Barnum brings tightrope spectacle to Cambridge in August
Barnum comes to The Arts Theatre Cambridge, 6 St Edward’s Passage, Cambridge CB2 3PJ, for five days from Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 August 2026. Evening performances begin at 7.30pm, with 2.30pm matinees on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. The production carries age guidance of 8+.
Visit Cambridge Events lists the production and performance schedule but does not give ticket prices or booking terms. Its supplied listing also contains no transport information, so visitors will need to confirm those details separately when planning their trip.
Barnum’s restless rise takes centre stage
The musical follows the ambitions of 19th-century showman P.T. Barnum and the turns in his life and career alongside his wife, Charity. Schemes, dreams and a continual pursuit of greater heights shape a story presented through musical theatre and the visual language of the circus.
Matt Rawle takes the title role, following stage appearances in Cabaret, Evita and Les Misérables. Jonathan O’Boyle directs the production, while Oti Mabuse is responsible for the choreography.
The cast extends beyond the central performance. More than 20 actor-musicians, acrobats and circus performers make up the ensemble, placing live performance and circus spectacle together at the heart of the production.
A familiar score and the return of the tightrope
Rawle is also due to step onto the tightrope. The feat recalls Barnum’s original UK run at the London Palladium, where Michael Crawford performed a tightrope walk across the stage.
Cy Coleman’s music includes several of the show’s established numbers: Join the Circus, Colours of My Life, Come Follow the Band and Love Makes Such Fools of Us All. The lyrics are by Michael Stewart, with the book by Mark Bramble.
For audiences choosing between performances, the three matinees provide an afternoon alternative to the Tuesday-to-Saturday evening schedule. Saturday’s matinee is also the only audio-described performance identified in the listing.
Performance times and accessible facilities
The confirmed Cambridge schedule is:
- Tuesday 18 to Saturday 22 August: 7.30pm
- Wednesday 19, Thursday 20 and Saturday 22 August: 2.30pm
- Audio-described performance: Saturday 22 August at 2.30pm
The venue information says assistance dogs are welcome and lists wheelchair access, blue badge parking, induction loops and a designated wheelchair-accessible public toilet. Ear defenders are available, and staff are listed as being able to assist visitors. The theatre also identifies a bar and cloakroom facilities.
Anyone relying on a particular access arrangement can use these listed facilities to narrow down the most suitable performance, with the Saturday afternoon show the confirmed choice for audio description. Price, booking and transport details are not included in the supplied information; the current event entry is available from Visit Cambridge Events.
Source: Visit Cambridge Events
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Dates, performance times, venue details, age guidance and accessibility information were checked against the supplied Visit Cambridge Events listing.
- Confirmed the run from 18 to 22 August 2026
- Checked evening and matinee performance times
- Matched the age guidance and accessible-performance details to the listing
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- Visit Cambridge Events
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- 2026-08-18 09:28
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