Final UK Tour Dates Set For LOOKING FOR ME FRIEND: THE MUSIC OF VICTORIA WOOD

Final UK tour dates have been announced for the critically acclaimed nostalgic musical celebration, Looking For Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood. 2026 marks the 10th anniversary of Victoria Wood’s death. The Spring 2026 Final Tour will take in areas of the UK which meant the most to Victoria including The Lowry in her beloved Manchesterford and Jacksons Lane in Highgate, London where she lived.

Looking For Me Friend is for fans of Victoria and for those yet to discover her, to come together and relish her breathtaking wizardry with words. In telling Victoria’s story, cabaret legend Paulus unfolds his own. A relatable story of a 1970s childhood and what it really means to find your tribe.

Now, after 6 years of successfully touring the UK, Paulus is finally hanging up the oven gloves, stilettos and cocktail slacks as he bids a sad farewell to the critically acclaimed show, ahead of announcing a new Victoria Wood-themed sequel show, which will premiere at the 2026 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

2026 marks the 10th anniversary of Victoria Wood’s death. The Spring 2026 Finale Tour will take in areas of the UK which meant the most to Victoria including The Lowry in her beloved Manchesterford, two nights at Jacksons Lane in Highgate, London where she lived, Bury Met (the town she grew up in) and The Rep, Birmingham (the city where she attended university).

Looking For Me Friend has performed on many stages connected to Victoria Wood over the past six years, including Huddersfield Town Hall, which was the stage on which That Day We Sang was performed, as well as at Sheffield Crucible, where Victoria’s play Talent premiered.

Looking For Me Friend has been seen by some of Victoria’s lovely supportive colleagues and friends such as Sue Devaney & Kate Robbins from dinnlerladies and Graham Seed & Deborah Grant from Victoria’s repertory company. Victoria’s Wood’s brother Chris also saw and enjoyed the show.

A portion of the profits from ticket sales and merchandise go to the Victoria Wood Foundation. The ‘word-cloud’ featured on the Looking For Me Friend merchandise is now featured at Bury Art museum as part of their permanent Victoria Wood Collection.

Directed by multi-award-winning cabaret artist Sarah-Louise Young (An Evening Without Kate Bush), the show is filled with love, laughter and fabulous memories for Victoria Wood fans as well as the ultimate ‘beginner’s guide’ for audiences new to her work.

The 2026 Spring tour will visit Gorleston, Newcastle-Under-Lyme, Hull, London (Highgate), Beverley, Farnham, Oxted, Burton Upon Trent, Birmingham, Mold, Havant, Salford, Bury, Peterborough, Leeds, Worcester, with more dates to be added.

Many of Victoria Wood’s best-loved songs through the decades are featured including "It Would Never Have Worked", "Reincarnation" and, of course, the classic "Ballad of Barry & Freda (Let’s Do It)", as well as some of her lesser-known and more poignant compositions.

The acclaimed pianist Michael Roulston (Fascinating Aïda) joins Paulus on stage, proving what many have known for decades: that it takes two men to do the work of one woman – half as well!

Paulus said: “As we embark on our final year travelling the UK to celebrate a lost, much-loved friend, I’m more excited than ever to meet fellow fans of the unforgettable Victoria Wood, and to introduce a whole new generation to her wit, wisdom and word-play. And as for what comes next... watch this space!”

Tour Dates

Saturday 31 January
GORLESTON
Gorleston Pavilion

Wednesday 18 Febuary
NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYME
The New Vic Theatre

Friday 27 Febuary
HULL
Ferriby Town Hall

Saturday 28 February
SALTBURN-BY-THE-SEA
Saltburn Arts

Thursday 5 March
LONDON
Jackson’s Lane

Thursday 12 March
BEVERLEY
East Riding Theatre

Friday 13 March
FARNHAM
Farnham Maltings

Saturday 14 March
OXTED
The Barn
 
Thursday 19 March
BURTON UPON TRENT
The Brewhouse

Friday 20 & Saturday 21 March
BIRMINGHAM
The Rep

Sunday 22 March
MOLD
Theatr Clwyd

Friday 10 April
HAVANT
The Spring Arts & Heritage Centre

Sunday 12 April
CARDIFF
Wales Millennium Centre


Saturday 18 April
SALFORD
The Lowry

Sunday 19 April
BURY
The MET

Friday 24 April
PETERBOROUGH
The Key

Thursday 30 April
LANCASTER
Duke’s Theatre

Sunday 3 May
LEEDS
City Varieties Music Hall

Thursday 14 May
COLCHESTER
Mercury Studio

Friday 15 May
BIGGLESWADE
The Bigg

Wednesday 20 May
LONDON
Crazy Coqs

Friday 22 May
TETBURY
Goods Shed

Saturday 23 May
WORCESTER
Huntingdon Hall