Get a first look and listen to Anna O’Byrne’s haunting version of ‘Somebody’ from the premiere of Michel Legrand’s Tony Award-nominated musical Amour at Charing Cross Theatre!
Gary Tushaw will take centrestage in the UK professional premiere of multi award-winning composer Michel Legrand’s musical fantasy Amour at London’s Charing Cross Theatre next month.
Featuring music by Legrand with English Lyrics by Jeremy Sams (from the original French by Didier Van Cauwelaert), Tushaw (Ragtime, Charing Cross Theatre, Allegro, Southwark Playhouse) will star as Dusoleil, the shy Parisian civil servant who magically acquires the ability to work through walls.
He will be joined by Anna O’Byrne (The Woman In White, Charing Cross Theatre; Phantom of the Opera,West End) as Isabelle with Alasdair Harvey (We Will Rock You, Sunset Boulevard, West End) as Isabelle’s controlling husband, the Prosecutor.
They will be joined by Elissa Churchill (Elephant Steps, Arcola); Claire Machin (Flowers For Mrs Harris, Chichester Festival Theatre; Titanic, Charing Cross Theatre and UK tour); Keith Ramsay (The Cereal Cafe, The Other Palace); Steven Serlin (The Wild Party, The Other Palace; Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, West End); Alistair So (The King and I, West End, Nice Work If You Can Get It, Upstairs at the Gatehouse); Daniel Stockton (Guys & Dolls, Kilworth House); with understudies Laura Barnard and Jack Reitman.
Announced earlier this year, just a few weeks after legendary film composer Legrand died at the age of 86, his Tony-nominated Broadway debut musical will play the central London venue from Thursday 2 May until Saturday 20 July 2019.
The show’s producer Danielle Tarento said: “Whilst I am so delighted to be producing this beautiful show, there is a tinge of sadness that Michel never got to see Amourin London, something that he sorely wanted. I hope the production serves as a fitting tribute to this extraordinary man.”
Set just after the end of the Second World War and adapted from the short story Le Passe-Murailleby Marcel Aymé, the musical follows the fortunes of Dusoleil who uses his new-found powers to rob from the rich to give to the poor and changes his own life in the process. The show was first seen on Broadway in 2002 where it was nominated for five Tony Awards including Best Musical.
The Charing Cross production will be directed by Hannah Chissick with choreography by Matt Cole. The creative team also includes: production designer Adrian Gee, lighting designer Rob Halliday, sound designer Andrew Johnson, musical director Jordan Li-Smith and producer and casting director Danielle Tarento.
It’s time again for Everything Changes! This is the weekly feature that keeps you informed of shows that are opening and closing in the West End and Off-West End.
This week features Scary Bikers, which is opening at Trafalgar Studios 2, Nigel Slater’s Toast, whichstarts its run at The Other Palace, and the Donmar Warehouse revival of Sweet Charity.
Scary Bikers by John Godber opens at Trafalgar Studios 2 on 2nd April.
Location: Trafalgar Studios 2
Dates: 2nd Apr to 27th Apr 2019
Cast: John Godber & Jane Thornton
Creatives: John Godber (Author & Director), John Godber Company & Theatre Royal Wakefield
A new comedy about life, love and staying on your bike!
When retired miner Don and former private school teacher Carol meet by chance after both suffering a loss, they thought they’d found a new beginning. But a bike ride through Europe would test their budding romance, and the road to love is rocky when an unstoppable force meets an immovable object.
Join them on their hilarious and heartfelt journey, as they reconcile the past, debate the present and worry about the future. Whether they’re saddle sore in Southampton, blistered in Bordeaux or frazzled in Florence, one thing is for sure – it takes two to tandem!
Starring the double BAFTA and Olivier Award-winning partnership of John Godber and Jane Thornton, whose feature film Last Laugh was released October 2017.
Nigel Slater’s Toast – The Other Palace (from 4th April)
Toast starts performances at The Other Palace from 4th April.
Location: The Other Palace
Dates: 4th Apr to 3rd Aug 2019
Cast: Giles Cooper (Nigel Slater), Lizzie Muncey (Mum), Stephen Ventura (Dad), Marie Lawrence (Joan) & Jake Ferretti (Josh).
Creatives: Nigel Slater (Book), Henry Filloux-Bennett (Adaptation), PW Productions (The Lowry production) & Jonnie Riordan (Director)
Based on the British Book Awards Biography of the Year, Toast is the story of Nigel Slater’s childhood, told through the tastes and smells he grew up with.
From making the perfect sherry trifle to waging a war over cakes and from the pressured playground politics of sweets to the rigid rules of restaurant dining, this is a story of love, loss and… toast.
Sweet Charity – Donmar Warehouse (from 6th April)
Sweet Charity starts performances at Donmar Warehouse from 6th April.
Location: Donmar Warehouse
Dates: 6th Apr to 8th Jun 2019
Cast:
Arthur Darvill (Oscar Lindquist), Anne-Marie Duff (Charity Hope Valentine), Lizzy Connolly (Nickie), Lauren Drew, Jo Eaton-Kent, Will Haswell, Charlotte Jaconelli, Stephen Kennedy (Herman), Debbie Kurup (Helene), Martin Marquez (Vittorio Vidal), Ryan Reid, Amy Ellen Richardson (Ursula March), Danielle Steers (Carmen) & Shaq Taylor
Creatives:
Neil Simon (Book), Cy Coleman (Music), Dorothy Fields (Lyrics), Bob Fosse (Original Choreographer), Donmar Warehouse (Producer), Josie Rourke (Director), Wayne McGregor (Choreographer), Robert Jones (Design), Gareth Valentine (Musical Supervisor), Mark Henderson (Lighting), Nick Lidster (for Autograph) (Sound), Larry Blank (Orchestration), Mark Cumberland (Orchestration), Ralph Burns (Original Orchestration), Finn Ross (Video Design) &David Grindrod (CDG – Casting Director).
“The minute you walked in the joint, I could see you were a man of distinction, a real Big Spender…”
New York, 1967. Charity Hope Valentine is a dance hall hostess who “runs her a heart like a hotel – you’ve got men checking in and out all the time.” At the raw end of a long line of users and losers, she meets Oscar, a mild-mannered tax accountant, and Charity Hope Valentine once again puts her faith into love.
Josie Rourke returns to the work of Cy Coleman, who wrote the music for City of Angels, with the Broadway classic Sweet Charity. With choreography from the world-renowned Wayne McGregor, Rourke reunites with Anne-Marie Duff as Charity, and Arthur Darvill makes his Donmar debut as Oscar, for her farewell production as Donmar Artistic Director.
Another Opening Of Another Show
Where is Peter Rabbit? (Theatre Royal Haymarket, 3 Apr to 28 Apr)
Michael Starring Ben (London Palladium, 6 Apr)
Sunday Encounters – Anne Reid interviews Sir Derek Jacobi (Theatre Royal Haymarket, 7 Apr)
Ivan Putrov – Against The Stream (London Coliseum, 7 Apr)
Jekyll and Hyde (Bridewell Theatre, 2 Apr to 6 Apr)
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac – 40 Years of Rumours (Cadogan Hall, 2 Apr to 3 Apr)
Mouthpiece (Soho Theatre, 2 Apr to 4 May)
Seven and Half Years – The Musical (Bridewell Theatre, 2 Apr to 12 Apr)
Hush Now (Barons Court Theatre, 2 Apr to 6 Apr)
The Noises (Old Red Lion, 2 Apr to 20 Apr)
Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story (The Hope Theatre, 2 Apr to 20 Apr)
She Stoops to Conquer (LAMDA, 2 Apr to 11 Apr)
Keep Watching (The New Diorama Theatre, 2 Apr to 4 May)
Herstoric – The Year Without a Summer/A Mother’s War: Two New Hour-Long Musicals (Drayton Arms Theatre, 2 Apr to 6 Apr)
Elephant in the Room (Camden People’s Theatre, 2 Apr to 20 Apr)
Violet, Undetectable & Billy Bishop Goes To War are three shows that will close this week.
3 Apr
Rumours of Fleetwood Mac – 40 Years of Rumours (Cadogan Hall)
Alleyne Dance – The Other Side of Me (The Place Theatre)
4 Apr
Too Many Men (Tristan Bates Theatre)
5 Apr
Albert Quesada & Zoltán Vakulya – OneTwoThreeOneTwoOlivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre)
The Magic of Motown – Reach Out (Cadogan Hall)
6 Apr
Michael Starring Ben (London Palladium)
VIOLET (Charing Cross Theatre)
The Crown Dual (The King’s Head Theatre)
Undetectable (The King’s Head Theatre)
After Edward (Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre)
Jekyll and Hyde (Bridewell Theatre)
Hush Now (Barons Court Theatre)
Oranges & Ink (Tristan Bates Theatre)
Romance Romance (Above The Stag Theatre)
Herstoric – The Year Without a Summer/A Mother’s War: Two New Hour-Long Musicals (Drayton Arms Theatre)
A Land Without Jasmine (BAC – Battersea Arts Centre)
Half Me, Half You (Tristan Bates Theatre)
The Son (The Kiln)
Maz Jobrani (Cadogan Hall)
The Mission: Occupy Mars (BAC – Battersea Arts Centre)
Othello (Union Theatre)
Billy Bishop Goes to War (Southwark Playhouse)
7 Apr
Sunday Encounters – Anne Reid interviews Sir Derek Jacobi (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
Ivan Putrov – Against The Stream (London Coliseum)
Goodbye Norma Jeane (Above the Stag Theatre)
Home (Southwark Playhouse)
Oral (Camden People’s Theatre)
Hancock’s Half Hour (Leicester Square Theatre)
Little Potatoes (Old Red Lion)
This week isn’t necessarily a big week of changes, especially not in the West End. There is an exciting addition, however, in the form of the Donmar Warehouse revival of Sweet Charity. It will be interesting to see whether this production will get the same fortune as Donmar’s Sweat, and get a transfer after its run.
This week we we will sadly say goodbye to Violet at the Charing Cross Theatre as it will soon be making its journey to Japan, as it was a co-production between the UK and Japan. It seems unlikely that the production will be making a return to the UK so make sure you book your tickets before it leaves the Off-West End venue.
It’s our first ever “Everything Changes” feature! This is the weekly feature that keeps you informed of shows that are opening and closing in the UK theatre scene and yes, it’s a reference to Waitress (which is opening in the West End this February!).
Coming Clean opens at Trafalgar Studios 2 on 9th January.
Location: Trafalgar Studios 2
Dates: 9th Jan to 2nd Feb 2019
Cast: Lee Knight (Tony), Stanton Plummer-Cambridge (Greg), Tom Lambert (Robert) & Elliot Hadley (William/Jurgen)
Creatives: Kevin Elyot (Author), King’s Head Theatre (Producer), Making Productions Limited (Producer), RGM Productions (Producer), Adam Spreadbury-Maher (Director), Nic Farman (Lighting) & Amanda Mascarenhas (Design)
Following a critically acclaimed run at the London’s King’s Head Theatre, the producers behind the Olivier nominated La Boheme transfer the smash-hit, sell-out play by Kevin Elyot, writer of the landmark drama My Night With Reg, transfers to Trafalgar Studios 2 this January.
Tony and Greg seem to have love all figured out. They’re in a committed relationship but with room for a little more on the side whenever it takes their fancy. The only rule? Never sleep with the same man twice.
When drop-dead gorgeous Robert walks into their lives, the fragile foundations of their sexual contract are thrown into jeopardy.
Funny, fresh and packed with razor-sharp wit, Coming Clean questions the nature of fidelity and the limits of love.
Songs for Nobodies – Ambassadors Theatre (from 9th Jan)
Songs for Nobodies transfers to the West End on 9th Jan
Location: Ambassadors Theatre
Dates: 9th Jan to 23rd Feb 2019
Cast: Bernadette Robinson
Creatives: Joanna Murray-Smith (Author) & Simon Phillips (Director)
After a stunning run at Wilton’s Music Hall, and after overwhelming demand, Songs for Nobodies is transferring to the West End’s Ambassadors Theatre for a strictly limited run starting 9 January. This one woman show is unlike anything you’ve seen before.
For 90 minutes, accompanied only by live musicians, Bernadette Robinson singlehandedly tells the tales of five everyday women whose lives are changed when they briefly encounter fame and the legendary singers who had such an impact on them. Bringing to life powerhouse voices across vastly different genres of music, Bernadette Robinson has a versatility that is truly astonishing. Watch as she brings Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas to life as you listen.
Bernadette Robinson’s talent is nearly unbelievable so don’t miss your chance to see it for yourself.
Violet – Charing Cross Theatre (from 12th Jan)
Violet opens at Charing Cross Theatre on 12th Jan
Location: Charing Cross Theatre
Dates: 12th Jan to 6th Apr 2019
Cast: Kaisa Hammarlund (Violet), Matthew Harve (Monty), Jay Marsh (Flick), Simbi Akande, Angelica Allen, Kenneth Avery-Clark, Keiron Crook, James Gant, Danny Michaels, Janet Mooney, Amy Mepham, Rebecca Nardin & Madeleine Sellman (Young Violet)
Creatives: Jeanine Tesori (Music), Brian Crawley (Book & Lyrics), Steven M Levy (Producer), Vaughan Williams (for Charing Cross Theatre Productions Ltd) (Producer), Umeda Arts Theater Co Ltd (Osaka Japan) (Producer), Shuntaro Fujita (Director), Cressida Carre (Choreographer), Morgan Large (Design), Jonathan Lipman (Costume), Howard Hudson (Lighting), Andrew Johnson (Sound) & Dan Jackson (Musical Director)
1964. Somewhere between North Carolina and Oklahoma, we find Violet, a young woman who was facially disfigured as a child. She hopes her life savings will bring her a miracle halfway across the country. Reflecting on her childhood, and shaped by the reactions of the people she encounters, Violet embarks on a life-changing personal journey.
Based on The Ugliest Pilgrim by Doris Betts.
Another Opening Of Another Show
The War of The Worlds (The New Diorama Theatre, 8 Jan to 9 Feb)
Anomaly (Old Red Lion, 8 Jan to 2 Feb)
Franz Kafka – Apparatus (White Bear, 8 to 26 Jan)
In Lipstick (Pleasance, 8 to 27 Jan)
In Conversation with Graham Norton (The Hope Theatre, 8 to 26 Jan)
Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses, 8 to 12 Jan)
Salt (Theatre503, 9 to 10 Jan)
Rosenbaum’s Rescue (Park Theatre, 9 Jan)
Approaching Empty (The Kiln, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
Stop and Search (Arcola, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
Outlying Islands (The King’s Head Theatre, 9 Jan to 2 Feb)
Original Death Rabbit (Jermyn Street Theatre, 9 Jan to 9 Feb)
Valhalla (White Bear, 9 Jan to 10 Jan)
The Daughter-In-Law (Arcola, 10 Jan to 2 Feb)
Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre, 10 to 11 Jan)
The Murder Express (Pedley Street Station, 11 Jan to 31 Mar)
Gone (Theatre503, 11 to 13 Jan)
Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre, 12 Jan)
Murder, She Didn’t Write (Leicester Square Theatre, 13 Jan to 19 May)
Extra Virgin (Above the Stag Theatre, 13 Jan to 10 Feb)
I’m Sorry But… (Bread and Roses, 13 to 14 Jan)
Waiting for Curry (The King’s Head Theatre, 13 to 14 Jan)
Happy Trails!
Kinky Boots, Dreamgirls & The Band are a few of the shows that are closing this week.
8 Jan
Cuttings (Theatre503)
9 Jan
The Tell-Tale Heart (Dorfman Theatre (National Theatre))
10 Jan
Salt (Theatre503)
Valhalla (White Bear)
11 Jan
Olivier de Sagazan – Transfiguration (The Lilian Baylis Theatre)
Mother Goose Cracks One Out! (Above the Stag Theatre)
Snow Baby (Half Moon Young People’s Theatre)
The Band (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
The Hound of the Baskervilles (Drayton Arms Theatre)
Two of a Kind (Bread and Roses)
Uncle Vanya (Hampstead Theatre)
13 Jan
Gone (Theatre503)
Murder For Two (The Other Palace)
Room on the Broom (Lyric)
Sherlock Homeless – The Anatomy of Rubbish (Barons Court Theatre)
Snow White at The London Palladium (London Palladium)
Swan Lake (London Coliseum)
It is going to be a crazy week with a lot of long-running shows leaving the West End this weekend. With last weekend’s closings of Bat Out Of Hell, Chicago and 42nd Street, followed by this weekend’s closings of A Christmas Carol, Dreamgirls, Kinky Boots, The Band and Snow White…well, the West End is going to look a lot different!
This will also mean that the West End will start to see signs of new shows arriving with new marquees for shows such as Come From Away at the Phoenix, 9 to 5 at the Savoy, Six at the Arts, Waitress at the Adelphi and Only Foolsand Horses at the Theatre Royal Haymarket.
