Burlesque the Musical has been cancelled again, and theatregoers hoping to attend Monday's performance at Sunderland Empire have been left furious as the news came an hour before the show was due to start.
Another cancellation for 'cursed' production
The stage show, based on the 2010 film starring Christina Aguilera and Cher, was due to start a London run at The Arts at Marble Arch but was postponed until next year before performances even began. At the same time, a UK tour with Coronation Street star Faye Brookes in the leading role of Tess was due to open in Woking but was cancelled amid technical difficulties.
The show was then set to open in Sunderland in early August but was again delayed by a week. It was set to open on Thursday 13 August at Sunderland Empire Theatre, but that evening's performance was also pulled as producers said they were "working hard to resolve the issues." Burlesque finally made it to the stage the following evening and completed three performances over the weekend.
Cast illness forces last-minute cancellation
On Monday evening, it was announced that that evening's performance had to be cancelled due to cast illness, and the announcement came just an hour before the curtain was set to rise. A statement from Sunderland Empire, which is owned by entertainment organisation ATG, was posted onto social media just minutes before curtain up.
It read: "Unfortunately this evening's performance of Burlesque is cancelled as several members of the cast have fallen ill today. We sincerely apologise for the late cancellation. Customers affected will be notified by email about the next steps. Thank you to our patrons for their continued patience and understanding."
Theatregoers react with fury
The theatre's followers were quick to react in the comments section of the post, with one simply writing: "That show is cursed!" and another bluntly said: "Cursed" A third wrote: "I sincerely hope the current bout of [illness] spreading through the cast clears up quickly" Another fumed: "Absolutely outrageous. Had a hotel booked last week and it was cancelled...rescedhuled for tonight travelled for 2 hours to see this AN HOUR before curtain up. Wow!"
When the London production was delayed earlier this year, producers said it was a "a strategic decision designed to ensure the production returns to London exactly as we want it to." The first West End production launched in 2025 but just before its opening night, actors union Equity said they were "engaging with both members and the producers" of the show over "a number of issues."
At the time, a spokesperson for Equity said: "Equity is engaging with both members and the producers over a number of issues that have been raised with us. Our West End official is in close contact with members, and members can seek further support by contacting Equity direct, as needed."
Lead actress Faye Brookes, who is best known for having played Kate Connor on Coronation Street but has appeared in high-profile musicals like Legally Blonde, The Sound of Music and Chicago, recently spoke to The Mirror about taking on her latest role in the UK tour.
She said: "I can never be Cher, but the fact that I get to play a role that she played is pretty fantastic. The stage version has even more diamonds, more numbers and more glitter!" "You’re getting people of all shapes and sizes dancing their hearts out for a couple of hours and singing along to incredible songs. It’s a beautiful thing."
