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Boy George's Taboo Extends Five Months to 14 Sep

Boy George's Taboo has extended its inaugural West End run by five months. The musical, set in the London club scene during the former pop star's 1980s heyday, premiered at the newly created theatrical Venue off Leicester Square on 29 January 2002 (previews from 11 January) and had been booking up to 6 April. It is now taking bookings up to 14 September.

George was one of Britain's biggest stars in the 1980s and it's from that decade that he takes his inspiration for Taboo. It's the story of Billy, a naïve young man who launches himself onto London's vibrant club scene during the "decadent" decade and finds romance in the process. Many of the era's most notorious personalities - including Marilyn, Steve Strange, Leigh Bowery, Philip Sallon and George himself - appear as supporting characters on Billy's extraordinary journey.

The Taboo cast features Gemma Craven, Paul Baker, Matt Lucas, Luke Evans, Dianne Pilkington, Mark McGee and Euan Morton, who has won plaudits as the spitting image - and remarkable singing voice - of the young Boy George.

While Taboo includes snippets of some Culture Club classics, George has written an original score with all-new songs including "Ode to Attention Seekers", "Stranger in this World", "Love Is a Question Mark", "Guttersnipe", "Touched by the Hand of Cool", "Out of Fashion" and "Pie in the Sky". A cast recording is due to be released later this spring.

The musical has a book by This Life writer Mark Davies, with designs by Tim Goodchild, lighting by Chris Ellis and choreography by Les Childs. It is directed by Christopher Renshaw - whose next major pop-inspired production, the Queen-Ben Elton musical We Will Rock You, opens at the West End's Dominion Theatre in May - and is produced by Adam Kenwright.

Born George Alan O'Dowd in 1961, Boy George shot to fame in the 1980s as the androgynous and behatted lead singer of Culture Club. He has sold over 30 million records worldwide, including hit singles such as "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?", "I'll Tumble for Ya", "The War Song" and "Church of the Poisoned Mind". Taboo marks his stage musical debut.

- by Terri Paddock

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