The Olivier Award-winning musical Once on This Island will return to the West End in 2026 for a one-night concert staging at Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 8 February.
The announcement marks a new chapter for the much-loved Caribbean-inspired musical, which first premiered in the UK at the Birmingham Rep in 1994 before transferring to the West End’s Peacock Theatre. The production went on to win the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, cementing its status as a modern classic.
The concert will star Tony Award winner Alex Newell (Shucked, Once on This Island) as Asaka, and West End stars Dujonna Gift (Two Strangers…) as Ti Moune, Melanie La Barrie (Hadestown) as Papa Ge and Olivier Award nominee Cedric Neal (Guys & Dolls) as Agwe.
The cast also includes Jamael Westman as Daniel Beauxhomme, Casey Al-Shaqsy as Andrea Deveraux, Waylon Jacobs as Armand Beauxhomme, Ako Mitchell as Tonton Julian, and Wendy Mae Brown as Mama Euralie.
The ensemble features Elliot Broadfoot, Jerome Lincoln, Lindo Shinda, and Tamara Tare.
Alex Newell said in a statement: “Playing Asaka is like stepping into pure sunlight—she lives in my bones, loud and loving, wise and wild, and absolutely unafraid. Every time I return to her, it feels like reconnecting with a part of myself that refuses to dim. And after performing Pippin at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, I fell head-over-heels for London’s audiences—their open hearts, their contagious energy, their willingness to go on a ride with you from the very first note. Coming back to this city feels like being welcomed by an old friend who never forgot you. I can’t wait to shake the stage again, to fill it with laughter and power and color, and to pour every ounce of myself into a character who has given me so much.”
With book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Seussical), Once On This Island reimagines The Little Mermaid through the lens of Caribbean folklore. The story follows Ti Moune, a young peasant girl chosen by the Gods for a destiny that will test the boundaries of love, sacrifice and faith.
After rescuing a young man during a violent storm, Ti Moune makes a pact with the divine in the hope of saving his life, setting in motion a journey that explores class, colour, spirituality and the transformational power of storytelling.
The musical’s Broadway revival earned eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical and Best Score.
The London concert will be directed by Annabel Mutale-Reed.
The wider creative team includes musical director Jordan Li-Smith, who will conduct the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, choreography by Sarah Golding, sound design by Harry Greatorex, and casting director Ben Armstrong.
Once on This Island last appeared in London in 2023 in a Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre revival starring Gabrielle Brooks (Coven, Get Up Stand Up) as Ti Moune and Stephenson Ardern-Sodje (The Lion King, Starter for Ten) as Daniel, directed by Ola Ince.
Once on This Island is playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 8 February 2026.
More about tickets to Once on This Island at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London
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