Jane Eyre musical to receive UK premiere this summer

Exclusive: Jane Eyre, a musical by John Caird and Paul Gordon based on the seminal novel by Charlotte Brontë, will receive its UK premiere 30 years on from its first bow.

The production will be co-directed by Caird and Megan McGinnis. Caird previously adapted and co-directed the original production of Les Misérables in the West End and on Broadway, and most recently directed the award-winning stage adaptation of Spirited Away at the London Coliseum. McGinnis has appeared on Broadway in Beauty and the Beast, Little Women and Beetlejuice. Casting and the full creative team are to be announced.

Caird said: “I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to explore a new version of Jane Eyre in the intimate Southwark Playhouse Elephant. It’s always a pleasure to work on this romance but all the more exciting to be collaborating with Megan McGinnis as co-director.”

Gordon added: “I’m beyond thrilled to bring the musical of Jane Eyre to the UK. Charlotte Brontë’s story is not only a portrayal of a female protagonist, but a narrative that sends audiences out of the theatre feeling better about their own lives than when they walked in.”

Producer Adam Blanshay said: “I’ve been a fan of Jane Eyre since its inception, and it’s an honour to introduce it to UK audiences in a new staging. I hope it will resonate with young adults and today’s theatre-goers, capturing the story’s emotional power for a contemporary audience. Collaborating with this creative team, whose work I’ve admired my whole life, is a privilege. As a Canadian, partnering with Mirvish Productions, who inspired my love of theatre, is especially meaningful.”

The production is set to run at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from 28 August to 24 October 2026, with tickets on sale today.

Producer Hannah Mirvish added: “I remember the original version of John and Paul’s musical adaptation of Jane Eyre that we did when I was young. I saw the show more times than I remember. A couple years later I was assigned the book to read in school. Both left their mark on me. Now, to have a chance to bring this story back to the stage is a joy.”

The musical, and Brontë’s original tale, follows Jane’s journey from orphan to adulthood. Her life becomes tied to Thornfield Hall and its owner, Edward Rochester, where she encounters secrets, danger and betrayal.

The musical premiered in Toronto in 1996 and later opened on Broadway in 2000, where it received five nominations at the Tony Awards. For the 30th anniversary year of the show, Adam Blanshay Productions is partnering with the original Canadian producers David Mirvish and Hannah Mirvish.