FULL CAST ANNOUNCED FOR BLUES IN THE NIGHT
KILN THEATRE PRESENTS
BLUES IN THE NIGHT
Conceived and Originally Directed by Sheldon Epps
Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited
18 July – 7 September 2019
Director: Susie McKenna; Musical Direction: Mark Dickman; Choreographer: Frank Thompson
Designer: Robert Jones; Costume Designer: Lotte Collett; Lighting Designer: Neil Austin
Sound Designer: Avgoustos Psillas
With the critically acclaimed The Son currently running at Kiln Theatre, and with Inua Ellams’ The Half God of Rainfall in rehearsals, Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham today announced the full cast for Blues in the Night– Susie McKenna directs Sharon D Clarke (The Lady), Debbie Kurup (The Woman), Clive Rowe (The Man) and Gemma Sutton (The Girl) the first major London revival in 30 years. The production opens on 24 July, with previews from 18 July, and runs until 7 September.
‘A man is a two-face, a worrisome thing
Who’ll leave you to sing, the blues in the night.’
Chicago 1939. One man, three women, their lives, memories and the sweet music that gets them through the night.
The Olivier and Tony Award nominated musical is a scorching compilation of 26 hot and torchy blues numbers that frame the lives and loves of four residents of a downtown hotel. Featuring soul-filled songs by blues and jazz icons Bessie Smith, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen and many more, this will be a sizzling night to remember.
Sharon D Clarke returns to Kiln Theatre toplay The Lady – she previously appeared in The Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes. Her theatre work includes: Death of a Salesman (Young Vic), Caroline, or Change (Chichester Festival Theatre, Hampstead Theatre, Playhouse Theatre), The Life (Southwark Playhouse), Sleeping Beauty, Vagina Monologues, Sleeping Beauty, Mother Goose, Puss in Boots & Cinderella (Hackney Empire), Pigs and Dogs(Royal Court Theatre), Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, An Oak Tree, Everyman, Amen Corner, Guys and Dolls(National Theatre), Romeo & Julie (Rose Theatre Kingston), Porgy & Bess (Regent’s Park Open Air), Ghost, Hairspray, Vagina Monologues, Chicago, We Will Rock You, Disney’s The Lion King, Fame, Rent and Mama I Want to Sing (West End). Her television work includes Holby City – as series regular Lola Griffin, Informer, Doctor Who, The Forge, Unforgotten, Death in Paradise, New Tricks, Psychobitches and The Shadow Line; and for film, Untitled Girls Film, Rocketman, Tau, Sugarhouse, Secret Society, Beautiful People, Broken Glass andTumble Down.
Debbie Kurup returns to Kiln Theatre toplay The Woman – she previously appeared in Poison. Her theatre work includes Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse), Girl From The North Country (The Old Vic/ Noël Coward Theatre), The Threepenny Opera (National Theatre), Anything Goes (Sheffield Theatres/UK Tour), The Bodyguard (Olivier Award nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical – Adelphi Theatre), Chicago (Cambridge Theatre/ Adelphi Theatre), Sister Act (London Palladium), West Side Story (Prince of Wales Theatre), Tonight’s The Night (Victoria Palace), Rent (Prince of Wales Theatre/UK tour), Fame (UK tour) and Guys and Dolls (Sheffield Theatres). Her film work includes The Two Wolves, Hollow, Making of a Musical – West Side Story and 28 Weeks Later.
Clive Rowe playsThe Man. His theatre work includes The Wind in The Willows (UK tour), Guys and Dolls (Royal Albert Hall), Me and My Girl (Chichester Festival Theatre), Jack and the Beanstalk (Wimbledon Theatre), The Light Princess (National Theatre), The Hothouse (Trafalgar Studios), The Ladykillers (West End and UK tour), Kiss Me Kate (Chichester Festival Theatre/The Old Vic), No Naughty Bits (Hampstead Theatre), The Wiz (Birmingham Rep/West Yorkshire Playhouse), Company (Donmar Warehouse), The Fantastics (Duchess Theatre); Twelfth Night, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Trolius and Cressida (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Chicago (Adelphi Theatre), As You Like It (Wyndham’s Theatre), Simply Heavenly (Young Vic/Trafalgar Studio); and for the National Theatre, The Light Princess, Carousel, Fuente Ovejuna, Caroline or Change, The Villains’ Opera, Money, Candide, Peter Pan, Guys and Dolls, Trackers (Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical forGuys and Dolls and Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance in Carousel). Rowe has returned to the Hackney Empire on numerous occasions to play The Dame in their Christmas pantomime for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre for Mother Goose. For television, his work includes Will, So Awkward, Evermoor, The Kennedys, The Fun Police, All the Small Things, Doctor Who, Networked, Bloodrights, Say it with Music, American Voices, Paper Mask, After the War, Snakes and Ladders and Entertaining Angels Aware; and for film, Beauty and the Beast, Manderlay and Crime Strike.
Gemma Sutton plays The Girl. Her theatre work includes Follies (National Theatre), Sweet Charity (The Watermill Theatre), The Rink (Offie Award for Female Performance in a Musical – Southwark Playhouse), A Christmas Carol the Musical (LMTO), Strictly Ballroom (West Yorkshire Playhouse/ Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto), The Go Between (Apollo Theatre), Gypsy (Chichester Festival Theatre/Savoy Theatre), Carousel (Arcola Theatre), Chicago (Leicester Curve)Drunk (Leicester Curve/The Bridewell), Hairspray (UK tour), Me and My Girl (Kilworth House), Legally Blonde – The Musical (Savoy Theatre), Gone with the Wind, Imagine This (New London Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Macbeth, Lady Be Good, The Boy Friend (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and Children Will Listen (Theatre Royal Drury Lane). For television, her work includes West Side Stories, Gypsy: Live at the Savoy Theatre and Cilla.
Susie McKenna directs. She is currently Creative Executive Producer at Hackney Empire with the remit to develop new musical theatre for the venue – having left her role as Creative Director in January 2017. Her credits for Hackney Empire include Cinderella, Rudy’s Rare Records, , Beau Jest, Sit and Shiver, Kat and Tameka Show, La Variété, Sing Out, Alter Ego, Once on this Island and Ha Ha Hackney. Other credits include Oranges and Elephants (Hoxton Hall), A Midsummer Night’s Madness (National Black Theatre of Harlem, Hackney Empire Edinburgh Festival), A Christmas Carol (Arts Theatre London) and The Silver Sword (Coventry Belgrade Theatre, UK tour). Acting credits for theatre include Cats (Ambassadors Theatre), Ragtime (Piccadilly Theatre), Chicago (Cambridge Theatre), The Witches of Eastwick (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Hair, The Rocky Horror Show, Jesus Christ Superstar and In The Midnight Hour (UK tour). For film her credits include Jack and Sarah.
KILN SEASON AT A GLANCE
THE SON
Until 6 April
THE HALF GOD OF RAINFALL
25 April – 17 May
Press night: 30 April at 7pm
Audio Described: 16 May
Captioned: 9 May
WIFE
30 May – 6 July
Press night: 4 June at 7pm
Audio Described: 4 July
Captioned: 20 June
BLUES IN THE NIGHT
18 July – 7 September 2019
Press night: 24 July
Audio Described: 8 August
Captioned: 22 August
A FRIENDLY SOCIETY (WORKING TITLE)
26 – 29 September 2019
WHEN THE CROWS VISIT
23 October – 30 November 2019
Press night: 29 October
Audio Described: 14 November
Captioned: 21 November
Twitter: @KilnTheatre / @KilnCinema