Sonia Friedman Productions and ATG Productions are taking the multi Olivier Award-winning musical SUNNY AFTERNOON back on tour across the UK in 2026, with Milton Keynes Theatre confirmed as one of its key tour venues from Tue 24 – Sat 28 March.
Stepping into the legendary shoes of The Kinks, Danny Horn (Sunny Afternoon, West End) will play ‘Ray Davies’, Oliver Hoare (Sunny Afternoon, West End) will play ‘Dave Davies’, Harry Curley (Sing Street, Lyric Hammersmith) will play ‘Peter Quaife’, and Zakarie Stokes will play ‘Mick Avory’. Together, these four form the iconic band at the heart of Sunny Afternoon.
Returning from the original Hampstead Theatre and West End companies are Ben Caplan as ‘Eddie Kassner’ and Tam Williams as ‘Grenville Collins’. From the original UK tour, Victoria Anderson returns as ‘Gwen’, alongside Deryn Edwards as ‘Mrs. Davies’, Joseph Richardson as ‘Robert Wace’, Lisa Wright as ‘Rasa’ and James Hudson. The company is completed by Alicia Ally, Morgan Burgess, James Chisholm, Phil Corbitt, Alasdair Craig, Dominic Gee-Burch, Kristian Jacobs, Robin Johnson, Sorrel Jordan, Jada Langley, Timothy Roberts, Georgiana Wainwright-Jones and Emily Whitby-Samways.
Producer Sonia Friedman said today,
“From the very first workshop we produced, when I heard that incredible music played live in the room, I knew I had to produce this show. The songs don’t just get under your skin – they live in your veins, they stay with you forever. Paired with such honest, powerful storytelling, Sunny Afternoon became one of the most unforgettable theatre experiences of my life. To see it go on to win multiple Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical, was simply extraordinary – but what really matters to me is that the spirit of The Kinks’ music and their story still connects so deeply with audiences today. I’ve missed this show, so I’m beyond thrilled that it’s back on the road, giving new generations the chance to experience – or relive – the sheer joy, energy and heart of Sunny Afternoon. Huge congratulations to the brilliant company keeping its spirit alive.”
Ray Davies added,
“We’ve assembled a fantastic company to retell our story and look forward to seeing them breathe new life into the production on tour. I hope SUNNY AFTERNOON will be a much-needed tonic for people.”
SUNNY AFTERNOON celebrates the raw energy, passion and timeless sound of one of Britain’s most iconic bands, THE KINKS. Charting the euphoric highs and agonising lows of their rise to fame, the musical tells their story through an extraordinary back catalogue of chart-topping hits, including “You Really Got Me,” “Lola,” and “All Day and All of the Night.”
SUNNY AFTERNOON was the recipient of four Olivier Awards, including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music for Ray Davies.
Set against the backdrop of Britain on the cusp of the rebellious 1960s, SUNNY AFTERNOON is an exhilarating and moving celebration of the music, the era and the band that changed British rock forever.
Following a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre, SUNNY AFTERNOON opened to critical acclaim at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End, where it ran for two years before embarking on a sensational sell-out UK and Ireland tour throughout 2016/17.
SUNNY AFTERNOON features music and lyrics by Ray Davies, a book by Joe Penhall and an original story by Ray Davies. The production is directed by Edward Hall and designed by Miriam Buether, with choreography by Adam Cooper. Lighting design is by Rick Fisher, sound design by Matt McKenzie and musical supervision by Elliott Ware. Musical and vocal adaptations are by Ray Davies and Elliott Ware, based on the original Kinks’ recordings. Casting is by Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion & Natalie Gallacher Casting. Hair, wigs and make-up are by Carole Hancock. Associate direction is by Christopher Chase Carter, associate set design by William Fricker, associate costume design by Deborah Andrews, associate lighting design by Eric Watkins and associate sound design by Ken Hampton.
