Harry Hill and Steve Brown’s Musical TONY! to run at Leicester Square Theatre prior to UK Tour in

TONY! [THE TONY BLAIR ROCK OPERA]

BY HARRY HILL & STEVE BROWN

TO OPEN IN LONDON’S WEST END

AT THE LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE ON 15 APRIL 2023

AHEAD OF UK TOUR

‘Look anyone will tell you, I’m a pretty straight sort of guy.’ Tony Blair

A reckless reappraisal of the life of former Ugly Rumours front man and Britain’s first pop Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Following its critically acclaimed, sold-out world premiere at Park Theatre this summer Harry Hill and Steve Brown’s musical, TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera], will run in London’s West End at the Leicester Square Theatre from 15 April to 21 May.  Following the West End limited season, the musical will tour the UK from 25 May to 29 July, including Tony Blair’s previous constituency of Sedgefield, where it will play from 27 to 29 July in the Parish Hall, with further dates to be added.

The musical tells the story of how one man went from peace-loving, long-haired hippy and would-be pop star to warmongering multimillionaire in just a couple of decades. Throw in a stellar cast of larger-than-life characters – Cherie Blair, Princess Diana, John Prescott, Peter Mandelson, Alastair Campbell, Osama bin Laden, George W Bush, Saddam Hussein and Gordon Brown – it’s Yes, Minister meets The Rocky Horror Show and a musical like no other.

Please note: Neither Tony Blair, the Tony Blair Institute, nor any other person featured in this production have endorsed the production or its marketing materials and are in no way affiliated with the production.

Harry Hill and Steve Brown said, “After the great response from audiences on its launch this summer, we’re thrilled that TONY! is going on the road in 2023. It’s a show for Tony Lovers and Haters everywhere – and everyone in between – don’t expect a history lesson – in our world Tony’s born singing and dancing, Saddam Hussein is played as Groucho Marx and Gordon Brown occasionally turns into the Incredible Hulk – let’s just say all the facts are there… but not necessarily as they occurred!  Tony hasn’t yet replied to our invite to see the show, but we do hope he’ll pop along to his old stomping ground of Sedgefield to give his verdict when we open there at the Parish Hall. Tony? If you’re reading this we’ve put a couple of tickets in your name on the door.”

TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] is directed by Peter Rowe, with set and costume design by Libby Watson, lighting design by Mark Dymock and choreography by Francesca Jaynes.  The Park Theatre production of TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] is produced in the West End and on tour by Nicholson Green Productions.

For more information, visit www.tonyblairrockopera.co.uk

Twitter and Instagram: @tonyrockopera

LISTINGS INFORMATION

15 April – 21 May 2023

Leicester Square Theatre

6 Leicester Place

London WC2H 7BX

Performances vary, so please check the website

Box Office: 020 7734 2222

Website: leicestersquaretheatre.com

Tickets: from £26.50

Running Time at Leicester Square Theatre: 2 hours (inc. interval)

Suitable for 14+

TOUR SCHEDULE

25 May – 3 June             Guildford Yvonne Arnaud                                                                   01483 44 00 00                

                                  www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk                                                                on sale

14 – 17 June                    Cardiff New Theatre                                                                            0343 310 0041

                                          www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk                                                           on sale

21 – 24 June                    Richmond Theatre                                                                                 

                                          www.atgtickets.com/Richmond                                                       on sale

27 June – 1 July              Brighton Theatre Royal                                                                        

                                         www.atgtickets.com/Brighton                                                           on sale             

3 – 8 July                          Bath Theatre Royal                                                                             01225 448844

                                          Theatreroyal.org.uk                                                                            on sale soon

11 – 15 July                      Chester Storyhouse                                                                            01244 409113

                                          storyhouse.com                                                                                   on sale 5 December   

18 – 22 July                      Malvern Festival Theatre                                                                   01684 892277

                                          www.malvern-theatres.co.uk                                                            on sale 5 December

24 – 26 July                      Darlington Hippodrome                                                                     01325 405405

                                          www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk                                                  on sale

27 – 29 July                      Sedgefield Parish Hall                                                                         on sale details soon

Further dates to be added