Theatre News

Full cast announced for Curve's Adrian Mole musical

The company includes Rosemary Ashe, Cameron Blakely, Neil Ditt, Kirsty Hoiles and Amy Booth-Steel

Moles in waiting: Lewis Andrews,  Sebastian Croft, Joel Fossard-Jones and Toby Murray
Moles in waiting: Lewis Andrews, Sebastian Croft, Joel Fossard-Jones and Toby Murray
© Pamela Raith
The Leicester Curve has announced the full casting for its forthcoming world premiere of The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾ – The Musical.

The cast includes Rosemary Ashe (Grandma), Cameron Blakely (Mr Lucas), Amy Booth-Steel (Miss Elf/Doreen Slater/Mrs Lucas), Neil Ditt (George Mole), Kirsty Hoiles (Pauline Mole) and Neil Salvage (Bert Baxter).

The role of Adrian will be shared by Lewis Andrews, Sebastian Croft, Joel Fossard-Jones and Toby Murray.

The role of Pandora will be played by Elise Bugeja, Imogen Gurney and Lulu-Mae Pears; with Nigel played by George Barnden, Kwame Kandekore, and Samuel Small; and Barry will be played by Edward Cross, James McJannett-Smith and Harrison Slater.

With book and lyrics by Jake Brunger and music and lyrics by Pippa Cleary, the new musical of the late Sue Townsend's bestseller, directed by Luke Sheppard, will open on 17 March 2015 (previews from 7 March) and runs until 4 April.

'Invigorating and rewarding'

Set in 1980s Leicester, Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ follows the daily dramas and misadventures of Adrian's adolescent life. With dysfunctional parents, ungrateful elders, a growing debt to school bully Barry Kent and an unruly pimple on his chin, life is hard for a misunderstood intellectual who is only 13 ¾.

Director Luke Sheppard said: "Finding the right actors to step into the shoes of Sue Townsend's iconic characters has been an invigorating and rewarding task.

"Adrian Mole, along with his family and friends, have been treasured by the nation for decades. After an extensive search, which included auditioning over 400 children, we've found a team of grown-ups and almost-grown-ups who can't wait to start rediscovering these roles for a new generation."

The creative team for the production also includes Tim Jackson (choreographer), Paul Herbert (musical arranger), Mark Collins (musical director), Tom Rogers (designer), Paul Groothius (sound designer), Howard Hudson (lighting designer) and Sally Wilson (costume supervisor).

The project was initially commissioned by Leicester Curve and the Royal and Derngate, Northampton.