 1536 Adapted for BBC One

Playwright Ava Pickett’s stage play 1536 is being adapted into an eight-part drama series for BBC One. The play explores power, gender, and politics during the Tudor period, focusing on the fall of Anne Boleyn.

The Snowman Returns to Birmingham Rep

Birmingham Rep has announced that its long-running production of The Snowman will return for Christmas 2026 in a refreshed version. The production has been staged for more than three decades and has become a seasonal tradition for many families. The new version is expected to update elements of the staging while preserving the familiar story and music audiences recognise.