A 60-year legacy reborn: How Olivier winner Matt Henry is stepping into Sidney Poitier’s most iconic role

Olivier Award-winning actor Matt Henry is set to lead the cast of To Sir, With Love – A New Musical, taking on the iconic role of Mr Braithwaite. Marking 60 years since the beloved 1967 film starring Sidney Poitier, the production will embark on a curated UK tour starting in April 2027.

Matt Henry leads To Sir, With Love musical UK tour 2027

The musical is based on E.R. Braithwaite’s powerful memoir about a Cambridge-educated engineer and former RAF fighter pilot who encounters prejudice at every turn. When he takes up a teaching position, he engages his challenging students not as troublesome youths but as emerging adults, preparing them for the realities of life beyond exams.

Joining Matt on stage is Olivier-nominated actress Amy Di Bartolomeo as Ms Blanchard alongside former EastEnders star Lucy Benjamin as Ms Dale-Evans. TV and stage actor Ben Richards takes on the role of Mr Florian, while Georgia May Foote will play Pamela Dare.

The production boasts a stellar creative team led by two-time Tony Award-nominated director Sheldon Epps. Featuring the legendary title song made famous by Lulu, the show will also include original music and lyrics by John Farrar and Kara DioGuardi with a book by Kris Lythgoe.

"This moving and wonderful story is personally meaningful to me for so many reasons," Sheldon shared. "It is a joy and an honour to bring it to the stage, through the expressive power of musical theatre. Along with my wonderful collaborators we have found ways to let the story 'sing' in an organic way, heightening the emotion that has always been there." He added that he knows audiences will celebrate their 'Sir' with every performance.

Following two sold-out concert performances in London in 2025, the fully staged production will open at Leeds Grand Theatre on April 15, 2027. The tour will then visit Hull's New Theatre and Manchester Palace Theatre before concluding its initial run at London's New Wimbledon Theatre in May.

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