Beverley Knight and Sharon Rose to reprise their roles in tour of Sylvia, the Olivier-nominated musical

Wolverhampton-born singer, songwriter and performer, Beverley Knight MBE (Sister Act, The Drifters Girl, Memphis The Musical, Marie & Rosetta) will reprise her Olivier Award-winning role as Emmeline Pankhurst, alongside alongside Sharon Rose (Hamilton, Motown, Beautiful: The Carol King Musical) as the title character, Sylvia Pankhurst in the touring production of the Olivier-nominated musical, Sylvia. The acclaimed musical, infused with hip hop, funk and soul music, celebrates the revolutionary story of the suffragette movement through the life of Sylvia Pankhurst, the rebellious middle child of Emmeline Pankhurst, bringing to the stage her role at the heart of the women’s rights movement.

Sylvia cast members: Sharon Rose and Beverley Knight at Royal Albert Hall. Photo Craig Sugden

The limited tour, produced in association with Curve, will open in Leicester in September 2026, followed by Birmingham Hippodrome, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Salford Lowry, Norwich Theatre Royal, and Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury. Finally, it will close at the Royal Albert Hall, which was the home of over 20 suffragette rallies and some of the most historic speeches in the fight for women to gain the vote. The suffragettes were banned from the Hall between 1913 and 1918.

Beverley Knight said: “I could not be more chuffed to reprise my role as Emmeline Pankhurst one more time! The spirit, courage and determination of the suffragettes and in particular Sylvia Pankhurst is so brilliantly celebrated in this show. The Soul, R&B, Hip-Hop and Blues reflects the joy, passion and the fight of the women and their allies. It seemed to me like the perfect place to perform ‘Sylvia’ was the very stage on which the suffragettes were roundly expelled and rejected, the Royal Albert Hall. Over 100 years later, Sylvia and the Suffragettes are returning to triumph.”

Helen Pankhurst, activist, scholar and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst, adds: “I’m thrilled that Sylvia will be touring the UK next autumn, reaching audiences right across the country including Greater Manchester, the birthplace of the suffragette movement, and the Royal Albert Hall which became a powerful stage for some of the most memorable events in the fight for women to gain the vote. This production is a stunning retelling of the Suffragette movement, focusing on the fiery personal and political dynamics within my family. With only a few years until the Centenary of Equal Franchise in 2028, this might seem like a story of the past and of one extraordinary family, but the themes it explores are as relevant and topical as ever.”

Following its sell-out world premiere production at The Old Vic in 2023, Sylvia will visit Leicester Curve (24th Sept – 3rd Oct 2026), Birmingham Hippodrome (6th – 10th Oct), Edinburgh Festival Theatre (12th – 17th Oct), Salford Lowry (19th – 24th Oct), Norwich Theatre (28th – 31st Oct), Canterbury Marlowe (2nd – 7th Nov), and Royal Albert Hall (13^th – 15^th Nov). Sylvia is supported by a grant from the Arts Council Incentivising Touring scheme.

For tour dates and on-sale information please visit: http://sylviamusicaluk.com/