Saturday 23 November 2024 – Saturday 4 January 2025
Full casting has been announced for the upcoming Made at Curve production of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s classic musical MY FAIR LADY.
Joining the previously announced Molly Lynch as Eliza Doolittle is David Seadon-Young, (THE BAKER’S WIFE, Menier Chocolate Factory, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS, Dominion Theatre), who will play phonetics Professor Henry Higgins.
The company also includes Minal Patel (BILLY ELLLIOT, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, Curve) as Colonel Pickering, actor, comedian, DJ, musician and writer Steve Furst (OLIVER!, Leeds Playhouse), as Alfred P. Doolittle, BAFTA Award-winner and Golden Globe nominee Cathy Tyson (KAOS, Netflix, HELP, Channel 4 and MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST, Curve) as Mrs Higgins, Sarah Moyle (DOCTORS, BBC and JERUSALEM, Royal Court Theatre, Apollo Theatre and Music Box Theatre on Broadway) as Mrs Eynsford-Hill and Mrs Pearce and Djavan Van de Fliert (FROZEN, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, LES MISERABLES, Sondheim Theatre) as Freddy Eynsford-Hill.
Damian Buhagiar (SISTER ACT, Dominion Theatre and WEST SIDE STORY, Curve) will play Zoltan Karpathy, joined by Jonathan Dryden Taylor (THE WIZARD OF OZ, BILLY ELLIOT, Curve) as Harry, Ying Ue Li (CABARET, The Kit Kat Club) as Jamie and Joanna O’Hare (KISS ME KATE, Royal Albert Hall and SUNSET BOULEVARD, Curve) as George.
The cast will be completed by Andy Barke (PRETTY WOMAN THE MUSICAL, Savoy Theatre), Keanna Bloomfield (A VERY VERY BAD CINDERELLA, The Other Palace), Ashley Gilmour (EVITA, Curve), Lucas Koch (CHOIR OF MAN, The Arts Theatre), Ritesh Manugula (SHIRLY, Sherman Theatre Cardiff), Nell Martin (PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT, UK tour), Abigail Matthews (THE WIZARD OF OZ, UK tour and Gillian Lynne Theatre) Jack Skelton (ALADDIN, Wolverhampton Grand) and Kenedy Small (SIX THE MUSICAL, UK tour).
MY FAIR LADY will run in Leicester from Saturday 23 November 2024 to Saturday 4 January 2025 and is directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (A CHORUS LINE, BILLY ELLIOT, EVITA).
The Made at Curve production will choreographed by Joanna Goodwin (AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, UK tour), George Dyer (THE WIZARD OF OZ, Curve and London Palladium, BILLY ELLIOT, WEST SIDE STORY, Curve) is Musical Supervisor, Michael Taylor (BILLY ELLIOT, SCROOGE THE MUSCIAL, Curve) is Set and Costume designer, Mark Henderson (STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE, Gillian Lynne Theatre) is Lighting Designer, Adam Fisher (EVITA, BILLY ELLIOT, Curve) is Sound Designer and casting direction is by Olivia Laydon for Jill Green Casting.
Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:
“Joining the incomparable Molly Lynch are a fabulous company of actors, ready to infuse their collective brilliance and energies into Lerner and Loewe’s magnificent MY FAIR LADY. Superstars David Seadon-Young and Minal Patel join Molly to create the famous triumphant trio at the heart of this beautiful musical, their youthful exuberance discovering these characters in new ways. They are joined by the equally electrifying Steve Furst as Alfred P Doolittle. Alongside Djavan van de Fliert, Cathy Tyson, Sarah Moyle and a barn-storming ensemble – this is a truly remarkable company of actors not to be missed.”
MY FAIR LADY follows Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower seller from Covent Garden, who by chance meets phonetics professor Henry Higgins. With the help of his pal Colonel Pickering, Higgins sets out to support Eliza’s ambition to learn how to speak like a lady of high society, so she can fulfil her ambition of opening her own flower shop. Along the way, Higgins learns a few lessons of his own, as Eliza’s free spirit, defiance and zest for life bring magic and joy into the lives of everyone who encounters her.
Filled with a roster of iconic characters, comedy, romance and some of the greatest songs ever imagined for the musical stage, including ‘The Rain in Spain’, ‘Wouldn’t It Be Loverly’ and ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’, this unmissable production is set to be an enchanting and dazzling Christmas treat for the whole family.
This Made at Curve production of My Fair Lady is sponsored by De Montfort University (DMU), with the show’s orchestra sponsored by music licensing company PPL.
MY FAIR LADY will run at Curve from Saturday 23 November 2024 to Saturday 4 January 2025 and tickets are on-sale now. To find out more and book, visit www.curveonline.co.uk, call 0116 242 3595 or visit Curve’s Box Office in-person.
Nottingham Theatre Royal – until Saturday 14 September 2024
Reviewed by Chris Jarvis
4****
This 20th anniversary production of Alan Bennett’s award winning play transports the audience back to Sheffield in the 1980s to share A level results day with 8 boys back at a local grammar school
The History Boys follows this bright bunch of lovable rogues who have achieved the highest grades their school has ever seen. Their league table obsessed headmaster, known to everyone as Felix (Milo Twomey), has sights set on some of them obtaining a place at one or other of the most famous academic institutions in the world – Oxford or Cambridge.
Although he was very complimentary of history teacher Mrs Lintott (Gillian Bevan) in helping achieve these amazing results, it appears she has very little respect for any of her colleagues! Felix had reservations about their English teacher Hector (Simon Rouse) who has years of experience but believes in literature and culture for its own sake, with little application to real life. Lessons became chaotic playouts of a French brothel, a scene from ‘Brief Encounter’ where these crazy boys played out their adolescent fantasies…..
Felix appoints a supply teacher to prepare the boys for their admission exams to Oxbridge – Irwin (Bill Milner), adding yet more opinions on education to the mix. Their teachers couldn’t agree how best to tutor them, and we watched as the boys very quickly learn to “play them off” against each other, though in a more respectful way than in schools in 2024. I smiled to myself as these ‘full of life’ adolescents challenged their teachers in so many ways.
We quickly got to know these characters by surname, as was typical of the pupil teacher relationship in the 80’s. Dakin (Archie Christopher Allen) – full of himself though not quite sure of his sexuality, Posner (Lewis Cornay) – totally sure of his sexuality with eyes only for Dakin, Timms (Teddy Hinde) – the hilarious joker in the group, Scripps (Yazdan Qafouri) thinking of little but his religious beliefs, Rudge (Ned Costello) – a delightful down to earth character soaking up every word, Akthar (Mahesh Parmar) – a lively lovable character, Lockwood ( Curtis Kemlo) – cheekily wearing his baseball cap backwards and Crowther (Tashinga Bepete) who really gave his all during their performance of Adam & the Ants ‘Stand & Deliver’ using his chair as a percussion instrument along with much foot stamping in time to the beat!!
I loved the simplicity of the set that was mostly the same background throughout, but on a rotating platform that was turned around between every act – usually signalled by the school bell for the end of a lesson and watched as the boys changed the set themselves – along with an ensemble of helpers, enjoying a different piece of popular 80’s music with each set change.
There were numerous musical arrangements where the boys danced and sang with beautiful harmonies and some wonderful solos from Lewis Cornay (Posner) perfectly complementing the drama.
Some wonderful ‘one liner’s’ dropped in throughout the play such as “Can you imagine being a female history teacher after 5 centuries of masculine ineptitude?” from Mrs Lintott and Rudge’s definition of history – “It’s just one f***ing thing after another” to quote just two plus a beautifully funny metaphorical monologue from Dakin recounting his fumbling encounter with the headmaster’s secretary in terms of wartime manoeuvres.
I thoroughly enjoyed the play. It reminded me of my own schooldays and the incredible bond that can be made between teacher and pupil. The enthusiasm of the ‘boys’ was clear as they bounced about the stage with obvious enjoyment, infectiously adding to ours. The audience seemed captivated, and it was great to witness the well-deserved standing ovation at the end of the play.
A Made at Curve and Global Creatures co-production in association with Sydney Theatre Company
Running at Curve, Leicester 10 April – 10 May 2025
Initial casting has been announced for the UK premiere production of MURIEL’S WEDDING THE MUSICAL, which will run at Leicester’s Curve theatre Thursday 10 April to Saturday 10 May 2025.
Rising star Megan Ellis, whose recent credits include SPRING AWAKENING, RENT, CARRIE and PARADE (all at Frogmore Paper Mill), as well as CAREEN (Birmingham Repertory Theatre) and GODSPELL (Edinburgh Fringe Festival), will take on the iconic role of Muriel Heslop. She said:
“This is such a ‘pinch me’ moment – Muriel’s Wedding is one of my favourite films of all time and I could not be more excited to be working with such an incredible team and playing Muriel herself in this UK premiere at Curve!”
Joining Ellis as Rhonda Epinstall – Muriel’s sassy and straight-talking friend – is Annabel Marlow, who originated the role of Katherine Howard in SIX at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2017. Marlow has since starred as Dot in The Watermill’s THE WIZARD OF OZ and has recently completed her second year at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with her acclaimed solo comedy musical show, …IS THIS OKAY?.
Speaking about the announcement, Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:
“Curve has a solid record of celebrating upcoming actors on the cusp of big things, making debuts in leading roles with us here in Leicester. We are thrilled Megan Ellis is making her Curve bow in the iconic role of Muriel Heslop. Megan’s comic brio is matched with her electrifying voice and she is joined by the equally sensational Annabel Marlow as Rhonda. Together, they lead a tremendous company in this all-singing, all-dancing celebration of finding the courage to be your authentic self.”
Based on the international cult classic 1994 motion picture ‘MURIEL’S WEDDING’ (written and directed by PJ Hogan, produced by Lynda House and Jocelyn Moorhouse),the Made at Curve and Global Creatures co-production of MURIEL’S WEDDING THE MUSICAL is directed by Simon Phillips (PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, LOVE NEVER DIES) and choreographed by Andrew Hallsworth (PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT).
Book writer PJ Hogan has updated his own screenplay for the stage, and original music for MURIEL’S WEDDING THE MUSICAL is written by award-winning multi-platinum selling artists Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall, whose work spans the worlds of music theatre, opera, Coachella and Eurovision. The musical includes additional songs by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus & Stig Anderson originally written for ABBA.
Set design is by Matthew Kinley (LES MISERABLES), costume design by Gabriela Tylesova (LOVE NEVER DIES), projection design by Andrzej Goulding (STARLIGHT EXPRESS), lighting design by Natasha Chivers (SYLVIA, Old Vic Theatre) and sound design by Adam Fisher (EVITA, Curve). Isaac Hayward, who won the Helpmann Award for Best Musical Direction in 2018 for MURIEL’S WEDDING will join as Musical Supervisor. Casting is by Stuart Burt CDG CDA.
Winner of five Helpmann Awards, seven Sydney Theatre Awards, an Awgie Award, the 2018 David Williamson Prize and an ARIA AwardNomination, MURIEL’S WEDDING THE MUSICAL celebrated its world premiere in a co-production with the Sydney Theatre Company in November 2017 and returned with an Australian tour in 2019. It was hailed a smash hit by critics and audiences alike.
Undateable. Unemployable. Unstoppable.
Stuck in a dead-end life in Porpoise Spit, Muriel dreams of the perfect wedding – the white dress, the church, the attention.
Unfortunately, there’s one thing missing: a groom. Following her dreams to Sydney, Muriel ends up with everything she ever wanted – a man, a fortune and a million social media followers.
That’s when things start to go really wrong.
RSVP to the wedding of the year and enjoy this eccentric, laugh-out-loud musical based on the iconic Australian film.
MURIEL’S WEDDING THE MUSICAL will run at Curve 10 April to 10 May 2025. To find out more about book visit www.curveonline.co.uk, call 0116 242 3595 or visit Curve’s Box Office in-person.
Royal and Derngate Theatre Northampton – until 14 September 2024
Review by Amanda Allen
5*****
Its always with some trepidation that you go to see a new show based on an all-time favourite, especially if that show is a musical and the original was a brilliant film that made a star or its leading lady. However I was very pleasantly surprised with how brilliantly Pretty Woman has been adapted to the stage musical format. The story line followed the film really well, with many of the famous lines and scenes transferring directly on to the stage. With the iconic settings of Hollywood boulevard, Beverly Wiltshire Hotel and Rodeo drive, we were transported back to 1980’s Los Angeles to meet Vivien Ward (Played by Amber Davies) her best friend Kit De Luca (Natalie Paris) and the Millionaire love interest Edward Lewis (Oliver Savile) All 3 parts portrayed excellently by the actors. The transformation of Vivien from Hooker to lady was wonderfully portrayed through the costumes, attitude and acting skills of Amber Davies. A special mention must go to Ore Oduba who played many roles, Happy man / Mr Thompson / The Band conductor. We all knew he could dance after his strictly performance, but I was surprised how well he could act and sing, carrying the audience along with him with a wink and a well-timed glance. He almost stole the show. His versatility working a stage, and his excellent comic timing worked really well with the story line and portrayal of the characters. I loved the strictly score cards utilised in one dance scene giving him all 10’s, very funny.
For me the standout performance was Noah Harrison who played the bellhop, Giulio at the Beverly Wiltshire Hotel. His depiction of the slightly goofy, kind, unimportant lift boy was excellent. The whole audience warmed to his character, realising that he was just a normal good guy and on Vivians side. It also helped that he looked as if he was having a great time. It was good to see the vocal talents of Lila Falce-Bass as Violetta / Big lady being put to good use. Her operatic renditions were amazing and really made the hair on the back of your neck stand on end
A special mention must go to the costume and set designers. With numerous outfit changes to accommodate, not to mention the many wigs used in the show, they did an amazing job. I especially liked Guilio using a wig as a polishing cloth to try and disguise the fact that Edward didn’t want his smarmy lawyer Philip Stuckey (Ben Darcy) to know Vivien was in his room! Hilarious comic timing from Giulio. The sets easily transported us from Downtown Hollywood to Hotel bedroom, Opera house, restaurant, polo field and back again seamlessly due to excellent design and intelligent use of stage crew.
A favourite part for me was the mention of the polka dot dress, but here it was Blue and this was excellently pointed out in the song. Vivien and Edward sang really well together, their voices complementing each other effortlessly. A few of the songs were a bit longer than needed and seemed like a bit to much padding but overall it was an excellent portrayal of a much loved story, Cinderella for the 1980’s. Very much a woman’s story, if you liked the film, go and see it, I loved it!
Darlington Hippodrome – until Saturday 14 September 2024
4****
From the costumes to the staging, everything from beginning to end, was pure joy in this production of Sister Act.
Ambitious club singer Deloris Van Cartier (the very talented Landi Oshinowo) sees her controlling gangster boyfriend Curtis (Ian Gareth-Jones) commit murder and former schoolmate ‘Steady’ Eddie Souther (Alfie Parker) arranges police protection. The book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner follows the rough outline of Joseph Howard’s film starring Whoopi Goldberg. Somewhat incongruous, the safe house chosen by the cops is a convent, which gets shaken to its religious foundations by the heroine, in her new guise as Sister Mary Clarence. Appointed to supervise the tone-deaf choir, she turns them into a group of swinging sisters whose sudden fame imperils both her and their safety.
Dripping with disco and soul, the songs were charming, uplifting and added to the feelgood atmosphere of the show. A notable song was Take Me To Heaven, which was by far one of the best numbers in the show. Alan Menkin and Glenn Slater supply climactic soul-baring ballads for Deloris and the Mother Superior, and Sister Mary Robert too, in which each questions the tenets of her personal faith. All played by the live band, led by Honor Halford-Macleod.
Kate Powell, filling in for an indisposed Wendi Peters, as Mother Superior is amazing. To my ear she sounded like Julie Andrews. Corrine Priest’s Sister Mary Robert gave a wonderful performance, singing and dancing her way into all our hearts with a great joie de vivre. Whilst the gyrating hip-work of Elliot Gooch, Michalis Antoniou and Callum Martin were wonderfully camp with over the top comedy and a few scene-stealing moments. Star of the show for me was Alfie Parker as Detective Eddie. He shows depth and warmth and a real human heart in the role. His song “I Could be that Guy” where he rips his clothes off from cop to Travolta back to cop was hilarious.
Morgan Large’s costumes and the staging certainly lifted this production in many ways. While not much can be done with a simple nun costume, the finale saw brightly coloured sequin robes which added to the delightfulness of the production.
This show had all of the ingredients: the characters were played brilliantly, and the comedic value was there, and catchy songs. The show is a joy to watch and will put a smile on anyone’s face when they go and see it. On tour around the UK, go and see it now
Presented bythe Dodgers and Trafalgar Theatre Productions
CLUELESS, THE MUSICAL
BEGINS PERFORMANCES IN LONDON’S WEST END
15 FEBRUARYAT THE TRAFALGAR THEATRE
Book and original film written by AMY HECKERLING
Music by KT TUNSTALL
Lyrics by GLENN SLATER
Choreography by KELLY DEVINE
Directed by RACHEL KAVANAUGH
Based on the Paramount Pictures film, inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma
TICKETS GO ON SALE 9 SEPTEMBER AT 10:00AM
FROM CLUELESSONSTAGE.COM
CLUELESS, The Musicalis a new musicalcomedy based on the Paramount Pictures classic film.The modern spin on Jane Austen’s Emma gets another timeless makeover from the original film’s writer-director alongside a majorly acclaimed creative team. The eagerly anticipated reimagining for the stage will begin performances at London’s Trafalgar Theatre on 15February 2025. Tickets go on general sale on 9 September at 10:00am from CluelessOnStage.com.
Cher Horowitz is the most popular student at Beverly Hills High, renowned for her unique talent at finding love for others. She’s about to embark on her biggest project yet – making over her awkward new friend, Tai, and setting her up with the most handsome boy in school. But what happens to Cher when, for the first time, everything is not perfect? This fresh musical comedy is fun, fashionable, and, like, so way cool.
CLUELESS is an exciting musical collaboration from an acclaimed creative team, featuring a book by the iconic voice of a generation, Amy Heckerling (writer-director of Clueless, director of Fast Times at Ridgemont High). Amy was pivotal in shaping the coming-of-age film genre, capturing the essence of teenage life with humor and authenticity.
The original score is by the multi-platinum singer-songwriter KT Tunstall (writer and performer of such celebrated hits as “Suddenly I See”and “Black Horse and The Cherry Tree”) and the lyrics are by GRAMMY Award® winner and three-time Tony Award® nominee Glenn Slater(The Little Mermaid, Sister Act). Together they bring a modern, musical vibe to the score blending the spirit of the 90s with a fresh contemporary sound.
CLUELESS makes its West End premiere under the direction of Rachel Kavanaugh (Chichester Festival Theatre and Regent’s Park Open Air), with choreography by Olivier Award® winner, Kelly Devine (Come From Away).
Original writer-director of Clueless Amy Heckerling said “I am so delighted to announce that Clueless is now a musical with all-new songs. So if you loved the movie but didn’t understand why no one was singing, this is just for you. And if you’re meeting the characters for the first time, that’s cool, they totally rock. Hope to see you there!”
All-Star Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story comes to Clapham Grand for Medical Aid For Palestinians Monday 4th November
Awkward Productions, who are currently on a UK and Ireland tour of Gwyneth Goes Skiing, are proud to announce that “the most unhinged piece of theatre in existence” (Broadway Baby, ★★★★★) makes its triumphant return to London’s Clapham Grand for a one-night spectacular performance with an allstar cast, with all proceeds going to Medical Aid For Palestinians.
The special guest performers include Drag Race UK’s Kate Butch, The Guilty Feminist herself Deborah Frances-White, comedian and horse lover Sooz Kempner, Bake Off contestant and The Boy Who Bakes Edd Kimber, West End star Alex Young, recording artist and Collabro star Jamie Lambert, Pose actor Jeremy McClain, popstar SuRie, Drag Kings Don One and Pip Dream, TikTok star Fizz Sinclair and MAP’s own Zahra Yassine. What a bunch of dicons! They will all be unaware as to what role they are playing and what lines they have until the moment comes to perform.
They are joining the original cast of Linus Karp’s Diana, Joseph Martin’s Charles and Camilla, Geri Allen as The Queen and Zina Badran as God.
Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story combines drag, multimedia, and queer joy for an unforgettable, untrue experience – a one-of-a-kind celebration of the People’s Princess.
A cult-hit with audiences for its unique audience participation and staggeringly camp portrayal of the royals, the show highlights Diana’s ground-breaking stances on social and queer issues and allows her to finally speak her (un)truth and break free from the monarchy. Told by Diana from heaven, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story foregrounds this iconic royal as the powerful, independent woman she became.
Creator and performer Linus Karp comments: “What is so striking about the way Diana lived her life was her bold activism and what she did to help others. Performing a show about her in partnership with Medical Aid for Palestinians, raising money to help those who need it the most, feels like a great way to honour her spirit. I am so moved by the amazing talent giving up their time for this important cause, and I can’t wait for what will be a very unique and special night.”
Besides the show, the evening will also see special performances and a raffle – with all proceeds going to Medical Aid for Palestinians.
Praise for Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story:
“The show itself almost defies description” – Jack The Lad, ★★★★★★
“Overflowing with irony, hilarity and queerness, and is a joyful watch from beginning to end” – The Skinny, ★★★★★
“Perfectly imagined and brought to life on stage with vision and heaps of silliness” – The National, ★★★★★
“Absurd, camp, chaotic, and hilarious. This is one show well worth watching!” – Attitude, ★★★★★
David Ian for Crossroads Live in association with Barry and Fran Weissler are delighted to announce star casting for the 2024/2025 UK and Ireland tour of the multi-awarding winning CHICAGO, opening at Milton Keynes Theatre from 12 October 2024.
Stage and soap star Faye Brookes and much-loved performer and TV personality Brenda Edwards return to the stage as Roxie Hart and Mama Morton respectively. They are joined by Strictly Come Dancing favourite Kevin Clifton as Billy Flynn. Leading West End talent Djalenga Scott also returns to the role of Velma Kelly, starring alongside Joshua Lloyd as Amos Hart and Jordan Lee Davies as Mary Sunshine.
The cast is completed by Bethany Adamson, Victoria Anderson, Josh Crowther, Joe Dale, Jessica Keable, Robin Kent, Annabelle Laing, Jacob McLay Reid, Jonathan Milton, George Olney, Oliver Ramsdale, Elly Shaw, Lucy Anne Stacey, Matthew Sweet and Ria Tanaka.
Faye Brookes returns to the role of Roxie Hart, having previously played her to acclaim in the 2021 UK and Ireland tour. She is best known for her role as Kate Connor in ITV’s Coronation Street, for which she won a National Television Award. Her theatre credits include Fran in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical, Princess Fiona in Shrek and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, all on national tour, Ann/Edna in That Day We Sang directed by Victoria Wood at Manchester’s Royal Exchange, Liesl in The Sound of Music at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and Frenchy in Grease at the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre. Faye’s was runner up on ITV’s Dancing On Ice in 2021, her other TV credits include Agnes Franklin in Our Zoo and Helena in Atlantis, both for the BBC.
Brenda Edwards gained public acclaim as a semi-finalist on The X Factor before turning her attention to the stage, making her West End debut as Mama Morton in CHICAGO, a role she recently reprised for the 2021/2022 UK and Ireland tour. Her additional theatre credits include Motormouth Maybelle in the UK tour of Hairspray, Nettie Fowler in Carousel at the London Coliseum, Killer Queen in We Will Rock You both the West End and original UK Tour and Pearl Pastor in Carmen Jones at the Royal Festival Hall. Brenda is also a regular panellist on ITV’s Loose Women as well as presenting BBC1’s Songs of Praise.
Kevin Clifton is best known as a professional dancer and winner of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, competing in seven series and five finals. He was most recently seen as Hugo/Loco Chanelle the UK tour of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie. His other theatre credits include Scott Hastings in Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom, Cosmo Brown in Singin’ in the Rain at Sadler’s Wells and on tour, Stacee Jaxx in Rock Of Ageson tour, Robbie Hart in The Wedding Singer at Troubadour Wembley Park, The Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds UK arena tour, Dirty Dancing at the Aldwych Theatre and Burn the Floor on Broadway, making his Broadway debut as a principal dancer.
Djalenga Scott returns to the role of Velma Kelly, having previously starred in the UK and international tours. Her West End credits include Lily St Regis in Annie at the Piccadilly Theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the New London and Chicago at the Adelphi, Cambridge and Garrick Theatres. Her other credits include Anita in the national tour of West Side Story, Rizzo in Grease at Curve Leicester, Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show and Carmen in Fame, both on European tours, the US tour of Batman Live and Bombalurina in Cats at Kilworth House. Djalenga’s screen credits include Scarlett/Esme in Trapped for the BBC and Alexandra in the film I Give It A Year.
Joshua Lloyd’s theatre credits include the UK and Ireland tour of The Lion King and Choir of Man on UK and international tours.
Jordan Lee Davies most recently appeared in La Cage aux Folles at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Additional theatre credits include the original cast of Bat Out of Hell at the Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum and international tour, The Book of Mormon on UK and international tour, Chess at the London Coliseum and Les Misérables at the Queens Theatre.
Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.
Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes the show-stopping songs “Razzle Dazzle”, “Cell Block Tango”, and “All That Jazz”. Winner of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy, CHICAGO is the longest running American musical in Broadway and West End history.
Since it opened in New York in 1996, CHICAGO has played in 38 countries worldwide, and been performed in English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, French, Danish, Japanese and Korean. Worldwide it has been seen by an estimated 34 million people, grossed over $1.7 billion has played over 35,000 performances.
CHICAGO, which is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The current 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO is choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse, directed by Walter Bobbie, and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler.
The UK Pantomime Association announces inaugural Pantomime Panel Event on ‘Relaxed and Accessible Pantomime Performance’
The UK Pantomime Association (UKPA) is thrilled to announce its inaugural Pantomime Panel Event addressing Relaxed and Accessible Pantomime Performance, which will take place at The North Wall Theatre, Oxford on Thursday 26 September 2024 from 11:00am to 1:00pm.
This special event will feature an engaging and informative discussion on how to make relaxed and accessible pantomime performances as inclusive as possible, in line with the UKPA’s mission to explore, share and celebrate pantomime by investigating the genre’s rich past, engaging with contemporary practice and inspiring the future.
Expert speakers include:
Chris Jarvis:CBeebies presenter, Pantomime Director, Performer and Writer.
Annie Bannister: Freelance Access Consultant.
Dr. Chris Abbott: Emeritus Reader in Assistive Technologies at King’s College London, with experience in accessibility of theatrical performance for children and young people with learning difficulties, particularly through the use of graphic symbols for communication and literacy.
Jess Thom: Writer, Artist and Activist. Co-founder of Tourette’s Hero, renowned for her work in advocating for inclusivity in the arts.
The panel discussion will cover key strategies, challenges and innovations in making pantomime performances more accessible for a diverse audience with a particular focus on relaxed performances for audience members with disabilities and other access needs. Following the discussion, there will be an opportunity to speak further with participants in a networking session accompanied by light refreshments providing an excellent opportunity to connect with colleagues and peers across the Industry.
This event is open to pantomime producers, directors, performers, theatre venue staff, educators, and anyone with an interest in making the arts more inclusive. We encourage you to share this invitation with colleagues, teams, venues, and your wider network.
Tickets are free, but spaces are limited, so early booking is recommended. To reserve your place, please follow the booking link below. If you have any specific access requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us or reach out directly to The North Wall Theatre.
In the lead up to the limited run at The Other Palace later this month, audiences can NOW listen to the complete album from the brand-new musical, come gig, come ballet across all streaming platforms. Following electrifying try-out performances at The Lyric Theatre last year, Bill Kenwright Ltd and Paul-Taylor Mills present Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist now back for a full reign.
Listen to the studio cast recording on SPOTIFY and ITUNES now!
Rehearsal photography has also been released of the cast, with Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins; Strictly Ballroom) as Marie Antoinette and Renée Lamb(Be More Chill; SIX) as Jeanne, and Travis Ross (Cabaret; 42 Balloons) as the Cardinal all reprising their roles, and Millie O’Connell (SIX; The Cher Show) joining the cast as Nicole.
The royal court is completed by Lila Eccles (Cinderella), Tarik Frimpong (The Drifters Girl), Sunny Lee (Hillsong Carols), Zara MacIntosh (& Juliet), Emma Robotham-Hunt (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) and Manu Sarswat (London Stage Debut) in the ensemble.
In celebration of our central figure, all tickets for the first three performances (Friday 13 and Saturday 14 September) will be priced at £17.55, which was the year Marie Antoinette was born.
From some of the most exciting figures in modern British theatre, Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist continues its journey, following a successful UK tour at the start of 2023 and five performances in the West End last September. This time, one of the most prolific monarchs in history has found her (rightful) home at a palace…The Other Palace, to be exact from 13 September 2024 for a strictly limited season
The new musical has an award-winning creative team, including Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia – The Globe), Tasha Taylor Johnson (The Cat In The Hat), singer-song writer Jack McManus with Bronagh Lagan(Cruise) and Christopher Tendai(Closer To Heaven) joining as director and choreographer respectively, as they build on Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie (In the Heights; Jesus Christ Superstar)’s original show.
Combining a multi-genre pop score with 18th century France, Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist, retells a story that sparked a revolution.
Marie Antoinette’s reign was blighted by gossip and scandal. But when she is implicated in a crime to defraud the crown jewellers of a diamond necklace, it is not just her reputation at stake, but the monarchy and France itself.
Cake was originally commissioned by Paul Taylor-Mills (Heathers; In the Heights) and promises to re-define our expectations of what a musical can be.
Cake: The Marie Antoinette Playlist has book by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Tasha Taylor Johnson, music and lyrics by Jack McManus and Tasha Taylor-Johnson, directed by Bronagh Lagan based on the original staging by Drew McOnie with additional choreography by Christopher Tendai. Set and costume design by Sami Fendall, lighting design by Joshie Harriette and casting by Will Burton.
LISTINGS
BILL KENWRIGHT LTD & PAUL TAYLOR-MILLS PRESENT
CAKE: THE MARIE ANTIONETTE PLAYLIST
THE OTHER PALACE
13 SEPTEMBER – 10 NOVEMBER 2024
Book by Morgan Lloyd Malcom and Tasha Taylor Johnson Music and Lyrics by Tasha Taylor Johnson and Jack McManus
Directed by Bronagh Lagan based on the original staging by Drew McOnie
Additional choreography by Christopher Tendai Based on an idea by Paul Taylor Mills
Performance Schedule: Tuesday – Friday at 7.30pm Saturday at 2.30pm and 7.30pm
