The Greatest Showman musical to come alive on the West End stage in 2027
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Disney’s stage adaptation of The Greatest Showman will open at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane in spring 2027, following a sold-out eight-week run in Bristol. The transfer matters because it brings the hit 2017 film and its popular soundtrack to one of the West End’s major venues, where it will succeed Disney’s Hercules.
Oliver Tompsett and Samantha Barks will reprise their Bristol roles as PT Barnum and Charity, joined by returning cast members Ben Joyce, Vajèn van den Bosch and Malinda Parris. The production includes the film’s songs, such as This Is Me and Never Enough, alongside new material by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul; it is directed by Casey Nicholaw and uses circus, magic and aerial staging. A separate London production, Come Alive!, already uses the film’s songs but has a different plot.
- The Greatest Showman opens at Drury Lane in spring 2027.
- Bristol leads Tompsett and Barks will return.
- The show combines film favourites with new songs.
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The Greatest Showman is a 2017 musical film inspired loosely by the life of American showman PT Barnum, who became known in the 19th century for creating popular travelling entertainments. The film stars Hugh Jackman and tells a fictionalised story about Barnum building a circus while pursuing success and social acceptance.
Its songs, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, became widely popular after the film’s release, including This Is Me and Never Enough. The story’s themes include ambition, family, belonging and the treatment of people presented as outsiders.
The West End is London’s main commercial theatre district, home to many large-scale musicals. Theatre Royal Drury Lane is one of its best-known venues, and the new production is distinct from Come Alive!, another London show that uses music from the film but tells a separate story.
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