News

Sylvia Returns to the Stage with UK Tour and Royal Albert Hall Performances

23 October 2025

We are absolutely thrilled to announce today the return of the Olivier Award-winning musical Sylvia, touring the UK in Autumn 2026 before five special performances at the iconic Royal Albert Hall — once home to over 20 suffragette rallies.

Beverley Knight MBE will reprise her Olivier Award-winning role as Emmeline Pankhurst, alongside Sharon Rose as Sylvia Pankhurst, in this exhilarating hip hop, funk and soul musical that celebrates the life and legacy of one of Britain’s most fearless activists.

Created and choreographed by Kate Prince, Sylvia tells the story of the suffragette movement through a modern, empowering lens — a celebration of courage, rebellion, and the ongoing fight for equality.

Beverley Knight said:
“I could not be more chuffed to reprise my role as Emmeline Pankhurst one more time! The spirit, courage and determination of the suffragettes and in particular Sylvia Pankhurst is so brilliantly celebrated in this show. The Soul, R&B, HipHop and Blues reflects the joy, passion and the fight of the women and their allies. It seemed to me like the perfect place to perform “Sylvia” was the very stage on which the suffragettes were roundly expelled and rejected, the Royal Albert Hall. Over 100 years later Sylvia and the Suffragettes are returning to triumph.”

The Olivier Award-winning electrifying musical is fuelled by an irresistible soundtrack by Josh Cohen and DJ Walde that joyously unites hip hop, funk, and soul, and is brought to life by Kate’s world-renowned choreographer and storytelling.

Kate said:

“I’m so thrilled that we now have the opportunity to share Sylvia with even more audiences. It’s such an essential part of our history and to bring the voices of those who came before us back to life feels so right. From the very beginning, I wanted to create something fresh and relevant, that honoured the past while being uplifting and joyful. Taking Sylvia to the mighty Royal Albert Hall feels like a full circle moment, knowing that many women’s rights trailblazers, including Sylvia Pankhurst herself, once spoke there and inspired audiences. This is incredibly exciting for me and I’m so thankful and proud of everyone who has supported the production from the very beginning, it’s been a real evolution, of a revolution!”

Hannah Lake, Director of Touring, Arts Council England, said: “We’re thrilled to support the national tour of Sylvia through the Incentivising Touring repayable grants scheme, so more people can experience world-class storytelling and performances close to where they live. The Arts Council developed the programme, in close collaboration with the industry, as a new and innovative way to enable brilliant, ambitious tours just like this.”

The full creative team includes: Kate Prince (Book and Lyrics, Director and Choreographer), Priya Parmar (Book), Josh Cohen and DJ Walde (Music), Ben Stones (Set and Costume), Natasha Chivers (Lighting), Tony Gayle (Sound), Andrzej Goulding (Video and Animation), Cynthia De La Rosa (Wigs, Hair and Make-up), Lolita Chakrabarti (Dramaturgy) and Sean Green (Music Supervisor).

The Royal Albert Hall played a defining role in the campaign for women’s suffrage, serving as the backdrop for some of the most significant speeches and gatherings in the movement’s history. Between 1908 and 1913, the Hall hosted nearly thirty events linked to the fight for the vote, attracting both militant and pacifist suffrage groups — as well as the National League for Opposing Women’s Suffrage — who hired the venue for their meetings. The first meeting took place at the Hall in April 1908 and each event drew immense public interest; every seat was sold well in advance, with hundreds more turned away at the doors. According to accounts of the time, audiences were composed almost entirely of women, with 200 women stewards dressed in white overseeing proceedings. Affectionately known by the Suffragettes as a “Temple of Liberty,” the Royal Albert Hall even appeared as their base in a popular board game of the era. However, following the intensification of militant tactics, the Hall’s trustees — like many London venues — banned Emmeline Pankhurst, her daughters, and the Women’s Social and Political Union from using the venue in April 1913. The Suffragettes thus became the first political group ever to be barred from the Hall. After the partial victory of 1918, when some women gained the right to vote, the Hall lifted its ban. On 16 March 1918, it hosted a special “Celebration of the Women’s Suffrage Victory” meeting, featuring addresses from Mrs. Pankhurst and her daughter Christabel — marking both a symbolic and literal return to the “Temple of Liberty.”

For tour dates and on-sale information please visit http://sylviamusicaluk.com/

TOUR DATES 2026 – VIEW BOOKING INFORMATION

Curve Leicester
Thursday 24th – Saturday 3rd October 2026

November Birmingham Hippodrome
Tuesday 6th – Saturday 10th October 2026

Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Monday 12th – Saturday 17th October 2026

Lowry, Salford
Monday 19th – Saturday 24th October 2026

Norwich Theatre Tuesday
28th -Saturday 31st October 2026

Marlowe Theatre Canterbury Monday 2nd November – Saturday 7th November 2026

Royal Albert Hall
Friday 13th November (evening)
Saturday 14th November (matinee and evening)
Sunday 15th November (matinee and evening)