What's On

The world’s favourite nanny flies into Milton Keynes Theatre for four magical weeks, with performances running from Wed 29 Oct - Sat 22 Nov.

 

Cameron Mackintosh and Disney Theatrical Group’s spectacular production of the classic multi-award-winning musical Mary Poppins is flying into Milton Keynes from 29th October 2025 for four weeks only. 

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Leading the company are Australian stars Stefanie Jones and Jack Chambers, who reprise their roles as Mary Poppins and Bert, having previously starred in the Australian production. The pair opened this UK and Ireland tour in Bristol last year, to critical and audience acclaim.

 

Patti Boulaye will play the role of Bird Woman until Sun 16 Nov, and from Tue 18 Nov onwards, international recording artist and actress Lyn Paul will take over the role.

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The cast is also led by Michael D. Xavier as George Banks, Lucie-Mae Sumner as Winifred Banks, Rosemary Ashe as Mrs Brill, Wendy Ferguson as Miss Andrew, Sharon Wattis  as Mrs Corry, Ruairidh McDonald as Roberston Ay and David Burrows as Admiral Boom and Bank Chairman.

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Based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the Walt Disney film, the story of the world’s favourite nanny arriving on Cherry Tree Lane is more magical than ever before, featuring dazzling choreography, incredible effects and unforgettable songs. The timeless score includes the classic Sherman Brothers songs: Jolly Holiday, Step in Time, Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, and Feed the Birds.

If you are practically perfect in every way you need this show. Tickets are selling fast!

This year’s Aylesbury Waterside Theatre must-see panto is the stalk of the town, and the cast of Jack and the Beanstalk united for the first time this week to officially launch the festive production that promises bags full of fee fi fo FUN this Christmas from Fri 5 Dec 2025– Sun 4 Jan 2026.

 

Nigel Harman is playing the villainous Fleshcreep alongside Andy Collins  playing Silly Simon, West End star and dame extraordinaire Leon Craig (celebrating his 20th year as a pantomime dame), Joe Sleight playing Jack, Emma Crossley playing Jill Pickle and Shanti Cantor as Spirit of the Beans.

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Pantogoers can expect this year’s GIANT adventure to be bigger than ever before with a feisty fairy, a silly sibling, a witty widow, a slippery servant... and a cow with some beef! Complete with incredible 3D special effects, stunning new sets and chart-topping hits, tickets are selling fast for the tradition Buckinghamshire as come to know and love.

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Andy Collins is excited to have met his panto family for this year: ‘We’ve had the best day! Non-stop banter and ideas flying around all over the place. Every year I love meeting the team I’m going to be spending Christmas with. I’ve told them all exactly what to expect from our iconic audiences, and pre-warned about packing a raincoat...(!)’ 

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Martin Dodd, UK Productions, Producer & Managing Director said of this year’s company:“We couldn’t be happier with our brilliant pantomime cast for Aylesbury – Nigel Harman will be the perfect villain to headline our brand new script, and it’s great to reunite the fabulous Leon Craig with Andy Collins, back for more mayhem, madcap capers and laughs. Add into that the West End credentials of Joe Sleight, Emma Crossley and Shani Cantor, and the talent is second to none. We can promise you a giant of a pantomime that will leave you full of beans!’  

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Don’t miss out on Aylesbury Waterside Theatre’s first ever production of the timeless tale of Jack and the Beanstalk tickets are on sale now. 

Roll up, roll up to see panto join the circus, and be swept away by a pantomime spectacular that’s just right! For five weeks only, join comedian, TV and musical theatre star Brian Conley as Milton Keynes Theatre is transformed into a sensational circus, where everything is possible, and anything could (and will) happen!

Brian will be joined on-stage by his daughter, Lucy Conley, who stars as Goldilocks along with a spectacular cast including renowned dame David Robbins as Dame Betty Barnum, panto villain Gary Milner as The Evil Ringmaster, magician Phil Hitchcock as the Magical Mysterioso, and direct from Zippo’s Circus - The Timbuktu Tumblers.

This festive extravaganza is packed with riotous comedy, extraordinary special effects, and hair-raising stunts!

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Goldilocks’ circus is under threat from an evil rival circus owner and, with the help of their madcap circus friends, they’re battling to rescue their Big Top from ruin. Will they succeed? All seems lost, until three brilliant bears join the gang…

Goldilocks and the Three Bears is at Milton Keynes Theatre from 6 December to 11 January. Tickets here. 

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The sensational feel-good musical MAMMA MIA! embarks on a new UK tour visiting Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 13 - Sat 24 Oct 2026. ​From West End to global phenomenon, MAMMA MIA! is Judy Craymer’s ingenious vision of staging the storytelling magic of ABBA’s timeless songs with a sunny, funny tale of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads unfolding on a Greek island idyll.

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This irresistibly funny show has thrilled audiences all around the world, and now there’s never been a better time to see this unforgettable musical. Whatever age you are, you can’t help but have the time of your life at MAMMA MIA!

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Now in its 27th year, MAMMA MIA! has been seen by over 11 million people and has played over 10,000 performances in London’s West End. The MAMMA MIA! International Tour has visited 42 countries in the past 20 years, performed more than 3,900 shows and has been seen by over 7.7 million people.

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MAMMA MIA! became the 9th longest-running show in Broadway history, where it played a record-breaking run for 14 years and recently returned to Broadway this summer, playing at the Winter Garden Theatre. In 2011, it became the first Western musical ever to be staged in Mandarin in the People’s Republic of China. MAMMA MIA! has been seen live on stage by over 70 million people across the world and has been turned into two record-breaking movies.

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Produced by Judy Craymer, MAMMA MIA! The Movie became the highest-grossing live-action musical film of all time upon its release in 2008.  A second film, MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN, opened in July 2018 and became the most successful live musical movie sequel of all time.

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With music & lyrics by Benny Andersson & Björn Ulvaeus, 

 

​The MAMMA MIA! UK Tour tickets are available now. 

Casting has been announced for the upcoming tour of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Matilda The Musical, which this year celebrates 15 years on stage. The highly acclaimed musical,  based on Roald Dahl’s beloved book, arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre from Wed 28 Oct 2026.

 

Madison Davis, Mollie Hutton, Olivia Ironmonger and Sanna Kurihara will share the title role of Matilda.  Richard Hurst will play Miss Trunchbull, Tessa Kadler will play Miss Honey, Adam Stafford will play Mr Wormwood, and Rebecca Thornhill will play Mrs Wormwood.

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The internationally renowned musical continues to play to packed houses in the West End at the Cambridge Theatre and has been seen by 12 million people across 100 cities around the world.

 

This anarchic production, about a strong and determined heroine with a vivid imagination, has won over 100 global awards, including 24 for Best Musical.  A film adaptation made by the core creative team received its World Premiere at the London Film Festival in October 2022 and can now be watched on Netflix.

 

Written by Dennis Kelly, with music and lyrics by Tim Minchin and developed and directed by Matthew Warchus, the production is designed by Rob Howell, with choreography by Peter Darling, orchestrations, additional music and musical supervision by Christopher Nightingale, lighting by Hugh Vanstone, sound by Simon Baker and special effects and illusions by Paul Kieve.

 

#TimeToBeRevolting

Get first in line - buy a ticket today. 

COMING TO MILTON KEYNES THEATRE FROM FROM TUE 21 JUL 2026

 

Michael Harrison and David Ian are delighted to announce that their smash hit production of the musical ANNIE will embark on a UK and Ireland tour, including performances at Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 21 – Sat 26 Jul 2026. Casting is to be announced soon.

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Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she's chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie's search for her true family...

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With its Tony award-winning book and score, this stunning production includes the unforgettable songs ‘It’s the Hard Knock Life’, ‘Easy Street’, ‘I Don’t Need Anything But You’ and ‘Tomorrow’.

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Tickets available now! Don't miss this. 

The ‘Greatest British Sitcom of All Time’ (Radio Times) is back – this time on stage!

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50 years since it first graced our TV screens, Fawlty Towers is now a brand-new stage play adapted by comedy legend John Cleese and directed by Caroline Jay Ranger.

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Fresh from a sold-out West End season! This laugh-out-loud production was universally acclaimed by every London and national critic, selling out every single performance during its record-breaking West End run.

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Join Basil (Danny Bayne), the delightfully bumbling Major (Paul Nicholas) and Polly (Joanne Clifton) and an 18-strong cast as they bring to life all your favourite moments from the show’s unforgettable twelve episodes. With sharp wit, chaos, and calamity at every turn, this is the comedy event of the year!

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Secure your tickets now and relive the madness of Fawlty Towers live on stage. It’s a staycation you’ll never forget!

Royal & Derngate’s panto stars come to town to launch this year’s show - The All New Adventures of Peter Pan.

 

Actor, writer and comedian John Thomson and CBeebies presenter George Webster head up the cast. Award-winning actor, writer, comedian and presenter John Thomson will take the role of Captain Hook. Perhaps best known for the ITV series Cold Feet, John has been at the forefront of British television, film and theatre for over three decades. Having started his career voicing puppets on Spitting Image, he won the Perrier Award with Steve Coogan in 1992 and has starred in many TV shows including Men Behaving Badly, Coronation Street, Waterloo Road and The Fast Show.

 

CBeebies star George Webster will be joining the pirate crew as Starkey. Winner of Best Presenter at BAFTA’s Children’s Awards in 2022, George is also an actor, writer and dancer (competing in in the 2022 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special), and an ambassador for people with Down Syndrome.  Also at the launch were Simone Robinson who will be playing Myrtle and Wendy Darling, Oliver Scott who plays Smee and Northampton local David Breeds who takes the title role of Peter Pan. Millie Davies will join the cast as Elizabeth Darling.

 

Building on the success of last year’s smash hit Cinderella, which won for Best Choreography in the UK Pantomime Awards, Royal & Derngate are pleased to be continuing their ongoing partnership with pantomime producers Evolution Productions. A family business, run by husband and wife Paul Hendy and Emily Wood, Evolution are delighted to have won ‘Pantomime of the Year’ at the UK Pantomime Awards in 2017, 2018, 2020, 2022 and 2025. Paul also won ‘Best Script’ for Aladdin in 2024.

 

Jo Gordon, Chief Executive at Royal & Derngate, said: “It’s wonderful to have the chance to meet some of our pantomime cast today. We’re delighted to have a great cast and company coming together for what is always a such a magical time of year. This new version of the Peter Pan story promises to make a fantastic festive outing for all ages - and it’s always a joy to welcome so many families and children into our spaces for what can often be a young person’s very first taste of theatre!”

 

Written by Paul Hendy and co-directed by Emily Wood, The All New Adventures of Peter Pan promises to be spectacular, top quality entertainment, with lavish sets, hilarious jokes and fun for all the family.

 

Emily Wood added: “We are so excited to bring The All New Adventures of Peter Pan to Northampton this year. We have all the brilliant classic pantomime elements: a beastly baddie, a heroic heroine, amazing dance routines and side-splitting comedy.  But this time with the iconic, much-loved characters of Captain Hook and Peter Pan, not to mention, fairies, pirates and mermaids! The All New Adventures of Peter Pan really does have something for everyone and it promises to be unmissable family fun this Christmas.”

 

The All New Adventures of Peter Pan will run from Friday 5 to Wednesday 31 December 2025.

The smash hit romantic musical comedy WAITRESS will return to tour the UK and Ireland, including performances at Milton Keynes Theatre from Tue 22 – Sat 26 Sep 2026. 

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WAITRESS is based on the 2007 movie written by Adrienne Shelly. Music and lyrics are written by GRAMMY award-winning, singer-songwriter sensation Sara Bareilles. With a book by Jessie Nelson, direction by Tony-award winner Diane Paulus and choreography by Lorin Latarro, Waitress has garnered multiple awards and nominations in both America and the UK, receiving acclaim from both audiences and critics alike.

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WAITRESS tells the story of Jenna, an expert pie maker in a small town, who dreams of a way out of her loveless marriage. A baking contest in a nearby county and the town’s new doctor may offer her a chance at a new life, while her fellow waitresses offer their own recipes to happiness. But Jenna must find the courage and strength within herself to rebuild her life. This beautiful musical celebrates friendship, motherhood, and the magic of a well-made pie.

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Music and Lyrics by Grammy Award-winner Sara Bareilles

Tickets available now. 

In the last days of the Vietnam War, 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There, she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years, Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he fathered a son.

Since its London premiere in 1989, Cameron Mackintosh’s original production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s epic musical MISS SAIGON became one of the
most successful musicals in history. 

The soaring musical score features the hits songs; The Heat is On in Saigon, The Movie in My Mind, Last Night of the World and The American Dream. September 2024 marked 35
years since the show’s opening in the West End.

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Tickets here. 

DEAR ENGLAND PERFORMANCES KICK-OFF AT MILTON KEYNES THEATRE  FROM TUE 20 – SAT 24 JAN 2026

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It’s time to change the game.  The country that gave the world football has since delivered a painful pattern of loss. The England men’s team has the worst track record for penalties in the world, and manager Gareth Southgate knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt to take team and country back to the promised land. 

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DAVID STURZAKER WILL PLAY GARETH SOUTHGATE AND
STAGE AND SCREEN ACTRESS SAMANTHA WOMACK WILL PLAY PIPPA GRANGE IN THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED NATIONAL TOUR OF JAMES GRAHAM’S OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING PLAY.

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Actor David Sturzaker who will play the role of Gareth Southgate said: "I'm thrilled to be taking on the role of Gareth Southgate. It's a great responsibility and an honour to be playing him. He’s been an inspiring figurehead for many, rebuilding a team, and the country’s self-belief at what is possible, on and off, the football pitch. This is one of the aspects of the play that resonates most for me - the ability of football, and sport in general, to extend its reach beyond the game, to unite us and inspire us in our lives beyond the sport itself.  It's also hugely exciting to be involved in a production that has already been such a hit in London and Salford. I'm looking forward to taking Dear England on tour across the country, giving many more people the opportunity to see this fantastic show.”

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Actress, Samantha Womack, who will play the role of Pippa Grange said: "I am so excited to be returning to the stage to perform in Dear England.  It's a wonderful piece of theatre - entertaining and thought-provoking as well as incredibly staged. She fundamentally changed the culture and, in turn, the course of sporting history by teaching the squad to embrace their fears and she's an extremely inspiring role to take on."

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Wanna see it? Get a ticket now.