The Barbican has said it wishes Ariana Grande “nothing but the best” after the singer pulled out of Sunday In The Park With George, the upcoming London revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical. The production is still set to run at the Barbican in summer 2027, with Jonathan Bailey starring and Grande’s role recast.
In a statement, a Barbican representative said Grande’s team had shared the news on Sunday evening that she had made “the difficult decision to step back” from the production. The statement said the decision had the “unreserved understanding and support” of Empire Street Productions and everyone at the Barbican, and added: “We wish her nothing but the best for the rest of her tour and for the future, and sincerely hope to welcome her to the Barbican one day when the time is right.”
The Barbican said its theatre team is continuing preparations for the show, directed by Marianne Elliott, to open in summer 2027 as planned. Further casting, run details and ticket information are expected to be announced soon.
Grande to take a break after Eternal Sunshine tour
Grande, 33, is set to take “a step back from visibility” after her Eternal Sunshine tour, which reaches the UK in August with a 10-night residency at The O2 in London. Her representative told People she was looking forward to finishing the tour “on a high note, both healthily and happily” before taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which had led to “endless, ongoing public scrutiny.” The representative added that the tour had been a beautiful experience and that Grande loved her fans and had loved every minute of it.
Empire Street Productions said Grande made the decision to leave the London production “with our complete understanding and support,” adding: “We wish her nothing but the best. The production will open at the Barbican in summer 2027 as planned, and casting will be announced in due course.”
Upcoming film roles
The Wicked star is scheduled to appear in Focker-In-Law, the fourth film in the Fockers series, due for release in November. It is not yet known whether she will take part in promotional activity for the comedy, which was filmed last year and in which she plays Olivia, a former FBI hostage negotiator.
Grande also features in the upcoming Warner Bros animated film Oh, The Places You’ll Go!, based on Dr. Seuss’s book, which is due for release in March 2028 and remains in production. Representatives for Grande and Warner Bros have been contacted for comment.
A Broadway classic
Sunday In The Park With George was created by Sondheim and James Lapine and debuted on Broadway in 1984, starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters. Inspired by Georges Seurat’s painting A Sunday Afternoon On The Island Of La Grande Jatte, it follows a fictionalised Seurat as he works on the portrait, exploring the challenges of understanding life and art alongside his relationship with his lover and muse, Dot.
Grande first found fame playing Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon shows Victorious and Sam & Cat. The theatre announcement came after she released the music video for Petal, the title single from her newly released eighth studio album, which sparked speculation about her health.
