Casting has been unveiled for the UK premiere of immersive jukebox-style show Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Two of the stars of the West End’s premiere production of Heathers: The Musical, Dominic Andersen and Sophie Isaacs will star alongside Rebecca Gilhooley (UK premiere of The Last Ship), Evelyn Hoskins (Carrie The Musical, Southwark Playhouse), Scott Hunter (Yank! The Musical, Hope Mill Theatre), Dean John-Wilson (Disney’s Aladdin, Prince Edward Theatre), Ashley Samuels (Motown The Musical, Shaftesbury Theatre) and Gemma Salter (Made in Dagenham, Adelphi Theatre).
Inspired by the 1999 American film Cruel Intentions, which was in turn inspired by the 18th century French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, the musical is due to play the Palais du Variété Spiegeltent at Assembly George Gardens from 1-25 August 2019.
A hit with audiences in Los Angeles and New York, the UK premiere of Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle and choreographed by Gary Lloyd. The creative team also includes designer Lee Newby, musical director Sarah Morrison, sound designer Dan Samson and casting director Debbie O’Brien.
The show’s UK debut will be produced by Bill Kenwright, who previously helped bring another musical based on a cult late 19080s/early 1990s film, Heathers, to the West End.
Created by the film’s director Roger Kumble working with Lindsay Rosin and Jordan Ross, Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical features some of the biggest pop hits of the 1990s.
Set in 1990s Manhattan, the story of manipulative rich kids Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil is played out accompanied by live performances of chart hits including: Natalie Imbruglia’s ‘Torn’, ‘I Saw the Sign’ by Ace of Base, Boyz II Men’s ‘I’ll Make Love to You’, *NSYNC’s ‘Bye Bye Bye’, Britney Spears’ ’Sometimes’, R.E.M’s ‘Losing My Religion’, and ‘Bittersweet Symphony’ by The Verve.
Commenting on the musical version of his movie, Kumble said: “Never in my darkest fantasies would I believe 20 years later, my movie about a pair of hedonistic Manhattan step-siblings would turn into a musical. An amazing musical that even people who hate musicals would love, complete with a soundtrack loaded with the greatest 90s guilty pleasure songs.”
Starring Reese Witherspoon, Ryan Phillippe, Sarah Michelle Gellar and Selma Blair, Cruel Intentions captured the imagination of moviegoers and spawned two sequels.
The musical debuted in LA in 2015 and arrived in New York following two sold-out runs, proving equally popular with audiences in the city when it made its Off-Broadway debut at the Greenwich Village nightclub Le Poisson Rouge.
Angela Thomas
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