Jane Eyre Musical Sets U.K. Premiere at Southwark Playhouse

Jane Eyre Musical Sets U.K. Premiere at Southwark Playhouse

Writer John Caird will co-direct the reimagined production of the Broadway musical with Megan McGinnis.

March 10, 2026 By Logan Culwell-Block

John Caird and Paul Gordon's 2000 musical version of Jane Eyre will get a long-awaited U.K. debut at Southwark Playhouse Elephant later this year, with performances running August 28-October 24. Opening night will be September 8.

The new staging will be co-directed by Caird (Les Misérables) and Megan McGinnis, reuniting after the latter starred in Caird's Daddy Long Legs musical. Casting and further creative team are to be announced. The production is being produced by Adam Blanshay Productions in partnership with the work's original Canadian producers, David and Hannah Mirvish.

The musical premiered in Toronto in 1996, ultimately making it to Broadway in 2000, bringing Brontë's classic gothic romance to the world of musical theatre. The work would go on to earn five 2001 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. A starry concert production brought the musical back to NYC last month with a Manhattan Concert Productions performance at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall starring Erika Henningsen and Ramin Karimloo. News of this production also comes just after the launch of a new chamber revision of the musical with theatrical licensor Music Theatre International. Having premiered in 2024 at North Carolina's Theatre Raleigh with a smaller orchestration, reduced casting needs, and changes to the lyrics and book, this edition will likely serve as the basis for the upcoming U.K. premiere at the 310-seat venue.

“I’m so pleased to have the opportunity to explore a new version of Jane Eyre in the beautifully intimate Southwark Playhouse Elephant," says Caird in a statement. "It's always a pleasure to work on this timeless romance but all the more exciting to be collaborating with the brilliant and innovative Megan McGinnis as co-director."

“Charlotte Brontë’s masterpiece is not only a landmark portrayal of a strong female protagonist, but a story that sends audiences out of the theatre feeling better about their own lives than when they walked in," adds Gordon.

Tickets are at SouthwarkPlayhouse.co.uk.