Billy Elliot the Musical

Billy Elliot the Musical returns to the Sunderland Empire from 4 to 28 November 2026, with performances starting at 7:30pm. It's the same story you'll remember: set in a northern town during the miners' strike of 1984/5, it follows Billy's journey from the boxing ring to the ballet class, where he discovers a passion for dance. The stage production comes from the award-winning creative team behind the original film, and the music is by Elton John.

It's one of the most successful and beloved British musicals of all time, with more than 80 awards to its name. The reviews have been consistently strong: the Daily Mail called it 'a dazzling 40-carat gem of a show', the Independent on Sunday described it as 'a triumph', and the Sunday Express called it 'pure magic'. If you're taking it into a classroom, there's an Education Pack available to help with the learning side of things.

Standard tickets range from £20.80 to £135, and the run goes on for nearly a month, from 4 November through to 28 November, with the curtain going up at 7:30pm.