Ride the Cyclone London 2026, Divina De Campo

If you like your musicals funny, exotic and unexpectedly moving, 'Ride the Cyclone' is one London show worth knowing about this summer.

The cult musical returns to Southwark Playhouse Elephant for a limited London run until Saturday, August 22, 2026. Starring Divina De Campo as The Amazing Karnak, a fortune teller and mysterious mechanical oracle who presides over the teenagers' strange afterlife, the production follows six teenagers who die in a freak rollercoaster accident and find themselves suspended between life and death.

Karnak tells the teenagers that there is one final chance for one of them to return to Earth. Each must step forward and tell their story, hoping to convince Karnak that they deserve the second chance. What follows is a wildly inventive musical in which each teenager takes the stage to make their case for returning to life, with the outcome ultimately resting on Karnak's decision.

The premise is dark, but the show itself moves between comedy, pop, musical theatre, absurdism and emotional complexities.

At just 90 minutes with no interval, it is also an easy show to fit into a London evening.

What is Ride the Cyclone about?

The story begins with six teenagers from the Saint Cassian Chamber Choir in Uranium City, Saskatchewan.

They travel to a local carnival and board a roller coaster called the Cyclone. The ride derails, killing all six teenagers. They then wake up in a strange limbo.

There they meet The Amazing Karnak, an animatronic fortune-telling machine who acts as their guide and narrator. Karnak knows how the teenagers died and offers them an extraordinary opportunity.

One of the six can return to life. But there is no obvious way to decide who deserves that second chance. Karnak therefore asks each teenager to step forward and tell their story.

They reveal their ambitions, insecurities, relationships, regrets and dreams for the future they never got to experience. Each performance becomes an argument for why that particular character should be the one to return.

The result is part musical, part character study and part strange afterlife game show. The audience gets to know the six teenagers individually, which makes the eventual decision much more complicated than it first appears.

What makes Ride the Cyclone different?

The premise may sound like a straightforward supernatural story, but 'Ride the Cyclone' refuses to follow a conventional musical theatre formula.

Each teenager gets a distinct musical identity. One moment the show comes across as a traditional Broadway style number. The next it moves into comedy, pop, folk influences or cabaret.

The changing musical styles are not random. Each one reflects the personality and inner world of the character performing it. That structure gives the show much of its charm.

You are seeing six very different people trying to explain who they were and what their lives could have become.

The humour also helps balance the darker premise. Although death is central to the story, the production does not remain grim. It uses absurdity and comedy to explore ideas around identity, regret, friendship and the value of an unfinished life.

Divina De Campo leads the Ride the Cyclone London cast

One of the biggest reasons to see the 2026 London production is Divina De Campo, who plays The Amazing Karnak.

Divina De Campo became widely known after competing on the first series of 'RuPaul's Drag Race UK' in 2019, where she finished as runner up.

She is also an accomplished singer and performer with formal classical training and an unusually broad vocal range. That makes Karnak a particularly good role for her.

The character functions as the host of this strange afterlife, balancing deadpan humour with theatricality and musical ability. Divina's experience across drag, music and live performance gives the character a distinctive presence at the centre of the production.

For fans who know her from 'Drag Race UK', this is also an opportunity to see her in a very different theatrical setting.

The Ride the Cyclone cast

The London production features:

• The Amazing Karnak: Divina De Campo
• Noel: Josh Butler
• Jane Doe: Grace Galloway
• Constance: Robyn Gilbertson
• Mischa: Bartek Kraszewski
• Ricky: Jack Maverick
• Ocean: Kayna Montecillo

The production also features cover performers Rebecca D'Lacey and Nathaniel Purnell.

The six teenagers are deliberately written as very different personalities, which becomes increasingly important as the story progresses:

• Noel is the overachiever whose identity is tied to achievement
• Jane Doe is the mysterious teenager who has no known identity or memory
• Constance has spent much of her life feeling overlooked
• Mischa is a romantic dreamer with a rich inner world built with constant introspection
• Ricky is unpredictable and chaotic
• Ocean has built her identity around beauty and the expectations of other people

Understanding those differences is central to the experience because each character gets the opportunity to explain why their life mattered.

The songs you can expect to hear

The score was written by Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell, who created both the book, music and lyrics for 'Ride the Cyclone'.

Among the best known numbers are:

• 'What the World Needs' introduces the teenagers and establishes the world of the musical.

• 'Sugar Cloud' gives Jane Doe a haunting and imaginative musical number centred around the life she can only imagine.

• 'The Ballad of Jane Doe' explores the mystery surrounding Jane and has become one of the show's most recognisable songs.

• 'Noel's Lament' reveals another side of Noel as his carefully constructed identity begins to break down.

• 'Constance' explores the character's experience of being overlooked and has become one of the show's most emotionally powerful moments.
• 'A Ninja Writes A Love Poem (To His Beloved)' takes Mischa's story into deliberately absurd territory while still revealing something sincere about the character.

• 'This Song Is Awesome' reflects Ricky's chaotic imagination and distinctive personality.

• 'Tidal Wave' gives Ocean a large, emotionally charged number focused on beauty, identity and performance.

The contrast between these songs is one of the main reasons the musical has developed such a dedicated following.

Who should watch Ride the Cyclone?

The show is recommended for ages 12 and above.

That makes it suitable for older teenagers, adults and families with children who are comfortable with darker themes. It is particularly well suited to you if you enjoy:

• Contemporary musical theatre
• Unusual or experimental storytelling
• Dark comedy
• Character driven shows
• Cult musicals
• Drag and live performance
• Shorter theatre productions

If you are completely new to the musical, going in without knowing too much about the plot can make the experience more rewarding.

The show's structure depends on discovering each character's story as it unfolds.

How to get to Playhouse Elephant

Southwark Playhouse Elephant is located on Newington Causeway in South London. Its location in Elephant and Castle also makes it easy to reach from central London.

Address: Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR

• By Tube: Northern Line and Bakerloo Line → Elephant & Castle Station
• By Foot: Around 5 minutes’ walk from Elephant & Castle Station via Newington Causeway
• By Bus: Multiple central London routes serve Elephant & Castle roundabout and Newington Causeway

The area also has numerous restaurants, cafés and bars, making it easy to plan a full evening around your theatre trip.

Quick information

Show: Ride the Cyclone: The Musical
Theatre: Southwark Playhouse Elephant
Address: Newington Causeway, London SE1 6DR
Closing date: Saturday, August 22, 2026
Running time: 90 minutes
Interval: None
Age guidance: 12+
Star: Divina De Campo as The Amazing Karnak
Book, music and lyrics: Jacob Richmond and Brooke Maxwell
Origin: Arts Club Theatre Company, Vancouver
Nearest Tube: Elephant & Castle
Price: From £15
Tickets: Click here to book

The combination of six very different characters, an unusual afterlife premise and an eclectic score gives this London production a clear identity of its own. Furthermore, Divina De Campo’s performance as Karnak adds a distinctive centrepiece to the whole experience.

At 90 minutes with no interval, it is easy to fit into your evening.

Most importantly, the production has a limited closing date with August 22, 2026 currently scheduled.

If you've been waiting to discover what all the 'Ride the Cyclone' buzz is about, this is your chance to see the musical live in London.

London

Ride The Cyclone Tickets

Ride the Cyclone London 2026 stars Divina De Campo in a cult musical blending dark comedy, music and an unforgettable afterlife story.

£15

Book now