Harry Clayton-Wright’s acclaimed Mr Blackpool will return in 2026 for its most ambitious tour to date, bringing its gloriously chaotic cabaret spectacular to Salford, Brighton and Blackpool.
Following a successful pilot tour that included performances at Northern Stage, the Southbank Centre for the inaugural KUNSTY Festival and Liverpool’s Unity Theatre for Homotopia, Clayton-Wright now takes the show on the road this May. The tour begins at The Lowry’s Quays Theatre in partnership with Word of Warning, continues with three nights at Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts as part of Brighton Festival, and culminates in a homecoming gala at Blackpool Grand Theatre.
Rooted in end‑of‑the‑pier entertainment and set in a not-too-distant future shaped by climate collapse or late-stage capitalism, Mr Blackpool channels the grit and glamour of the seaside town. Clayton-Wright draws on autobiography, local folklore, class and politics to craft a variety show steeped in technicolour spectacle.
Joining Clayton-Wright on stage are three performers with strong Blackpool roots. Aysh De Belle and Sam De Belle, a married dance duo known for their work across stage and screen, feature alongside rising talent Blake Rainey. Trained at House of Wingz, Rainey was selected for Sadler’s Wells’ prestigious National Youth Dance Company cohort in 2025.
The show was developed with leading UK creatives including dramaturgs Ursula Martinez and Scottee, movement direction and dramaturgy from House of Ghetto founder Darren Pritchard, costumes by Olivier‑nominated designer Ryan Dawson Laight and sound design by artist and creative director Oliver Gregory, also known as Miss Titty Kaka. The wider creative team includes Simon Booth, Noah Sumptions, Catherine Mugonyi, Scott Penrose, Lisa Wigham, Millie Bracewell, Sally Rose, Lee Smith, David Sheppeard and Clayton-Wright.
Audiences can expect a series of acts blending cabaret, drag, dance, magic, sideshow and autobiography, all honouring Blackpool’s legacy as a home for spectacle and showmanship.
Commissioned by Marlborough Productions and Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts, and supported with public funding from Arts Council England, Mr Blackpool brings world-class queer-led performance to three major UK stages this May.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
