Friday, February 11

EastEnders Samantha Womack to star in South Pacific?

The 1949 Rodgers & Hammerstein musical  South Pacific is due to open at the Barbican on 15th August. The first bit of casting news is that EastEnders actress Samantha Womack (Ronnie Branning nee Mitchell) is in discussion with the show’s director Bartlett Sher and executives from the Ambassador Theatre Group to play nurse Nellie Forbush.

She auditioned for Sher during his recent visit to London and was offered the role. It’s just a case now of finalising the deal.

The actress has been playing a key role in the BBC soap drama’s controversial dead baby swap storyline and is due to leave the show in May.  I suspect taking on the role of nurse Nellie Forbush who falls for a French plantation owner on a South Sea island during World War II will offer her some much needed light relief.

Nellie has some great songs from the fabulous score including I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair, Honey Bun, I'm in Love with a Wonderful Guy and A Cockeyed Optimist.

South Pacific is due to run at the Barbican for six weeks and then tour the UK from October 3rd until Christmas, returning to the Barbican in 2012.

Womack last appeared in the West End as Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls alongside Patrick Swayze and Miami Vice star Don Johnson

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