New musical Ayla to have first live preview as one-night concert
The new musical Ayla: A New Musical will have its first live preview on 30 November 2026, in a one-night concert at The Other Palace in London. A preview is a performance held before the official opening, when the creative team can hear and see how the work lands with an audience.
The show will be staged as a semi-staged concert. That means the cast will perform the songs with some staging and movement, rather than in a full production with sets and costumes. Eleesha Drennan will direct the evening. A four-piece band will provide the music.
Gianluca Cucchiara wrote the music, and Andrew James Whelan wrote the lyrics. Clive Frayne wrote the book, the spoken story that links the songs. WhatsOnStage reported the cast for the concert.
Nathania Ong will play Ayla, the title role. Djavan van de Fliert will play Mohr. Singer-songwriter Arlissa will play Sindah, Astrid Harris will play Tonah, and Glenn Adamson will play Rooh. Jonathan Andrew Hume will play Crohm.
A concept album for the show has also been released. A concept album gathers the songs on a recording so listeners can hear the score before or without seeing the stage version.
The concert is a single night, so it is the only chance to see the show live in this form for now. Anyone wanting to attend should check The Other Palace's box office for details.
Ayla is a new work, and the concert is a first public test of the score and the cast on stage. Further dates, a full production or a transfer to another venue have not been announced.
