Finian’s Rainbow, the musical by composer Burton Lane and lyricist EY Harburg (book by Harburg and Fred Saidy, adapted by Charlotte Moore) has been unperformed professionally in the UK since its first West End run. Now there is a chance to rediscover the show in a brand new production staged by award-winning director Phil Willmott at London’s Union Theatre (12 February–15 March, press night is 14 February). The score includes popular numbers such as ‘Old Devil Moon’, ‘If This Isn’t Love’, ‘Look to the Rainbow’ and ‘How are Things in Glocca Morra?’
A cast of newcomers and experienced performers will bring new life to the old-fashioned musical comedy that focuses on an Irish immigrant, pursued by a leprechaun, hoping to grow gold in the soil around Fort Knox while finding a husband for his daughter.
The original Broadway production opened in January 1947 at the 46th Street Theatre where it ran for 725 performances, but the London staging, opening at the Palace Theatre only a few months later, ran for just 55 performances. The much-loved film 1968 film version starred Fred Astaire, Petula Clark and Tommy Steele.
The Union production, choreographed by acclaimed ballroom dance specialist Thomas Michael Voss, has a cast including James Horne, Christina Bennington, Raymond Walsh, Michael Moulton, Anne Odeke, Marcia Lorenzo Cerise Reid, Michael J Hayes, John Last, Joseph Peters, Laura Bella Griffin, David Malcolm, Chris Kayson, Joshua Coley, Carl Bradley, Celia Byrne, Laura Webb, Shani Cantor, Danielle Acors, Lucy Murdoch, Rebecca Crawley, Abigail Carter Simpson and Stacey Victoria Bland. Richard Maker is musical director.
Willmott’s past productions at the Union Theatre include a revival of Lionel Bart’s Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be and his own musical Once Upon a Time At the Adelphi. His latest musical Lost Boy has enjoyed a successful run at the Charing Cross Theatre in the West End following a sell-out run at The Finborough Theatre. Indeed Lost Boy has just had its run extended at the Charing Cross Theatre (3–29 March).
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