17th March – Theatre Closed
The outbreak of Coronavirus prompted the UK Government, in line with other countries, to encourage all places where the public gather to close for an indefinite period. The Mayflower in line with all other theatres coordinated with the production companies and closed from 17th March 2020.
ALL THE FOLLOWING PRODUCTIONS UNTIL ———– ARE CANCELLED
5th April – JOE AND DIANNE SHOW
On the stage – for one day – CANCELLED – JOE & DIANNE SHOW – There was music, comedy and of course a little bit of dance in this never-before-seen variety show from Strictly Come Dancing finalists, YouTube vlogger, Joe Sugg And professional ballroom dancer Dianne Buswell. Together for their first ever joint tour, THE JOE & DIANNE SHOW gave audiences a fantastic evening of performance, full of glitz and plenty of laughs, guaranteed to leave fans of all ages spellbound.
7th April – CURTAINS
On the stage – for five days – CANCELLED – CURTAINS – It’s murder putting on a new musical – literally! Jessica Cranshaw, star of the new Broadway-bound musical Robbin Hood, has been murdered on stage on opening night! The entire cast and crew are suspects. Time to call in the local detective, Frank Cioffi, who just happens to be a huge musical theatre fan. With a nose for crime and an ear for music, Frank has his work cut out trying to find the killer whilst giving the show a lifeline.
Starring Jason Manford (The Producers, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Guys and Dolls), Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba and Carley Stenson (Les Miserables, Legally Blonde, Shrek, Spamalot and Hollyoaks), this hilarious whodunnit is packed full of catchy songs, unforgettable characters and plot twists galore! From creators of Cabaret and Chicago, this Tony award winning backstage murder mystery musical had audiences laughing and guessing right to the final curtain.
14th April – RIVERDANCE
On the stage – for five days – CANCELLED – RIVERDANCE – This is Riverdance as you have never seen it before. Riverdance – the spectacular new 25th Anniversary production. 25 years ago, 7 minutes changed the face of Irish dancing forever. The Eurovision interval act performance gave millions of people a new and exciting glimpse of the future of Irish dance. It could have ended there, but it didn’t – in fact producer Moya Doherty, composer Bill Whelan and director John McColgan were only beginning their Riverdance journey, a journey which has already lasted 25 years.
Riverdance’s new show is a stirring reinvention of the beloved family favourite. Known for its Grammy-winning music, composer Bill Whelan has re-recorded his mesmerising soundtrack. Plus, producer Moya Doherty and director John McColgan have completely re-imagined the ground-breaking production which catapulted Riverdance into the 21st century. Along with innovative lighting and projection as well as spectacular staging and costume design, audiences were completely immersed in the elemental power of its music and dance.
21st April – THE KING & I
On the stage – for TWO weeks – CANCELLED – THE KING & I – Starring Jose Llana direct from Broadway as The King and Annalene Beechey from the West End production as Anna. Hailed as ‘the theatrical event of 2018’, and nominated for six Olivier Awards, the multi-award winning and critically acclaimed Lincoln Center Theater’s production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King And I came to Southampton as part of a World Tour, direct from its record-breaking sold-out season at The London Palladium.
The King And I is a great musical from the golden age of musicals – adored by the public and critics alike – with one of the finest scores ever written including; Whistle a Happy Tune, Getting to Know You, and Shall We Dance, featuring a company of over 50 world-class performers and a full-scale orchestra. A celebration of the lavish heritage of the very best in romantic musical theatre from an unparalleled multi-award-winning creative team, hailed as one of the best working in theatre today, directed by Tony Award winner Bart Sher (South Pacific & My Fair Lady – Broadway). This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to witness this glorious production, as you have never seen it before.
3rd May – THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY
Live – one night only – CANCELLED – THE SIMON & GARFUNKEL STORY – Returning to the Mayflower for its second visit The Simon & Garfunkel Story. The show tells the story of Simon & Garfunkel from their first meeting at elementary school in Queens, New York, through to their 1981 concert in Central Park attended by over 500,000 people. Of course, for the majority of the audience, the story isn’t really that important, the show is all about the music and that is brought alive in spectacular style by Sam O’Hanlon (as Paul Simon) and Charles Blyth (as Art Garfunkel). Sam and Paul manage to recreate the sound and feel of the classic songs so that the duo bring the memory of Simon & Garfunkel alive but still inject some of their own personality into the music. Backed by an extremely good band – Leon Camfield (Bass), Will Tuckwell (Electric Guitar/Keyboards), Mat Swales (Drums), Kyla Brown (Keyboards), Tim Bloomer (Electric Guitar) – Sam and Paul deliver a show that any fan of the original will really enjoy.
4th May – NICK MASON’s SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS – MORE GAMES FOR MAY
Live – one day only – CANCELLED – NICK MASON’S SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS – MORE GAMES FOR MAY – Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets are an English psychedelic rock band formed in 2018 by drummer Nick Mason and guitarist Lee Harris to perform the early music of Mason’s band Pink Floyd. The band also includes Gary Kemp of Spandau Ballet on guitars and vocals and longtime Pink Floyd collaborator Guy Pratt on bass and vocals. Mason said the group were not a tribute band, but wanted to “capture the spirit” of the era; he stressed that Kemp was not a replacement for original Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett, who left the band in 1968. The band made their live debut in May 2018 in front of an invited audience at Dingwalls in London, playing a selection of Pink Floyd material released before their 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon. This was followed by three small shows at the Half Moon, Putney and a European tour. On 30 January 2020, Mason announced a live album and film, titled Live at the Roundhouse, Recorded during 3 May and 4 May 2019 at the Roundhouse in London, the album, DVD, and BD were released on 17 April 2020 ahead of this gig.
5th May – SENSATIONAL 60’s EXPERIENCE
Live – one night only – CANCELLED – SENSATIONAL 60’S EXPERIENCE – The biggest 60s show touring the UK returns with a brand new production for 2020. The Sensational 60s Experience is a three hour 60s spectacular of pure nostalgia. The show with the definite feel good factor transports you back to the decade that was the 1960s, delivering a night never to be forgotten. Starring Mike Pender (Original voice of The Searchers), The Trems (All former members of The Tremeloes), The Fortunes, The Swinging Blue Jeans and The Dakotas. Hits include Needles and Pins, Silence Is Golden, Storm In A Teacup, Hippy Hippy Shake, Little Children plus many more. Step back in time to when pop music was at its very best.
7th May – RAMBERT
On the stage – for three days – CANCELLED – RAMBERT – TRIPLE BILL – The first part of this programme featured PRESENTIENT – performed to Steve Reich‘s Triple Quartet, played live, with lighting by Lucy Carter and costume design by Ursula Bombshell – both regular collaborators with Wayne McGregor – PreSentient was commissioned by Rambert in 2002.
The hallmarks of McGregor’s emerging world-class talent are all present in this early piece for 12 dancers, winner of the Time Out Award for Best Choreography. This is the first revival of the work by Rambert since its premiere.
The second act was a new creation, ROUGE, by Marion Motin, whose hip hop-influenced style is probably best known through her work for Christine and the Queens and her VMA-nominated video for Dua Lipa‘s IDGAF. How do you keep going when the only thing you have is yourself? When your building is burning in the middle of the night, what do you take with you? How does it help you to keep going? When you are in the red zone, do you still have the resources to recharge yourself? Rouge is about finding our real selves: our instinct and nature, rather than our culture. It’s about leaving the artificial world to just live, to connect with real bodies and real people.
The third act was brimming with gritty physicality, Hofesh Shechter‘s IN YOUR ROOMS is at times provocative, political and deeply personal, presenting a society that is scarily alienating and yet shockingly familiar. A collective of dancers reveal shifting motives, lack of control and vulnerabilities through intricate, touching encounters. The work features an original score, created by Hofesh in collaboration with Nell Catchpole (The Gogmagogs). Performed live, Hofesh’s hauntingly beautiful score envelops the stage as music and dance combine forces to create a truly magical atmosphere.
10th May – THE BEST OF JOHN WILLIAMS
Live – one night only – CANCELLED – THE BEST OF JOHN WILLIAMS – LONDON CONCERT ORCHESTRA – From E.T. to Star Wars and beyond…. the magnificent London Concert Orchestra took the audience on an incredible journey through the iconic film scores of John Williams.
12th May – EVERYBODY’s TALKING ABOUT JAMIE
On the stage – for five days – CANCELLED – EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE – is a musical with music by Dan Gillespie Sells and book and lyrics by Tom MacRae. The musical is inspired by the 2011 television documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, directed by Jenny Popplewell. The musical follows a 16-year-old teenager as he overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness to become a drag queen. The musical premiered at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in February 2017, it finished its short run on 25 February, directed by Jonathan Butterell. The musical transferred to the West End at the Apollo Theatre from 6 November 2017 with most of the Crucible Theatre cast returning. This production embarked on an extensive United Kingdom tour from 8 February 2020, which opened in Sheffield with Layton Williams reprising the lead role of Jamie and Shane Richie playing Hugo.
17th May – JIMMY CARR – TERRIBLY FUNNY
Live – one night only – CANCELLED – JIMMY CARR – TERRIBLY FUNNY – Jimmy Carr was scheduled to return to the Mayflower for his tenth time. This time with his Terribly Funny Tour. Known for joking about religion, politics, sex and other taboo topics, is there any question as to what Terribly Funny would have been about?
Jimmy Carr – Offensive Humour – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzkTewpzjss
18th May – ONCE
On the stage – for six days – CANCELLED – ONCE – is a musical based on the 2007 film of the same name by John Carney. Like the film, music and lyrics were by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, including the Academy Award-winning “Falling Slowly”. The book for the musical was written by Enda Walsh. The musical premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2011, before transferring to Broadway in 2012. The production received eleven 2012 Tony Award nominations, and won eight including Best Musical, Best Actor and Best Book. The musical also won the 2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2013 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. It has since spawned a London production, making its West End debut at the Phoenix Theatre, London on 9 April 2013 where it ran until 21 March 2015.
In the musical, the cast also serves as the orchestra. A minimalist set is used, including a bar in center stage with chairs lining stage left and right. Exiting cast members simply step to the side of the stage and sit down. They serve as the orchestra from these chairs. This is the first UK tour for the musical and featured Daniel Healy as Guy and Emma Lucia as Girl.
24th May – A QUESTION OF SPORT
Live – one night only – CANCELLED – A QUESTION OF SPORT – The world’s longest running TV sports quiz, BBC’s A Question of Sport, will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an all-new live tour visiting Southampton and 9 other cities across the UK. Starring host Sue Barker and resident team captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell, along with big-name guests from across the sporting world, A Question of Sport Live is the perfect way for fans to see the hit show up close in a thrilling live environment. The live version followed the small-screen format featuring many of the rounds and challenges fans of the hit show know and love. It’s also interactive as audience members participate by directly posing questions to the teams and getting involved in some rounds before the traditional Sprint Finish climax. This should have been A Question of Sport’s first tour in nine years. A Question of Sport first burst onto the nation’s TV screens in January 1970. More than 1,000 episodes have been broadcast and more than 2,000 of the biggest names in British and international sport have appeared as panellists.
27th May – THE BOOK OF MORMON
On the stage – for TWO weeks – CANCELLED – THE BOOK OF MORMON – is a musical comedy with music, lyrics and book by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, and Matt Stone. First staged in 2011, the play is a satirical examination of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ beliefs and practices that ultimately endorses the positive power of love and service. Parker and Stone were best known for creating the animated comedy South Park; Lopez had co-written the music for the musical Avenue Q. The show opened on Broadway in March 2011, after nearly seven years of development. The Book of Mormon garnered overwhelmingly positive critical responses, and set records in ticket sales for the Eugene O’Neill Theatre. The show was awarded nine Tony Awards, including Best Musical, and a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. The original Broadway cast recording became the highest-charting Broadway cast album in over four decades, reaching number three on the Billboard charts. In 2013, the musical premiered in the West End. The Book of Mormon has become one of the most successful musicals of all time.
16th June – THE MOUSETRAP
June 16, 2020 – On the stage – for five days – CANCELLED – THE MOUSETRAP – was scheduled to return to the Mayflower after its record breaking run at the theatre eight years previously, when it set a new global record for the most admissions for the play in one week. The Agatha Christie thriller opened in London in 1952 and has run continuously until the enforced closedown resulting from Covid-19.
21st June – LOST IN MUSIC – ONE NIGHT AT THE DISCO
June 21, 2020 – Live – one night only – CANCELLED – LOST IN MUSIC – ONE NIGHT AT THE DISCO – Another one got by Covid-19 and resheduled for the 12th December 2020. This was to recreate a magical 70s night as you go on a musical journey straight to the heart of disco! With some of the greatest songs of all time from Artists such as Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sister Sledge and Chic. This show boasts a sensational live band, incredibly talented cast and stunning vocals and is sure to have you dancing in the aisles! So, come dressed to impress as we celebrate the golden age of Disco! With songs such as Never Can Say Goodbye, On The Radio, Hot Stuff, Car Wash, Boogie Wonderland and many more! We should have been able to leave our troubles at home!
22nd June – 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL
June 22, 2020 – On the stage – for six days – CANCELLED – 9 TO 5 – The musical was supposed to be returning for its second visit following a succesful run in 2013. However, the dreaded Covid-19 meant the tour being postponed. This production opened in the West End at the Savoy Theatre February 17, 2019. The production was scheduled to star Amber Davies as Judy, Louise Redknapp as Violet, Brian Conley as Franklin, Natalie McQueen as Doralee and Bonnie Langford as Roz. On May 5, 2019 the production announced its limited run would extend to May 2020 and then head out on a nationwide tour. The show eventually closed early in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic and the tour postponed.
28th June – THINK FLOYD – THROUGH THE WALL
June 28, 2020 – Live – one day only – CANCELLED – THINK FLOYD – THROUGH THE WALL – This extraordinary band, dubbed the Definitive Pink Floyd Experience, are renowned for their stunning celebration of the music of one of the world’s greatest musical phenomenon. Following the hugely successful tour of The Wall in 2019, Think Floyd continue their celebration of this classic album with a new production for 2020 featuring a complete performance of the iconic album as well as the whole range of classic Pink Floyd from the The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here and much more. Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason describes the band as “Brilliant! – They are really good.” In an interview on LBC the legendary drummer commended Think Floyd and rather generously called them “better than we are”.
29th June – ADAM KAY
June 29, 2020 – On the stage – for one night only – CANCELLED – ADAM KAY – THIS IS GOING TO HURT – Another cancellation, at least with this one it has been rescheduled for November, providing the lock down has been lifted which should make this performance even funnier and more poignant. Following the success of his number one best-selling non-fiction book, ex-Doctor and current comedy writer, Adam Kay, grips the audience with his smash-hit show, Adam Kay: This Is Going To Hurt (Secret Diaries Of A Junior Doctor). Based on diaries from his time as a junior doctor in the NHS, This Is Going To Hurt covers everything from gruesome operations, memorable patients, embarrassing situations, and the work, dedication and sacrifices involved in working for the National Health Service. Adam’s anecdotes spanning several years on various labour wards will make you laugh, cringe, appreciate your doctor, and possibly never want kids. This Is Going To Hurt (Secret Diaries Of A Junior Doctor) was awarded five stars during its run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2016, 2017 and 2018. It recently played a celebrated West End run at the Garrick Theatre, and now it’s on tour to have you cringing like never before.
At the end of each show, copies of the book will be available to purchase, as well as the opportunity to get your book signed by Adam.
