Barnum extends 2026 tour and issues casting update

Exclusive: Barnum has extended its major 2026 tour and issued a new casting update.

The tour, produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd, launches at the Theatre Royal Windsor on 3 February 2026 (previews from 30 January) with Lee Mead starring as PT Barnum. Mead will lead the production through to July, before Matt Rawle reprises his acclaimed 2024 Watermill Theatre performance for the newly added autumn leg.

Opening at Newcastle Theatre Royal in August, the extended run will continue across further UK venues until the end of November, with full casting and dates to be confirmed.

The production, directed by Jonathan O’Boyle (Picture You Dead, The Last Five Years) and choreographed by Oti Mabuse (Strictly Come Dancing), is billed as a spectacular staging featuring over 20 actor-musicians performing on 150 instruments, alongside acrobats and international circus acts.

First seen at The London Palladium with Michael Crawford’s history-making tightrope walk, the musical follows P T Barnum as he schemes and dreams his way to the top with the support of his wife, Charity.

Featuring Cy Coleman’s score, Michael Stewart’s lyrics and Mark Bramble’s book, Barnum includes numbers such as “Join the Circus”, “Colours of My Life”, “Come Follow the Band” and “Love Makes Such Fools of Us All”.

The creative team also features Lee Newby (set and costume design), Matt Nicholson (co-choreographer), Jai Morjaria (lighting design), Tom Marshall (sound design), George Dyer (musical supervisor, arrangements and orchestrations) and Amy Panter (circus director).

The tour begins at Windsor Theatre Royal (30 January to 7 February), before visiting Manchester Palace Theatre (10 to 14 February), York Grand Opera House (24 to 28 February), Brighton Theatre Royal (3 to 7 March), Portsmouth Kings Theatre (10 to 14 March), Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre (17 to 21 March), Aylesbury Waterside Theatre (24 to 28 March), Bradford Alhambra Theatre (31 March to 4 April), Cheltenham Everyman Theatre (7 to 11 April), Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (14 to 18 April), Birmingham Hippodrome (21 to 25 April), Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (28 April to 2 May), Swindon Wyvern Theatre (5 to 9 May), Woking New Victoria Theatre (19 to 23 May), Nottingham Playhouse (26 to 30 May), Hull New Theatre (2 to 6 June), Blackpool Opera House (9 to 13 June), Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre (16 to 20 June), Richmond Theatre (23 to 27 June, on sale soon) and Southend Cliffs Pavilion (30 June to 4 July).

Matt Rawle then takes over the role at Newcastle Theatre Royal (12 to 15 August), with further autumn dates running through to November 2026 still to be announced.