Just announced - new production and cast for Oliver! to open at Gielgud Theatre later this year

 

The new revival of Oliver!, adapted from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist by Lionel Bart is to  transfer to the West End under the direction and choreography of Matthew Bourne, in collaboration with Cameron Mackintosh. The production opens first at Chichester Festival Theatre (from 8th July – 7th September 2024)before transferring to the Gielgud Theatre in London running  from 14th December until 6th April 2025 with priority booking beginning on Friday 26th April and full sale from 29th  April.. 

The musical  follows orphaned boy Oliver as he escapes the confines of the workhouse and finds refuge in the city’s underworld. Tunes include “Food Glorious Food”, “Consider Yourself”,” You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two”, and “As Long As He Needs Me”.

The company for the West End features Simon Lipkin (Elf) as Fagin, Shanay Holmes (Miss Saigon) as Nancy, Aaron Sidwell (The Lord of the Rings) as Bill Sikes, Billy Jenkins (Les Miseralbes, Dodger) as the Artful Dodger, and Philip Franks (Rocky Horror Show, Art) as Mr Brownlow. Further cast is to be announced.

Oliver! is directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne and co-directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy, while the creative team includes designer Lez Brotherston, musical supervisor and conductor Graham Hurman, lighting designers Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs, sound designer Adam Fisher, video designer George Reeve, original orchestrator William David Brohn, orchestral adaptator Stephen Metcalfe and casting directors Felicity French CDG and Paul Wooller CDG with children’s casting director Verity Naughton CDG.

Cast announced for Jerry’s Girls at the Menier Chocolate Factory

Casting has been announced for the Menier Chocolate Factory’s production of Jerry’s Girls which is a revue celebrating multi-award-winner Jerry Herman’s works. It is  directed by Hannah Chissick, with choreography by Matt Cole and musical supervision and arrangements by Sarah Travis, which will  include numbers from Mame, Hello Dolly!, Milk and Honey, Mack and Mabel, and La Cage aux Folles.  The set and costume designer is Paul Farnsworth, while the lighting designer is Philip Gladwell.

It runs from 18 May to 29 June in a limited season, with a cast set to feature Cassidy Janson (& Juliet), Lyn Paul (Blood Brothers) and Julie Yammanee (Clueless). 

Cassidy Janson returns to the Chocolate Factory, having previously appeared in Candide and Tick, Tick…Boom!. Her West End theatre credits include & Juliet (Olivier Award winner), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Man of La Mancha, Wicked, Chess, The Mousetrap, Avenue Q and Once.

Lyn Paul recently completed a UK tour of Calendar Girls The Musical. Her other theatre credits include Blood Brothers both in the West End and throughout the UK, Cabaret, Footloose and Taboo. Lyn came to fame as a member of the chart-topping pop group The New Seekers who were runners-up in the Eurovision Song Contest, and whose song “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” was a number 1 hit in the UK and the US. Lyn has also performed with Frank Sinatra, Liza Minnelli, Dionne Warwick and Shirley Bassey.

Julie Yammanee last appeared at the Chocolate Factory in Spamilton. Her other theatre credits include Bonnie and Clyde, Clueless, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Gatsby, Lazarus, Here Lives Love, Carousel, Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Avenue Q. Her film credits include Matilda and A Christmas Story Christmas.

Jerry’s Girls was first created by Herman and collaborator Larry Alford in 1981, opening Off-Broadway to critical acclaim, and going on to have a national tour and a Tony-nominated run on Broadway, directed and choreographed by Wayne Cilento. It was previously presented in London in 2015, running at the St James Theatre (now the Other Palace) studio, and the Jermyn Street Theatre.

Opening Night starring Sheridan Smith to close early on 18th May

Opening Night, starring Sheridan Smith, has announced a new closing date. The production was due to run until 27 July but will now close on the earlier date of  18 May 2024.

Producers Wessex Grove said today: “It is an honour to produce this beautiful new musical in the West End, and everyone at Wessex Grove is proud to have delivered the artistic vision of Ivo Van Hove and Rufus Wainwright and their incredible team, led by the exquisite Sheridan Smith. In a challenging financial landscape, Opening Night was always a risk and, while the production may not have had the life we had hoped for, we feel immensely proud of the risk we took and of this extraordinary production.

“Our world class cast delivers a brilliant show night after night, and there are still five weeks left to see Sheridan Smith in the role of a lifetime. What is sure-fire and safe has its place. But Wessex Grove exists to produce great artists in the West End and to provide the space for original, artist-led productions in the commercial sector, productions exactly like Opening Night. We’re grateful for all of the support everyone has given us as we made this show, and look forward to celebrating the rest of the run.”

Full cast for Kiss Me Kate at the Barbican

The full cast has just  been revealed for the revival of Cole Porter's musical comedy Kiss Me, Kate, starring Stephanie J Block and Adrian Dunbar which is set for a 15-week run at London’s Barbican Theatre starting on 4th June 2024 and ending on 14th September, with a press night scheduled for 18th June, . Tickets are now on sale.

The cast  is led by Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty) as Fred Graham/Petruchio wih  Tony Award winner Stephanie J Block (Into the Woods, The Cher Show and 9 to 5) making her West End debut as Lilli Vanessi/Katharine.

Also appearing are Charlie Stemp (Crazy for You) as Bill Calhoun/Lucentio, while Georgina Onuorah (The Wizard of Oz) will play Lois Lane/Bianca, alongside Nigel Lindsay (An Enemy of the People) and Hammed Animashaun (A Midsummer Night’s Dream) who play the famous gangster pairing in the show with  Peter Davison (Dr Who) as the General.

Newly announced  are Josie Benson (as Hattie), Jack Butterworth (as Paul) and Jude Owusu (as Harry Trevor/Baptista), as well as Carl Au (Hortensio/Ensemble), Jordan Crouch (Gremio/Ensemble), Gary Milner  (Ralph/Ensemble) and James Hume (as Pops/Ensemble).

Completing the company are Alisha Capon, Shani Cantor, Maya de Faria, Amelia Kinu Muus, Jacqui Jameson, Lucas Koch, Alex Lodge, Nell Martin, Anna McGarahan, John Stacey and Harrison Wilde. Swings are Robin Kent, Barry Drummond, Emily Goodenough and Maddie Harper.

Buy tickets for Kiss Me Kate

More casting announced for new tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

The upcoming revival of the tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang has announced additional casting with Adam Garcia taking on the role of Caractacus Potts in the first leg,  with  Emmerdale star Liam Fox, taking on the role of Grandpa Potts. Truly Scrumptious will be played Ellie Nunn, alongside Martin Callaghan as Baron, Jenny Gayner as Baroness, Adam Stafford as Boris, Michael Joseph as Goran and John Macaulay as The Toymaker. It has just been revealed that EastEnders´ baddie Charlie Brooks (The Ocean at the End of the Lane  Broken News) will play the Childcatcher in Southampton, Woking, Wimbledon, Newcastle, Bromley, Milton Keynes, Bradford, Belfast, Torquay, Llandudno, Crawley and Norwich.

The cast also includes Charlie Bishop, Ruaraidh Blackwood, Hadrian Delacey, Belle Kizzy Green, Tia Gyngell, Kirsty Ingram, Bibi Jay, Isabella Mason, Joe Press, Theo UK Rose, Molly Rees Howe, Callum Train and Luke Woollaston.

Jemima Potts will be played by Gracie Cochrane, Isla Ithier, Isabella Manning and Jasmine Nyenya, while Jeremy Potts will be played by Ayrton English, Charlie McGuire, Roshan Thomson and Louis Wilkins.

Casting for Caractacus Potts after Liverpool, and for the Childcatcher after Oxford, is to be announced soon.

Leading West End Performers announced for With All Our Hearts NHS Charity Gala in the West End

In celebration  of over 75 years of the NHS a number of leading West End performers will be taking part in  With All Out Hearts charity gala at  London´s Adelphi Theatre  on Tuesday, 9th April at 7:30pm.

Alfie Boe (Les Misérables) is set to join the cast with other leading  performers including Aimie Atkinson (Death Note: The Musical), Joni Ayton-Kent (The Prince), Kerry Ellis (Anything Goes), Jo Foster (Just For One Day: The Live Aid Musical), Tom Francis (Sunset Boulevard), Ahmed Hamad (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), Preeya Kalidas (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Rob Madge (My Son’s A Queer), Gracie McGonigal (The Little Big Things), Trevor Dion Nicholas (Aladdin,Next to Normal) and Marisha Wallace (Guys and Dolls).  The NHS Choir from Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust will also be performing, while Oti Mabuse (Strictly Come Dancing) and Dr Ranj (Breakfast TV, All Star Musicals) will act as hosts for the event.

Written by Rob Madge and directed by Arlene Phillips with Lily Dyble, With All Our Hearts will take the audience through the history of the NHS with  music and musical supervision by Matthew Brind.

Tickets are on sale now , with 100% of the proceeds going directly to NHS Charities Together.