David Thaxton opens as Raoul in Love Never Dies tomorrow

The new cast of  Love Never Dies open at the Adelphi Theatre tomorrow (Monday 6th March).

David Thaxton has taken over the role of Raoul from Joseph Millsom. He played Enjolras in Les Miserables last year but left the show to play  Giorgio in the Donmar Warehouse production of Sondheim's musical Passion for which he is currently up for an Olivier Award.

Passion due to reopen at Donmar Tonight

Sondheim’s musical Passion at the Donmar Warehouse is still due to reopen tonight following the accident with the gun at the matinee last Saturday. 

I doubt if David Birrell will be fit to return as last I heard he was still in hospital but recovering well from the injury sustained to his eye.  The Donmar don't carry understudies, so whoever the actor is he will have had some pretty intensive rehearsals with other cast members while the show has been closed. 

I suspect David Thaxton is dreading doing the the scene again where he has to fire the gun.

The rest of the run is virtually sold out and the Donmar are not planning on putting on any extra performances for the 1250 people who booked for the cancelled shows but are offering  full refund.

Cast for Sondheim’s Passion at Donmar Warehouse

The full cast has just been announced for the main production of the Sondheim at 80 celebrations at the Donmar Warehouse. 

The new production of his 1994 musical Passion (which originally starred Michael Ball and Maria Friedman) will reunite Argentine actress Elena Roger and director Jamie Lloyd after their success with Piaf.

Other cast members are Scarlett Strallen and David Thaxton plus an all-male ensemble of: Simon Bailey, David Birrell, Allan Corduner, Ross Dawes, Iwan Lewis, Tim Morgan and Haydn Oakley.

I saw the original version of this musical which examines the power of love in a haunting story of desire, sacrifice and redemption and certainly intend to see this version which in my opinion has a stronger cast.

It runs at the Donmar from 21st September to 27th November 2010 (previews from 10th September).

Les Miserables Cast Changes

The production of Les Miserables which is playing at the Queen’s Theatre in London's West End is to undergo a cast change next month with some members leaving on 19th June and the new ones taking over on the 21st.

The principals remaining with the show are Simon Bowman (Jean Valjean), Martin Ball (Thenadier), Lorraine Bruce (Madame Thenadier), Alistair Brammer (Marius) and Rebecca Seale as Fantine.

David Thaxton is leaving the show to play the lead in Sondheim's Passion at the Donmar Warehouse and Killian Donnelly will take over the part of Enjolras,  Cosette will be played by X Factor runner up Lucie Jones and “I’d Do Anything” finalist Samantha Barks will be taking over the part of Eponine.

Hans-Peter Janssens is also leaving and the actor playing Javert is still to be confirmed.