Matt Willis returns to Cabaret as Emcee this Christmas

Matt Willis returns to the role of the Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club this Christmas, playing the role from Monday 14 December 2026 at the Playhouse Theatre. He joins Sarah Hyland, who continues as Sally Bowles. Their final performance is on Saturday 23 January 2027, at the close of a limited run of 6 weeks.

Skylar Astin, who currently plays the Emcee, gives his final performance in the West End production on Saturday 12 December 2026.

Matt Willis returns as the Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

The return is a second run in the role for Matt Willis, who first played the Emcee in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club earlier in 2026. He said: “To get to step into what felt like a once in a lifetime role for a second time is beyond exciting. I love this show so much and feel honoured to be asked back.”

Willis is an actor, presenter and Brit Award winner. He first came to public attention as a founding member of Busted, before building a theatre career that includes Fiyero in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, Nick Hurley in Flashdance at the Shaftesbury Theatre, and later Chuck Cranston in Footloose and Dr Pomatter in Waitress, both on tour. His screen work includes Birds of a Feather and EastEnders, and he won I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!

From 14 December he shares the Kit Kat Club stage with Sarah Hyland, who is making her West End debut as Sally Bowles. She is best known for her Screen Actors Guild award winning role as Haley Dunphy in Modern Family, and her Broadway credits include Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, Connie Francis in Just in Time, Jacqueline Bouvier in Grey Gardens and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. Hyland continues in the role until Saturday 23 January 2027, the same night as Willis's final performance.

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club cast this Christmas

Alongside Matt Willis and Sarah Hyland, the current cast of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club includes Baker Mukasa as Clifford Bradshaw, Ruthie Henshall as Fraulein Schneider, Robert Hands as Herr Schultz, Ronan Burns as Ernst Ludwig and Lindsay Atherton as Fraulein Kost and Fritzie. Henshall is a five time Olivier Award nominee for Best Actress in a Musical. Mukasa was nominated for the Ian Charleson Award for his performance as Angelo in the Royal Shakespeare Company's The Comedy of Errors, and his West End work includes Tina at the Aldwych Theatre, A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic and Standing at the Sky's Edge at the Gillian Lynne.

The official announcement also confirms a full ensemble at the Playhouse Theatre, with the Prologue Company performing throughout the building and bar areas as guests arrive. That prologue happens in advance of, and in addition to, the main show, and guests are asked to look, not touch, and to respect the performers' space.

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club Olivier Awards and West End history

Directed by Rebecca Frecknall, with set and costume design by Tom Scutt and choreography by Julia Cheng, Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club opened in the West End on 15 November 2021. In April 2022 it won a record breaking seven Olivier Awards: Best Musical Revival; Best Director for Frecknall; Best Actor in a Musical for Eddie Redmayne; Best Actress in a Musical for Jessie Buckley; Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Elliot Levey; Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Liza Sadovy; and Best Sound Design for Nick Lidster.

The musical has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Joe Masteroff, based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood. The songs include Willkommen, Don't Tell Mama, Mein Herr, Maybe This Time, Money and the title number.

The official announcement confirms that this staging has now surpassed its 2000th performance, making it the longest running production of Cabaret in West End history. 2026 also marks the 60th anniversary of the musical, which originally opened on Broadway on 20 November 1966, and the fifth anniversary of this West End version.

The story is set in Berlin in 1930, in a city alive with music, desire and possibility. Inside the Kit Kat Club, Sally Bowles sings to forget, Cliff Bradshaw writes to remember, and the Emcee reminds us that life is beautiful, until it is not. Musical supervision is by Jennifer Whyte, with musical direction by Ben van Tienen, lighting design by Isabella Byrd, sound design by Nick Lidster, wigs and hair design by Sam Cox and make-up design by Guy Common. Stuart Burt is the casting director, Jordan Fein is the original associate director and prologue director, and Angus MacRae is the prologue composer. Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club is produced by ATG Productions and Underbelly.

The Playhouse Theatre transformation for Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club

The Playhouse Theatre in the West End is transformed into Berlin's Kit Kat Club for the run, with an in the round auditorium and reimagined public spaces. It is an intimate venue, with fewer than 650 seats, so guests are encouraged to arrive early.

Guests receive a club entry time with their tickets, designed to leave enough time to take in the world of the club before the main performance begins. Food and drink are available, and professional performers entertain guests before the main show starts. The experience is meant to begin at the door, rather than when the main performance starts.

The theatre sits in the heart of the West End, with Charing Cross and Embankment a short walk away, less than five minutes from the door. For dates, seats and the live listing, start with the Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club show page.

What to know before seeing Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club this Christmas

The running time is approximately 2 hours 45 minutes, including one interval. Evening performances normally end at 10.15pm, and matinees normally end at 4.45pm. Shows are scheduled from Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, with matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm. Standard ticket holders are encouraged to arrive an hour before the main performance, from 6.30pm for evenings and from 1pm for matinees. Guests with stageside dining or a private lounge reservation are asked to arrive 1 hour 15 minutes before the show starts. Performance times may vary over Christmas and New Year, so it is worth checking the listing for the date you want.

The production recommends that children younger than 13 do not attend. The show contains adult content and the appearance of firearms on stage, and there is one sudden and unexpected loud noise near the beginning of Act 2. Photography and video are not allowed inside the club at any time, and guests are asked to cover the cameras on their phones on arrival. There is no strict dress code. As the official site puts it, this is Berlin, so relax, loosen up and be yourself.

The appearance of any particular artist is not guaranteed, and is subject to illness, injury and holiday entitlement. If you are choosing a date specifically to see Matt Willis and Sarah Hyland together, check the listing before you buy, and aim for a performance between Monday 14 December 2026 and Saturday 23 January 2027.

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club continues well beyond this winter visit from Willis and Hyland. For other festive plans in the West End this season, see our guide to the best Christmas West End shows for 2026.

Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club tickets this Christmas

To see Matt Willis and Sarah Hyland together this winter, choose a performance between 14 December and 23 January and search for Cabaret tickets.