Producers have announced the cancellation of the 2027 Barbican production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George, following the departure of stars Ariana Grande and Jonathan Bailey. The project’s future remains uncertain, although rights are retained for a possible 2028 staging.

The planned 2027 revival of Sunday in the Park with George at London’s Barbican will no longer go ahead as scheduled, according to a statement released by Empire Street Productions. The team confirmed they retain the rights with intentions to present the show in 2028, with further details forthcoming.

The musical features Stephen Sondheim’s music and lyrics alongside a book by James Lapine. It is loosely inspired by the life of the painter Georges Seurat, famed for his iconic large-scale work A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.

This will mark the musical’s first major London production in nearly 20 years, following a cancelled West End run in 2020 that was postponed due to the pandemic. The 2027 revival had been set to be directed by Marianne Elliott, with design by award-winning Tom Scutt.

Both Elliott and Scutt are well-known for their recent work in musical theatre. Scutt’s acclaimed design for the Sondheim show Into the Woods will soon be seen at the Noël Coward Theatre, while Elliott’s recent directorial credits include Company in London and New York.

Despite the postponement, Elliott remains busy with high-profile projects, currently directing a new production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? starring Gillian Anderson and Billy Crudup. She is also attached to co-direct West Side Story at the National Theatre next year.

While the new production remains on hold, the retention of rights by Empire Street Productions suggests ongoing plans to revive the landmark Sondheim musical in London’s theatre scene. Further updates are expected as the production team finalises future arrangements.