Barnum

Barnum is playing the Grand Opera House in Belfast from Tuesday 13 October to Saturday 17 October, with matinees at 2:30pm and evening shows at 7:30pm. It's a circus musical that follows P.T. Barnum, the 19th-century American showman, as he and his wife Charity scheme and dream their way to the top of the entertainment world. The show runs for two hours and fifteen minutes including an interval, and it's recommended for ages 8 and over.

This production is part of the 2026 UK and Ireland tour presented by Bill Kenwright Ltd and staged by the Watermill Theatre. Matt Rawle takes the title role of P.T. Barnum, with Jonathan O'Boyle directing and Oti Mabuse on choreography. The music is by Cy Coleman, with lyrics by Michael Stewart and a book by Mark Bramble. It's not just a story about the rise of a showman, though; it also looks at racism, slavery and the exploitation of performers in the 19th-century entertainment industry.

What sets it apart from a standard musical is the cast. More than 20 actor-musicians, acrobats and circus acts take part, and the live music is played by musicians woven into the action rather than hidden away in an orchestra pit. The show has a bit of history behind it, too: it was originally produced on Broadway by Judy Gordon and first took the UK by storm at the London Palladium, where Michael Crawford made theatrical history with a death-defying nightly tightrope walk across the stage.

Tickets range from £32.50 to £60.00, which includes the maximum applicable per-ticket booking fee. With matinees and evening performances running throughout the week, you've got plenty of options for when to catch it.