Rent revival announces West End venue, dates and details

Rent will celebrate its 30th anniversary with a new revival in the West End – and details and dates have been confirmed.

Rent, created by Jonathan Larson, premiered Off-Broadway in 1996 before transferring to Broadway, where it became a defining rock musical of its era, winning the Pulitzer Prize and multiple Tony Awards.

Inspired by La Bohème, it follows a group of young artists in New York’s East Village struggling with poverty, creativity, relationships, and the AIDS crisis.

The “bold new production”, directed by the WhatsOnStage and Olivier Award winner Luke Sheppard (who previously the five-star revival seen at the Hope Mill Theatre in 2020 and 2021, which has “inspired” this version), will run at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 26 September 2026.

Producers Chris Harper and Sonia Friedman said today “We are absolutely delighted to be bringing Rent back to the West End in this bold new production.

“We were completely exhilarated when we first saw Luke Sheppard’s staging at the Hope Mill Theatre in 2020 – it felt immediate, emotional and utterly alive. Jonathan Larson’s musical remains as powerful and resonant as ever, and Luke has found a way to honour its legacy while making it feel thrillingly fresh for today’s audiences. We cannot wait to share this production and all that we have planned for it. It promises to be a truly special theatrical event.”

Tickets will go on general sale from midday, with various pre-sales across the morning. Ten thousand tickets across the run are available at £35 and under. There will also be on-stage seats for some ticket holders. 

Alongside Sheppard, the show has choreography by Tom Jackson Greaves, with set design by David Woodhead, costume design by Gabriella Slade, lighting design by Howard Hudson, audio production and sound design by Paul Gatehouse, video design and cinematography by George Reeve and Nathan Amzi, make-up and hair design by Jackie Saundercock, UK casting by Pearson Casting and US Casting by Jim Carnahan CSA.

The musical supervisor is Bill Sherman and the musical director and associate musical supervisor is Katy Richardson, the intimacy director is Asha Jennings-Grant, the associate director is Priya Patel Appleby and the dialect coach is Joe Trill.

Sheppard explained today: “It’s an honour to be bringing Rent into the West End for its 30th anniversary year, and a personal privilege to return to Jonathan Larson’s extraordinary musical. Directing the show at the Hope Mill Theatre was a transformative experience and we were overwhelmed by the audience response.

“The opportunity to reimagine that production on a larger scale is a dream come true, bringing West End audiences up close to the heartfelt emotion and raw energy that powers this seminal musical.”

Initial casting for the revival has also been confirmed.