Video: SYLVIA Prepares for Its September Return at Curve Theatre

Check out new behind-the-scenes video from the promo shoot for SYLVIA, ahead of the production’s return this autumn. The musical will tour the UK before culminating in a limited run of performances at the Royal Albert Hall.

The production stars Beverley Knight as Emmeline Pankhurst and Sharon Rose as Sylvia Pankhurst. Knight reprises her Olivier Award–winning performance, while Rose takes on the role of Sylvia, the activist daughter whose work expanded the fight for equality beyond women’s suffrage.

SYLVIA tells the story of Sylvia Pankhurst, the middle child of Emmeline Pankhurst, focusing on her leadership within the Suffragette movement and her advocacy for working women, marginalized communities, and social reform. The musical blends hip hop, funk, and soul to frame Sylvia’s political awakening and the personal cost of her convictions.

Following its sellout world premiere at The Old Vic in 2023, the production will open at Curve Theatre on September 24, 2026, before visiting Birmingham Hippodrome, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, The Lowry, Norwich Theatre Royal, and Marlowe Theatre. The tour concludes with five performances at the Royal Albert Hall from November 13 to 15, 2026. Tickets for the tour and Royal Albert Hall performances are now on sale.

The Royal Albert Hall holds particular historical significance for the production. The venue hosted more than twenty suffragette rallies and speeches in the early 20th century and was known among activists as a “Temple of Liberty.” In 1913, Emmeline Pankhurst, her daughters, and the Women’s Social and Political Union were banned from the Hall, making them the first political group barred from the venue. The ban was lifted in 1918 following partial suffrage victories, when the Hall hosted a major celebration of women gaining the vote.

The creative team includes Kate Prince (book and lyrics, director, and choreographer), Priya Parmar (book), Josh Cohen and DJ Walde (music), with design by Ben Stones, lighting by Natasha Chivers, sound by Tony Gayle, video and animation by Andrzej Goulding, wigs and make-up by Cynthia De La Rosa, dramaturgy by Lolita Chakrabarti, and music supervision by Sean Green. The production is supported by a grant from the Arts Council Incentivising Touring scheme.