The cast of Saving Grace in rehearsal. Picture: Craig Sugden
Dianne Pilkington will take on the title role in the stage musical version of cult British film Saving Grace when it plays an intimate first run at London’s Riverside Studios later this year.
Pilkington whose genre credits include creating the roles of Miss Price in the UK tour of Bedknobs and Broomsticks stage musical and Raquel in the West End production of Only Fools and Horses will appear alongside David Fynn (School of Rock, New London Theatre, The 25th Annual Putnam Spelling Bee, Donmar Warehouse) as Matthew, Cat Simmons (Come From Away, Phoenix Theatre, Oliver! UK tour) as Nicky, Gunnar Cauthery (Little Shop of Horrors, Royal Exchange Theatre, Mack and Mabel, Chichester Festival Theatre) as Dr Bamford, Ellen O’Grady (Ghosts, The Other Palace, Hello Again, The Union Theatre) as Morgelyn, Gay Soper (Crazy For You, Chichester Festival Theatre, A Little Night Music, Storyhouse Chester) as Posy, Wendy Somerville (The Magician’s Elephant, RSC, Local Hero, Royal Lyceum Theatre) as Pam and Tim Prottey-Jones (I Do, I Do, I Do, Riverside Studios, Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre) as Shag, with the film’s co-star and co-writer Craig Ferguson (The Late, Late Show) stepping into the role of Charley.
The cast will also include Nathanael Campbell (Into The Woods, Theatre Royal Bath, Come From Away, Abbey Theatre, Dublin/Phoenix Theatre, London) , Taite-Elliot Drew (Ordinary Days, Drayton Arms Theatre, The Braille Legacy, Charing Cross Theatre), Claire O’Leary (Les Miserables, Sondheim Theatre, The Boy In The Dress, RSC), Anna MacLeod (professional debut), Johan Munir (Into The Woods, Theatre Royal Bath, It Happened In Key West, Charing Cross Theatre), Tasha Sheridan (Mamma Mia! The Party, O2, Evita, UK tour), Madison Swan (Heathers The Musical, West End, Tony! The Musical, Park Theatre) and Silas Wyatt-Barke (Sunny Afternoon, Harold Pinter Theatre, The Prince of Egypt, Dominion Theatre).
Produced by Barney Wragg, Liz Murdoch, Xavier Marchand, Mark Crowdy and Craig Ferguson, the musical will play 12 performances at the Hammersmith venue from 22 November until 4 December.
Based on Ferguson and Mark Crowdy’s screenplay for the original 2000 film, the musical features a book by acclaimed playwright April de Angelis and music and lyrics by multi-award-winning Scottish singer/songwriter KT Tunstall, making her musical theatre debut with the show.
The musical is directed by Laurence Connor (Cinderella, School of Rock) with musical supervision and arrangements are by John Rigby with set and costume designs by Laura Hopkins, lighting by Bruno Poet, sound by Richard Brooker, orchestrations by Tunstall and John Rigby and casting by David Grindrod for Grindrod Burton Casting.
Commenting on the musical, producer Wragg said: “It’s great to be working with Laurence again, the last time we worked together was on School of Rock on Broadway.
“As part of the development for School of Rock, we presented an early version of the show to live audiences at the Gramercy Theatre. This allowed the creative team to see a real audience reaction to the piece and allowed us to tweak and improve the work before we began the formal previews and opening at the Winter Garden.
“We’re excited to present Saving Grace at Riverside this November in the same vein. We are inviting audiences to have a first look at what goes into the creation of a new musical. It is a chance for them not only to see and enjoy Saving Grace, but to respond to the show and help our team improve and develop the piece. We are very much looking forward to the run at the Riverside Studios and sharing the next stage of our Saving Grace journey.”
Based on the Cornwall-set film comedy about a middle-aged widow who comes up with an unusual and not exactly legal way to pay off her errant husband’s huge debts. The film which starred Brenda Blethyn in the title role and Ferguson as Grace’s gardener, Matthew, also famously inspired the much-loved TV series Doc Martin.
Angela Thomas
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