The London opening of “Burlesque the Musical” has been postponed while the U.K. tour, which was due to start this weekend, has been pushed back, Variety has learned.
The stage version of the 2010 movie starring Christina Aguilera, Cher and Stanley Tucci was set to open on 12 Sept 2026 at the new 550-seat Arts venue in central London but in an email, sent today to the cast and crew, producers Steven Antin and Adam Paulden confirmed this has been delayed until 2027.
“The most important thing we want to emphasise is that this is not a cancellation,” the duo said in their email. “It is a postponement. The momentum behind ‘Burlesque The Musical’ has never been stronger.”
The U.K. tour, which stars Faye Brooks as Tess (played by Cher in the film) and Gracie O’Brien as Aguilera’s character Ali, has also been pushed back. It was set to launch this Saturday, July 25 in Woking but as of Wednesday the crew were still waiting for the sets to be delivered.
“Everyone’s still very much in the dark, including the crew and venue staff,” a source told Variety yesterday. “No trailers have arrived with set, so no fit up has happened in the first venue. Some venue casuals have had shifts cancelled as a result (with payment). Director and cast are rehearsing on an empty stage.”
A rep for “Burlesque the Musical” has now confirmed to Variety the Woking dates are being pushed back to November and the tour will start in Sunderland, which was supposed to be its second stop, in August.
In a statement sent out after Variety’s story was published, the rep said the decision was made “to give our creative team the time needed to deliver the spectacular production of Burlesque the Musical audiences adore.”
“The producers have confirmed that the tour is fully financed and on a secure footing, as verified by third parties, allowing the company to focus entirely on delivering the highest-quality production possible for audiences nationwide.”
The show originally opened in Manchester in 2024, overseen by its original writer Steven Antin. Runs followed in Glasgow and London’s West End.
A European tour was planned for next year.
More to come…
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