The world premiere of Caroline is set to open at the New Wolsey Theatre on 17 April before touring to Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch, New Theatre Peterborough, Mercury Theatre Colchester and Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds.
Led by a company of actor musicians, the cast includes Nicola Bryan, Gareth Cooper, Jake Halsey‑Jones, Joey Hickman, Rhiannon Hopkins, James Lawrence, Claire Lee Shenfield, Jerome Lincoln, Perry Meadowcroft and Eloise Richardson.
The musical follows Caroline, a young woman dreaming of a life beyond the local greengrocers. By night she escapes to the pier with her best friend Mary and her music‑obsessed boyfriend Robbie.
When Robbie unexpectedly lands a role with pirate station Radio Caroline, broadcasting rock and pop from a ship off the Essex coast, Caroline is pulled into a whirlwind of music, upheaval and cultural revolution.
The show is written by Vikki Stone and directed by Douglas Rintoul and Alex Thorpe. The creative team includes Helen Atkinson, Stella Backman, Titilola Dawudu, Charmaine Hoare, Haruka Kuroda, Callum Macdonald, Paul Schofield and Sundeep Saini.
Director Douglas Rintoul says: “Caroline is a story born from the spirit of East Anglia – rebellious, creative, and full of music. To be announcing this extraordinary cast and creative team as the inaugural production of the East Anglian Touring Consortium feels incredibly exciting. This collaboration brings together some of the region’s leading theatres to create work at scale, rooted in our place but with national ambition. I can’t wait for audiences across the region to experience the energy, heart and soundtrack of this remarkable story brought to life by such an exceptional company.”
The musical blends 60s hits with a heartfelt story of love, loyalty and the pirate radio movement that helped define a generation. Set against the backdrop of Britain’s shifting cultural landscape, Caroline celebrates East Anglia’s deep connection to the era’s rebellious sound.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
