A spectacular new UK tour of one of my favourite shows - Barnum - was announced on 19 June 2025 with Lee Mead leading the cast in the title role. The production is billed as a spectacular staging featuring over 20 actor-musicians performing on 150 instruments, alongside acrobats and international circus acts.The tour opens at Theatre Royal, Windsor on 30 January 2026, and continues with Lee in the starring role until the summer, concluding in his home town at the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend on 4 July 2026. It takes a break then before continuing in the Autumn for further dates, with Matt Rawle taking the lead. Full tour dates and booking links for Lee's leg of the tour are given below.
The musical, which shines a spotlight on the life and times of P T Barnum, features music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart and a book by Mark Bramble. Presented by Bill Kenwright Ltd, the production will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle and choreographed by Oti Mabuse after the pair revived the show at the Watermill Theatre in 2024. Joining them in the creative team are Lee Newby (set and costume designer), Jai Morjaria (lighting designer), Tom Marshall (sound designer), George Dyer (musical supervisor, arrangements and orchestrations), Amy Panter (circus director), Matt Nicholson (associate choreographer) and Nick Lodge (associate sound designer).
UPDATE: 10 DEC 2025
Full casting announced! Joining Lee for the first tour leg will be Monique Young (Mary Poppins) as Charity Barnum, Penny Ashmore (Dr Strangelove) as Jenny Lind, Dominique Planter (The Lion King) as Joice Heth, and Fergus Rattigan (The Wizard of Oz) as General Tom Thumb.
They are joined by Elena Bluck, Gianpaolo Candelaria, Eamonn Cox, James Gill, Jessica Jolleys, Kevin Oliver Jones, Emma Jane Morton, Sophie Precious Muringu, Lennin Nelson-McClure, Emily Odunsi, André Rodrigues, Ben Scott, Laura Sillett, Tom Sowinski, Tom Sterling and Niki Tsonopoulou.
UPDATE: 24 FEB 2026
I always hesitate to label my own first impressions of a show as a 'review', I see them more as a sharing of thoughts with fellow fans - in any event, a little later than planned, here they are.
UPDATE: 13 MAR 2026
New trailer released! Capturing all the skills, energy and passion of this amazing cast, and the colour and magic of the world they create.
TOUR SCHEDULE
Published: 21/06/2025; last updated: 21/04/2026
