TO SIR, WITH LOVE – A New Musical, starring Lulu presents two concert performances at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
TO SIR, WITH LOVE – A New Musical will play on 24 November 2025 at 2:30pm & 7.45pm.
This newly reimagined stage adaptation of E.R. Braithwaite’s powerful memoir features music and lyrics by John Farrar and Kara DioGuardi, with direction by acclaimed American director Sheldon Epps.
In a full-circle moment, British music icon, actress and Grammy nominee Lulu joins the cast, returning to the story that launched her global career in the beloved 1967 film opposite Sidney Poitier.
Immortalised by Poitier’s captivating performance in the 1967 cinematic masterpiece, To Sir With Love is an autobiographical story that is every bit as relevant then, as it is today. Rick Braithwaite is more than just a Cambridge-educated engineer and a former RAF fighter pilot; he’s a man battling societal prejudices at every turn.
Refusing to bow to adversity, he engages his students not as troublesome youths but as emerging adults who must soon navigate a world where they’ll stand or fall on their own merits. Through a balance of grit and grace, he aims to prepare them for more than just exams; he prepares them for life.
The story explores race, class, resilience, and the power of respect. The concert will feature an original score by Farrar and DioGuardi, alongside the legendary title song “To Sir, with Love” by Mark London and Don Black. Kenny Seymour (Broadway’s Ain’t Too Proud) serves as music director, with casting by Debbie O’Brien.
To Sir, With Love has musical arrangements by Eve Nelson, musical supervision and orchestration by Joseph Joubert, dramaturgy by Shereen Jasmin Phillips and choreography by Edgar Godineaux.
Further casting and creative team announcements to follow.
Who is Lulu?
Lulu made her acting debut in the 1967 film of TO SIR, WITH LOVE, and sang the title song, which was a major hit in the USA where it reached number 1 and became the best-selling single of 1967. In 1969 she competed in the Eurovision Song Contest, winning with the song Boom Bang-A-Bang. Lulu’s career has spanned six decades in music – with 15 studio albums, film – having starred in The Cherry Picker; Whatever Happened to Harold Smith; Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie; and Arthur’s Whiskey, television – having been a regular guest on The Les Dawson Show as well as her own shows Lulu’s Back in Town, and It’s Lulu, and theatre – starring in Guys and Dolls (National Theatre), 42nd Street (West End) and Song & Dance (West End).
