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Thursday, 23 October 2025

Beverley Knight and Sharon Rose to Star in Sylvia Musical UK Tour and Royal Albert Hall Run

Olivier Award-winning star Beverley Knight MBE will return to her celebrated role as Emmeline Pankhurst in Sylvia, the groundbreaking musical inspired by the life of suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst. Knight will star alongside Sharon Rose, who reprises her role as Sylvia, as the show embarks on a major UK tour culminating in a special run at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2026.

Blending hip hop, funk, soul, and theatrical storytelling, Sylvia reimagines the suffragette movement through a bold contemporary lens. Created and directed by Kate Prince, with music by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, the production first premiered to critical acclaim at The Old Vic in 2023. Its return marks one of the most anticipated tours in modern musical theatre, supported by the Arts Council’s Incentivising Touring scheme.

Beverley Knight shared her excitement:

“I could not be more chuffed to reprise my role as Emmeline Pankhurst one more time! The spirit, courage and determination of the suffragettes and in particular Sylvia Pankhurst is so brilliantly celebrated in this show. The Soul, R&B, HipHop and Blues reflects the joy, passion and the fight of the women and their allies.”

The musical traces Sylvia Pankhurst’s defiant journey as she fights not only for women’s rights but for working-class voices often left unheard. Through her eyes, the show captures the tension between family loyalty and political conviction in an uplifting celebration of resilience and rebellion.

Kate Prince added, “It’s an honour to bring this story to new audiences across the UK. Sylvia is a musical that honours the past but speaks powerfully to the present.”

The tour will visit major venues including Leicester Curve, Birmingham Hippodrome, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, The Lowry in Salford, and Norwich Theatre before arriving at the Royal Albert Hall for a three-night finale.

As the UK prepares to mark the centenary of equal franchise in 2028, Sylvia returns to remind audiences of the women who changed history, and the battles still worth fighting today.

photo credit: Craig Sugden

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Thursday, 2 March 2023

Sylvia, The Old Vic | Review

Sylvia

The Old Vic

★★★★

Following its 2018 'work in progress' run, Sylvia has returned to The Old Vic, this time as a fully staged production. Telling the story of Sylvia Pankhurst- the daughter of the supreme Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the Suffragette movement- the show is a fresh look at history, that feels inherently British in all the best ways.

The titular role is played by the utterly charming Sharon Rose, who gives a masterfully intimate performance, as well as showcasing her fantastic vocals. Sharon is really impressive at showing the gradual growth of Sylvia, as she finds her voice and what she stands for and feels continually authentic throughout. The character of Sylvia come across in a very relatable, endearing way and really allows the audience to root for her- a very special feeling.

This performance saw the debut of Hannah Khemoh as Emmeline Pankhurst. Really coming into her own towards the end, Hannah gave a commanding performance, with great vocals and really shone in moments when the whole family came together.

Completing the Pankhurst family are Ellena Vincent as Christabel and Kirstie Skivington as Adela, both of whom give impressive performances and show some wonderful character development. Kelly Agbowu is absolutely fantastic as Mrs Flora 'The General' Drummond, giving a truly commanding performance that's superbly entertaining.

A complete standout role, is Jay Perry as Winston Churchill, giving a performance which is so so enjoyable and witty that you can't help but side with him, even when he's stamping on the Suffragette movement! As his wife Clementine, Verity Blyth is a dream. Her beautiful voice soars around the auditorium and her witty, sweetly conniving performance is so enjoyable to watch. Rounding out the Churchill trio is the matriarch, Lady Jennie, played at this performance by Jade Hackett who is equally as strong, and provides some really unexpected moments that have the audience in the palm of her hand. Both Alex Gaumond and Sweeney provide vocal moments as Kier Hardie and Silvio Corio respectively.

This is definitely a show where the cast really take the forefront, with costuming and sets that are fairly simplistic, but that work exceptionally well. Andrzej Goulding's animation and video brilliantly add dimension to the show, whilst Natasha Chivers' lighting is both emotive and exciting. Combined with Ben Stones' set and costume, the show is a visual delight; at times almost feeling like a film. The black and white majority, combined with splashes of red is incredibly striking.

Whilst this is a musical which excels in many aspects, there are parts which don't quite hit the spot. At times the dialogue is somewhat clunky and some characters don't get enough development to be truly effective. Even Sylvia herself, only really comes into her own towards the end and it takes a bit too much time for her story to get going. The end of the show comes across rushed, with loose ends suddenly being tied up and Emmeline's character doing a complete 180. Of course the show is based on real events, but as it covers so many years, some moments don't get the justice they deserve, whilst others get a bit too much. However, musically the show is choc-a-block with fun, fiery moments. Kate Prince, Josh Cohen, and DJ Walde's score is exciting and multifaceted. The lyrics and musical styles, paired with the great humour that's woven in, feel perfectly British and are truly effective.

Sylvia is an innovative production which does a mostly great job at telling the story of some really powerful women. There are parts which come out of nowhere and moments when you feel a bit awkward, but at the same time you can't help but enjoy yourself! For the faults it has, this show remains a really fun night out, that boats a top notch cast and has a lot of charm.

Reviewed on Monday 27th February 2023 by Olivia Mitchell

Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}

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Wednesday, 16 October 2024

Full Cast Announced for 2025 UK Tour of Bat Out of Hell The Musical

The producers of the award-winning Bat Out of Hell The Musical, which features Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf's greatest hits, have announced the full cast for the upcoming 2025 UK tour. This electrifying show, which begins performances on 6 January 2025 at the Edinburgh Playhouse, will tour across the UK until 20 September 2025, concluding in Northampton. Fans can expect a spectacular production featuring a dynamic cast, iconic rock songs, and unforgettable theatrical energy.

Joining the previously announced Glenn Adamson as Strat, Katie Tonkinson as Raven, Rob Fowler as Falco, and Sharon Sexton as Sloane, new cast members include Georgia Bradshaw as Zahara, Ryan Carter as Jagwire, Carla Bertran as Tink, Luke Street as Ledoux, and Carly Burns as Valkyrie. The full ensemble cast features a talented mix of West End and touring performers, including Leo Abad, Peter Camilleri, Joshua Dever, Reece Duncan, Georgia Holland, Georgia Iudica-Davies, Natalie Pilkington, Harriet Richardson-Cockerline, Sophie-Rose Emery, Catherine Saunders, Ethan Tanner, Craig Watson, James Wilkinson-Jones and Beth Woodcock. At certain performances, roles such as Strat, Falco, Sloane, and Ledoux will be covered by alternate actors, including Luke Street and Beth Woodcock.

Inspired by its arena tours in Australia and New Zealand, this reimagined production promises to be a high-octane experience, with a sprawling set design featuring multi-level platforms and an on-stage eight-piece rock band. The show immerses the audience in the fantastical world of Bat Out of Hell, delivering some of the most iconic rock anthems ever recorded. The musical features Jim Steinman’s legendary songs like You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth, Bat Out of Hell, I Would Do Anything for Love (But I Won’t Do That), and Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad. It also includes the previously unreleased song, What Part of My Body Hurts the Most.

The stage adaptation of Bat Out of Hell has wowed audiences worldwide, with successful runs in Manchester, London’s West End, and international productions in Canada, Germany, New York, Las Vegas, and beyond. It received critical acclaim and won the Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards, in addition to eight nominations at the WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical.

The musical tells the story of the immortal leader Strat and his love-at-first-sight obsession with Raven, the daughter of Falco, the ruler of a dystopian city. As their passionate connection grows, the two lovers find themselves caught in a struggle that threatens to tear both of their families apart. The production brings Steinman and Meat Loaf's epic collaboration to life on stage with a thrilling mix of music, romance, and rebellion.

The creative team behind Bat Out of Hell The Musical includes book, music, and lyrics by Jim Steinman, direction by Jay Scheib, musical supervision by Michael Reed, additional choreography by Xena Gusthart, set and costume design by Jon Bausor, and lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe. The UK tour is produced by Michael Cohl, Tony Smith, and David Sonenberg, with executive producer Julian Stoneman.

Audiences across the UK will have the chance to experience the exhilarating power of Bat Out of Hell when it kicks off its tour in 2025. Don’t miss this unforgettable celebration of rock ‘n’ roll, love, and rebellion!

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