Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey exit the 2027 London revival of Sunday in the Park With George. Learn about the 2028 delay and ticket updates!
The highly anticipated London stage reunion of Wicked co-stars Ariana Grande (Wicked, Eternal Sunshine) and Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) will no longer go forward as planned. Independent theater banner Empire Street Productions officially announced that the 2027 West End revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical Sunday in the Park With George has been cancelled at London's Barbican Centre. The decision comes after both lead actors withdrew from the production in succession, prompting producers to push back performance timelines and aim for a restructured launch with a brand-new cast in 2028.
Why Was the 2027 London Revival of Sunday in the Park With George Postponed?
The cancellation follows a sequence of high-profile cast departures that fundamentally altered the production schedule.
- Ariana Grande's Departure: Grande withdrew from the West End revival following the conclusion of her global Eternal Sunshine tour. The pop star and actress cited a desire to step back from public visibility amid intense media scrutiny, vacating her planned West End stage debut as Dot and Marie.
- Jonathan Bailey's Exit: Weeks after Grande's announcement, Bailey opted to step down from the lead role of pointillist painter Georges Seurat. Citing solidarity with his close friend and long-term collaborator, Bailey expressed his support for Grande while wishing the creative team future success.
- Producer Strategy: Rather than rushing a last-minute recast for the planned 2027 summer engagement, Empire Street Productions and director Marianne Elliott opted to cancel the Barbican run. The production company retains performance rights and intends to mount the show in 2028 with a new creative lineup.
What Is Sunday in the Park With George About and Where Can You Stream the Music?
First debuting Off-Broadway in 1983 before its legendary 1984 Broadway premiere starring Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters, the musical remains one of Sondheim's most celebrated masterworks.
- The Artistic Narrative: Inspired by Georges Seurat's iconic 1884 post-impressionist masterpiece A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte, the story explores Seurat's obsession with completing his painting while neglecting his personal relationship with his mistress, Dot. The second act shifts 100 years into the future, following his great-grandson as he navigates artistic commercialization and creative block.
- Revival History: The show last enjoyed a major Broadway revival in 2017 starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford. A planned London transfer of that production was previously delayed and eventually scrapped during the 2020 theater shutdowns.
- Cast Recording Platforms: Theater fans can stream previous cast recordings, including the 2017 Broadway Cast Album, directly on Spotify and Apple Music.
For future casting news and ticket announcements regarding the proposed 2028 staging, monitor the official Barbican Centre Events Hub.