John Partridge and Natasha J Barnes have stepped into the cast of The Witches Of Eastwick In Concert after the previously announced Giles Terera and Danielle Steers became unavailable.
Partridge (Cabaret, UK tour, A Chorus Line, London Palladium) will play the devilish central character of Darryl Van Horne with Barnes (Funny Girl, Menier Chocolate Factory/Savoy Theatre, Spring Awakening, Novello Theatre) taking on one of the titular characters, Alexandra, in the highly anticipated production at the Sondheim Theatre on 20 June 2022.
Directed by triple Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman with musical staging by double Olivier Award-winning choreographer Stephen Mear, the production will star Carrie Hope Fletcher (The Addams Family, UK tour, Heathers, Theatre Royal Haymarket) as Sukie alongside Laura Pitt-Pulford (Falsettos, The Other Palace, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) as Jane.
Commenting on the new additions to the cast, Friedman said: “I am absolutely thrilled that John Partridge is bringing his luminous charm, charisma and talent to the role of Darryl Van Horne and that the fantastic Natasha J Barnes joins us as Alexandra. Together with our full company, this will be a devilish treat for our audience, and I am so looking forward to making this spellbinding concert with them.”
The cast also includes Claire Moore (Follies, National Theatre, Mary Poppins, Prince Edward Theatre) as Felicia Gabriel, Nathan Amzi (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Barbican, Heathers, Theatre Royal Haymarket) as Clyde Gabriel, Alfie Friedman (The Undeclared War on Channel 4, Maria Friedman and Friends – Legacy, Menier Chocolate Factory) as Michael Spofford and Chrissie Bhima (2022 Arts Ed graduate currently performing in Lift at Southwark Playhouse) will play Jennifer Gabriel.
The ensemble will include Lydia Bannister, Isabel Canning, Aoife Dunn, Christopher Howell, Emma Knudsen, Martin McCarthy, Benjamin Mundy, Emily Ooi, Joshua Robinson, Rachel Spurrell and Rafe Watts. They will be accompanied by The Guildford School of Acting (GSA) Choir.
Produced by Jack Maple, by arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, the concert will mark the first time the musical has been seen in London since the original production which starred Friedman and opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2000 before transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2001.
Announcing the concert earlier this year, Mackintosh said: “I’m really thrilled that Jack Maple is conjuring up the wickedly funny Witches Of Eastwick again, for one night only in concert with a glorious cast at the Sondheim Theatre. It has always been one of my favourite scores, which I’m very much looking forward to hearing in its full splendour.”
Friedman added: “I’m so incredibly excited to be revisiting Eastwick after all these years. To be reunited with the fantastic Stephen Mear and to have the opportunity to bring this beloved musical back to London, and at the simply stunning Sondheim Theatre, for one night only is an absolute thrill and I can’t wait to get started.”
Based on John Updike’s 1984 novel which in turn inspired the hit 1987 film starring Jack Nicholson alongside Cher, Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon, The Witches Of Eastwick has a book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe (the co-writers of Zombie Prom and The Fix).
Directed by Eric Schaeffer, the musical debuted in London in June 2000 with a production starring Ian McShane as Darryl Van Horne, Friedman as Suki, Lucie Arnaz as Alexandra and Joanna Riding as Jane. Schaeffer also directed the US premiere in 2007 in Arlington, Virginia. A production directed by Nikolai Foster with Marti Pellow starring as Van Horne toured the UK from 2008.
Angela Thomas
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