The Shawshank Redemption was released 30 years ago in the UK and, while only a modest hit at the time, it has sat at number one in IMDb’s Top 250 movies for the past 17 of those years. That makes a more beloved masterpiece than The Godfather, The Dark Knight and The Lord of the Rings!
Next year, the universally loved story of Andy Dufresne and his incarceration at the notorious Shawshank facility will step out of the screen and onto the stage. Based on Stephen King’s original 1982 novella (and the multi-award-winning 1994 feature film), this exciting production examines friendship behind bars at a maximum-security prison.
Despite protests of his innocence, Andy Dufresne is handed a double life sentence for the brutal murders of his wife and her lover. Incarcerated in the notorious Shawshank facility, he quickly learns that no one can survive alone.
Starring Joe McFadden as Andy—whose numerous TV credits include PC Joe Mason in Heartbeat, Raf in Holby City and, of course, winning the 2017 series of Strictly Come Dancing—and Ben Onwukwe as prison fixer Red, who boasts a 30-year stage career, together, they do all they can to escape this hellhole.
Adapted by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, and directed by David Esbjornson, The Shawshank Redemption also stars Bill Ward, who is best known for his long-running performances as Charlie Stubbs in Coronation Street and James Barton in Emmerdale, but most recently, was seen bearing it all in the UK tour of The Full Monty.
The Shawshank Redemption is heading to Birmingham’s The Alexandra from Tuesday, May 26 to Saturday, May 30, 2026. Tickets are on sale now, starting from £15. To get yours and to learn more, head here.