Picture: Matt Crockett
X Factor winner Matt Cardle will take over from Will Young in the West End premiere run of Baz Luhrmann’s Strictly Ballroom The Musical later this month.
Cardle, who made his award-winning West End debut in 2015 in Memphis will return to the London stage to play band leader Wally Strand at the Piccadilly Theatre from Tuesday 31 July 2018.
Produced by international producers Global Creatures, the romantic comedy set within the sequin-studded world of competitive ballroom dancing is directed and choreographed by Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie.
Commenting on his new role, the multi-platinum recording artist said: “I’m so excited to be returning to the West End and to be joining the cast of Strictly Ballroom to play the part of Wally Strand. It’s so rare that a role comes around that you can put so much of your own stamp on. I have seen the show and it’s absolutely incredible. Baz Luhrmann is an utter genius, as is Drew McOnie. To have the opportunity to sing all these huge songs every night is a real honour.”
Featuring former EastEnder Jonny Labey and Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins, Follies) in the central roles, the show opened at the Piccadilly Theatre in April following on from its UK premiere at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in November 2016.
The current cast includes: Michelle Bishop (Sunset Boulevard) as Pam Short, Ivan De Freitas (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Merv, Anna Francolini (wonder.land) as Shirley Hastings, Gabriela Garcia (In The Heights) as Vanessa Cronin, Charlotte Gooch (Top Hat) as Tina Sparkle, Richard Grieve (Priscilla Queen of the Desert) as Les Kendall, Gerard Horan (The Ferryman) as Barry Fife, Liam Marcellino (Cabaret) as Wayne Burns, Stephen Matthews (The Lion King) as Doug Hastings, Fernando Mira (ENO) as Rico, Eve Polycarpou (In The Heights) as Abuela, Lauren Stroud (Top Hat) as Liz Holt and Gary Watson (Jersey Boys) as Ken Railings.
Chris Bennett, Chrissy Brooke, Hannah Fairclough, Lavinia Fitzpatrick, Selina Hamilton, Tim Hodges, Christopher D Hunt, Luke Jackson, Justin-Lee Jones, Robin Kent, Jacob Maynard, Freya Rowley, Leanne Pinder, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda & Dale White also feature in the cast.
The feel-good story of the rule-breaking dancer and the shy outsider who transforms into the perfect partner first hit the stage as a student play. The play was then transformed into a film by Lurmann and designer Catherine Martin before the duo working with Terry Johnson, who joined the team to adapt the original book, to return to the stage in its musical incarnation in Sydney in 2014.
No expense was spared to ensure the production re-creates the lavish style of Luhrmann’s much-loved film and the original costumes designed by the director’s long-time collaborator, multi-Oscar winner Martin.
Featuring a mixture of feel-good songs from the film’s original soundtrack, the show which also features new songs from current chart stars Sia, David Foster and Eddie Perfect also played seasons in Melbourne and Brisbane in 2015.
Angela Thomas
Tickets for Strictly Ballroom The Musical are available HERE.
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