Cats Inspires Headbanger's Helen of Troy???

If Culture Club's Boy George can do it, why not AC/DC's Brian Johnson? According to the Sunday Times, the heavy metal band singer has penned his own original West End musical. Based on the Helen of Troy myth, the show is being workshopped under the direction of Gary Griffin, whose revival of Sondheim's Pacific Overtures finishes its run at the Donmar Warehouse this week. The newspaper has tipped Cranberries singer Dolores O'Riordan to play the title role. In addition to the musical, there's also a possibility of a dance version of Helen of Troy care of Florida's Sarasota Ballet. Johnson says he was inspired to write the show after seeing a performance of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats. "One day I was sitting through a boring musical and thought: I can do better than this. I thumbed through the programme and there was an advertisement for a bank with gold coins tumbling out of a wooden horse. That triggered the idea for Helen of Troy. It was as simple than that. The story has everything: love, war, blood, death, resurrection, gods."

Got some goss? Contact gossip@whatsonstage.com

Related Content