The world premiere of the brand new musical Fourteen Again has announced its principal casting and a final extra week has been added to the run at The Victoria Wood Theatre in Bowness on Windermere.
Musical theatre favourites Ria Jones and Sally Ann Triplett will star as lifelong friends Lou and Peggy, reuniting on stage from Friday 1 May to Saturday 6 June 2026, with press night on Thursday 7 May.
The announcement adds to the excitement surrounding the newly renamed Victoria Wood Theatre, honouring the beloved comedian, actor and writer whose work inspired the production.
Jones and Triplett each share personal connections with Victoria Wood. Triplett originated the role of Miss Berta in the original West End production of Acorn Antiques, while Jones performed with Wood in her comedy show and TV special The Angina Monologues.
Their extensive theatre credits span Evita, Les Misérables, 42nd Street, Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia, Cabaret, Chicago, Anything Goes, Cats and many more.
Written by Tom MacRae, Fourteen Again follows Peggy, played by Triplett, who is unexpectedly reunited with her childhood best friend Lou, played by Jones, at their local slimming club. Once inseparable as teenagers, their reconnection sets the stage for a funny and poignant story of friendship, memory and rediscovery, driven by Victoria Wood’s songs.
As MacRae explains: “I wanted to create a show that is genuinely dramatic and surprising, with high stakes and real tension, as well as celebrating Vic’s innate sense of comedy and the warmth of her world, populated with loveable, relatable characters and celebrating friendship. My starting point was The Ballad Of Barry And Freda. The one song that was tricky to place was Litter Bin about a teenage mum abandoning a child in a bin. It was just so sad. How could I introduce that idea into a comedy? And then I had a brainwave and that unlocked an idea that the entire show is now built around. Left to my own devices, I would never have integrated such a tragic element into such an upbeat story. So, thanks Vic, my amazing and inspirational collaborator – I owe you one.”
The creative team brings together many of Wood’s long-time collaborators, including director Jonathan O’Boyle, musical supervisor Nigel Lilley, choreographer Sammy Murray and producer Charlotte Scott, co-owner of the theatre alongside her husband Roger Glossop MBE.
Rehearsals begin on Tuesday 7 April, ahead of the tenth anniversary of Victoria Wood’s death on 20 April. A Gala Night on 19 May will celebrate the official renaming of the theatre, featuring Sir Alan Ayckbourn on film and a live brass band in aid of the Victoria Wood Foundation.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
