Rose Theatre is pleased to announce its 2025/26 season, continuing its commitment to entertain audiences, elevate artists, and empower the community. In addition to the previously announced Marie and Rosetta starring Olivier Award winner Beverley Knight, the full 2025 programme includes:
Rose Theatre 2 – 24 May 2025
MARIE AND ROSETTA
A Rose Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre and ETT production
A play with music by George Brant. Directed by Monique Touko
GOD DON’T WANT THE DEVIL TO HAVE ALL THE GOOD MUSIC RIGHT?
Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the roof-raising ‘godmother of rock ‘n’ roll’, influenced countless musicians from Elvis to Johnny Cash. This sparkling, intimate portrait of Rosetta and her beloved singing partner, Marie Knight, restores these forgotten musical heroines to the spotlight as one of the most remarkable and revolutionary duos in music history.
Mississippi, 1946. Sister Rosetta has changed the face of gospel music with her exuberant, electric guitar-playing style. Shunned by straitlaced church folk for performing in nightclubs and glorying in rhythm and blues, she’s persuaded the saintly young singer Marie to join her on a tour of the segregated southern States. But first she has to convert Marie’s pure Sunday sound into something that has just a little more swing…
Featuring a wealth of joyous rock and gospel hits including Didn’t It Rain and Peace in the Valley, the show will feature live musicians accompanying Olivier Award-winning West End star Beverley Knight (Memphis, The Drifters Girl, Sylvia, Sister Act) as Rosetta Tharpe, alongside rising star Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Rosetta’s protege Marie Knight.
Rose Theatre 17 September – 11 October 2025
EMMA
A Rose Theatre production
A play by Ava Pickett. Based on the novel by Jane Austen. Directed by Christopher Haydon
EMMA WOODHOUSE THINKS SHE HAS IT ALL FIGURED OUT
Jane Austen’s classic romantic comedy is joyously reimagined for the 21st century. This irresistible new adaptation swaps drawing room duets for dance floor-fillers to present this classic tale of matchmaking and mischief as you’ve never seen it before.
Fresh from Oxford University and back in her hometown for the summer, Emma is ready to do what she does best: sort out everyone else’s lives, whether they like it or not.
Her closest friend Harriet is a total dating disaster, her father keeps disappearing on mysterious errands, and George Knightley refuses to stop pointing out the flaws in her flawless plans. But Emma knows best… Right?
Join us as we celebrate the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth with this classic story of romance, friendship, and the tricky business of figuring out what truly makes us happy.
Rose Theatre 14 – 25 October 2025
NOËL COWARD’S PRIVATE LIVES
By Noël Coward. Directed by Tanuja Amarasuriya
LOVE AND CHAOS COLLIDE IN NOËL COWARD’S TIMELESS COMEDY
Amanda and Elyot are charming, rich, utterly reckless – and divorced. When they meet unexpectedly on the first night of their honeymoons with new partners, in the balmy moonlight of the French Riviera, old flames reignite, and impulsive love takes hold. But they divorced for a reason, and their fiery romance soon spirals into a chaotic riot of passionate desire, slanging matches and outrageous battles.
Set against a backdrop of 1930s glamour, Noël Coward’s Private Lives is a sparkling comedy of manners – hilarious, stylish, and a rollercoaster of emotions, filled with razor-sharp wit, sizzling chemistry, and timeless sophistication.
Rose Theatre 28 November 2025 – 4 January 2026
CINDERELLA
A new version by Chris Bush and Roni Neale, Music by Matt Winkworth
YOU’LL HAVE A BALL
When 16-year-old Ella finds herself spending Christmas at Dad’s house, she wishes she could be anywhere else. She’s expected to help out and forced to spend family time with her new stepmum. Worse still, her bedroom has been turned into a nursery for the noisiest, smelliest twin stepsisters you’ve ever seen.
Her wishes are answered and Ella is whisked away to a magical world of castles, balls, and handsome princes. Yet it soon becomes clear that all is not quite as it seems. And, perhaps this isn’t the happily-ever-after ending Ella thought it would be?
From Chris Bush (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Robin Hood and the Christmas Heist) and Roni Neale (I Have Witnessed Enough), this funny, fantastical retelling of the classic fairytale highlights the importance of family, wherever we may find it. Featuring members of our celebrated Rose Youth Theatre alongside a professional cast, join us for our Christmas tradition in this mischievous new adventure about being careful what you wish for.
Rose Theatre 6 – 22 February 2026
THE BOY AT THE BACK OF THE CLASS
Based on the novel by Onjali Q. Raúf. Adapted by Nick Ahad. Directed by Monique Touko
There used to be an empty chair at the back of the class, but now a new boy called Ahmet is sitting in it. He’s nine years old (just like me), but he’s very strange. He never talks and never smiles and doesn’t like sweets – not even lemon sherbets, which are my favourite!
After learning that he has fled his own war-torn country, Ahmet’s classmates have ‘The Greatest Idea in the World’ – a magnificent plan to reunite Ahmet with his family. An unexpected and often hilarious adventure follows, all topped off with a terrific twist.
Told from a child’s perspective, balancing heart and humour, The Boy at the Back of the Class highlights the power of friendship and kindness in a world that doesn’t always make sense and reminds us that everyone needs a place to call home.
Rose Theatre: 26 February 2026 – 28 March 2026
OUR TOWN
Starring Michael Sheen
By Thornton Wilder, Directed by Francesca Goodridge
“Does anyone ever realise life while they live it… every, every minute?”
Grover’s Corners is a quiet little town, full of ordinary folk, living everyday lives. They work, they laugh, they sing, they fall in love and raise their children, and grow old.
But within those moments of ordinary, everyday life, there are truths that reach out to us all. And a passionate demand to cherish every moment, right now, while we still can.
Our Town is American playwright Thornton Wilder’s masterpiece, and this new production — starring internationally celebrated actor Michael Sheen — fits an intimate Welsh setting, bringing new life and vivid resonance for modern audiences. When Dylan Thomas created his own version of village life in Under Milk Wood, it’s said that he knew both Wilder and this play. That common bond makes Our Town the perfect inaugural production of the WNT, showcasing the finest Welsh talent in a play with universal and timeless resonance.
£25 Seats for Dramas
Public booking for all 2025-2026 season productions opens at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, 10 April.
Rose Theatre continues its commitment to make theatre accessible to wider and more diverse audiences by offering a majority of seats for Rose drama productions available at £25 during its upcoming 2025-2026 season.
The Rose also offers membership schemes for individuals, families, and people aged 30 & Under. A key benefit of the individual Friends members scheme is that bookers receive £10 discounts on selected seats. With the continued pricing scheme, members could pay as little as £15 for a prime seat in the stalls. Similarly, 30 & Under members pay only £5 for great seats.
Members receive a raft of additional benefits including: discounts at the Rose Café Bar, exclusive events,preferred pricing and special offers with local restaurant and retail partners. For more information, visit the Rose memberships page here.
The Rose is also introducing digital wallet payments as part of a new partnership with Spektrix Payments. Bookers now have the option of booking tickets on their mobile devices using Apple Pay or Google Pay.
Audiences should visit http://www.rosetheatre.org for complete season details and updated listings and performance information.