REVIEW – THE NATIONAL LOTTERY’S BIG NIGHT OF MUSICALS 2026 | AO ARENA, MANCHESTER | 26/01/2026

One Night, Endless Showstoppers – Big Night of Musicals 2026 Was Pure Magic

Since its launch, The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals has offered a rare opportunity for audiences to experience a major musical theatre concert completely free of charge. For the Big Night of Musicals 2026 event, 12,000 tickets were released on a first-come, first-served basis for National Lottery players, with a small £2 booking fee per ticket and proof of a National Lottery product required to attend.

Having now attended all five editions of the event, it is clear that Big Night of Musicals continues to grow in both scale and ambition, cementing its place as one of the most exciting highlights in the UK musical theatre calendar.

This year, the annual celebration returned once again to Manchester’s AO Arena, bringing together a dazzling mix of West End stars, touring productions, and grassroots performers for one unforgettable night.

A show built for scale

From the moment you step inside the arena, it’s clear this is a show designed for impact. With a full live orchestra, enormous LED screens, and a buzzing crowd of over 12,000 people, Big Night of Musicals 2026 feels more like a pop concert than a traditional theatre experience — and it works beautifully.

Hosted once again by Jason Manford, the evening moves at a slick pace, with big production numbers flowing seamlessly into intimate solo moments, all punctuated by Manford’s warm humour and genuine love for musical theatre.

The Lion King sets the bar

The night opened with an extraordinary performance from Disney’s The Lion King, with the West End cast delivering a breathtaking medley of Circle of Life and He Lives In You. Puppets and performers made their way through the audience, filling the arena with colour, movement and an incredible sense of spectacle.

It was a magical opening that immediately set the tone for Big Night of Musicals 2026 and served as a powerful reminder of just how immersive and visually stunning live theatre can be on this scale.

Big voices and emotional moments

From there, the show delivered a carefully balanced mix of spectacle and emotion.

One of the most moving moments came from Ava Brennan, who is currently playing Nancy in the West End production of Oliver! She performed As Long As He Needs Me with no big staging or ensemble, holding the entire arena in the palm of her hand and delivering a performance that was quietly devastating and utterly unforgettable.

In contrast, Miss Saigon, brought full-throttle drama with Last Night of the World and The American Dream, using the arena’s scale to its advantage with explosive lighting, choreography and cinematic flair.

Sam Ryder’s world exclusive

Arguably the most talked-about moment of Big Night of Musicals 2026 was Sam Ryder’s world exclusive performance of Gethsemane from the upcoming West End production of Jesus Christ Superstar, in which he will star as Jesus.

This was Ryder’s first time performing the song live, and the result was nothing short of astonishing. His voice soared effortlessly across the arena, blending rock power with operatic intensity. It was bold, emotional, and left the entire audience on their feet — a genuinely historic musical theatre moment.

A magical Disney tribute

One of the standout performances of the night was a Disney tribute to legendary composer Alan Menken, introduced via a pre-recorded video message from Menken himself.

The tribute featured Mae Ann Jorolan (Hercules The Musical) performing Colours of the Wind from Pocahontas, followed by Lucy Jones (13 Going On 30, Les Misérables) delivering a soaring rendition of Part of Your World from The Little Mermaid, before Trevor Dion Nicholas (Hercules, Aladdin) brought the section to a joyful close with Tale As Old As Time from Beauty and the Beast.

They were joined on stage by the Junior Students of the Royal Northern College of Music, The National Youth Music Theatre, and The Lowry Centre for Advanced Training, whose presence added an extra layer of warmth and excitement — a beautiful blend of West End talent and the next generation of performers.

Celebrating community theatre

What truly sets Big Night of Musicals 2026 apart is its focus on grassroots theatre.

The performance of Hard Knock Life from Annie, performed by the UK tour cast, saw La Voix taking on the role of Miss Hannigan, joined by young performers from Wild Things Performing Arts in Oldham. Their energy, confidence and pure joy were infectious.

Similarly, You’re The Voice from The Choir of Man, performed by the UK tour cast alongside the Infant Hercules Choir and Jason Manford himself, became the biggest singalong of the night — a joyous reminder that theatre belongs to everyone.

A joyful finale

The night ended with pure star power as Alexandra Burke closed the show with a medley of Ain’t Nobody and I’m Every Woman from I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical. With fireworks, powerhouse vocals and full company choreography, it was the perfect high-energy finale to Big Night of Musicals 2026.

Final thoughts

Big Night of Musicals 2026 was everything it promised to be — uplifting, emotional, funny, and packed with extraordinary talent. It celebrated not just the biggest shows, but the people and communities who keep theatre alive across the country.

More than just a concert, it felt like a genuine love letter to musical theatre — and Manchester remains the perfect city to host it.

A spectacular night, and a joyful reminder of why this event has become such a special part of the theatre calendar.

FULL SET LIST – BIG NIGHT OF MUSICALS 2026

The Lion King (West End Cast) – Circle of Life / He Lives In You

Oliver! (West End Cast) – As Long As He Needs Me – Ava Brennan as Nancy

Miss Saigon (UK Tour Cast) – Last Night of the World / The American Dream

Annie (UK Tour Cast) – Hard Knock Life – La Voix as Miss Hannigan, with Wild Things Performing Arts

Sunny Afternoon (UK Tour Cast) – Waterloo Sunset / You Really Got Me

The Producers (West End Cast) – We Can Do It / I Wanna Be A Producer

Disney Medley (Alan Menken Tribute):– Colours of the Wind – Mae Ann Jorolan (Hercules The Musical)– Part of Your World – Lucy Jones (13 Going On 30, Les Misérables)– Tale As Old As Time – Trevor Dion Nicholas (Hercules, Aladdin)with Junior Students of the Royal Northern College of Music,The National Youth Music Theatre,and The Lowry Centre for Advanced Training

Paddington The Musical (West End Cast) – Pretty Little Dead Things – Victoria Hamilton-Barritt as Millicent Clyde

Jesus Christ Superstar (Upcoming West End) – Gethsemane – Sam Ryder

The Choir of Man (UK Tour Cast) – You’re The Voice – with Infant Hercules Choir & Jason Manford

Wicked (West End Cast) – For Good – Emma Kingston & Zizi Strallen

I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical (West End Cast) – Ain’t Nobody / I’m Every Woman – Alexandra Burke

Big Night of Musicals 2026 will air on BBC One on 21st March and will be available on BBC iPlayer after broadcast.

Big Night of Musicals 2026 proves that sometimes all you need to beat the January blues is a full orchestra, a few showstoppers, and a room full of people who love theatre as much as you do.