Richard Winsor returns as Tony Manero for West End premiere of Kenwright’s Saturday Night Fever

Richard Winsor will be donning the iconic white suit once again in 2022 to star as Tony Manero in the West End premiere of Bill Kenwright’s re-imagined and re-vitalised touring production of Saturday Night Fever.

Former Matthew Bourne principal dancer Richard Winsor (Swan Lake, Edward Scissorhands and The Car Man) will return to the role which marked his debut as a musical theatre leading role man for a strictly limited run at the Peacock Theatre in London from 1 February until 26 March 2022. The London season will be preceded by a short UK tour which will open at the New Theatre Oxford on 5 January 2022 before travelling to Truro, Darlington and Manchester.

Olivia Fines (She Loves Me, Menier Chocolate Factory, Grease UK tour) will also return as Manero’s dancing partner Stephanie with Jake Byrom, Oliver Thomson and James Hudson appearing high above the stage playing and singing the Bee Gees’ distinctive music.

The cast is completed by Kevin O’Dwyer (Bobby C), James Brice (Gus), Paul French (Double J), Michael Cortez (Joey), Jasmin Colangelo (Annette), Tosca Fischer (Connie), Lydia Bradd (Linda), Philip Aiden (Frank Senior), Marios Nicolaides (Frank Junior), Melody Jones (Flo Manero), Faizal Jaye (DJ Monty), Celeste Zollino (ensemble), Ashley Luke Lloyd (ensemble), Luca Rapisarda (ensemble), James Wilkinson-Jones (ensemble), Helen Gulston (ensemble) and James Cohen (ensemble).

Announcing the West End debut of the production, Kenwright said: “When I first saw the film over 40 years ago, like the rest of the world I was not only mesmerised by a terrific small budget movie, but also by the soundtrack.

“It was that feeling of being carried along by Maurice, Robin and Barry’s searing vocals and melodies that I wanted to feature in my theatre production, and which led to me include a live band on stage replicating that experience as well as we can.”

The hit production which was first seen in 2018, broke new ground by including three extra cast members on stage playing Bee Gees’ Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb. Featuring two extra classic Bee Gee tracks ‘Too Much Heaven’ and ‘Words’ the production is choreographed by Olivier Award winner Bill Deamer.

Debuting over four decades after the cinema release of the film which made John Travolta a superstar, the new stage incarnation of Tony Manero’s story is produced by Kenwright by special arrangement with the Robert Stigwood organisation. Kenwright also directs the production which features designs by Gary McCann, lighting by Nick Richings and sound by Dan Samson.

Based on the 1977 John Badham directed film that starred a famously white-suited Travolta and featured the distinctive music of the Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever was inspired by a 1976 New York magazine article by British writer Nik Cohn.

Adapted for the stage by Robert Stigwood in collaboration with Bill Oakes, the musical version of the film debuted in London’s West End in 1998 with Adam Garcia in the leading role of Tony Manero. Directed and choreographed by Arlene Phillips who is credited alongside Paul Nicholas and Stigwood as collaborators on the book which was written by Nan Knighton, the production which showcases some of the Bee Gees’ biggest hits, including ‘Stayin’ Alive’, ‘How Deep is Your Love’, ‘More Than a Woman’ and ‘Night Fever’, ran for nearly two years at the London Palladium. Phillips also directed the show’s Broadway debut which began in 1999 and featured James Carpinello in the central role.

Angela Thomas