Ever since winning the inaugural series of Pop Idol in 2002, Will Young has been one of the UK’s most popular and successful music artists, selling over 9 million albums. He holds the record for the fastest selling debut single in British chart history, and has enjoyed a phenomenal career in music, as well as acting alongside Dame Judi Dench in the film Mrs Henderson Presents and making his professional theatre debut in Noel Coward’s The Vortex at the Manchester Royal Exchange. Will’s recent Platinum selling album, Echoes, was a huge hit with fans and critics alike, and went straight to number one in the charts.

Speaking of his excitement, Will said: "I am very excited about the challenge of choosing Cabaret as my first musical theatre role. The role of the Emcee is a part I have wanted to play since before I started training at Arts Education in Chiswick when I first moved to London. With Rufus and Javier I couldn’t wish for better people to be surrounded by. I have spent the last ten years, singing, dancing and acting all separately. For the first time I get to do all three in one show. How could I NOT be excited. After the success of my latest album, 'Echoes' it feels like the perfect time to step back from pop for 6 months and take on the challenge of story telling in another form and what a story to tell!!!!”

Cabaret features show-stopping choreography, dazzling costumes and some of the most iconic songs in musical theatre including ‘Money Makes The World Go Round’, ‘Two Ladies’ ‘Maybe This Time’ and of course ‘Cabaret’. The production turns Weimar Berlin of 1931 into a sassy, sizzling haven of decadence. And at its dark heart are the notorious Emcee and sassy Sally Bowles, who perform nightly at the infamous Kit Kat Klub.

Since its Broadway premiere in 1966 and the famous movie version with Liza Minnelli and Oscar winner Joel Grey, Cabaret has won a staggering number of stage and screen awards including 8 Oscar’s, 7 BAFTA’s and 13 Tony’s.

Rufus Norris is a multi-award winning theatre, opera and film director whose most recent production at the National Theatre, where he is associate director, was the acclaimed Critic’s Circle Award Winning Musical London Road. Other theatre includes Vernon God Little (Young Vic), Les Liasons Dangerouses (Broadway), Festen (West End and Broadway) The Country Girl (Apollo) and Afore Night Came (Young Vic, Evening Standard Award). Featuring Tim Roth, Cillian Murphy, Rory Kinnear, and original music by Damon Albarn, his debut feature film Broken will open the prestigious Critics’ Week at the Cannes film festival. It was produced by Cuba Pictures, BBC Films, Lypsync and Bill Kenwright.

Choreography is by the Olivier award winning Javier De Frutos. In 1990, he formed The Javier De Frutos Dance Company. His work includes The Hypochondriac Bird and Affliction of Loneliness. Recently he joined forces with Sadler’s Wells and The Pet Shop Boys to create a brand new dance work based on Hans Christian Andersen’s story, The Most Incredible Thing.

Cabaret will play at The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, Theatre Royal Nottingham, Norwich Theatre Royal and The Lowry in Salford Quays directly prior to the West End.

Book Cabaret tickets online now.

[posted 28/05/2012]

 

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