Burlesque the Musical delays London bow and shuffles UK tour
The stage adaptation’s London opening is now planned for 2027, while its UK tour will start in Sunderland instead of Woking, Variety reports.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
“Burlesque the Musical” has hit a scheduling snag, with its London opening moved to 2027 and the start of its U.K. tour pushed back, according to Variety.
The stage show, adapted from the 2010 film starring Christina Aguilera, Cher and Stanley Tucci, had been due to begin performances on Sept. 12, 2026, at a new 550-seat Arts venue in central London. Variety reported that producers Steven Antin and Adam Paulden told cast and crew in an email that the London run would now take place in 2027.
In that email, the producers said the delay should not be read as the end of the production. “The most important thing we want to emphasise is that this is not a cancellation,” Antin and Paulden wrote, according to Variety. “It is a postponement. The momentum behind ‘Burlesque The Musical’ has never been stronger.”
The tour change is more immediate. The production had been scheduled to launch this Saturday, July 25, in Woking. A representative for the musical confirmed to Variety that those Woking dates are now being moved to November.
Instead, the tour is expected to begin in Sunderland in August, Variety reported. Sunderland had previously been listed as the second stop on the tour.
The reshuffle followed uncertainty behind the scenes at the first venue. An unnamed person familiar with the situation told Variety on Wednesday that crew members were still waiting for the set to arrive.
“Everyone’s still very much in the dark, including the crew and venue staff,” the person told Variety. The same person said no trailers carrying the set had arrived, the first venue had not been fitted up, some casual venue workers had shifts cancelled with payment, and the director and cast were rehearsing on an empty stage.
After Variety reported the delay, a representative for “Burlesque the Musical” said in a statement that the schedule had been changed “to give our creative team the time needed to deliver the spectacular production of Burlesque the Musical audiences adore.”
The representative also said the producers had confirmed the tour was “fully financed and on a secure footing, as verified by third parties,” adding that this allowed the company to focus on presenting the production for audiences around the country.
“Burlesque the Musical” first opened in Manchester in 2024 under the supervision of Antin, who wrote the original film. The show later played runs in Glasgow and in London’s West End.
Variety also reported that a European tour had been planned for next year.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.