British musical Sylvia is set to tour the UK in 2026, culminating in a residency at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The show previously premiered at The Old Vic theatre in London in 2023 starring Beverley Knight and Sharon Rose.
The tour will start at Leicester’s Curve Theatre from 24 September 2025, and then plays Birmingham, Edinburgh, Salford, Norwich, Canterbury and London.
The London dates at the Royal Albert Hall are 13 to 15 November 2026.
Sylvia brings together dance, hip hop, funk and soul to reveal a remarkable moment in history – celebrating the life of Sylvia Pankhurst – feminist, activist, pacifist, socialist, rebel – who changed the lives of working women and men across the world.
The show is directed and choreographed by Kate Prince, and has original music by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde, a book by Kate Prince with Priya Parmar, and lyrics by Kate Prince.
Photos: Sylvia at the Old Vic
Beverley Knight (Marie & Rosetta, The Drifters Girl, Sister Act) plays Emmeline Pankhurst in the show, with Sharon Rose (Hamilton, Motown the Musical) as her daughter Sylvia, the lesser-known Pankhurst at the heart of the Suffragette movement.
Further casting is to be announced.
The show was nominated for a number of Olivier Awards including Best New Musical, and Best Theatre Choreographer for Kate Prince. Beverley Knight also won the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical.
Read a reviews round-up for Sylvia at The Old Vic.
The Royal Albert Hall is a special venue for the show, as over 20 suffragette rallies and some of the most historic speeches in the fight for women to gain the vote took place there between 1913 and 1918.
The wider creative team for Sylvia includes Ben Stones (Set and Costume), Natasha Chivers (Lighting), Tony Gayle (Sound), Andrzej Goulding (Video and Animation), Cynthia De La Rosa (Wigs, Hair and Make-up), Lolita Chakrabarti (Dramaturgy) and Sean Green (Music Supervisor).
The tour is an Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Eilene Davidson Productions and PW Productions in association with Rupert Gavin/Mallory Factor, Curve Leicester, and Beverley Knight, presenting The Old Vic and ZooNation: The Kate Prince Company’s production in association with Sadler’s Wells.
Sylvia – UK Tour Dates 2026
Leicester Curve
24 Sep – 3 Oct 2026
Birmingham Hippodrome
6 – 10 Oct 2026
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
12 – 17 Oct 2026
Salford Lowry
19 – 24 Oct 2026
Norwich Theatre
28 – 31 Oct 2026
Canterbury Marlowe
2 – 7 Nov 2026
Royal Albert Hall
13 – 15 Nov 2026
What They Said
Actor and producer Beverley Knight said in a statement: “I could not be more chuffed to reprise my role as Emmeline Pankhurst one more time! The spirit, courage and determination of the suffragettes and in particular Sylvia Pankhurst is so brilliantly celebrated in this show. The Soul, R&B, HipHop and Blues reflects the joy, passion and the fight of the women and their allies. It seemed to me like the perfect place to perform “Sylvia” was the very stage on which the suffragettes were roundly expelled and rejected, the Royal Albert Hall. Over 100 years later Sylvia and the Suffragettes are returning to triumph.”
Activist, scholar and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst Helen Pankhurst said: “I’m thrilled that Sylvia will be touring the UK next autumn, reaching audiences right across the country including Greater Manchester, the birthplace of the suffragette movement, and the Royal Albert Hall which became a powerful stage for some of the most memorable events in the fight for women to gain the vote. This production is a stunning retelling of the Suffragette movement, focusing on the fiery personal and political dynamics within my family. With only a few years until the Centenary of Equal Franchise in 2028, this might seem like a story of the past and of one extraordinary family, but the themes it explores are as relevant and topical as ever.”
Director, choreographer, writer and lyricist Kate Prince of ZooNation, said: “I’m so thrilled that we now have the opportunity to share Sylvia with even more audiences. It’s such an essential part of our history and to bring the voices of those who came before us back to life feels so right. From the very beginning, I wanted to create something fresh and relevant, that honoured the past while being uplifting and joyful. Taking Sylvia to the mighty Royal Albert Hall feels like a full circle moment, knowing that many women’s rights trailblazers, including Sylvia Pankhurst herself, once spoke there and inspired audiences. This is incredibly exciting for me and I’m so thankful and proud of everyone who has supported the production from the very beginning, it’s been a real evolution, of a revolution!”
Director of Touring, Arts Council England, Hannah Lake said: “We’re thrilled to support the national tour of Sylvia through the Incentivising Touring repayable grants scheme, so more people can experience world-class storytelling and performances close to where they live. The Arts Council developed the programme, in close collaboration with the industry, as a new and innovative way to enable brilliant, ambitious tours just like this.”
Royal Albert Hall, London
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