Feelgood British musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will be the first full-book musical to reopen in the West End with audiences being welcomed back to the Apollo Theatre from 28 November 2020.
Announcing the return of the critic and crowd-pleasing show as it celebrates its third year in the West End, producer Nica Burns said: “Like everyone else in the UK, year 11 at Mayfield High School is back to school and coping with Covid-19 and the challenges of personalising their facemasks within school rules…
“We are delighted to welcome back our pre-lockdown leading performers with the addition of Phil Nichol guest starring as Hugo/Loco Chanelle. To keep them safe, our brilliant cast and the backstage team will be tested for Covid every 48 hours.
“In a change of schedule, we will now be playing eight shows a week Wednesday to Sunday with ticket prices remaining unchanged. We are only able to open such a big cast show with so few seats thanks to Oliver Dowden and the DCMS Culture Recovery Fund grant. Huge thanks to them – you should have heard the cheers from the cast when they received the news!
“It is wonderful to be able to welcome back our cast, backstage crew and all our fantastic freelancers who together make the production.”
Capacity at the Apollo Theatre has been reduced to around 50% to comply with Covid-19 secure guidelines with socially distanced seats and other robust risk mitigation.
New preventative measures will include: a health questionnaire which will be emailed 48 hours in advance of the performance; contactless tickets; compulsory facemasks; hand sanitation stations throughout the building; a click and collect bar app; regular deep clean and building sanitation; additional entrances and exits; and NHS Track and Trace.
The production is also part of the See It Safely scheme run by SOLT and UK Theatre which supports theatres by providing a toolkit and practical help and training to ensure venues are following the latest Covid-secure guidelines. Theatres taking part will display the See It Safely mark to ensure theatregoers can be confident that all correct safety measures are in place.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre stars Noah Thomas as Jamie New, Melissa Jacques as his Mum, Margaret, Sejal Keshwala as Ray, Hiba Elchikhe as Pritti Pasha, Gillian Ford as Miss Hedge and Phil Nicol as Hugo/Loco Chanelle. The cast also includes Alexander Archer (Mickey), Zion Battles (Levi), Ebony Clarke (Swing), Marlon G. Day (Jamie’s Dad), James Gillan (Tray Sophisticay), Zahra Jones (Becca), Emily Kenwright (Vicki), Keenan Knight (Sayid), Jordan Laviniere (Cy), Garry Lee (Sandra Bollock), Brian James Leys (understudy), David O’Reilly (Laika Virgin), Harriet Payne (Bex), Jordan Ricketts (Dean Paxton), Rachel Seiran (Fatimah) and Joe Wolstenholme (Swing).
Described as a ‘coming-of-age story with a twist’, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie was written by singer-songwriter Dan Gillespie Sells, the lead vocalist of rock band The Feeling and stage and screen writer Tom MacRae. An instant hit with audiences and critics, the musical premiered in Sheffield in 2017 before transferring to London’s West End in November 2017.
The show is directed by Jonathan Butterell, who also came up with the original idea for the musical. The multi-award-winning musical’s creative team also includes designer Anna Fleischle, choreographer Kate Prince, musical director Theo Jamieson, lighting designer Lucy Carter, sound designer Paul Groothuis and casting director Will Burton.
Butterell also makes his feature-film debut as director of the eagerly anticipated movie version of the musical. Featuring Max Harwood in his professional debut as Jamie New, Richard E. Grant as Loco Chanelle and Sarah Lancashire as Margaret New the film is now scheduled for release on 26 February 2021.
Angela Thomas
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