United Kingdom Cole Porter’s High Society: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-On- Sea, Essex, 28.7.2026. (JPr) ***
The 2026 High Society musical revival has highs (the Cole Porter songs) but is low on story and emotion
Southend-on-Sea
In Burn the Floor’s Supernova Nikita, Nadiya and a talented ensemble display a love and passion for dance
United Kingdom Burn the Floor presents Supernova Nikita Zuzmin: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 21.7.2026. (JP) ****
Lee Mead comes home to Southend in Barnum, now a barnstorming music, song, dance and circus extravaganza
United Kingdom Barnum – The Circus Musical (book by Mark Bramble, lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman): Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 30.6.2026. (JPr)
Jukebox IDOLS with The Overtones is an upbeat and uplifting song and dance spectacular
United Kingdom The Overtones’s Jukebox IDOLS: The Overtones with dancers Nadiya Bychkova, Louis Smith, Mia Bowers, Kiera Brunton, James Cutler and India Taylor. Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 13.6.2026. (JPr)
Ellen Kent’s Farewell is a musically satisfying Carmen starring a mightily impressive Mariia Davydova
United Kingdom Bizet, Carmen: Soloists, Chorus and Orchestra of the Opera International Kyiv, Ukraine / Vasyl Vasylenko (conductor). Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 18.4.2026. (JPr)
Hannah Lowther’s Elle and Karen Mavundukure’s Paulette make Legally Blonde unmissable
United Kingdom Legally Blonde The Musical: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 17.3.2026. (JPr)
Tip your hat to a tap-tastic revival of Irving Berlin’s Top Hat
United Kingdom Irving Berlin’s Top Hat The Musical: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 24.2.2026. (JPr)
Ellen Kent’s Farewell Opera Tour featuring Opera International Kyiv, Ukraine. this Spring
Ellen Kent’s Farewell Opera Tour brings Madama Butterfly and Carmen to Southend’s Cliffs Pavilion
Award-winning producer Ellen Kent returns to the Cliffs Pavilion in Southend in Spring 2026 with Opera International Kyiv, Ukraine presenting stunning classical productions of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Tuesday 3 March and Bizet’s Carmen on Saturday 18 April. For this 2026 tour, Ellen Kent celebrates the Farewell Opera Tour, seeing the opera company embark on its last UK tour.