2 June 2026
Eastbourne Theatres and Trafalgar Entertainment are thrilled to announce that Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Hauer and actress Lucy Benjamin (EastEnders, The Detectorists) will be starring in a brand-new revival of Richard Harris’s joyful comedy, Stepping Out at Eastbourne’s Devonshire Park Theatre this summer, from Thursday 13 – Saturday 29 August 2026.
The show will then begin a mini tour calling at the Palace Theatre Southend, Fareham Live, and Churchill Theatre Bromley.
Karen Hauer
Lucy Benjamin
Stepping Out follows a group of seemingly mis-matched amateur tap dancers as they prepare for a charity gala performance. Proving ordinary people can do something extraordinary this delightful theatrical experience shows that a series of missteps and mishaps can lead to something truly special.
This brand-new production promises an uplifting night of theatre, as we follow the group on their journey which is packed with humour, warmth, and relatability.
From the acclaimed Eastbourne Theatres production team, and once again directed by Chris Jordan, whose previous summer productions include The Invisible Man, The Play What I Wrote, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and 39 Steps this tap-dancing feelgood comedy will enchant audiences of all ages.
Karen is a true Strictly fan favourite and holds the accolade as the longest-serving female professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, appearing on the legendary BBC dance show for 14 years from 2012 until 2025. In this new production of Stepping Out, she takes on the role of Mavis, the teacher of a dance class full of rather hapless but enthusiastic amateur tap dancers. Karen returns to the stage in Eastbourne following her storming performance with Gorka Marquez in Speakeasy in 2025.
Karen said: “I’m so pleased to be performing in Eastbourne this Summer in this brand-new production of Stepping Out. It’s a play about ordinary people achieving extraordinary things through dance and in the role of their teacher and mentor, it certainly resonates with me! I’m looking forward to dusting off my tap shoes and working with a great company of actors and dancers to bring this heart-warming, feel-good comedy to the Devonshire Park stage.”
Lucy Benjamin is best known for her work in television favourites including EastEnders and The Detectorists. She rose to national prominence for her role as Lisa Fowler in the iconic BBC soap EastEnders, a character central to several high-profile storylines, including the famed “Who Shot Phil?” plot. Other television roles include The Bill, Casualty, and Doctors, alongside stage work for the Royal Shakespeare Company and musicals and touring plays. She also braved the outback as a contestant on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2009.