Stage Watch brings together a curated selection of upcoming theatre, musicals and live performances from London and across the broader Oxfordshire region – from internationally recognised stage productions and television phenomena to inventive new musicals and much-loved screen classics.
This week’s line-up moves between Tudor pop, psychological drama, spectacular live dance and emotionally charged musical theatre, with a much-anticipated Oxford return providing a more immediate highlight.
Together, these productions offer very different kinds of theatrical experience – from intimate storytelling and historical reimagining to arena-scale entertainment and the enduring appeal of a cultural classic.
Six
Vaudeville Theatre, London.
Booking until 28 Nov 2027. No Booking Fees.
History gets a pop-concert makeover in Six, the award-winning musical that puts the six wives of Henry VIII centre stage and gives each of them the opportunity to reclaim her own story. Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine Howard and Catherine Parr step out of the historical footnotes to compete for the crown – and challenge the version of their lives that has been handed down through centuries.
Created by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, the production draws on the language and energy of contemporary pop, transforming a familiar Tudor rhyme into a sharp, witty and fiercely modern piece of musical theatre. Each queen has her own musical identity, while the live band – the Ladies in Waiting – gives the show the feel of a concert as much as a conventional West End musical.
Now an established international hit, Six combines humour, choreography and an infectious score with a more pointed examination of how women’s stories are shaped and remembered. At just 80 minutes without an interval, it is also a fast-moving evening of theatre that makes a virtue of its compact scale.
Best for: Fans of musical theatre, contemporary pop, history with a twist, and high-energy performances.
Good to know: Recommended for ages 10+. The production runs for approximately 80 minutes without an interval. Children aged 14 and under must be accompanied by an adult at Nimax Theatres.
The Traitors – Acts of Betrayal
Gillian Lynne Theatre, London.
11 May to 31 Jul 2027.
The phenomenon of The Traitors moves from television to the West End with a theatrical experiment built around one deceptively simple question: what if the game had played out differently? The Traitors – Acts of Betrayal turns the show’s central themes of suspicion, loyalty and deception into a cycle of five interconnected possibilities.
From Monday to Friday, the same story begins but develops into a different play, with characters who are eliminated in one version emerging victorious in another. The result is less a conventional stage adaptation than an exploration of the alternative paths a single decision can create – and of what pressure reveals about people.
The production also gives its audience an unusual degree of agency. On Saturdays, the audience votes to determine which version will be performed, meaning the outcome is decided in real time. Written by John Finnemore and directed by Robert Hastie, with Nick Mohammed as The Host, the production brings together theatrical storytelling and the participatory instincts of the television format.
Best for: Fans of The Traitors, psychological drama, dark humour and theatre that plays with audience participation.
Good to know: There are five different versions of the play. Weekday performances follow a fixed schedule, while Saturday audiences decide which version is staged. The running time is yet to be confirmed.
Strictly Come Dancing – The Live Tour
The O2, London.
12 to 14 Feb 2027.
The glitter, choreography and competitive spirit of Strictly Come Dancing return to the arena in a live spectacular that takes the familiar television format and expands it for thousands of spectators. Expect dazzling routines, elaborate costumes, live music and the judges’ familiar combination of expertise and banter.
Rather than attempting to recreate the intimacy of the television studio, Strictly Come Dancing – The Live Tour embraces the scale of the arena. The emphasis is on performance, atmosphere and the collective excitement of seeing the dancing unfold live, surrounded by fellow fans.
For those who enjoy Strictly for its combination of ballroom tradition, contemporary choreography and sheer theatrical spectacle, the tour offers an opportunity to experience the show without the screen between audience and performers.
Best for: Strictly Come Dancing devotees, dance fans and anyone looking for an upbeat, large-scale night out.
Good to know: The 2027 tour visits The O2 from 12 to 14 February. Cast details and running time are yet to be confirmed.
Little Dancer
Theatre Royal Haymarket, London.
15 Feb to 27 Mar 2027.
A celebrated work of art becomes the starting point for Little Dancer, a new musical centred on Marie van Goethem, the young Parisian who posed for Edgar Degas and became the subject of one of the most recognisable sculptures in modern art. Behind the poised figure immortalised by Degas lies the story of a working-class girl navigating ambition, poverty and a world that was prepared to look at her without necessarily seeing her.
Set in Belle Époque Paris, the musical explores the relationship between Marie and Degas, bringing together questions of artistic ambition, social inequality and the desire to leave a mark. It comes from Tony and Olivier Award-winners Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, whose previous work includes Anastasia, Ragtime and Once on This Island.
Susan Stroman, the five-time Tony and Olivier Award-winning director and choreographer, leads the production, with Tiler Peck – principal dancer with New York City Ballet and star of Étoile – playing Young Marie. The combination of musical theatre and ballet gives the production a distinctive physical language, while a cast including Julian Ovenden, Laura Pitt-Pulford and Josefina Gabrielle brings the story firmly into dramatic territory.
Best for: Lovers of ballet, musical theatre, art history and richly realised period drama.
Good to know: The production plays for six weeks at Theatre Royal Haymarket before embarking on a world tour. Tiler Peck is currently scheduled to appear through 20 March 2027. Children under four are not admitted; anyone aged 15 or under must be accompanied by an adult.
Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage
New Theatre Oxford.
06 to 10 Oct 2026.
The summer romance that became a cultural phenomenon returns to Oxford this week, as Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage brings the world of Kellerman’s holiday resort to New Theatre Oxford. Based on Eleanor Bergstein’s screenplay for the 1987 film, the stage production follows Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman and Johnny Castle as their relationship develops across the social divide separating them.
The production retains the musical identity that helped make the film an enduring favourite, with songs including Hungry Eyes, Hey! Baby, Do You Love Me? and the Oscar-winning (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life. Live music and an ensemble of dancers give the familiar story a theatrical energy of its own, while the choreography remains central to the relationship between Baby and Johnny.
Joel Benjamin stars as Johnny Castle, with Charlie Varlet as Baby and Ellie Fergusson as Penny. Directed by Federico Bellone and choreographed by Austin Wilks, the production is part of the current UK and Irish tour, which continues through summer 2027. Its return to Oxford offers audiences the chance to revisit a much-loved story in a form designed for the stage.
Best for: Fans of the original film, romantic musicals, dance and nostalgic live entertainment.
Good to know: The Oxford run continues until Saturday 10 October, with evening and weekend matinee performances. Age guidance is 14+. The production has an interval.
The post Stage Watch: Six, The Traitors, Strictly Come Dancing, Little Dancer, and Dirty Dancing appeared first on The Oxford Magazine.
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