Sylvia to return for new tour and London run at the Royal Albert Hall – with initial casting confirmed

The Olivier-nominated musical production of Sylvia, from The Old Vic and ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company in association with Sadler’s Wells, will return to the stage in autumn 2026 for a limited UK tour followed by a short residency at the Royal Albert Hall.

Beverley Knight is confirmed to reprise her Olivier Award-winning role as Emmeline Pankhurst, with Sharon Rose returning as Sylvia Pankhurst. The production celebrates the life and activism of Sylvia Pankhurst, the daughter of Emmeline, focusing on her work for working women and men across the globe, a period which led to conflict within her own family.

The tour, produced in association with Curve Leicester, has also confirmed dates – which you can see in full here.

The London leg will comprise five performances at the Royal Albert Hall from 13 to 15 November 2026. Tickets for the Royal Albert Hall dates go on sale to the general public on 7 November 2026.

This venue holds significance for the Suffragette movement, having hosted over 20 rallies for the cause and becoming the site of historic speeches, before the suffragettes were banned from the Hall between 1913 and 1918.

Knight said today: “I could not be more chuffed to reprise my role as Emmeline Pankhurst one more time! The spirit, courage and determination of the suffragettes and in particular Sylvia Pankhurst is so brilliantly celebrated in this show. The soul, R&B, hip-hop and blues reflects the joy, passion and the fight of the women and their allies. It seemed to me like the perfect place to perform Sylvia was the very stage on which the suffragettes were roundly expelled and rejected, the Royal Albert Hall. Over 100 years later Sylvia and the Suffragettes are returning to triumph.”

Helen Pankhurst, activist, scholar, and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, added: “I’m thrilled that Sylvia will be touring the UK next autumn, reaching audiences right across the country including Greater Manchester, the birthplace of the suffragette movement, and the Royal Albert Hall which became a powerful stage for some of the most memorable events in the fight for women to gain the vote.

“This production is a stunning retelling of the Suffragette movement, focusing on the fiery personal and political dynamics within my family. With only a few years until the Centenary of Equal Franchise in 2028, this might seem like a story of the past and of one extraordinary family, but the themes it explores are as relevant and topical as ever.”

Sylvia’s new run follows its successful world premiere production at The Old Vic in 2023. The musical features music by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, fusing hip hop, funk, and soul, and is choreographed and directed by Kate Prince of ZooNation. The full creative team includes Priya Parmar (book), Josh Cohenand DJ Walde (music), Ben Stones (set and costume), Natasha Chivers (lighting), Tony Gayle (sound), Andrzej Goulding (video and animation), Cynthia De La Rosa (wigs, hair and make-up), Lolita Chakrabarti (dramaturgy) and Sean Green (music supervisor). The production is supported by a grant from the Arts Council Incentivising Touring scheme.

Watch an interview with Knight, Prince and Rose here: