West End stars Charlie Burn and Ashley Gilmour will lead the cast of Jane Eyre – A Musical for its UK premiere in London. The acclaimed creative team includes the co-director of the original Broadway and West End productions of Les Misérables.
West End stars Charlie Burn (Mean Girls, Les Misérables) and Ashley Gilmour (Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables) will lead the cast of Jane Eyre – A Musical by John Caird and Paul Gordon, based on the novel by Charlotte Brontë. Burn will star as Jane and Gilmour as Rochester in its UK premiere at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant for a limited season from 28 August – 24 October 2026.
Jane Eyre will be co-directed by RSC and National Theatre director John Caird, who previously adapted and co-directed the original production of Les Misérables in the West End, on Broadway and across the world. Broadway’s Megan McGinnis, star of Beauty and the Beast, Little Women and Beetlejuice, will co-direct alongside John Caird. The full cast and creative team will be announced soon.
View live availability for Jane Eyre here
Charlie Burn and Ashley Gilmour star in Jane Eyre – A Musical
Charlie Burn most recently played the role of Cady Heron in Mean Girls at the Savoy Theatre and starred as Cosette in Les Misérables on the UK & Ireland Tour, in Les Misérables: The Staged Concert and in the West End production at the Sondheim Theatre. Burn said: “I’m so honoured to be joining the cast of the UK premiere of Jane Eyre, a sweepingly beautiful musical that brings one of literature’s most beloved female icons to life.”
Ashley Gilmour is currently starring in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera, having played the lead role of Chris in the UK and International Tour of Miss Saigon as well as in the West End. His other credits include My Fair Lady and Evita at the Curve in Leicester and in Les Misérables in the West End. Gilmour said: “It’s hugely exciting to join the cast of this wonderful musical, marking the first time it has been seen on UK stages.”
About the show
Jane’s journey, from orphan to independent womanhood, centres on the dark and beautiful Thornfield Hall and its owner, the mysterious and conflicted Edward Rochester. Jane is caught up in a web of secrets and lies, physical and moral danger, self-doubt, betrayal and heart-breaking loss. Charlotte Brontë’s romance, derived from her own life story, is imbued with her own brand of fervent feminism, but also has elements of the gothic and the supernatural.
Jane Eyre originally premiered in Toronto in 1996 and was subsequently produced on Broadway in 2000 and nominated for five Tony Awards. Adam Blanshay Productions is partnering with the original Canadian producers, David and Hannah Mirvish, for the 30th Anniversary year of the show. It’s finally making its West End premiere and promises to be one not to miss.
Book tickets to Jane Eyre – A Musical here
Plan your visit to Jane Eyre – A Musical
Theatre: Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London
Booking Dates: 28 August – 24 October 2026.
Performance schedule: Monday-Saturday evenings, Thursday and Saturday matinees
Age range: 10+
Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London
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