Five shows to see at the Floral Pavilion in 2026

Theatre audiences and fans of live performance are in for a treat all over Merseyside during 2026 – including at the Floral Pavilion.

The New Brighton venue has lined up a programme of music, comedy, cabaret, children’s shows and drama for audiences to enjoy, including a return for acclaimed new Country musical Under the Mersey Moon and the unmissable Something About George which pays homage to the late, great George Harrison.

Meanwhile there are plenty of other touring treats heading for the waterfront theatre over the course of the year.

They include more than one ‘killer night out’ along with theatricals tribute to the man whose music influenced a certain Liverpool group that made it ‘very, very big’, one of the world’s greatest ever wits – and a trio of late comedy legends.

Here are five unmissable shows coming to the Floral Pavilion main stage this season.

Murder at Midnight – February 24-28

It’s New Year’s Eve in a quiet corner of Kent and a killer is in the house…

We meet Jonny ‘The Cyclops’ – the notorious gangster, his glamorous wife, his trigger-happy sidekick, his mum—who’s seeing things, her very jittery carer, plus a vicar who’s hiding something, and a nervous burglar dressed as a clown.

Throw in a suitcase full of cash, a stash of deadly weapons, and one infamous unsolved murder… What could possibly go wrong?

Murder at Midnight is presented by Original Theatre, written by Torben Betts and stars Jason Durr, Susie Blake and EastEnder's Max Bowden.

Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story – March 10-14

Billed as ‘the most successful rock ‘n’ roll musical of all time, Buddy roars into New Brighton for a week this March.

Experience the drama, passion and excitement as a multi-talented cast of actor-musicians tell Buddy Holly’s story, from his Texas rockabilly beginnings to international stardom and his legendary final performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, before his tragic death at the age of just 22.

The show features a packed soundtrack of some the greatest and most influential songs ever written, including That’ll Be the Day, Oh Boy, Rave On, La Bamba, Chantilly Lace, Johnny B Goode, Raining In My Heart, Everyday, Shout and Peggy Sue.

The Importance of Being Oscar – April 30 to May 2

Micheál Mac Liammóir’s ‘Wilde-ly entertaining’ one-man play The Importance of Being Oscar returns to the stage following a hit London run.

Step beyond the footlights with actor Anthony Whatley and into the private world of Oscar Wilde.Told in the shadows of Reading Gaol, where Wilde was imprisoned, and liberally laced with excerpts from his best-loved works, the show immerses its audience in a compelling journey through the loves and losses, successes and struggles of the iconic man – from the eccentric socialite to the imprisoned outcast.

The Last Laugh – October 6-10

If you missed it in Liverpool last autumn, there’s a fresh chance to catch this five-star homage to a trio of British comedy heroes at the Floral Pavilion in 2026.

The Last Laugh imagines Tommy Cooper, Eric Morecambe and Bob Monkhouse in a dressing room, discussing the secret of life, death, comedy and what it means to be funny… really funny!

“Lovingly written and directed” (Sunday Times) by the award-winning Paul Hendy, The Last Laugh stars Damian Williams as Cooper, Simon Cartwright as Monkhouse and Britain’s Got Talent finalist, Steve Royle as Morecambe.

The Mousetrap – October 19-24

The grande dame of whodunnits, The Mousetrap comes to New Brighton to entertain Merseyside audiences this autumn as part of a 75^th anniversary tour of the UK and Ireland.

Amazingly, despite its longevity and the thousands who have seen it, Agatha Christie’s stage stalwart is the best kept secret in theatre history.

A shocking murder rattles London. Far from the chaos, a remote country guesthouse welcomes seven strangers seeking refuge. But when a police sergeant battles through a deadly snowstorm with a warning no one expects, it becomes clear the threat is already within their walls.

Every whisper hides a clue. Every story masks a lie. And as suspicion tightens its grip, one question chills the room: Who among them is capable of murder?

For more details on the 2026 season, individual shows or to book visit the website HERE