Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella to return for anniversary tour

Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella will return for a UK tour in 2026 and 2027 to mark the production’s 30th anniversary.

The production first premiered in the West End in 1997 and later returned in a revised version in 2010, which went on to tour the UK.

Set in London during the Second World War, Cinderella reimagines the fairytale against the backdrop of the Blitz, with music by Sergei Prokofiev. The story follows a brief meeting between Cinderella and an RAF pilot, whose relationship unfolds amid air raids and wartime disruption.

Bourne explained today that the show “has always held a very special place in [his] heart”, explaining: “My parents were both children of the London Blitz, living streets apart from each other in the bomb-battered East End. It’s also a tribute to the spirit and resilience of my hometown but mostly it’s about love, the power of love to transcend troubled times and give hope for a better future.”

The tour will open at Theatre Royal Plymouth from 16 to 21 November 2026, before visiting Lowry, Salford from 24 to 28 November. The production will then form New Adventures’ annual Christmas season at Sadler’s Wells, running from 1 December 2026 until 17 January 2027, marking the company’s 24th consecutive Christmas season at the venue. Further tour dates for 2027 are set to be announced.

The creative team includes set and costume design by Lez Brotherston, lighting by Neil Austin, video and projection design by Duncan McLean, and sound design by Paul Groothuis.

Casting and additional tour venues will be announced at a later date.