Nevermore musical to open in London in 2027

Cult hit musical Nevermore – The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe will play at Charing Cross Theatre next summer.

Written, composed and directed by Jonathan Christenson, artistic director of Catalyst Theatre, the musical play explores the life and imagination of American writer Edgar Allan Poe, drawing on his life and works, including The Raven, The Tell-Tale Heart, The Fall of the House of Usher and The Pit and the Pendulum.

Originally created by the Canadian company Catalyst in Edmonton, Nevermore has been presented across Canada and internationally. It was staged at the Barbican as part of the London International Festival of Theatre and at New York’s New World Stages Off-Broadway in 2015, where it received three Lucille Lortel Award nominations, including outstanding musical.

Producer M. Kilburg Reedy said: “I first produced Nevermore Off-Broadway in 2015, so it’s wonderful to be returning to the piece and bringing it to Charing Cross Theatre. Nevermore has been called ‘haunting,’ and it’s fair to say that I have been ‘haunted’ by Jonathan’s singular creation – a musical play that is visually stunning, deeply theatrical and full of wit and darkness, the layers of which have only deepened through his continued work over the years. I’m very excited for London audiences to see this best-ever version of the show in 2027 and, as a co-producer of Come From Away, I’m especially proud to be bringing another extraordinary Canadian musical to the London stage.”

Christenson said: “Edgar Allan Poe turned his own tortured life into some of the most macabre stories and poems ever written and it’s this intriguing relationship between his life and his work that inspired Nevermore. Blurring the lines between history, memory and imagination, Nevermore uses poetic text, expressive movement, haunting music and whimsical design to get under the skin of a man who remains an irresistible mystery. I’m thrilled that we’ll be sharing that mystery with London audiences at Charing Cross Theatre.”

The creative team includes production designer Bretta Gerecke, choreographer Laura Krewski, sound effects designer Wade Staples, sound designer Andrew Johnson, London casting director Neil Rutherford and orchestrator Matthew Skopyk, who works with Christenson. Original cast character photography is by David Cooper, with key art by Kurt Firla.

Nevermore – The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe will run from 19 July to 9 October 2027, with a press night on 27 July. It is produced by Reedy for MKR Entertainment Group Ltd, Martin Hummel and Catalyst Theatre.

Casting for the London production will take place in spring 2027, with further details to be announced.