Burlesque the Musical has delayed the launch of its UK tour, with planned opening performances in Woking rescheduled to November 2026. The production will now officially open at Sunderland Empire this August, with producers confirming that nearly 90,000 tickets have already been sold.
The show has generated close to £4 million in advance box office revenue ahead of its UK run, which will visit 24 venues across the United Kingdom throughout 2026 and 2027.
Following final technical preparations, the musical will now officially open at Sunderland Empire before embarking on its nationwide tour.
As part of the update, the production’s planned opening performances at Woking’s New Victoria Theatre have been rescheduled and will now take place from 3 to 7 November 2026. Ticket holders for the original dates will be contacted by their point of sale regarding exchanges or refunds.
The tour marks the start of an ambitious international expansion for Burlesque the Musical, with future productions already planned for Australia, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Further international announcements are expected in the coming months.
Producers have also confirmed that the tour is fully financed and securely funded, allowing the creative team to focus on delivering the production to audiences across the country.
The show’s planned London engagement has also been postponed until 2027.
The producers said: “This is absolutely a postponement, not a cancellation. We are already exploring opportunities for a major London return in 2027 and look forward to announcing our future West End home in due course. This is a strategic decision designed to ensure the production returns to London exactly as we want it to… with all the fabulosity, concert-like experiential quality, sound design and razzle-dazzle that our audiences deserve!”
Based on Steven Antin’s Golden Globe-winning and Best Picture-nominated film starring Christina Aguilera and Cher, Burlesque the Musical follows Ali as she travels to New York in search of her mother, Tess Richarde, and discovers a dazzling world of music, ambition and family.
The musical features songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia, Diane Warren, Jess Folley, Todrick Hall and Steven Antin, and is described as a celebration of self-discovery, empowerment and unapologetic fabulousness.
The creative team is led by Producer, Writer and Creative Director Steven Antin. The production is directed by Racky Plews, with choreography by Robin Antin, creator of The Pussycat Dolls.
Producers are Christina Aguilera, Adam Paulden & Jason Haigh-Ellery, Steven Antin, Clint Culpepper and In Fine Company, with Toby Brewer serving as Associate Producer.
The UK tour opens at Sunderland Empire on 6 August 2026 and will visit venues including Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre, Glasgow King’s Theatre, Birmingham Alexandra, Liverpool Empire, Manchester Opera House, Edinburgh Playhouse and Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
