Stage Watch: Annie, Cinderella, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Popinjay Cavalier, Devil Wears Prada
Stage Watch brings together a curated selection of upcoming theatre, musicals and live performances from London and across the broader Oxfordshire region – from large-scale West End productions to inventive new writing and distinctive dance. This selection ranges from a beloved family musical arriving in Oxford to a new comedy from Quentin Tarantino, alongside ambitious adaptations of familiar stories.
There are wartime romance and spectacle in Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, fashion-world ambition set to music by Elton John, and a return to Roald Dahl’s fantastical chocolate factory. Whether you’re planning a family theatre trip, looking for a new West End experience or drawn to bold reinterpretations of familiar stories, these five productions offer plenty to anticipate over the coming months.
Annie
New Theatre Oxford.
15 December 2026 to 02 January 2027.
Few family musicals have the enduring appeal of Annie, and this acclaimed production brings its combination of optimism, memorable songs and larger-than-life characters to Oxford for a limited Christmas season.
Set in 1930s New York, the story follows the irrepressible young Annie, whose difficult life in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage takes an unexpected turn when she is invited to spend Christmas with billionaire Oliver Warbucks. As Annie holds on to the hope of finding her family, the scheming Miss Hannigan threatens to derail her plans.
The musical’s Tony Award-winning book and score include enduring favourites such as It’s the Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street and Tomorrow. Claire Sweeney stars as the formidable Miss Hannigan, bringing a familiar face to one of musical theatre’s most entertaining antagonists.
With its themes of resilience, belonging and hope, Annie makes a festive choice for families seeking a traditional musical with plenty of heart.
Best for: Families, musical theatre newcomers and anyone looking for a feel-good festive outing.
Good to know: Recommended parental guidance for younger children, given the orphanage setting and themes of separation from parents. The production also features flashing lights, theatrical smoke and haze. Selected seats and performances have a family ticket offer, subject to conditions.
Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella
Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London.
01 December 2026 to 17 January 2027.
London, 1940. The blackout descends, a siren sounds, and a familiar fairytale takes a darker, more cinematic turn. Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella returns to Sadler’s Wells for a 30th-anniversary celebration of one of New Adventures’ best-loved productions, reimagining the classic story against the devastation of the Second World War.
At its heart is a chance encounter between Cinderella and a young RAF pilot. Their brief, magical meeting becomes a wartime romance, with the promise of happiness set against the uncertainty and destruction of the Blitz. Rather than relying on the traditional fairytale’s familiar conventions, Bourne places the story within a recognisable historical setting, where love and separation carry a particular emotional weight.
The production combines Bourne’s expressive choreography with Prokofiev’s magnificent score, brought to life through atmospheric sound design and striking visual effects. Olivier Award-winning designs by Lez Brotherston and lighting by Neil Austin help evoke a city living under the threat of air raids.
Both an evocative portrait of wartime London and a moving reworking of a timeless story, this is dance theatre with cinematic scale and emotional depth.
Best for: Dance enthusiasts, admirers of Matthew Bourne’s storytelling and audiences drawn to dramatic, emotionally charged reinterpretations of classic tales.
Good to know: Recommended for ages 8+. The production depicts the Blitz and includes bombing raids, explosions, strobe lighting, theatrical smoke and haze, and loud noises.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
London Coliseum.
04 June to 18 September 2027.
Roald Dahl’s extraordinary chocolate factory opens its gates once more in a new musical production starring Michael Ball as the eccentric confectioner Willy Wonka. The strictly limited summer season brings one of Britain’s best-loved children’s stories to the London Coliseum, promising an imaginative theatrical world of chocolate rivers, Oompa-Loompas and inventions that defy expectation.
The story follows Charlie Bucket, whose discovery of a golden ticket earns him entry to Wonka’s mysterious factory. What begins as an extraordinary adventure gradually becomes a journey through a world where appearances can deceive and every room holds another surprise.
Ball, whose musical theatre credits include Les Misérables, Hairspray and Sweeney Todd, takes on the role of Wonka in a production directed by Nikolai Foster. The creative team also includes set designer Leslie Travers, with a book by David Greig and music by Marc Shaiman. The score features songs associated with the much-loved 1971 film, including Pure Imagination.
With its combination of fantastical design, comic invention and a story that continues to captivate generations, the production offers a chance to experience Dahl’s peculiar and magical universe on a grand scale.
Best for: Families with school-age children, Roald Dahl enthusiasts and musical theatre fans who enjoy spectacle, fantasy and imaginative stage design.
Good to know: Recommended for ages 6+. Children under 6, including babes in arms, will not be admitted. The running time is approximately 2 hours 30 minutes, including an interval.
The Popinjay Cavalier
Phoenix Theatre, London.
23 February to 13 June 2027.
A swashbuckling comedy of deception, disguise and theatrical vanity arrives in the West End with an unusual creative pairing: Quentin Tarantino makes his playwriting and directing debut, with Sacha Baron Cohen starring as a flamboyant actor whose adventures take a decidedly dangerous turn.
Set in 1830s Europe, The Popinjay Cavalier follows Rupert Sebastian Thomas Jr., a celebrated performer travelling to Paris to appear before the illustrious Comédie-Française. But a few ill-advised remarks about the French threaten to derail his ambitions, setting the scene for a tale of misadventure, intrigue and theatrical excess.
Inspired by grand adventure epics and sparkling screen romances, the production promises swordplay, acrobatics, daring exploits and the sharp dialogue associated with Tarantino’s work. It is a deliberately theatrical proposition, bringing the scale and bravura of a period adventure to the intimacy of a live stage.
Produced by Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sonia Friedman Productions, the show arrives with considerable star power and an intriguing question: how will Tarantino’s distinctive cinematic sensibility translate to the theatre?
Best for: Fans of Quentin Tarantino and Sacha Baron Cohen, audiences who enjoy irreverent comedy, and theatre-goers looking for something less conventional.
Good to know: Recommended for ages 14+, with themes of threat and violence. Sacha Baron Cohen is not scheduled to perform on certain dates, so check the advertised cast before booking.
The Devil Wears Prada
Dominion Theatre, London.
Booking to 25 September 2027.
High fashion, ruthless ambition and the demands of an impossible boss take centre stage in The Devil Wears Prada, the musical adaptation of Lauren Weisberger’s bestselling novel and its hit film version. Now entering its third year in London, the production brings the cut-throat world of fashion publishing to the stage, with music by Elton John and a story that asks how much success is worth sacrificing.
Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy Sachs lands a job at Runway, the influential fashion magazine ruled by its formidable editor-in-chief, Miranda Priestly. What initially seems like an opportunity to advance her career soon becomes an all-consuming test of loyalty, resilience and personal ambition. As Andy is drawn further into Miranda’s glamorous world, she must decide whether the rewards justify the cost.
Teri Hatcher stars as Miranda, alongside Jenna Bonner as Andy, Taila Halford as Emily and Olivier Award-winner Matt Henry as Nigel. The production is directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, with lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick.
With its fashion-world setting, contemporary musical theatre and recognisable characters, the show offers a glossy West End night out – while retaining the story’s underlying tension between professional success and personal fulfilment.
Best for: Fans of the original film and novel, fashion enthusiasts, and audiences who enjoy contemporary musicals with sharp humour and larger-than-life characters.
Good to know: Recommended for ages 8+. The production features strobe lighting; children under 5 are not admitted, and those aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
The post Stage Watch: Annie, Cinderella, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Popinjay Cavalier, Devil Wears Prada appeared first on The Oxford Magazine.
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