It's Official: X Factor - It’s Time To Face The Musical!

I have already written about the X Factor musical, but in today's Mail Baz Bamigboye has provided more information.  The £6 million show will be titled X Factor - It’s Time To Face The Musical! and will open at the London Palladium next March (although the deal with the theatre still has to be officially signed).

Louis Walsh and Simon Cowell are characters in the show which will feature 19 new songs. There’s  a judge called Geordie, who is a former pop singer from the North-East, whose character is a cross between  Cheryl Cole and Tulisa  Contostavlos. The Louis Walsh character is  an octogenarian boy-band manager.

The writer Harry Hill said: ‘The show will at times be scathing, without being cynical. Although Cowell will feature in the musical, it’s not about him, it was stressed; and it’s not a spin-off from The X Factor, either".

The musical tells the story of  a teenage girl called Chenice who lives in a caravan in London with her grandfather who’s in an iron lung. They know nothing about The X Factor, because the iron lung blocks ITV’s signals. Chenice has a dog called Poundshop who comments directly to the audience. Hill said: "I think he’s a pit-bull".

Sean Foley will direct with Kate Prince (hip-hop dance company ZooNation) doing the choreography. Es Devlin who did the designs for the 2012 Olympics closing ceremony will design the sets: Hugh Vanstone will light it with Gareth Owen and Philip Bateman are responsible for music supervision and sound.

There have already been two workshops and casting will now begin in May with rehearsals due to start after Christmas. Prince will hold a dance workshop in May and some of the actors who took part in the workshops will be auditioned - including Alexander Hanson who played Cowell.