Rehearsal images have been released for Fourteen Again – a brand-new musical built from the late actor and comedian Victoria Wood’s celebrated songbook Lucky Bag! coming to the Menier Chocolate Factory on 21 November 2026.
See behind-the-scenes photos of Fourteen Again showing the cast in rehearsals for the new musical ahead of its run at the Menier Chocolate Factory between 21 November 2026 and 27 February 2027.
Fourteen Again brings Wood’s incomparable songs to the stage in a fresh, poignant story of female friendship, memory and rediscovering joy, with a with book and additional lyrics by double BAFTA-nominated screenwriter and Olivier-nominated playwright Tom MacRae (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), and a cast that includes Ria Jones (Habeas Corpus), Sally Ann Triplett (Take Flight) and Neil Morrissey (Men Behaving Badly).
Our take: Ten years after Victoria Wood’s death, Fourteen Again feels less like a traditional tribute and more like a genuine connection to her legacy. The fact that cast members Ria Jones, Sally Ann Triplett and Neil Morrisey worked with Wood directly brings authenticity and affection, while Nigel Lilley’s presence as Musical Supervisor – Wood’s longtime collaborator and close friend- ensures the heart of her work remains intact. If you’ve ever been moved by Wood’s ability to find heartbreak in ordinary life, this is essential viewing.
Photos: Fourteen Again in rehearsals
Book tickets to Fourteen Again here
Connection to Victoria Wood
Wood was a comedian and actor best known for starring in the hit sitcom Dinnerladies (which is also a musical) and her sketch shows including Victoria Wood: As Seen on TV. She won more TV BAFTAs than anyone in BAFTA history, was the first stand-up comedian to sell out the Royal Albert Hall in 2001, and her legacy remains that of a trailblazer who opened the door for a generation of female comedians who followed her.
Fourteen Again was commissioned by Wood’s close friends and collaborators – husband-and-wife team producer Charlotte Scott and designer Roger Glossop, who run the Victoria Wood Theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere, where the show had its critically acclaimed premiere earlier this year.
Morrissey’s involvement in Fourteen Again is poignant, as he worked with Wood on the original West End run of Acorn Antiques: The Musical! at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2005. Jones and Triplett have previous connections to Victoria Wood’s work too. Triplett originated the role of Miss Berta in the original West End production of Acorn Antiques: The Musical!, while Jones played Mrs Overall in the first national tour of the show which Wood directed herself.
Nigel Lilley, serving as Musical Supervisor, Arranger and Co-Orchestrator, meanwhile, was Wood’s Musical Director and close friend.
What is Fourteen Again about?
Fourteen Again begins when Peggy is reunited with Lou at the local Slimming Club – her best friend from school, whom she hasn’t seen since they were teenagers. As children, no two friends were ever funnier or more fun, but here, now, today they are shadows of their younger selves.
The musical weaves together memory, humour and heartbreak with Wood’s incomparable songs moving the story fast forward. It’s a celebration of female friendship and the transformative power of looking back to move forward.
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