2025 is a huge year for touring shows, with many major West End hits going out on the road in 2025, alongside smaller less well known shows and shows that have either never toured or not toured in a while. There’s options for everyone from plays to big flashy musicals so if you’re looking for something to see in your local theatre this year, then look no further. Here are our top picks of shows touring the UK this year:
Calamity Jane: Various venues until 27 September
For those who like classic musicals, this wild west comedy classic is touring the UK throughout 2025 with musical theatre star Carrie Hope Fletcher in the leading role. Calamity Jane follows the story of the real life sharpshooter Martha Jane Canary and is based on the 1950s film of the same name. If you enjoy Westerns and comedy musicals, then it might be worth seeing when the show is near you: it is currently in Manchester and travels to various cities throughout the UK, finishing in Bristol in September.
Kinky Boots: Various venues until 26 July
Kinky Boots has toured the UK previously in 2018, but this is a new, non-replica production conceived by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, so will be different to the previous tour. In exciting news for Strictly Come Dancing fans, the new tour is led by none other than fan favourite professional dancer Johannes Radebe as Lola. Kinky Boots is based on the 2005 film of the same (which in turn is based on a true story) and follows Charlie Price who inherits his family’s struggling shoe factory and ends up roping in drag queen Lola in an attempt to make a new unique shoe that might save the factory. If you’re looking for a fun, joyful and queer musical this year, then this one might be right up your street. The tour is currently in Leicester and finishes in Oxford in July.
Pride and Prejudice *Sort Of: Various venues until 14 June
For fans of Jane Austen’s classic novel, this comedic retelling of Pride and Prejudice has embarked on its third UK tour. The play retells Austen’s story through the eyes of the servants with a cast of five women multi-roling as all the different characters. It also includes various pop songs utilised at pivotal moments in the stories. If you’re looking for something funny and a little bit different to see this year, then this might be the show for you. The tour is currently in Malvern and will finish in Southampton in June.
Hamilton: Various venues until 27 December
If you missed Lin-Manuel Miranda’s hit show at its 2024 UK tour dates, it is still on the road throughout 2025 with a new cast who just started performances this week. The musical celebrates its 10th anniversary on Broadway this year, so it’s a great opportunity to see the show in a milestone year for it. The show follows the story of founding father and original secretary of the treasury Alexander Hamilton. The tour is currently in Cardiff and will finish in Glasgow in December with multiple stops between now and then.
Joseph and The Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat: Various venues until 10 August
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic show is touring the UK once again this year, and if you’re looking for a show suitable for the entire family, both young and old, this is a perfect choice for that. The show is based on the biblical story of Joseph from the book of Genesis and his prophetic dreams and contains a lot of classic songs such as ‘Any Dream Will Do’. The tour is currently in Canterbury and is planned to finish in Milton Keynes in August after travelling throughout the UK.
War Horse: Various venues until 8 November
The National Theatre’s production of War Horse embarked on its third UK tour last year and continues to tour throughout 2025. The play tells the story of Albert and his horse Joey, and their experiences during WWI and features breath-taking life size horse puppets from the Handspring Puppet Company of South Africa. The tour is currently in Woking, and then travels through the UK and Ireland before finishing in Norwich in November.
Chicago: Various venues until 30 August
The UK tour of Chicago has opened just this week in Cheltenham and will travelling around the UK through till the summer of this year, currently set to end in Salford in August. The show follows murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart who dream of fame and fortune and leverage their criminal status to achieve their dreams of stardom. The tour is set to star several big names with Faye Brookes, Brenda Edwards and Kevin Clifton already announced and Janette Manrara just announced to be joining the tour as Roxie from the Southend dates.
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical: Various venues from 6 March 2025-4 April 2026
The hit West End Tina Turner biopic musical makes its UK tour debut in March, the first chance for audiences outside of London to see the show at a theatre near them. The tour starts in Leicester and tours the UK and Ireland throughout 2025 and into 2026 before finishing in Leeds next April. The show follows the life story of Tina Turner and features many of her greatest hits, including an epic mega-mix for audiences to sing and dance along to at the end of the show.
Moulin Rouge!: Various venues from 22 April 2025-11 January 2026
The hit West End show is set to embark on its first world tour starting in April in the UK, almost four years after it first came to London. If you’re looking for a fun and spectacular night out, then Moulin Rouge! will definitely provide that, with dazzling sets, fantastic costumes and wonderful performances. The show follows young writer Christian as he aims to make a name for himself in Paris as a composer and ends up falling in love with headline performer at the Moulin Rouge, Satine, with tragic consequences. The jukebox musical features many of the biggest pop hits from throughout the 20th and 21st century. The tour starts in Edinburgh in April and currently has four other tour dates in Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham and Dublin where it is currently set to conclude in January of next year. More dates will likely be added.
Matilda The Musical: Various venues from 6 October 2025-25 April 2026
Tim Minchin’s musical adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic is heading back out on tour again, its first UK and Ireland tour since 2018 and since the success of the film adaptation of the musical. This tour is celebrating the 15th anniversary of the show’s premiere in 2010 in Stratford Upon Avon. The show follows schoolgirl Matilda who takes a stand against her evil headmistress and abusive parents with the help of some newly discovered magical powers. The tour starts in Leicester in October and is currently set to conclude in Manchester in April of next year, stopping at various UK theatres along the way.
Tickets for all of the shows’ touring dates can be found on their websites.
Words by Jo Elliott
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