The Michael Portillo Show

Michael Portillo brings his one-man show to The Alban Arena on Wednesday 24 February 2027, starting at 7.30pm. It's a long evening, running an hour and fifty minutes with a twenty-minute interval, and it's recommended for ages 14 and over.

Portillo describes the show as the story of a life of two halves, and that's a fair way to put it. The first half goes back to his childhood as the son of a refugee, growing up with his father's experiences of the Spanish Civil War and his escape to England, where he met Portillo's mother while they looked after refugee children. The second half is the public life most of us recognise: he served under Margaret Thatcher, ran for the leadership of the Conservative Party, and lost his seat in one of the most famous moments in British political history. From there, he reinvented himself as one of the country's best-loved broadcasters, sparring with Diane Abbott and Andrew Neil and taking to the world's greatest railways. The show pulls those two lives together, with Portillo sharing funny, insightful and poignant stories from his time on stage.

Tickets are tiered by seat: PL1 is £62.99, PL2 £52.99, PL3 £47.99, and PL4 — which comes with a restricted view — is £42.99, all including fees. The Alban Arena is at the Civic Centre, St Albans, Hertfordshire AL1 3LD, and the show kicks off at 7.30pm on Wednesday 24 February.