Football fever kicks off as toon set to take London’s Theatreland by storm

Gerry & Sewell to transfer to London’s West End

An Eastlake Productions and Newcastle Theatre Royal co-production.

Whilst the January window is still several weeks away for the region’s top football clubs, one of the biggest transfers from Newcastle to the capital has already been secured.

Following a sell out run at Newcastle Theatre Royal in October 2024, Gerry & Sewell – the smash-hit North East tale of two Geordie lads desperate to get their hands on a pair of converted Newcastle United season tickets – is set to follow in their beloved football club’s footsteps, emulating their historic Wembley win and conquering London’s West End.

Based on Jonathan Tulloch’s novel The Season Ticket and the cult Geordie film Purely Belter, Gerry & Sewell, written and directed by Olivier Award-winner Jamie Eastlake and co-produced by Newcastle Theatre Royal, kicks off a two week-long run at the prestigious Aldwych Theatre on the corner of Drury Lane (Tue 13 – Sat 24 Jan 2026).

The football-fanatic production’s journey mirrors the story at its heart – that of two underdogs daring to chase the impossible. The show began life in 2022 at Laurels, a 60-seat pub theatre in Whitley Bay, where it premiered to sold-out audiences and critical acclaim. Its popularity led to a return engagement later that same year before transferring in 2023 to Newcastle’s Live Theatre where the tale of two down-and-out fans who’ll do anything to see their beloved Toon enthralled audiences during an 11-night residency. In 2024, promotion to the city’s premier stage saw the iconic Grey Street venue transformed into a sea of black and white when Gerry & Sewell became Newcastle Theatre Royal’s second co-production that year, playing to packed out houses during its week-long run. Such was the popularity of the show, it will return for a second run in June 2026, opening on 9 June – a date made famous in the legendary Geordie folk song, The Blaydon Races. 

Gerry & Sewell follows the fortunes of two Gateshead lads who have nothing but a dream of securing season tickets to follow their beloved Newcastle United. But after years of living in austerity and seeing their football club shelled out by a cockney bloke who sells sports tat, life is a struggle. Until they decide they’re getting those season tickets. And now they’ve got their mission, now is gonna stand in their way.

Against a backdrop of austerity, unemployment and fierce local pride, the pair embark on a mission filled with scrapes, schemes and the sort of fierce friendship that defines working-class life in the North East.

Bringing together live music, puppet dogs and the magic of Wor Flags (plus the odd star cameo), Gerry & Sewell is both a love letter to Newcastle and a universal story of perseverance, loyalty and hope. It is a wild, funny and heartfelt tribute to black-and-white dreams.

The production features original cast members Dean Logan, Jack Robertson and Becky Clayburn, all making their West End debuts, alongside Erin Mullen, who joined the company for the run at Newcastle Theatre Royal. Further casting to be announced. Gerry & Sewell also marks a rare collaboration between the producers and Newcastle United Football Club who have been working closely with the creative team to ensure an authentic celebration of the Toon spirit.

Writer and director Jamie Eastlake said: “The story of Gerry and Sewell is all about chasing a dream, overcoming adversity, being the little guys trying to be someone. The fact that this show started in a little 60-seater pub theatre in North Tyneside and now is transferring to the West End feels like everything at its core is being mirrored. Young people from the North. From nowt. Their stories deserve to be told. Everywhere.”

Marianne Locatori, Chief Executive of Newcastle Theatre Royal added: “The North East region is rich in storytelling and having had the opportunity to work with Jamie and the Eastlake Productions team to present this fabulous tale on our own stage, we are delighted to be part of the next chapter of Gerry & Sewell. It is incredibly important that regional stories are told on a national stage by regional voices. Gerry & Sewell makes a bold statement about what can be achieved in partnership and celebrates North East creative talent and the ambition and spirit that make regional theatre a vital component of the UK’s creative landscape.”

Located in the heart of London’s Theatreland, the Aldwych is considered a mainstay of the West End and was most recently home to the showstopping TINA – The Tina Turner Musical; over the festive season it will host Elf The Musical starring Carrie Hope Fletcher and Aled Jones. Tickets for the London run of Gerry & Sewell are available from Fri 14 Nov – visit here for more information.

Gerry & Sewell plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 9 – Sat 13 Jun 2026. Tickets are available here.