Lend Me A Tenor to follow Umbrellas of Cherbourg at Gielgud Theatre

The new musical adaptation of Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor which premiered at the Theatre Royal Plymouth last year now looks definite for a West End run following the Umbrellas of Cherbourg early closure at the Gielgud Theatre on 21st May, with Lend Me a Tenor expected to open there on 15th June (previews from 2nd June).

No news on casting yet, but the Plymouth production was led by Matthew Kelly, Sally Ann Triplett, Damian Humbley and Michael Matus.  Matthew Kelly is of course unexpectedly available with the early closure of his West End show Sign of the Times …

Ludwig’s original play premiered in the West End at the Globe Theatre (now the Gielgud) in 1986 and opened on Broadway in 1989 when it won two Tony Awards. It was revived on Broadway in March last year when it was directed by Stanley Tucci.

Lend Me a Tenor takes place in 1934 and tells the tale of famous tenor Tito Merelli ("Il Stupendo") as he prepares to perform Otello. Things go wrong at the final dress rehearsal with mistaken identity, double entendres and innuendoes threatening to ruin the show. When Tito can’t go on the director’s assistant Max is given the impossible task of finding a last-minute replacement.

More news to come …