Award-winning writer Allan Knee’s ballroom-inspired play Syncopation is coming to London this Spring. Known for musical Little Women and play The Man Who Was Peter Pan, Knee’s comedic drama follows two lost souls in New York in 1912 who come together to dance in a stirring and tender tale about finding yourself and moving to your own beat.
Inspired by Irene and Vernon Castle – ballroom superstars of their day, who laid the foundation for ballroom dancing as we know it and were the subjects of a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film – meatpacker Henry Ribolow and seamstress Anna Bianchi decide to embark on a journey to become renowned ballroom dancers in pre-war New York. Responding to Henry’s advertisement in the paper, Anna finds herself drawn into the freeing and passionate world of dance, set against the backdrop of exciting, revolutionary ideas at the turn of the century, the urban rhythm of New York City, and Ragtime.
From Manilla Street Productions, this is a unique version of Syncopation, with a carefully curated Ragtime and jazz score specifically selected for the London production, including classics like By the Light of the Silvery Moon and Little Brown Jug, Scott Joplin’s Elite Syncopations and Irving Berlin’s Always.
West End and Broadway triple threats Devon-Elise Johnson (Mamma Mia! and Half a Sixpence, West End; Titanic the Musical, UK tour) and Jye Frasca (Wicked, Broadway and West End; Jersey Boys and Mary Poppins, West End) star as Anna and Henry respectively. Syncopation is directed by Karen Jemison (Blood Brothers; Pacific Overtures; Bad Blood Blues, Melbourne) and choreographed by Jenny Thomson (Strictly Come Dancing, BBC; So You Think You Can Dance, Fox; Dancing with the Stars, ABC).
Director Karen Jemison comments, Syncopation has everything you could want in a play and more – wonderful Ragtime music, a touching comic drama with two highly engaging characters and lots of ballroom dancing! There are not many plays featuring ballroom dancing and this unique piece of theatre is a perfect fit for London. I think audiences will be blown away by the talents of this cast and the beautiful writing of Allan Knee.
Syncopation is at Bridewell Theatre Thursday 14th March – Saturday 13th April 2024
