New intimate Sunset Boulevard heads to Bolton and York 2026

Key Points

• A new “intimate” actor-musician adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard will be co-produced by Octagon Theatre Bolton, Royal and Derngate Northampton, and York Theatre Royal.
• This production will be directed by Lotte Wakeham, who is the artistic director of Octagon Theatre Bolton, and will be included in their 60th anniversary season.
• It will be staged from 2 April to 1 May 2027 at Octagon Theatre Bolton, then move to Royal and Derngate Northampton (from 5 to 22 May 2027), and then to York Theatre Royal (from 9 to 26 June 2027).
• According to Octagon, this staging will be an “intimate interpretation” presented by a cast of actor-musicians.
• Tickets for this season, including Sunset Boulevard, will go on general sale from 12 o’clock noon on Tuesday 6 October 2026.
• The musical has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton.

Bolton (Manchester Mirror) September 30, 2026 – A new “intimate” actor-musician production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard has been announced as a co-production between Octagon Theatre Bolton, Royal and Derngate Northampton and York Theatre Royal, with performances scheduled across spring and summer 2027.

What is the new Sunset Boulevard production for Bolton and York?

As reported by WhatsOnStage on 29 September 2026, the production will open at Octagon Theatre Bolton from 2 April to 1 May 2027 before transferring to co-producers Royal and Derngate Northampton (5–22 May) and York Theatre Royal (9–26 June). The Octagon has described the staging as an “intimate interpretation” of the Lloyd Webber musical, performed by a company of actor-musicians.

According to British Theatre Guide, three theatres are collaborating to stage this new version of Sunset Boulevard, emphasising a closer relationship between performers and audiences through the actor-musician format. Theatre Fan, in a report by Shaun Tossell dated 29 September 2026, called the announcement a “bold new production” directed by Lotte Wakeham, artistic director of Octagon Theatre Bolton.

Who is directing the Sunset Boulevard revival?

Lotte Wakeham, artistic director of Octagon Theatre Bolton, will direct the production. In a statement cited by WhatsOnStage, Wakeham said:

“Making and commissioning work for this truly unique space is an honour. Reimaging huge theatrical epics like Sunset Boulevard and Romeo and Juliet is as exciting as it is challenging and I cannot wait to share this work with our audiences.”

The production forms part of the Octagon’s 60th anniversary season, which also includes Willy Russell’s Educating Rita and Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, alongside a trilogy of new plays about Bolton known as the Bolton Trilogy.

When and where will Sunset Boulevard be performed in 2027?

The performance schedule has been confirmed across the three co-producing venues.

• Octagon Theatre Bolton, Howell Croft South, Bolton BL1 1SB: Friday 2 April to Saturday 1 May 2027, with daytime performances at 2pm and evening performances at 7.30pm.
• Royal and Derngate, 19–21 Guildhall Road, Northampton NN1 1DP: Wednesday 5 May to Saturday 22 May 2027.
• York Theatre Royal, St Leonard’s Place, York YO1 7HD: Wednesday 9 June to Saturday 26 June 2027.

Fairy Powered Productions, in a preview of the tour, noted that after opening in Bolton, the show takes to Northampton’s Royal stage before finally transferring to York Theatre Royal to end its run.

How will tickets be sold for the Octagon’s 60th anniversary season?

Tickets for the new season at Octagon Theatre Bolton, including Sunset Boulevard, go on general sale from midday on Tuesday 6 October 2026. The Bolton News reported that the first productions for the ongoing 60th anniversary celebration have now been revealed, with the season centred on the Bolton Trilogy and major classics.

What is the creative team behind Sunset Boulevard?

The musical features music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and a book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The Octagon production is being presented as part of the venue’s landmark 60th anniversary celebrations, with Wakeham highlighting the challenge and excitement of reimagining large-scale theatrical works for the Octagon’s distinctive space.

While casting for this specific regional production has not been detailed in the initial announcements, the wider Sunset Boulevard landscape includes high-profile revivals such as Jamie Lloyd’s West End and Broadway productions starring Nicole Scherzinger, which opened in London in September 2023 and on Broadway in October 2024.

Background of the Sunset Boulevard development

Sunset Boulevard, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and book and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton, is based on the 1950 film of the same name and follows faded silent-film star Norma Desmond and her relationship with struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis. The musical has a long history of major productions in London and on Broadway, as well as UK tours.

In recent years, a reimagined production directed by Jamie Lloyd, starring Nicole Scherzinger as Norma Desmond, opened at the Savoy Theatre in London on 21 September 2023 and subsequently transferred to Broadway’s St. James Theatre, opening on 20 October 2024. That production won multiple Tony Awards, including Best Musical Revival and Best Actress for Scherzinger.

The new actor-musician version announced for Bolton, Northampton and York represents a different creative approach, scaling the epic musical down for a more intimate setting while retaining its core score and narrative. The decision to stage it as part of Octagon Theatre Bolton’s 60th anniversary season underlines the venue’s strategy of mixing classic titles with locally rooted new work.

Prediction: how this development may affect theatre audiences in Bolton, York and beyond

This development is likely to affect theatre audiences in Bolton, York and Northampton by increasing access to a major Lloyd Webber title in a regional, intimate setting, potentially attracting both regular theatregoers and new audiences who might find large-scale West End-style productions less accessible. The actor-musician format, which places performers closer to the audience and integrates live music-making into the storytelling, may appeal to younger and more price-sensitive demographics seeking immersive experiences.

For local communities, the co-production model spreads costs and risk across three venues, enabling a higher-profile show to tour regionally without relying solely on London-based producers. This could encourage further collaborations between mid-scale theatres and support the long-term sustainability of regional producing houses. For audiences specifically in Bolton and York, the presence of Sunset Boulevard within a 60th anniversary programme that also includes new Bolton-focused plays may strengthen the link between classic musical theatre and local identity, potentially boosting attendance across the whole season.