Two Performers, One Approach Stories and Songs on the Road
Ben Forster and Noel Fitzpatrick bring music and backstage stories to the Tivoli.
Two familiar faces from very different worlds are heading out on tour with remarkably similar ideas. Both Ben Forster and Professor Noel Fitzpatrick are trading the usual show format for something more personal: music paired with the stories behind their careers.
Forster brings his intimate musical theatre evening to the Tivoli Theatre on 1 November 2026, while Fitzpatrick’s rock and storytelling hybrid arrives on 21 May 2027. Tickets for both shows go on sale today.
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A musical theatre star looks back
Ben Forster won ITV’s Superstar back in 2012, landing the title role in the arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. Since then, he’s built a solid West End career spanning The Phantom of the Opera, Evita, Grease, The Rocky Horror Show, and more. Now, nearly 14 years on from that television win, he’s taking an intimate show on the road.
The Sunderland-born performer will sing songs from Lloyd Webber’s musicals and other West End hits, but the focus is as much on reflection as performance. Between numbers, he’ll share stories from his time in the spotlight, offering a behind-the-scenes look at what life as a leading man actually involves.
“It’s almost 14 years since I won Superstar, so now will be a great time to look back at my career since then, and share the songs from musical theatre that are so special to me,” he says.
A vet with a guitar
Meanwhile, Professor Noel Fitzpatrick, known to most as the star of Channel 4’s The Supervet, is doing something similar with rock music instead. He’ll tour the UK mixing anecdotes from his veterinary practice with live performances of his favourite rock songs.
It’s an unexpected combination, but not entirely out of left field. Fitzpatrick has filled arenas with his speaking tours before, and he’s been mentored by some significant names in rock. For this tour, he’s assembled a band featuring several of Britain’s best session musicians.
“This will be a very special tour, something I have never done before, mixing my passion for animals and stories from my life as a vet, with my love of music by playing all my favourite songs,” he says.
The common thread
Both shows follow the same template: songs you know, stories you don’t. It’s an approach that strips back the usual production and puts the focus on the person behind the performance. If you’ve ever wondered what actually goes on behind the curtain, this format might give you some answers.
