Calendar Girls musical revival announced in Octagon season

The Octagon Theatre has announced programming for 2026 and 2027, with a season that brings together revivals, touring work, new writing and a festive production.

The season opens in June with hit musical Murder for Two, a whodunit in which two performers play multiple roles. The story follows a small-town police officer investigating the death of a novelist at his own birthday party, with Lucy Keirl and Tom Babbage cast in the production.

During the summer, the theatre’s Young Company will stage Dawn King’s The Trials. Set in a future shaped by climate collapse, the play imagines a justice system in which young people judge the older generation. The production will be directed by Ruth Allison and Lotte Wakeham, and will include both youth performers and adult community actors.

In the autumn, the theatre will present a revival of Ayub Khan-Din’s East Is East, marking 30 years since its premiere. The play, set in 1970s Salford, explores family life within a British-Pakistani household. The production is a co-production with Citizens Theatre Glasgow and Wiltshire Creative, in association with Derby Theatre, and will be directed by Kash Arshad.

Also in the autumn is Calendar Girls: The Musical, based on the story of a group of Yorkshire women who created a fundraising calendar. Featuring music and lyrics by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth, the production will be directed by Paul Robinson.

In November, the John Godber Company returns to the venue with The Highwayman, a new work set in 18th-century Yorkshire.

The festive production for 2026 will be Cinderella: A Fairytale, created by Sally Cookson, Adam Peck and the original company, with music and lyrics by Benji Bower. The production will be directed by Sarah Punshon.

The season concludes in 2027 with a new staging of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, presented in co-production with Hull Truck Theatre and Derby Theatre. The run will include performances aimed at school audiences.

Priority booking for members opens on 20 April, with general booking from 28 April.