Louise Dearman to play the role of Elphaba in Wicked
Louise Dearman, who has previously played ‘Glinda’ in Wicked, returns to star as ‘Elphaba’ from 29th October 2012.
This will be the first time that a leading lady has starred in both roles in the show.
For many Dearman is ideal for the role of Glinda, especially as her bubbly personality suits the role perfectly. She also has a superb vocal range and it will be interesting to see her singing the songs of Elphaba and in particular her rendition of Defying Gravity. I have no doubt that with a dash of green Dearman will rise to the challenge.
As news of her latest role became known, Dearman commented: “As an actress, you strive to challenge yourself to play as many diverse roles as possible throughout your career, and right now I feel like the luckiest girl in the history of musical theatre. I still can’t quite believe that in two months’ time I’ll be back in Wicked, but this time I won’t come and go by Bubble, I’ll be on a broomstick!”
Wicked tells the story of the future Wicked Witch of the West, Elphaba and her relationship with Glinda, The Good Witch of the North. Their friendship struggles through their differing personalities, rivalry over the same love-interest, their reactions to the Wizard’s corrupt government, and, ultimately, Elphaba’s public fall from grace. The plot is set mostly before Dorothy’s arrival from Kansas, and includes references to well-known scenes and dialogue from the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz.
The Bodyguard casting announced
The full cast has been announced for the new stage musical of The Bodyguard, a new musical based on the fabulous smash-hit film The Bodyguard starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston, which will premiere in London’s West End at the Adelphi Theatre in November 2012 starring Heather Headley and Lloyd Owen.
Cast: Starring Heather Headley as Rachel Marron and Lloyd Owen as Frank Farmer in the lead roles. Debbie Kurup (Nicki Marron), Sean Chapman (Sy Spector), Nicolas Colicos (Tony), Mark Letheren (The Stalker), Ray Shell (Bill Devaney), Mark McKerracher (Herb Farmer), David Page (Rory), Oliver Le Sueur (Ray Court), Gloria Onitiri (alternate Rachel Marron), Nigel Barber, Jordan Darrell, Yasmin Harrison, Shanay Holmes, Holly James, Robert Jezek, Melissa Keyes, Gil Kolirin, Janet Kumah, Nick Maude, Richard Murphy, Ashley J Packer, Dharmesh Patel, Lucinda Shaw, Paul Smethurst, Charlotte Watts, James Wooldridge.
Alternating the role of Rachel Marron’s young son Fletcher will be Luis Buddy (aged 11), Caius Duncombe (aged 11), Jaydon Fowora Knight (aged 11), Kwame Kandekore (aged 9), Taylor Lockhart (aged 10) and Malaki Paul (aged 10).
The Bodyguard is a romantic thriller, featuring a multitude of Whitney Houston’s greatest hits, including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I’m Your Baby Tonight, Run to You, I Have Nothing, How Will I Know, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, together with one of the greatest hit songs of all time, I Will Always Love You.
Former Secret Service agent Frank Farmer (Lloyd Owen), is recruited to protect superstar Rachel Marron (Heather Headley) from an unknown stalker. Both of them expect to be in charge – what they don’t expect is to fall in love.
This musical will be a smash hit success!
Billie Piper to make National Theatre debut in The Effect
The Effect is a new play by Lucy Prebble, opening on 13th November 2012, at the Cottesloe following previews from 6th November 2012
Cast: Billie Piper, Tom Goodman-Hill, Anastasia Hille, Jonjo O’Neill.
Directed by Rupert Goold, the play explores questions of sanity, neurology and the limits of medicine.
Billie Piper is probably best known as ‘Rose Tyler’, one of Dr Who’s companions in the TV series. She has also starred in ITV’s Secret Diary of a Call Girl, and has appeared on stage previously in the West End and at the Almeida Theatre.
The play is described as “a clinical romance” which explores “questions of sanity, neurology and the limits of medicine”.
The Effect reunites Enron author, Lucy Prebble with Rupert Goold.
An Incident at the Border transfers to Trafalgar Studios from 20th August 2012
The play, which has received good reviews, finishes its 3-week run at the Finborough Theatre on 7th Aug, where it has been playing 3 days a week.
An Incident at the Border is a world premiere of the full-length version of a new play by acclaimed young playwright Kieran Lynn. A shorter version of An Incident at the Border was first seen at Òran Mór in Glasgow as part of David MacLennan’s acclaimed A Play, A Pie and A Pint series of lunchtime theatre. It was recently recorded and broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
The play explores the imaginary lines that divide us and the severe penalties for breaking them. When a country’s new border is drawn, a couple are divided by the line. Under the rigorous eyes of a brand-new border guard, they are trapped in an increasingly absurd nightmare, stuck in between two aggressive nations on the verge of war.
By Neil Cheesman @LondonTheatre1
Saturday 4th August 2012
