Mamma Mia, Les Mis, Good People & More This Week #WestEndWeek
Posted on
| By
Andrew Tomlins
An exciting evening lies ahead at the Novello Theatre tonight (Monday 9th June 2014) as a new cast join Mamma Mia! Former Phantom of the Opera star Rebecca Lock joins the cast as Rosie alongside Alasdair Harvey, who recently finished playing Khashoggi in We Will Rock You, as Harry.
The new Mamma Mia! cast also includes Charles Daish as Bill, Alice Stokoe as Sophie Sheridan, Lloyd Green as Sky, Rosanna Bates as Ali, Brodie McBride as Lisa, James Alexander Gibbs as Pepper and James Alan-Evans as Eddie.
The phenomenally talented Dianne Pilkington (best known for her three year stint as Glinda in Wicked) continues as Donna Sherida with Kim Ismay as Tanya and Richard Trinder as Sam. Former Elphaba standby, Shona White is also returning to the ABBA musical and will play Donna at certain performances.
Mamma Mia! originally opened in the West End in 1999. The production transferred to the Novello Theatre in 2012 where, remarkably, it continues to break box office records! Producers claim that more than 10% of the entire UK population have seen the West End production which has played over 6,300 performances.
On Saturday (14th June 2014) Daniel Koek, Tam Mutu, Na-Young Jeon, Cameron Blakely, Samantha Dorsey and Anton Zetterholm play their final performances in the West End production of Les Miserables at the Queens Theatre. The musical is currently in its 29th year in London and recently returned to Broadway.
Les Miserables has been seen by 65 million people worldwide in 43 countries and in 22 languages. The musical recently won the Radio Two audience award at the 2014 Oliviers, having previously picked up the prize in 2012. The production’s new cast begin performances on Monday 16th June 2014.
Good People ends its run at the Noel Coward Theatre on Saturday. Following its run at the Hampstead Theatre, Good People received a last minute West End transfer ahead of the opening of Shakespeare in Love.
I caught up with Jonathan Kent's production, about whether you can ever truly leave the place where you were born, last week and was completely blown away by Imelda Staunton’s performance. The actress doesn’t leave the stage and gives the performance of a lifetime. The second act is nothing short of theatrical brilliance.
Twelve Angry Men concludes its West End run at Garrick Theatre on Saturday. Bill Kenwright’s production, which extended its triumphant run several times, closes with a stellar cast led by William Gaminara and Tom Conti. Twelve Angry Men originated as a television play and has been successfully adapted for film, radio and stage, it is often described as one of the ‘must-see’ movies of all time.
Finally, Let It Be opens at the Garrick on Wednesday 9th July 2014 for a limited run until 21st September.