Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP) has announced that 25 new shows across 2025 and 2026 are on sale this month.
The best reviewed show in West End history, Operation Mincemeat will visit next year as part of its first ever globe-spanning world tour as well as the legendary Legally Blonde The Musical and Mrs. Doubtfire The Musical.
Dance fans are sure to enjoy English National Ballet‘s UK premiere of Body & Soul, or if drama is more your thing, you’ll love the next Agatha Christie instalment, Death on the Nile.
That’s not all… with true stories, reimagined classics and something for the little ones, there’s genre to suit everyone. Take a look at the range of shows going on sale this June and book early to guarantee the best seats.
Theatre Royal Plymouth Shows For 2025 and 2026
The Lyric:
An Evening with Sir Matthew Bourne & Dame Darcey Bussell (…& James), 21 July 2025
Following the huge success of An Evening with Dawn French & Dame Darcey Bussell, TRP has announced a new series of ‘An Evening with…’ special events. These intimate evenings will bring some of the most distinguished artists and high-profile artists and people in public life together to offer a unique insight into their lives, careers and creative journeys.
All proceeds from these events will support TRP’s charitable activities in supporting the next generation of artists and creatives living in, and from the South West.
For the first in this new series, join Sir Matthew Bourne OBE, Dame Darcey Bussell DBE, and TRP’s CEO & Artistic Director, James Mackenzie-Blackman, for one night only in The Lyric. This event takes place immediately before the season of Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures presentation of The Midnight Bell, visiting Plymouth for the very first time.
James will lead a wide-ranging conversation that is sure to span the world of dance, storytelling, and the importance of the city of Plymouth in the journeys of these two world-famous artists.
This is a rare opportunity to hear from two of the most iconic figures in British dance in a relaxed, honest and inspiring conversation.
King Arthur, 01 November 2025
Camelot is in trouble. King Arthur knows that if he doesn’t turn things around, this civilisation will be forgotten, and be known as nothing more than a rather dull time in British history. But when three hapless squires approach him about changing that legacy… a legend is born.
Teaming up with one of UK theatre’s best comedy writers and directors, John Nicholson (Peepolykus), award-winning funny men Le Navet Bete (The Three Musketeers, Treasure Island, Dracula: The Bloody Truth) are back with a brand-new laugh-out-loud show for the ages.
A comedy for the whole family, this hilarious retelling of the Arthurian legends will have audiences crying with laughter and become part of the legend themselves!
That’ll Be The Day (40th Anniversary Tour), 07 March 2026
Don’t miss this unforgettable performance celebrating the 40th Anniversary of That’ll Be The Day and Trevor’s farewell tour.
Experience a unique blend of rock ‘n’ roll, pop, and comedy, featuring timeless hits from the 50s through to the 80s.
Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story, 14 – 18 April 2026
This sensational multi award-winning West End show first opened in 1989 and has been thrilling audiences around the world ever since. Now it triumphantly visits returns to Plymouth as part of its 2025/26 UK Tour.
Forget feel good, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is FEEL GREAT! Experience the drama, passion and excitement as a multi-talented cast of actor-musicians tell Buddy Holly’s story, from his Texas rockabilly beginnings to international stardom and his legendary final performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, before his tragic death at the age of just 22.
Featuring two terrific hours of the greatest songs ever written, including That’ll Be The Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, Johnny B. Goode, Raining In My Heart, Everyday, Shout and many many more, this show is just Peggy Sue–perb!
Josh Widdicombe – Not My Cup Of Tea, 21 April 2026
Josh Widdicombe is back on tour… not again!
By now he has almost certainly mastered the art of stand-up, either that or he has wasted the last 15 years of his life. Come along and decide for yourself. Expect it to be shorter and with lower production values than Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, but funnier and with more references to tea.
English National Ballet: Body and Soul, 30 April – 02 May 2026
Get ready to be immersed in two resonant premieres from Crystal Pite and Kameron N. Saunders.
This bold new programme features the UK premiere of Body and Soul (Part 1) from acclaimed choreographer Crystal Pite, who originally created the piece for Paris Opera Ballet and has worked with companies across the world.
Kameron N. Saunders has built a huge following as a commercial dancer for some of the world’s biggest artists, including Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan. He is also a prize-winning choreographer who has created pieces for Joffrey Ballet and Dallas Black Dance Theatre.
For this world premiere, Saunders brings his fresh choreographic voice to a new work in three parts, inspired by his personal experience.
Death On The Nile, 19 – 23 May 2026
On board a luxurious cruise under the heat of the Egyptian sun, a couple’s idyllic honeymoon is cut short by a brutal murder. As secrets that have been buried in the sands of time finally resurface, can the world-famous detective, Hercule Poirot, untangle the web of lies and solve another crime?
Following the sell-out tours of And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express, Death on the Nile reunites celebrated director Lucy Bailey (Witness for the Prosecution), writer Ken Ludwig and Fiery Angel for the European premiere of a brand-new adaptation of the globally celebrated Agatha Christie story on a nationwide tour.
Derren Brown – Only Human, 26 – 30 May 2026
Prepare to be astonished! The multi award-winning master of mind control and psychological illusion, Derren Brown, returns to Plymouth with his brand new live show, Only Human.
The content of Only Human is still under wraps, but we can guarantee you a mind-blowing experience that’ll take your breath away!
Tickets for Derren’s shows always sell out fast, so don’t miss out.
Legally Blonde, 02 – 06 June 2026
The iconic international West End and Broadway smash hit musical comedy Legally Blonde The Musical is back in fashion with a huge new production.
This ultimate feel-good rom-com, based on the award-winning film starring Reese Witherspoon, follows Elle Woods on her transformation from It girl fashionista to legal ace at Harvard Law School, all in the name of love.
Elle must prove she is more than blonde ambition, swap the changing rooms for the courtroom and learn that ‘being true to yourself never goes out of style.’
This must-see show is from the creative team behind Director Nikolai Foster’s phenomenally successful Kinky Boots.
Operation Mincemeat, 29 June – 04 July 2026
Operation Mincemeat is the 2024 Olivier Award-winning Best New Musical. It’s London’s biggest hit with 77 Five-Star reviews making it the best-reviewed show in West End history. Now also a Tony-nominated Best Musical on Broadway!
The year is 1943 and right now we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse.
Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II.
Bursting at the seams with the kind of chaos you couldn’t invent, the question is: how did a dead body, a fake love letter, and – of all people – Ian Fleming come together to wrong-foot Hitler?
The Bodyguard, 06 – 11 July 2026
The international, award-winning smash-hit musical The Bodyguard is back!
Starring international leading actor Sidonie Smith (Sister Act, Chicago, Jesus Christ Superstar) as Rachel Marron, Olivier Award nominated Adam Garcia (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Wicked, Ugly Coyote) and Matt Milburn (Coronation Street, Hollyoaks) as Sy Spector.
Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge – what they don’t expect is to fall in love.
Mrs Doubtfire, 20 October – 07 November 2026
Helloooo, poppets! Mrs. Doubtfire is the West End’s hit comedy musical based on the beloved film is heading to Plymouth. This ‘genuinely funny’ (Time Out) show features all the iconic moments you love, plus fabulous new songs and dazzling dance numbers!
Out-of-work actor Daniel (played by the critically acclaimed Gabriel Vick*, original London company) will do anything for his kids. After losing custody in a messy divorce, he creates the alter ego of Scottish nanny Euphegenia Doubtfire in a desperate attempt to stay in their lives. As his new character takes on a life of its own, Mrs. Doubtfire teaches Daniel more than he bargained for about how to be a father.
Mrs. Doubtfire features all the hilarious moments you love from the movie, plus fabulous new songs and dazzling dance numbers! Put it all together, and you’ve got a ‘surefire hit’ (The Telegraph, Daily Express) that can’t be missed.
The Drum:
Jessica Hepburn’s Great Adventure (with Special Guests), 11 – 13 September 2025
Jessica Hepburn is an unlikely adventurer and she wants to tell you her story in her own words – with music – because every great adventure needs a soundtrack!
Labelled the ‘arty’ not the ‘sporty’ one in school, she’s always been more at home treading the boards of a theatre, than scaling the slopes of a mountain. But in her mid-forties she started to adventure her way out of heartbreak becoming the first woman in the world to complete the ‘Sea, Street, Summit Challenge’ – swim the English Channel, run the London Marathon, and summit Mount Everest. All fuelled by listening to every episode of her favourite radio programme Desert Island Discs.
This is the inspirational true story of Jessica’s Great Adventure which transformed her into an activist for the power of adventure to transform your life. Each night she will also be joined on stage by a special guest who will share their life’s greatest adventures with you, too. From their first to their last adventures. From their health to their heart adventures. From the adventure that went wrong, to the person they’d most want as their adventure companion.
Join us for an extraordinary theatrical journey from sea to summit.
Pub Grub, 16 – 17 September 2025
Fun + filthy poems from someone who knows what they’re doing. If there were any justice he’d be Poet Laureate, or King.
After selling out shows across the country with JOY!, Luke Wright is back with a sticky-floored celebration of the ordinary. Here the poet conjures up a world of Tuesday lunchtimes and small town boozers in poems that burst with inventive language.
Forget your “best life”, come and live your worst. These are the kind of poems you can get drunk to, full of audacious rhymes, insane sonic trickery, and big-hearted storytelling. Expect loads of laughs, a few more coins in the swear jar, and a sore head in the morning.
Sorry (I Broke Your Arms and Legs), 19 – 20 September 2025
Sam Wilson, Class 8C, is obviously the correct choice for Head Boy. He’s got the PowerPoint to prove it. But amidst school discos, playground football, and machiavellian scheming, the road to the top will certainly be no Geography with Mr Baker (Geography with Mr Baker is massively easy). As the race intensifies, will Sam cause another boy grievous bodily harm? See title.
After sell-out shows at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, this 5-star, ‘painfully funny’ (The Stage) comedy that ‘exudes originality’ (The Recs) comes to Plymouth.
Sorry (I Broke Your Arms And Legs) is a riotous debut PowerPoint presentation combining the thrills of World Book Day with the hilarity of the Maths Olympiad. Don’t be late.
Lovett, 26 – 27 September 2025
The newly-widowed Mrs Lovett needs to find a way to survive. Using the skills she learned from her whaler father, Eleanor “recalibrates”.
An origin story set before she encounters Sweeney Todd, we discover what ultimately led her to turn his victims into pies.
You may think you already know Mrs. Lovett, but this new play invites you to dig into what made her: the brutal choices of a life in poverty.
When the difference is life or death, morality becomes a moveable feast… and Eleanor is getting hungry.
Juliet & Romeo, 30 September – 04 October 2025
With Lost Dog’s blend of dance, theatre and comedy this duet reveals the real story of Romeo and Juliet. It turns out they didn’t die in a tragic misunderstanding, they grew up and lived happily ever after. Well they lived at least.
Now they’re 40ish, at least one of them is in the grips of a mid-life crisis, they feel constantly mocked by their teenage selves and haunted by the pressures of being the poster couple for romantic love. They have decided to confront their current struggles by putting on a performance – about themselves. Their therapist told them it was a terrible idea.
Directed by award-winning director/choreographer Ben Duke, Juliet & Romeo takes on our cultural obsession with youth and our inevitable issues with longevity.
Ordinary Decent Criminals, 09 – 11 October 2025
Set in the years following the Strangeways Prison Riot, meet recovering addict Frankie, played by renowned political comedian Mark Thomas as he enters the brave new world of a liberal prison experiment.
None of Frankie’s fellow convicts are what they seem. In the most unexpected of places he discovers that the revolution is not dead. It’s just sleeping.
A brand new play from the writer of the Fringe First winning England & Son and A Political History of Smack & Crack, Ed Edwards reunites with Mark Thomas to tell a tale of freedom, revolution and messy love.
Directed by Paines Plough’s Joint Artistic Director, Charlotte Bennett.
BAD LADS, 15 – 18 October 2025
A story of oppression and resilience.
BAD LADS tells the gripping and devastating true story of the boys held at Medomsley Youth Detention Centre in County Durham in the 1980s— sold to the public as a “short, sharp shock” for wayward youth, the reality hid something much darker.
The system has failed these working-class men. At a time when the cry for accountability is louder than ever, BAD LADS demands remembrance and calls for justice.
We Are Here to Share, 25 October 2025
Beyond Face presents an evening showcasing two brand new works in development from Beyond Face Associate Artists Lau Batty and Rozelle Gemma.
Over the course of this year, Lau and Roz have been developing brand new pieces of work for the stage, creating a new part of their show and performing it at each of our We are scratch nights in Southampton, Bristol and Ilfracombe.
Come along, support new work and share your feedback in this celebration of work in development.
