*Which new shows are coming to the West End?
*What are the latest special offers for theatre breaks in London?
*Who is leaving the cast and who is replacing them
*What might close and what has been extended
Just News from the world of London Theatre Breaks, extracted from the London Theatre Breaks blog. Subscribe to the LTB news RSS feed
Imagine This - Casting News August 27, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Imagine This, cast changes , add a commentThe cast of the new musical Imagine This has just been announced. Peter Polycarpou will continue his role as Daniel from the Plymouth production.
Leila Benn-Harris (The Phantom of the Opera, Fame and Evita.) will play Daniel’s daughter Rebecca. She falls in love with Adam.
Simon Gleeson will play Adam, the mysterious stranger. Gleeson is best known in the UK for his TV work (Neighbours, and Eastenders). However he has a great musical track record in his native Australia ( Fame and Mamma Mia!)
Other Cast members for Imagine This
- Bernard Lloyd - Adolph
- Richard Cotton - Blick
- Michael Matus - Izzy
- Gary Milner - Otto
- Steven Serlin - Jan
- Sevan Stephan - Max
- Sarah Ingram - Sarah
- Cameron Leigh - Lola
**Book Imagine This London Theatre Breaks **
Marguerite closing early - September 13th August 21, 2008
Posted by Linda in : dates, marguerite , 2commentsMarguerite will close early on September 13 th. The new musical was originally scheduled to run until November 1st.
Boublil and Schönberg have issued a statement:
“Despite high praise from audience members, critically acclaimed performances and the release of the much anticipated cast recording, we have made the difficult decision to close the show in London a few weeks earlier than originally planned. Both the knock on effect of the current economic climate, as well as disappointing ticket sales throughout the summer months have contributed to our decision to close early.”
They went on to express their gratitude to everyone from cast members to the loyal following the production has gained. the said they are very proud of what has been achieved.
Rehearsals for a Japanese production will start in January and the show will play the Akasaka ACT Theatre in Tokyo in February, followed by performances in Osaka. There are also plans for a Spanish production in 2009 and a French production in 2010.”
I am really sad about this. Marguerite was magnificent and Ruthie Henshall and the rest of the cast were stunning. I was really hoping it might find a new home in the West End after November but it just couldn’t survive the summer lull. What a shame!
I just like to send our commiserations and say Good Luck to all the cast and production team who worked so hard on Marguerite.
Jodie Prenger in Les Miz Chorus August 20, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Les Miserables, news, theatre breaks , 3commentsIf you book Les Miserables theatre breaks for anytime in the next few weeks there could be a star bonus in store.
As a preparation for her part in Oliver! Jodie Prenger will be playing a variety of small parts in the London production of Les Miserables. The Stage confirmed today in an exclusive that Jodie will be in the show for some performances from August the 26th for three or four weeks.
Rumours of Jodie’s West End debut have been rife in various online theatre forums for the last couple of weeks so it is good to have it confirmed. It will be Jodie’s first chance to see what it’s like to perform as part of a huge cast in a hit West End show. She’ll see how the ensemble works together on a daily basis and get a feel for the way cast members have to pace themselves. This should help her tremendously in her preparations for playing Nancy.
Of course Jodie Prenger isn’t a complete novice. Still, her experience working on Disney cruise ships and in shows in her native Blackpool are on a different level to day to day life in a West End production. It seems like a very sensible idea to let her experience it in a fairly quiet way first before the spotlight falls on her Nancy.
I know some of our readers are going in the next few weeks so if you do spot Jodie please leave us a comment. We’d love to hear from you! I only hope ‘Jodie spotting’ won’t prove too much of a distraction for those of you who have Les Miserables theatre breaks booked for August or September!
Zorro - West End run extended August 14, 2008
Posted by Linda in : dates, zorro , add a commentZorro took £255,000 in the first week of August! Not surprising then that the producers have extended its booking period until September 2009. The Bristol Evening Post says:
Star of the show Matt Rawle has described the action packed musical as “a family show”. He said: “There are loads of little lads sitting there with Zorro hats and Zorro masks on. Sitting there, not breathing, trying to take it all in. And they love it, they absolutely love it and they come round to the stage door.”
This sounds about right to me. The evening we saw it as we left there were lots of little boys quoting chunks of dialogue and sword fighting their way out of the theatre 
This makes Zorro the perfect entertainment for the whole family and ideal for family theatre breaks.
Six Characters In Search Of An Author transfers to the Gielgud August 4, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Plays, Six Characters In Search Of An Author, dates , add a commentPirandello’s Six Characters In Search Of An Author, will transfer from Chichester to the Gielgud Theatre. The play will preview from the September 10th for a limited run until November 8th.
Priandello Updated
Pirandello’s 1921 classic has been ‘re-imaged’ by Ben Power and Rupert Goold. The play has been updated and adapted for a modern audience. I’d really like to see this. This new production has been very well received at Chichester. It is a play I know well in its original form and have enjoyed in the past. I am sure it will be interesting to see what this team have made of it.
Six Characters in search of a film editor?
The play still tells the story of six strangers but now they arrive unannounced during the editing of a documentary film. As their chilling story unfolds it becomes clear that they are fictional characters and they want the film maker to make their story into a documentary. The play questions both fiction and reality and I can see how this could work well for our media-obsessed age.
The Chichester Cast
Ian McDiarmid
Noma Dumezweni
Jamie Bower
Eleanor David
Dyfan Dwyfor
Christine Entwisle
Denise Gough
Jake Harders
Jeremy Joyce
John Mackay
Freya Parker
Robin Pearce
Hairspray’s Michael Ball “I’m staying until next April” August 2, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Hairspray, news , add a comment
Hairspray star Michael Ball has gives really interesting interviews. I wrote about the one he did on Jonathan Ross a while ago (Michael Ball Gives Jonathan Ross Interview). Yesterday I read a new one that he’s done for The Scotsman. It’s an excellent read. He talks a bit about his personal life, including his relationship with Cathy McGowan (Yes, that one, Ready Steady Go etc!) . Usually he keeps very quiet about the personal stuff but this is a much more relaxed, happier Ball and he credits Hairspray with having done that for him:
I’m having a Ball - Michael Ball interview - The Scotsman
Ball is clear that a certain Mrs Turnblad transformed his career. If you were to ask what it takes to become a leading man in the West End you might be surprised to hear it involves high heels, a pair of 46EEE boobs and a wardrobe of frocks that would put the gaudiest drag queen to shame. But for Ball that’s what has worked. “When I was cast people said I wouldn’t pull it off and then when I did and I won the Olivier Award, I can’t tell you the satisfaction,” he says, still savouring the triumph. “Everyone says, ‘Oh, awards don’t matter.’ Rubbish! That one meant everything for me. It meant, ‘all right, you can be in our club.’ It was so satisfying. I took it into work the night after the ceremony and it appeared in every scene. When I burst out of the hairspray can at the end I was dusting it!
He says he used to have issues with his size and his self-image but he feels comfortable with himself these days. I suspect playing in a show like Hairspray and getting all those positive messages every night must have helped! He talks a bit about the past and the panic attacks that caused him to pull out of Les Miz when he was younger. That was a dark time for him and he was hardly able to leave his flat at the peak of it. He knows that he’s still vulnerable and says:
“I know the danger signs. And I know to talk about it,” he says. “Cathy knows the signs for me and she’s very clever at pulling me up and also knows when I just need a bit of stroking.”
The best news is that Michael Ball is staying in Hairspray till at least April! He says:
I don’t think it’s been announced yet, but I’m staying until next April. They’ve made me an offer I can’t refuse.
So book your Hairspray Theatre Break now and see one of the happiest men in one of the funniest shows in town!
Never Forget transfer- new theatre announced August 1, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Never Forget, dates , add a commentProducers of Never Forget, the Take That musical, have ended speculation by announcing that the show will transfer to the Lyric Theatre on November 20.
The show is currently playing at the Savoy Theatre, but will move out to make way for the new production of Carousel starring Lesley Garret, which starts previews on November 22. The Stage says producers have described this as a “permanent transfer”, so that’s one mystery solved.
The final performance at the Savoy will be on November 15.
The Harder They Come closes early July 31, 2008
Posted by Linda in : dates, playhouse , add a commentThe Harder They Come at the Playhouse Theatre will now close on September 13.
The Jimmy Cliff reggae show was booking to November 1 but will now close 6 weeks or so early. The show played at the Barbican before moving to the Playhouse and started at Theatre Royal Stratford East.
It had a mixed response from the critics but audience numbers have reduced in the last couple of weeks.
No news of what will go into the Playhouse next but there are lots of good shows waiting in the wings.
Chicago - Who’s the next Roxie? July 30, 2008
Posted by Linda in : cast changes, chicago , add a commentKelly Price will be the next Roxie Hart in Chicago for an 8 week run from September 1 until October 25.
Kelly Price’s West End Credits
No newcomer Kelly has been in two major West End productions already:
Guys and Dolls - Sarah Brown
Mamma Mia! - Sophie
Come Dancing - Ray Davies new musical July 16, 2008
Posted by Linda in : Musicals, Theatre Royal Stratford East, come dancing, dates , 2commentsCome Dancing with the Kinks
Come Dancing, is a new musical written by former Kinks singer-songwriter Ray Davies. It will open at the Theatre Royal Stratford East for a short run (13 September to 25 October 2008) before a possible West End transfer. Although the title comes from a song written by Davies in 1983 the show is not a jukebox musical. Original music and lyrics have been written by Davies. The multi-talented Davies (no mean poet as well as song writer) originated the story and co-wrote the book with Paul Sirett, there’s also additional material by Terry Johnson.The show will be directed by Theatre Royal Stratford East’s artistic director Kerry Michael.
The Story
Come Dancing is set in the Ilford Palais in the 1950s. According to the web site it:
“takes us back to a time when Saturday night dancing at the local palais was the magical, not-to-be-missed highlight of every young person’s week”.
Back in 2000 in an interview with Rolling Stone Davies said:
“‘Come Dancing’ is a musical with lots of actors and actresses. It’s about my sisters and how they lived through that time in post-war Britain.”
Ray Davies
Londoner Ray Davies was the frontman and main song writer for The Kinks from the early days (1963) to the end of the band in mid-1990s. He wrote classic hits such as “You Really Got Me”, “All Day and All of the Night”, “Lola”, “Waterloo Sunset”, “Do It Again” and one of my particular favourites “Muswell Hillbilly Boy”. As I mentioned he’s also a published author of both fiction and poetry.
My thoughts on Come Dancing
It’s been a long time coming but it might just be worth the wait. It had a pretty good eight week workshop at the National way back in 2000 and has been promised for further development ever since. Now I’m a Kinks fan of old and I think Ray Davies is a brilliant song writer so I will definitely be hoping to see this at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. I just wonder if Come Dancing will finally make it to the West End, we shall see….
Come Dancing Kinks Video
Meanwhile here’s a video taster of Come Dancing
Thanks for reading London Theatre articles about news
