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The BBC has announced today that Lucie Jones is one of the six artists chosen to perform the songs competing for the UK’s entry into the Eurovision Song Contest. Lucie will perform the song on Eurovision: You Decide, a show to be held at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo on 27 January 2017 and broadcast live on BBC Two, presented by Mel Giedroyc. The winner, who will be revealed on the night after a combined expert jury and live public vote, will then represent the UK at Eurovision, with the Grand Final on Saturday 13 May in Kyiv, Ukraine.

The ballad that Lucie is singing, Never Give Up On You, is the work of composers and lyricists The Treatment, Emmelie de Forest and Lawrie Martin, and can be heard now at the following link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/eurovision/entries/9ced8ad0-73ed-4765-b5e4-d26a82f25670

Lucie is currently starring as Maureen Johnson in the new 20th Anniversary production of Jonathan Larson’s ground-breaking Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning musical RENT. The show is currently playing a sold-out season at St. James Theatre, London until 28 January and will then embark on a major UK tour until 27 May 2017. RENT has been nominated for Best Regional Production at the 17th Annual What’s on Stage Awards, taking place in London next month.

Lucie said “I’m absolutely thrilled to be invited to take part in Eurovision: You Decide. Never Give Up On You is an incredibly powerful song, especially when sung live! I can’t wait to perform it live on BBC Two on Friday night.”

Producer Robert Mackintosh said “On behalf of the producers of RENT, we are delighted that Lucie Jones has been selected to sing one of the six songs in the running to compete for UK’s entry in the Eurovision Song Contest. Lucie is one of the UK’s brightest young talents and a valued company member. We wish her every success for Eurovision: You Decide this Friday.”

Lucie was a finalist on The X Factor in 2009 and has most recently starred as Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Curve, Leicester). Her other theatre credits include Molly Jenson on tour in Ghost the Musical, Victoria in American Psycho at The Almeida, Meatloaf in the International Tour of We Will Rock You and Cosette in Les Miserables at Queens Theatre, London’s West End and O2 Arena. Lucie also toured the UK in The X Factor Arena Tour.

The cast of RENT also includes Billy Cullum as Mark Cohen, Ross Hunter as Roger Davis, Ryan O’Gorman as Tom Collins, Javar La’trial Parker as Benjamin Coffin III, Layton Williams as Angel Schunard, Philippa Stefani as Mimi Marquez and Shanay Holmes as Joanne Jefferson, with Jenny O’Leary, Katie Bradley, Joshua Dever, Kevin Yates, Bobbie Little, Christina Modestou, Jordan Laviniere, Harrison Clark and Oliver Bingham.

Jonathan Larson’s musical, inspired by Puccini’s opera La Bohème, won four Tony Awards, six Drama Desk Awards and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1996. Ben Brantley’s New York Times review was a love letter to the show, calling RENT an “exhilarating, landmark rock opera”. RENT ran on Broadway for 12 years, from 1996 to 2008. The show premiered in London’s West End in 1998 at the Shaftesbury Theatre, where it ran for 18 months. It was adapted into a film in 2005.

Larson’s world is inhabited by a group of bohemian artists who struggle to maintain their friendships and their non-conformist ideals in New York’s East Village. Facing their problems head on, they make personal self-discoveries and find what really matters most in life. The poignancy of the story was heightened when Jonathan Larson died of an aortic dissection on 25 January 1996, the night before the show’s first off-Broadway performance at New York Theatre Workshop.

The much-loved score features songs such as Seasons of Love, Take Me or Leave Me, What You Own, One Song Glory, La Vie Bohème, Without You, I’ll Cover You, Out Tonight and I Should Tell You.

The new production of RENT has Choreography by Lee Proud, Musical Direction by Phil Cornwell, Set Design by Olivier Award-winner Anna Fleischle, Costume Design by Loren Elstein, Lighting Design by Olivier and Tony Award-winner Rick Fisher, Sound Design by Olivier Award-winner Mike Walker, Video Design by Andrzej Goulding and Casting by Will Burton Casting.

RENT has Book, Music and Lyrics by Jonathan Larson, Musical Arrangements by Steve Skinner, Original Concept and Additional Lyrics by Billy Aronson, Music Supervision and Additional Arrangements by Tim Weil, and Dramaturg is Lynn Thomson. RENT was originally produced in New York by New York Theatre Workshop and on Broadway by Jeffrey Seller, Kevin McCollum, Alan S. Gordon and New York Theatre Workshop.

RENT is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Ltd. For more information, visit www.RENTonstage.co.uk

Twitter: @RENTonstage

Instagram: Instagram.com/RENTonstage

Facebook: facebook.com/RENTonstage

LISTINGS INFORMATION

8 December 2016 to 28 January 2017

St. James Theatre

12 Palace Street

London SW1E 5JA

Box Office: 0844 264 2140 Website: www.stjamestheatre.co.uk

31 January to 4 February 2017

Devonshire Park Theatre

Compton St

Eastbourne BN21 4BW

Box Office: 01323 412 000 Website: www.eastbournetheatres.co.uk/venue/devonshire-park-theatre

6-11 February 2017

Churchill Theatre

High Street

Bromley

Kent BR1 1HA

Box Office: 020 3285 6000 Website: www.churchilltheatre.co.uk

14-18 February 2017

Festival Theatre

13 / 29 Nicolson Street

Edinburgh, EH8 9FT

Box Office: 0131 529 6000 Website: www.edtheatres.com

28 February – 4 March

Liverpool Empire Theatre

Lime St

Liverpool L1 1JE

Box Office: 0844 871 3017

Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/liverpool-empire

7-11 March

New Victoria Theatre

The Ambassadors

Peacocks Centre

Woking

Surrey GU21 6GQ

Box Office: 0844 871 7645

Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre

28 March to 1 April 2017

Curve

Rutland Street

Leicester LE1 1SB

Box Office: 0116 242 3595 Website: www.curveonline.co.uk

3-8 April 2017

Wales Millennium Centre

Bute Pl

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff CF10 5AL

Box Office: 029 2063 6464 Website: www.wmc.org.uk

11-15 April 2017

Cheltenham Everyman Theatre

Regent Street

Cheltenham GL50 1HQ

Box Office: 01242 572573 Website: www.everymantheatre.org.uk

18-22 April 2017

York Theatre Royal

St. Leonard’s Place

York YO1 7HD

Box Office: 01483 440000 Website: www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

1-6 May 2017

Lighthouse

Poole’s Centre For The Arts

21 Kingland Road

Poole

Dorset BH15 1UG

Box Office: 01202 280000 Website: www.lighthousepoole.co.uk

9-13 May 2017

Belgrade Theatre

Belgrade Square,

Coventry CV1 1GS

Box Office: 024 7655 3055 Website: www.belgrade.co.uk

16-20 May 2017

Nottingham Playhouse

Wellington Circus

Nottingham, NG1 5AF

Box Office: 0115 941 9419 Website: www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

23-27 May 2017

Assembly Hall Theatre

Crescent Road

Tunbridge Wells

Kent TN1 2LU

Box Office: 01892 530613 Website: www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk

Grand Opera House, York – 30 January to 4 February.  Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

Gaslight is Amazing, I can only start that way as I fell head over heels for it.

The play set in the 1930s starts out everything seeming normal between a married couple, and then we learn new things and witness new acts, drawing us into the pool of immersion and hidden truths. Everything about it oozed the different aspects of theatre I love; an impacting story, a twist and of course good acting.

I would first like to say a massive “thank you” to the cast for pulling off an amazing show and for making the first act seem like twenty minutes and me wanting more.

Kara Tointon who played the leading role of Bella Manningham, was just sheer perfection everything about the ways she portrayed the character, to the way that she interacted with each of the other characters and how subtle changes she made and different attitudes that were so believable, brought this character to life.

The other actor who stood out for me was Keith Allen who played Rough, that’s the character’s name, though he played it far from rough. The character was witty and very funny in situations but also making sure he didn’t ruin certain more serious moments. When he first appeared on stage as the character I was a bit unsure about it as it just seemed rather silly, but then I got a feel for the character and then I ended up loving him. His relationship on stage with Tointon was so personal and so true even if the characters had just met it just seemed right.

All the other characters and the two maid who did the most amazing job bringing that homely charm with a repeating ‘yes, sir’ after anyone spoke made for a light comedy effect. The staging was very nice with a very naturalistic and homely feel (with a few secrets), it dragged you into the story even more as if you were watching an episode of Downton Abbey but in less room. It gave a lot for the characters working with the stage interacting with little things such as candles of the fair place or to looking at books on the bookshelf, it gave the show life that in a way seems to be so close to ours, yet we are reminded that we are watching a show.

At points they can be facing away from the audience which I quite liked because, yes they do have to play to the audience it drew us in and it let us get emotionally involved a kept us suspended.

Overall this has been one of the best shows I’ve seen in a while and I would highly and I mean highly recommend that people should go and see it. I find it very hard to be so immersed into a play that it makes the first act seem like it finishes in a blink of an eye, so for that to happen to me I was impressed. It touches on issues that still has relevance today and gives the audience a form on connection that way. It will be on at the York Grand Opera House until the 4th of February so go and see it!

Arts Theatre 25 January – 18 March.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

According to writers Richard Marsh and Katie Bonna, “Love stories are good, but the great ones are dirty”. Well, they’re right – Dirty Great Love Story is a fantastic, filthy and sweet show. Originally a much shorter poetry duet, this award-winning play boasts engaging and instantly recognisable characters, in situations that lots of the audience will have experienced shamefacedly.

From the moment Ayesha Antoine (Katie) and Felix Scott (Richard) walk onstage with an engaging turn off your phone shtick, they have the audience in the palms of their hands. Katie and Richard then tell their own versions of the story of how they met, and the two years that followed. From a drunken one night stand after hen and stag dos, through awkward encounters at friends’ barbecues, weddings and christenings, misunderstandings and lost chances are portrayed with cringeworthy honesty and charm.

Antoine is spiky and defensive as Katie at first, still reeling from the ending of her last relationship, but the crumbling of her defences is handled brilliantly, showing the loneliness beneath. Antoine morphs into posh and brashly honest best friend CC with a flick of her hair, creating a wonderful character straight out of AbFab. Scott is charming and loveable as hapless Richard – the moment he finally makes a big gesture is fantastic, and his completely unromantic proclamation of love is just beautiful, making you want to stand up and cheer. Scott’s portrayals of best mate Westie – straight from a Northern pub – and pretentious old Etonian love rival Matt are just hysterical.

The poetry is fast and furious, lyrical and heartfelt. The knowing way that the audience is left hanging waiting for the inevitable rhyming insult is handled perfectly by the actors, whose timing and chemistry is sublime. The difference between the sexes is emphasised by Katie’s long, evocative descriptions of a situation, followed by Richard’s matter of fact one word opinion, to huge comic effect.

The set, lighting and sound design is deceptively simple, with a board game like grid lighting up too represent night clubs, saunas and cars to great effect. The sound and lighting are so in tune with the gorgeous language of the play that you don’t take much notice, everything works together to create a joyous, heart-warmingly funny and real love story.

Dirty Great Love Story definitely lives up to its name – this is a date night treat that will have men and women aching with laughter. There’re not many love stories that can do that.

VAULT Festival 25 – 29 January.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

RedBellyBlack’s stunning production asks the question “where do you see yourself a year from now?” of 14 real people. The answers received are moving and inspiring, and presented in a fascinating and poetic production.

The cast of five begin by introducing themselves in a slightly cheesy manner and then lose themselves and their voices in the characters’ interviews. The actors lip-synch to the recorded voices, but this becomes less and less obvious as the production progresses, with perfect timing and expressive performances making it hard to believe that the cast themselves are not speaking. The interviewees range from a boisterous 4 year old to new parents to an elderly couple just grateful for every day. Oscar Scott-White’s beautifully nuanced portrayal of an old lady is full of dignity and faded glamour, while Jessica Warshaw’s brash and outwardly confident woman delivers a devastating final thought with a haunting look at the audience. Some sequences are solo, some paired, and some have what can only be described as backing dancers. As the story unfolds, choreographed movements complement the words and rhythms – to comic effect when a teenager is proclaiming the need for good eyebrows, and heart-breaking emotion as a man describes the loss of his mother while the actors physically support and hug each other in a twisting pas de deux.

Grief, loss, responsibility and fear are explored, and a four-hander sequence of survivors of stroke, cancer and brain injury is an inspirational celebration of human fragility and potential. The ways the damaged people have learned to deal with the sudden change to their life is not sugar coated and the fear and regret in their voices is palpable as they look to the future with a “keep calm and carry on” attitude that we see every day.

When people talk about issues like this, they defend themselves with humour, and there are some great laughs in this show, interspersed with the hypnotic movement and sniffle inducing moments. The show brushes over the celebrity curse of 2016, and the political situation, but doesn’t dwell on these issues, instead focussing on the small (but huge) personal, human stories to be told, and telling them in an imaginative, respectful and entertaining way.

The general answer to the question asked seems to be alive and happy. That’s not much to ask for, is it?

Richmond Theatre 23 – 28 January National tour until July 2017.  Reviewed by Claire Roderick

The Classic Thriller Company brings Ruth Rendell’s novel to the stage with great style. Simon Brett and Antony Lampard have adapted the slow burning story of class resentment and shame and created a nostalgic but disturbing drama.

Set in a wood panelled manor house room, the play opens with two detectives discussing the unsolved murders of the Coverdale family on Valentine’s Day. They question Eunice Parchman, the housekeeper, who is still living in the house weeks later. In a fractured timeline, the build-up to the murders is shown, beginning with Eunice’s job interview. Awkward and reserved, Eunice’s (an unrecognisable Sophie Ward) initial bewilderment at the behaviour of the privileged Coverdales develops into simmering resentment as she befriends village outcast Joan (an equally transformed Deborah Grant). Throw in a doddery old cleaning lady, usurped by Eunice’s efficiency, and a recently paroled ladies’ man gardener, and a wonderful comedy of class confusion plays out in parallel to the murder mystery as the Coverdales waft through life with an unshakeable air of upper class self-assurance, never realising the impact of their good intentions.

The lightness of the comedy is slowly overshadowed by the sense of impending doom in the second act, but when the murder is finally shown, it is truly shocking – not because of the violence, but because it shows that murder can come from petty, niggling feuds, making it much more terrifying.

The script is tight and moves the plot along nicely, with transitions between past and present shown seamlessly and simply by subtle lighting change and the cast passing each other as they walk on and off stage. There is lots of humour, but the cast also do wonders with nuanced performances revealing the characters’ true feelings.

Andrew Lancel and Ben Nealon as the detectives have the driest roles, basically acting as glorified narrators, but both actors bring warmth and interest to the stage – especially Lancel – oozing a sense of melancholy as he sits in the empty family home. Rosie Thompson is fantastic as Mrs Coverdale – channelling every upper class caricature possible. Deborah Grant chews the scenery as Joan Smith – portraying the unhinged woman as a childlike, but terrifying leopard print nightmare. Sophie Ward transforms into a dowdy, downtrodden spinster with incredible skill, managing to keep Eunice sympathetic and show her inner turmoil without the need for histrionics. A superb performance.

It makes me feel ancient to realise that this is now a period piece, with the awe and wonder shown by the characters at a cassette player that records bringing nostalgic chuckles from the audience, but the issues of class, entitlement, violence and disenfranchisement still loom large today, ensuring that the story still resonates with the audience.

A Judgement In Stone is a great novel, and this is a fine play. Catch it at a theatre near you on tour this year.

An Audiovisual presentation – The Lowry Centre Salford Quay.  Jan 28th 2017.  Reviewed by Mike Davies

This was a 40 minute audiovisual performance followed by a short meet the artists talk in the small Quay theatre. The Russian born duo have ongoing collaborations, in this art form. Dasha, the experimental techno DJ and graphics guru Stanislav have here attempted a herculean undertaking to try and describe the indescribable and have created something of a ‘curates egg’

Their most notable previous collaboration was the acclaimed ‘Antartic Takt’, developed for the Berlin ‘Atonal Festival 2014’ and performed all over the world.

The graphic effects were generated with a dual screen arrangement to give the illusion of depth and a quasi 3D effect, but the medium was insufficient to convey the full grandeur of the cosmological event being portrayed. The use of the forward mesh screen to presumably catch the reflection of the main image, did seem to improve the visual effects creating a mirage like forward image to give the required depth perception.

Dasha Rush is better known as an international techno DJ but I felt in this performance the ‘music’ was a little one dimensional. While the depiction at the end of what was apparently the evaporation of the black hole agreed with the current theoretical model this effect robbed the performance of a much needed crescendo

For me this meant the performance was all middle with not much beginning and no end. This is not to say that the performance had no merit, and may well have suffered from being staged in a small theatre. The artists are to be commended for the attempt to portray this subject but a true 3D or holographic medium may be the best venue, or possibly a surround or immersive setting as I discussed with the artist post show.

The general perception I got was nice attempt, and in general the audience seemed appreciative, but I left feeling there should have been more!

LAUNCHING A CULTURE OF VOLUNTEERING

Darlington for Culture and Darlington Hippodrome launch an exciting new venture to support and promote arts and culture in the town.

With the restoration work at Darlington Civic Theatre moving towards the final stages a new volunteering partnership has been forged between the regionally renowned Theatre and the award-winning community arts organisation, Darlington for Culture, to help support and promote the arts and culture within the town.

The vision for Darlington Culture Volunteers (DCV) is to be a hub for cultural volunteering in and around Darlington, building a community of people who have a vested interest in the future of the arts in the town. Building on the success of the Darlington for Culture Volunteer Service the group will support arts, music and cultural events encouraging the public to join in the activities, keeping the public informed and recording their views on the events.

Members who join Darlington Culture Volunteers will learn new skills and be offered the chance to meet new people, make new friends and give back to the local community through a wide range of new and exciting projects. Volunteers will have the chance to engage with Darlington Hippodrome’s heritage and help audiences connect with its rich history.

Heather Carter, volunteer co-ordinator for Darlington for Culture said: “I am truly excited about this new venture between ourselves and Darlington Hippodrome. Our current valuable volunteers will transfer to the new service and we are looking for new volunteers who can offer as little or as much time as they have available, from a long-term, regular commitment to those who can help as and when. Primarily we are looking for enthusiastic people interested in supporting the arts in and around Darlington.”

Lynda Winstanley, Director of Darlington Civic Theatre said: “Darlington Culture Volunteers has evolved from the close relationship the Theatre has formed with Darlington for Culture. We are very much looking forward to launching this new venture together and to welcoming lots of new volunteers into the partnership.”

Darlington Culture Volunteers will be launched at the Darlington Volunteering Fair on Thursday 2 February at Central Hall in the Dolphin Centre from 2.00pm. For more information about the scheme you can visit either www.darlingtonforculture.org or www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk, call 07775 996098 or email [email protected]

SHEFFIELD THEATRES WINS PRESTIGIOUS THEATRE AWARDS HAT-TRICK

Sheffield Theatres are celebrating having been awarded, for an unprecedented third time,   the prestigious title of Regional Theatre of the Year 2017 at The Stage Awards,. 

The award, presented to Chief Executive Dan Bates and Artistic Director Robert Hastie earlier today, was given in recognition of the outstanding work of the theatre during the last year.

Industry judges recognised the theatre’s exciting programming which has included the commissioning of two new productions; Richard Taylor and Rachel Wagstaff’s award-winning musical Flowers for Mrs Harris and The Nap, a new comedy by Richard Bean; as well as big, classic productions of Show Boat and Annie Get Your Gun.

 

In his speech, at the awards ceremony at London’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Alistair Smith, print editor of The Stage and chair of the judging panel, congratulated Sheffield Theatres for their ‘compelling programme of work that speaks to local audiences but has the potential to attract theatregoers from across the UK.’

Praise was also given for the Theatres’ policy of making theatre accessible to young people via the Live for Five initiative, which offers audience members aged 16 – 25 years, tickets for £5 and the recently launched Ignite scheme.  Ignite will give every student in the city studying drama or performing arts the opportunity to attend Crucible productions free of charge.

Sheffield Theatres’ Chief Executive Dan Bates said today: ‘We were delighted to have been nominated, but to have won the title again is quite overwhelming and tops off a fantastic twelve months.  The award recognises not only the incredible achievements of our out-going Artistic Director Daniel Evans but also the initiatives introduced by our new Artistic Director Robert Hastie. I would like to thank our hard-working and committed staff as well as everyone who has worked with us and visited us in the last twelve months – every one of you has contributed to making us the proud title-holders of Regional Theatre of the Year.

 

Sheffield Theatres continues its commitment to compelling new work with the World Première of Dan Gillespie Sells (The Feeling) and Tom MacRae’s (Doctor Who) musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie from Wednesday 8 – Saturday 25 February at the Crucible.

DUSTY
A NEW MUSICAL

Book by Jonathan Harvey
Directed by Maria Friedman

DUSTY, the first authorised new musical charting the life of Dusty Springfield is set to premiere in the UK in 2018. Details of dates, venue and casting are still to be announced.

Originating from the notes and memoirs of the late singer’s close friend and manager Vicki Wickham, DUSTY is written by Jonathan Harvey who tells the story behind this iconic artist having interviewed key people from her life including Pat Rhodes, Dusty’s lifelong personal assistant, and friend and record company executive Tris Penna.

DUSTY will be directed by Olivier Award winning Maria Friedman.

Dusty Springfield is one Britain’s most successful and enduringly popular singers, with hits spanning four decades. Born in London, she became known across the world for her soulful voice and iconic look. Her solo career began way back in 1963, and included the global hits “I Only Want to Be with You”, “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” and ‘What Have I Done to Deserve This?’ with the Pet Shop Boys. Her 1969 masterpiece ”Dusty In Memphis’ is considered one of the greatest albums of all time and Dusty has been inducted into both the US Rock and Roll and UK Music Halls of Fame.

Jonathan Harvey wrote his first play in 1987, and has since written over 15 more, includingBabies, Boom Bang-A-Bang and Beautiful Thing, which was later made into an acclaimed film. He has been the recipient of the Evening Standard, George Devine and John Whiting Awards, and his work has been both Bafta- and Olivier-nominated. Jonathan’s extensive television writing includes Coronation Street, on which he has worked since 2004, Beautiful People andGimme, Gimme, Gimme. He has also written for shows as diverse as Rev, Shameless, At Home With The Braithwaites, The Catherine Tate Show and Tracey Ullman’s Show. He has also published five novels and been hailed as ‘the new theatrical voice of his generation’.

Best known as a three-time Olivier Award winning star of the musical stage, director Maria Friedman made an astonishing directorial debut in 2012 with a hugely acclaimed production ofMerrily We Roll Along which won Best Musical at the Evening Standard Awards 2013, the Oliver Awards 2014 (for which Maria was also nominated for Best Director of a Musical), and the Critic’s Circle Award 2013. She went on to direct High Society at The Old Vic in 2015 and is currently directing Stepping Out which will play the West End’s Vaudeville Theatre from March 2017.

DUSTY is produced by Eleanor Lloyd Productions whose recent projects include Nell Gwynn with Gemma Arterton, Olivier Award for Best Comedy (Apollo), 1984 (Playhouse, 2014, 2015 & 2016), My Night with Reg, Olivier Nomination for Best Revival (Apollo), and Handbagged, Olivier Nomination for Best Comedy, (Vaudeville and UK tour).

THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
THE NEW MUSICAL BY
JULIAN FELLOWES, GEORGE STILES & ANTHONY DREWE

AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM
FROM JUNE 2017

Following a highly-acclaimed pre-West End engagement, the major new musical THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS will open in the West End at the world-famous London Palladium. Previewing from 17 June 2017, the production will open on 29 June 2017.

Leading actor, comedian and presenter Rufus Hound stars as the amazing Mr Toad with EastEnders and Shrek star Neil McDermott as Chief Weasel. The confirmed company will also include Jenna Boyd, Abigail Brodie, Jorell Coiffic-Kamall, Nicole Deon, James Gant, Evan James, Michael Larcombe, Bethany Linsdell, Ryan Pidgen, Adam Vaughan and Georgie Westall, with further casting to be announced shortly.

On Thursday 26 January, Jamie Hendry and Julian Fellowes introduced members of the cast and creative team at an exclusive launch event held on stage at the London Palladium where Rufus Hound and the company performed a selection of songs from the musical.

Rufus Hound is one of the UK’s leading actors, presenters and comedians, most recently seen on stage in Don Quixote (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Wars of the Roses (Rose Theatre) and as Freddy in the original West End production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels(Savoy Theatre). His other theatre credits include Neville’s Island (Chichester Festival Theatre) and One Man Two Guv’nors (Theatre Royal Haymarket). Television credits include Doctor Who (BBC), Cucumber (Channel 4), Drunk History (Comedy Central), A Touch of Cloth (SKY) and Hounded (BBC). He is also a regular guest on comedy panel shows such as Never Mind the Buzzcocks (BBC), Would I Lie To You? (BBC), and 8 Out Of 10 Cats (Channel 4).

Neil McDermott is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in EastEnders (BBC). His stage credits include Lord Farquaad in Shrek The Musical (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Jean-Michel in La Cage Aux Folles (Menier Chocolate Factory) and Rolf Gruber in The Sound of Music (London Palladium). Further television credits include The Royal (ITV), Casualty(BBC) and Doctor Who: The Next Doctor (BBC).

Based on Kenneth Grahame’s treasured novel which has captivated generations of readers for over a century, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS has been adapted for the stage with a book by Academy Award-winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and Olivier Award-winning composer and lyricist duo George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

This riotous comedy follows the impulsive Mr Toad whose insatiable need for speed lands him in serious trouble. With his beloved home under threat from the notorious Chief Weasel and his gang of sinister Wild Wooders, Toad must attempt a daring escape leading to a series of misadventures and a heroic battle to recapture Toad Hall.

Featuring eye-poppingly beautiful design, exuberant choreography and a gloriously British score, The Wind in the Willows brings an explosion of anarchy, humour and heart to the world-famous London Palladium.

Tickets will be available from £15, with reduced price preview performances. No additional booking fees or charges are applied to tickets booked via www.WillowsMusical.com.

Produced by Jamie Hendry, MJE Productions and Josh Gilinski, in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth, THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh with choreography by Aletta Collins, design by Peter McKintosh, lighting design by Howard Harrison, sound design by Gareth Owen, wig & makeup design by Linda McKnight, orchestrations by Chris Jahnke and David Shrubsole and musical supervision by Simon Lee.