Billy Porter to star in Cabaret on London's West End

Billy Porter is set to star in the London production of the acclaimed musical Cabaret next year.

The Pose star will take over the role of Emcee alongside Marisha Wallace as Sally Bowles in the ongoing West End revival at the Playhouse Theatre. They will make their debuts on 28 January and perform for 16 weeks until 24 May.

Before he found fame as an actor and singer, Porter gained notice for this work in musical theatre, most notably his performance as Lola in Kinky Boots, which earned him the 2013 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.

Wallace, who appeared on Celebrity Big Brother earlier this year, is also a musical theatre star in London thanks to productions such as Dreamgirls, Guys and Dolls and Waitress.

The West End revival of Cabaret launched in late 2021 with Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley as the Emcee and Sally Bowles. Since their departure, a series of stars have taken over the lead roles for shorter stints. Jake Shears and Luke Treadaway have portrayed the Emcee, among others, while Sally has been played by the likes of Cara Delevingne, Maude Apatow and Self Esteem.

The show transferred to Broadway earlier this year, with Redmayne as the Emcee alongside Scottish actress Gayle Rankin. Singer Adam Lambert and Moana voice actress Auli'i Cravalho made their Broadway debuts in September when they replaced them.