Lloyd Webber’s The Beautiful Game revived at the Union Theatre

Niamh Perry

Over 12 years after it was seen in the West End, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton’s The Beautiful Game will receive its first London revival at the Union Theatre from 3 April (press night is 8 April) to 3 May 2014.

John and Del are just two regular teenagers who dream of nothing more than girls and football. And under the watchful eye of their local soccer team coach Father O’Donnell, they both show enough promise to pursue careers as professional footballers. But as political tensions begin to engulf their community, they have more than the fortunes of their team to worry about. Set against the backdrop of the political troubles in Northern Ireland in the early 1970s, The Beautiful Game is the story of an ordinary group of teenagers in an extraordinary situation.

The Beautiful Game originally opened at the Cambridge Theatre in September 2000 and ran until September 2001. During its run the show was named Best Musical at the Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards.

Niamh Perry will star as Mary. Perry most recently played Johanna in Sweeney Todd at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Manchester Royal Exchange. Other recent credits include A Song Cycle For Soho at Soho Theatre, the title role in The Little Prince at the Lyric Theatre Belfast, Kim in the Boy George musical Taboo at Brixton Clubhouse, Sophie in Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre and she also originated the role of Fleck in Love Never Dies at the Adelphi Theatre. Perry was a finalist in BBC’s primetime talent show I’d Do Anything.

The cast features Ben Kerr as John, Stephen Barry as Del, Daniella Bowen as Christine, Freddie Rogers as Thomas, Will Jeffs as Daniel, Alan McHale as Ginger, Natalie Douglas as Bernadette and Carl McCrystal as Father O’Donnell. The ensemble also includes Tom Brandon-Farrell, Leigh Lothian, Shane McDaid, Joanna O’Hare and Charlie Royce.

The Beautiful Game will be directed by Lotte Wakeham, currently associate director of Matilda the Musical in the West End and on Broadway. Recent credits as director include Lizzie Siddal at the Arcola Theatre, The Other School for NYMT at St James Theatre, The Kissing-Dance at Jermyn Street Theatre and comedy show Before They Were Famous for BBC Radio 4. The musical will be choreographed by Tim Jackson, whose recent work includes Merrily We Roll Along at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Harold Pinter Theatre, and The Other School for NYMT at St James Theatre.

Musical direction will be by Ben Holder and design by David Shields. The Beautiful Game is produced by Kylie Vilcins for PTM Ltd.

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