Caroline: A New Musical – based on the famed Radio Caroline station – to tour in 2026

Exclusive: A new stage musical inspired by the story of pirate radio station Radio Caroline will tour East Anglia in 2026.

Written by Vikki Stone and directed by Douglas Rintoul and Alex Thorpe, the production follows Caroline, a young woman whose life changes when her boyfriend takes a job with Radio Caroline, the offshore station that broadcast pop and rock music from a ship off the Essex coast during the 1960s. The musical features a cast of actor-musicians and includes songs from the period.

Caroline: A New Musical opens at the New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich on 17 April 2026 before visiting Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch (6 to 16 May), New Theatre Peterborough (19 to 23 May), Mercury Theatre Colchester (3 to 13 June) and Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds (16 to 20 June).

The show is produced by the East Anglian Touring Consortium, a new partnership between Eastern Angles, HighTide, Landmark Theatres, Mercury Theatre Colchester, New Wolsey Theatre, Norwich Theatre, Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. Supported by Arts Council England, the consortium aims to create original work that supports local talent and reaches audiences across the region.

Stone said: “It has been a delight to develop Caroline, a bold, loud and joyfully defiant show which celebrates the rich cultural history of East Anglia.”

Rintoul added: “As someone who also grew up in the area, I’m thrilled that we’re bringing this extraordinary story home. Caroline celebrates the mavericks who changed the airwaves forever, blending wit, heart and a glorious soundtrack that defined a generation.”

Tickets will start from £15 at every performance to encourage accessibility across the region.