Producer Jack Maple, by arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh Ltd, has announced the full cast joining West End stars Carrie Hope Fletcher and Laura Pitt-Pulford in a special one-off concert of The Witches Of Eastwick at the Sondheim Theatre on Monday 20 June 2022, directed by Olivier Award-winning Maria Friedman.
Due to the indisposition of Giles Terera and Danielle Steers, the roles of Darryl Van Horne and Alexandra Spofford will now be played by John Partridge and Natasha J Barnes respectively.
John Partridge’s credits include Emcee in UK Tour of Cabaret, Buddy in The View Upstairs in London, Albin in UK Tour of La Cage aux Folles, Billy Flynn in UK Tour of Chicago, Zach in A Chorus Line at London Palladium. He is well known for his extensive TV work, including the long-running and much-loved role of Christian Clarke in EastEnders (BBC), winning Celebrity MasterChef (BBC), participating in BBC1’s gymnastics show Tumble and being a judge on Over the Rainbow (BBC).
Natasha J Barnes is best known for playing the role of Fanny Brice in the 2016 production of Funny Girl at the Menier Chocolate Factory and Savoy Theatre. Her other theatre credits include Spring Awakening (Novello Theatre), Falsettos (The Other Palace), Wasted (Southwark Playhouse) and American Idiot (Arts Theatre). Natasha released her debut album ‘Real’ in 2018.
Claire Moore (The Girls, Miss Saigon, Les Misérables) will play Felicia Gabriel, Nathan Amzi (In the Heights, Heathers, Jesus Christ Superstar) will play Clyde Gabriel, Alfie Friedman (The Undeclared War on Channel 4, Maria Friedman and Friends – Legacy) will play Michael Spofford and Chrissie Bhima (2022 Arts Ed graduate currently performing in Lift at Southwark Playhouse) will play Jennifer Gabriel.
Maria Friedman said “I am absolutely thrilled that John Partridge is bringing his luminous charm, charisma and talent to the role of Darryl Van Horne and that the fantastic Natasha J Barnes joins us as Alexandra. Together with our full company, this will be a devilish treat for our audience, and I am so looking forward to making this spellbinding concert with them.”
The ensemble will include Lydia Bannister, Isabel Canning, Aoife Dunn, Christopher Howell, Emma Knudsen, Martin McCarthy, Benjamin Mundy, Emily Ooi, Joshua Robinson, Rachel Spurrell and Rafe Watts. They will be accompanied by The Guildford School of Acting (GSA) Choir.
The Witches Of Eastwick has a book and lyrics by John Dempsey and music by Dana P. Rowe, based on the novel by John Updike and the Warner Brothers motion picture. This will be the first time the musical has been seen in London since it originally played at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2000, transferring to the Prince of Wales Theatre in 2001.
The Witches of Eastwick tells the tale of the people of the little town of Eastwick. It is a town where everyone knows everything about everyone else, and it is presided over by the indomitable Felicia Gabriel. Bored with their small town lives, three women – Alexandra (Alex), Sukie, and Jane–share a desire for “all manner of man in one man” to provide excitement and variety. That man arrives, literally in a flash, in the devil-like form of Darryl Van Horne. Darryl seduces the women and teaches them powers, which they never knew they had.
The Witches Of Eastwick has musical staging by Chrissie Cartwright, musical direction by Isaac McCullough, costume design by Jonathan Lipman, lighting design by Simon Sherriff, sound design by Adam Fisher, associate direction by Jack McCann and associate musical direction by Mike Steel.
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