Mayflower has released their new spring and summer 2026 What’s On brochure, covering an exciting season of shows from early 2026 right through to the autumn and beyond at Mayflower Theatre and Mayflower Studios.
Key shows to highlight are:
Toto the Ninja Cat and the Great Snake Escape
23 – 25 July 2026 at Mayflower Studios
Meet Toto. She might look like an ordinary cat, but she’s no ordinary feline. Almost completely blind, Toto has incredible ninja skills, a big heart, and a nose for adventure.
By day, she naps like any other pet… but by night, she’s out on daring missions with her cheeky brother, Silver.
Based on Dermot O’Leary’s best-selling children’s book, illustrated by Nick East, this purr-fectly thrilling tale is filled with original music, laugh-out-loud fun, and extraordinary puppetry, promising fun for the whole family.
Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man
16 – 19 September 2026 at Mayflower Theatre
Matthew Bourne’s award-winning The Car Man comes to Southampton for the first time!
Loosely based on Bizet’s ever-popular opera Carmen, The Car Man has one of the most thrilling and instantly recognisable scores in New Adventures’ repertoire.
Matthew Bourne’s vivid storytelling combines with one of the most passionately dramatic scores ever written. With music by Terry Davies, and featuring Rodion Shchedrin’s Carmen Suite, it creates a dance thriller like no other.
The Lion Inside
28 – 30 August 2026 at Mayflower Studios
A heart-warming tale about confidence, self-esteem, and a shy little mouse who sets out on a journey to find his roar.
Based on the best-selling story by Rachel Bright & Jim Field, this joyous new stage adaptation featuring puppetry, music and song is directed by Sarah Punshon (The Jungle Book), with music and lyrics by Eamonn O’Dwyer (Brief Encounter).
The Pianist
8 – 12 September 2026 at Mayflower Studios
The brilliant melodies of The Pianist himself, Władysław Szpilman, underscore and uplift this new musical adaptation of the acclaimed memoir, boldly adapted for the stage and directed by Thom Southerland (Titanic the Musical), with music arranged by Simon Lee (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s long-time music director).
Performed by an ensemble of 11 actor-musicians portraying over 50 characters and playing a symphonic array of instruments.
The Ballad of Johnny & June
8 – 12 September 2026 at Mayflower Theatre
The Ballad of Johnny & June takes you inside the soaring highs and shattering lows of a love story that defined an era.
From the stage to the road, through triumphs, heartbreak, and redemption this brand-new musical, created with the support of their family and told through the eyes of their son, John Carter Cash, shows why Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash remain one of the most influential couples of the 20th Century.
Packed with legendary hits from I Walk the Line, Ring of Fire, Hey Porter, Jackson, I’ve Been Everywhere and directed by two-time Tony Award winner Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys, The Who’s Tommy, and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical).
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
24 September – 24 October 2026 at Mayflower Theatre
Enter a world of splendour, of eye-popping excess, of glitz, grandeur, and glory!
A world where Bohemians and aristocrats rub elbows and revel in electrifying enchantment.
Winner of 10 Tony awards including Best Musical, Best Director, and Best Choreography Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza.
A celebration of truth, beauty, freedom and – above all – love, Moulin Rouge! is more than a musical; it is a state of mind.
The Choir of Man
3 – 7 November 2026 at Mayflower Theatre
Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award-nominated, worldwide smash hit is now on its first ever UK tour. Brimming with hits from artists such as Queen, Luther Vandross, Sia, Paul Simon, Adele, Guns & Roses, Avicii and Katy Perry to name but a few, this is a pub like no other!
Jersey Boys
23 – 28 November 2026 at Mayflower Theatre
The boys are back as the original Tony®-winning sensation returns to Mayflower as part of its 20th Anniversary Tour!
Go behind the music and inside the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in this true-life musical phenomenon.
From the streets of New Jersey to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, this is the musical that’s too good to be true. The show features all their hits including Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like A Man, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, and more!
English National Ballet’s Romeo & Juliet
3 – 5 December 2026 at Mayflower Theatre
Shakespeare’s heart-breaking tale is reimagined in a ballet burning with intensity.
Created nearly 50 years ago for Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, Rudolf Nureyev’s Romeo & Juliet still has the power to grab you with its electrifying drama.
From love at first sight to the final devasting embrace, the iconic story comes alive on stage. English National Ballet Philharmonic perform Prokofiev’s dramatic score live – the power of their sound amplifying every moment.
Cinderella… a VERY Happy Ending! – Adult Panto
26 November – 11 December 2026 at Mayflower Studios
Cinderella: A VERY Happy Ending! is The Stage Door’s brand-new adults-only panto extravaganza: bold, bonkers, and bursting with outrageous comedy from start to finish.
Expect unforgettable characters, sing-along moments, side-splitting gags, adult humour, and a spectacular “happy ending” that lives up to its name.
Annie
25 – 30 January 2027 at Mayflower Theatre
Set in 1930s New York, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck soon changes when she’s chosen to spend a fairytale Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family…
With its Tony® award-winning book and score, including the unforgettable songs It’s The Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street and I Don’t Need Anything But You and Tomorrow, you can bet your bottom dollar that you’ll love it!
Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of)
3 – 6 March 2027 at Mayflower Theatre
Following its triumphant triumphs in the West End where it won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story.
Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance.
This multi-award-winning production features a string of pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain.
Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella
9 – 13 March 2027 at Mayflower Theatre
New Adventures return to Mayflower with the 30th Anniversary celebration of one of their most popular and beloved productions, Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella – a thrilling and evocative love story set in London during the Second World War.
Cinderella is both a tribute and a testament to the spirit of London during a time when every second counted and lives were changed forever. Bourne’s vivid storytelling has never been more heart-stopping and touching, creating a unique and unforgettable depiction of a familiar but timeless fable.
CATS
30 March – 10 April 2027 at Mayflower Theatre
From Euston station to Victoria Grove, the strays and rebels of London gather under the Jellicle moon in the hope they’ll be the chosen one. And each of them asks, because each of them dares, who will it be?
Based on T.S. Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, and with a legendary score which inspired generations, featuring Old Deuteronomy, Macavity: The Mystery Cat, Jellicle Ball and the chart-topping hit Memory, this brand-new production of CATS, directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie (Brigadoon, Jesus Christ Superstar) arrives Tuesday 30 March 2027 for two weeks only.
Birmingham Royal Ballet’s The Maiden of Venice
14 – 17 April 2027 at Mayflower Theatre
Admiral Sandro returns victorious to Venice to prepare for his marriage to the daughter of the Doge. He learns that his childhood love, Nicoletta, is about to become a nun, and when they meet they declare their love for each other. Nicoletta’s guardian Bishop Olivolo overhears their declaration. The Bishop is also in love with Nicoletta and he vows to destroy Sandro.
In this sumptuous reimagining of the 19th-century classic La Bayadère, Carlos Acosta moves the action to Renaissance Venice.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie
4 – 8 May 2027 at Mayflower Theatre
Following a record-breaking three-year West End residency, two sold-out UK & Ireland tours and an Amazon Studios award-winning film, the smash-hit and critically acclaimed musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie returns to Southampton.
With an original score of catchy pop tunes by lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling, Dan Gillespie Sells and writer Tom MacRae (Doctor Who), this musical will have everybody talking about Jamie for years to come.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
11 – 15 May 2027 at Mayflower Theatre
The internationally celebrated novel that captivated 10 million readers and inspired a ground-breaking National Theatre production returns in a brand new staging more thrilling than ever.
Christopher Boone is gifted with a brilliant mind for numbers but unsettled by the unpredictability of people and everyday life.
When a neighbour’s dog is discovered killed, he finds himself under suspicion. Determined to prove his innocence, Christopher becomes both detective and suspect, drawn into a mystery that grows darker and more complex with every clue he uncovers.
What begins as the search for a culprit soon reveals secrets closer to home, forcing him to confront truths that will test his courage, his family, and his understanding of trust, independence, and the wider world.
Tickets for all shows are on sale at mayflower.org.uk or 02380 711811.
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