Back to the Future and Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical among 11 new shows coming to Theatre Royal Plymouth

3rd March 2026

An exciting line-up of new shows coming to Theatre Royal Plymouth (TRP) across 2026/27 has been unveiled and is now on sale.

For those mad about musicals, TRP has announced the award-winning Back to the Future The Musical, the iconic summertime classic Grease, and the most powerful night of music in Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical.

Dance fans are also in for a treat with the return of Matthew Bourne with Cinderella and Birmingham Royal Ballet with The Maiden of Venice.

The programme also includes dynamic concerts, thrilling mysteries and more, so there's a show for everyone.

Musicals

Back to the Future The Musical, The Lyric - 24 August  - 11 September 2027

Age 6+ 

Winner of Best New Musical at the Olivier Awards, WhatsOnStage Awards and Broadway World Awards, this “perfect musical escapism” (Metro) is ready to take you on an electrifying journey through time.

When teenager Marty McFly is accidentally sent back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric Doc Brown, he disrupts the space-time continuum and must race against the clock to put things right – and get back to the future.

Don’t miss this “high-voltage comedy” (Metro) and “feelgood triumph” (Telegraph), directed by Tony Award-winner John Rando and featuring a show-stopping DeLorean that “defies the laws of theatre” (Guardian).

Back to the Future the Musical features original music by multi-Grammy winners Alan Silvestri (Avengers: Endgame) and Glen Ballard (Michael Jackson’s Man in the Mirror), alongside hit songs from the movie including The Power of Love, Johnny B. Goode, Earth Angel and Back in Time.

Grease, The Lyric - 23 April - 01 May 2027

Age 12+

The world’s best-loved musical is back! Grittier and more glamorous than ever before.

After a whirlwind summer romance, leather-clad greaser Danny and girl-next-door Sandy are unexpectedly reunited when she transfers to Rydell High for senior year. But can they survive the trials and tribulations of teenage life and find true love once more?

With its phenomenal score, bursting with hits including Summer Nights, Greased Lightnin’, Hopelessly Devoted to You and You’re the One That I Want, this thrilling new version is brought to life by a fresh young cast who bring energy, vitality and passion to this ultimate musical classic.

Directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster reignite your passion and get ready for an explosion of summer loving.

Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical, The Lyric - 1 June - 5 June 2027 

Age 12+

Experience the most powerful night of music you’ll ever have at the theatre at Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical, featuring the most iconic songs from Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, Madonna, Sting, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross and more.

40 years on from the iconic gig that re-wrote music history, relive the joy of Live Aid in a “completely new and delightful way!” (Pete Townshend of The Who).

Performed by an electrifying ensemble full of bonafide rockstars, Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical is a “joyous and emotionally volcanic” (Daily Mail) night at the theatre.

This Olivier-nominated musical rocks into Plymouth from 01 – 05 Jun 2027 after wowing audiences in two sell-out seasons in the West End. It will send you “out into the night with a grin on your face”(WhatsOnStage) in a state of “sheer euphoria” (Rolling Stone).

A percentage of all ticket sales go directly to The Band Aid Charitable Trust, with £1.5 million already raised so far.

Drama

The Mousetrap, The Lyric 1 February – 6 February 2027

Age 7+

Since 1952, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap has captivated the world with silent clues, shifting shadows and the best kept secret in theatre history. Now, the record-breaking classic embarks on its 75th Anniversary Tour across the UK and Ireland.

A shocking murder rattles London. Far from the chaos, a remote country guesthouse welcomes seven strangers seeking refuge. But when a police sergeant battles through a deadly snowstorm with a warning no one expects, it becomes clear the threat is already within their walls.

Every whisper hides a clue. Every story masks a lie. And as suspicion tightens its grip, one question chills the room: Who among them is capable of murder?

Step inside, and solve the greatest murder mystery that has kept the world guessing for generations.

Paranormal Activity, The Lyric

30 March – 3 Apr 2027 

Age 15+

James and Lou move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are…

This thrilling West End hit is inspired by the iconic, hugely popular film series, Paranormal Activity, with a brand-new story live on stage. Now embarking on its first ever UK and Ireland tour after a sell-out, extended run in London, this chilling production promises to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Dance

Matthew Bourne's Cinderella, The Lyric - 16 November –21 November 2026

New Adventures return to Plymouth with the 30th Anniversary celebration of one of their most popular and beloved productions, Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella – a thrilling and evocative love story, set in London during the Second World War.

Matthew Bourne’s epic interpretation of the classic fairytale, has, at its heart, a true war-time romance. A chance meeting results in a magical night for Cinderella and her dashing young RAF pilot, together just long enough to fall in love before being parted by the horrors of the Blitz.

With Lez Brotherston’s glorious Olivier Award-winning designs, lighting by Olivier Award-winning Neil Austin and video and projection designs by Duncan McLean, Cinderella features sensational sound design by Paul Groothuis which will take the audience into the heart of Prokofiev’s magnificent score, and the sights and sounds of war-torn London.

Cinderella is both a tribute and a testament to the spirit of London during a time when every second counted and lives were changed forever. Bourne’s vivid storytelling has never been more heart-stopping and touching, creating a unique and unforgettable depiction of a familiar but timeless fable.

The Maiden of Venice, The Lyric - 11 March –13 March 2027 

Age 5+

Birmingham Royal Ballet return to Plymouth with The Maiden of Venice, Carlos Acosta’s brand-new reimagining of La Bayadère.

Admiral Sandro returns victorious to Venice to prepare for his marriage to the daughter of the Doge. He learns that his childhood love, Nicoletta, is about to become a nun, and when they meet they declare their love for each other. Nicoletta’s guardian Bishop Olivolo overhears their declaration. The Bishop is also in love with Nicoletta and he vows to destroy Sandro.

In this sumptuous reimagining of the 19th-century classic La Bayadère, Carlos Acosta moves the action to Renaissance Venice. With the original score by Ludwig Minkus played live by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, gorgeous designs by Anna Fleischle and show-stopping dance that includes the famous Kingdom of the Shades, this new production promises to be the ballet sensation of 2027.

Children

The Detective Dog, The Drum - 29 May - 30 May 2026

Age 3 – 7

Tiny & Tall Productions, formerly Tessa Bide Productions, brings you Julia Donaldson and Sara Ogilvie’s well-loved story, The Detective Dog, on stage for Deaf and hearing family audiences, supported by Arts Council England.

Whether it’s finding a lost shoe or discovering who did a poo on the new gravel path, Nell’s ever-sniffing nose is always hard at work. So when the books at the school have disappeared one morning, Detective Dog Nell is ready to sniff out the culprit!

With British Sign Language, creative captions and spoken English, this engaging production celebrates books and the magic of reading in an inclusive and accessible performance. Expect captivating puppetry; surprising smells and toe-tapping music.

One Night Only

Star Wars: 50th Anniversary Celebration, The Lyric 25 September 2026

Age 10+

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra takes you to a galaxy far, far away…

Can you believe it’s been almost 50 years since Princess Leia, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker first graced our screens? The Force will be with all of us as the BSO play the iconic tracks that accompanied George Lucas’ epic space opera, conducted by Pete Harrison.

The concert will be a magnificent celebration of John Williams’ timeless music from the entire film saga since the original Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977. All performed spectacularly by the full forces of the orchestra and conducted by Pete Harrison, it surely will be an event not to be missed – an evening of some of the best movie music ever written.

The Band of His Majesty's RM Plymouth, The Lyric 23 November 2026

The Band of His Majesty’s Royal Marines Plymouth is based at HMS Raleigh, the Royal Navy’s Initial Training Establishment.

The concert band performs varied programmes across the country raising money for charities and supporting service personnel as well as providing soft power at events overseas.

Over the previous few years, the Band has been fortunate enough to perform around the world Including trips to New Zealand, Trinidad, Tobago, America, Switzerland, Egypt, Cyprus and Japan. Closer to home, the Band regularly appears alongside the Massed Bands of His Majesty’s Royal Marines at national events, including Beating Retreat on Horse Guards Parade, The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and the Mountbatten Festival of Music.

New Year Viennese Gala, The Lyric - 8 Jan 2027

Age 10+

Celebrate the New Year in style with Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra!

The swirling majesty of the traditional Viennese Gala will see you spinning into the New Year with a flourish! Merry waltzes, polkas and marches from Johann Strauss II, his family and contemporaries fill this sparkling concert evening that will transport you from your seat in the concert hall all the way into the traditional gala halls of Vienna.

This concert of joyous music includes all of Strauss’ greats such as the Fledermaus Overture, Thunder and Lightning Polka, Radetzky March and, of course, The Blue Danube! This beguiling performance, conducted by Tom Fetherstonhaugh, will ensure a glamorous start to your New Year!