Girls Aloud member Nicola Roberts cast in City of Angels

Former Girls Aloud member  Nicola Roberts is to make her West End stage debut in a revival of the musical City of Angels  playing  two roles -  young cinema starlet Avril as well as Mallory, who is a character in the film. Roberts said “I think one of the great things about City of Angels is that I get to cut my teeth on something so critically acclaimed and to work with Josie who is just so passionate, someone who I’m hugely inspired by. The character of Mallory just fits and it works for me.I feel like Mallory is almost second nature because of being in a girl group but I think the second part is slightly different, so it is a bit of a head-twister.”

Josie Rourke, said:"It's exciting to add another dynamite voice, and stellar presence to this revival of City of Angels. Nicola is an exceptional talent, who brings wit and intelligence to the role and the production. Although she's no stranger to the stage, I'm honoured to be the director for her West-End debut."

City of Angels is  inspired by the glamorous world of post-war Hollywood and gritty film noirs, it brings to life a Forties Los Angeles inhabited by hard-drinking private eyes and wise-cracking femme fatales.It weaves together two worlds — one of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay and another made up of black and white scenes taken from the film he is writing. The musical is directed by former Donmar Warehouse boss Josie Rourke and is a revival of one of the first shows she put on while in charge at the Covent Garden venue.

She joins previously announced cast members including Rosalie Craig and Desperate Housewives star Vanessa Williams in the show at the Garrick Theatre, which runs from March 5th to September 5th next year.