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Madness Confirms Our House for Cambridge, 15 Oct

The much-anticipated debut musical from 1980s ska band Madness (pictured), Our House, has confirmed its West End opening for this autumn. As tipped earlier in The Goss, the show premieres at the Cambridge Theatre, where it will open on 15 October 2002, following previews from the week commencing 16 September.

The musical comedy, book by Tim Firth, has a fictional Sliding Doors-like storyline. Set in north London's Camden town, from which Madness themselves hail, it revolves around Joe, a young lad about to commit a crime with his girlfriend Sarah. From the point where Joe must decide between right and wrong, the plot evolves on parallel planes, showing the different paths his life would take based on this one pivotal choice.

Our House will feature more than 20 of Madness' greatest hits including One Step Beyond", "Michael Caine", "House of Fun", "My Girl" and the title song. The band has also written two new songs for the musical, including one tentatively titled "Sarah's Song" which will be released this summer as a single. Aside from their stage foray, the band will stay busy this year with other projects, including a new greatest hits collection and tour.

Tim Firth's stage plays include Neville's Island, End of the Food Chain and his latest, The Safari Party, which premieres later this month at Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre. For TV, Firth's credits include Money for Nothing, The Flint Street Nativity, the award-winning series Preston Front and the adaptation of Neville's Island.

Our House will be directed by Matthew Warchus, whose myriad productions include Art, his many successful credits include Reza's The Unexpected Man and Life x 3, Follies, True West, Hamlet, Much Ado about Nothing and The Devil Is an Ass as well as the film Sympatico.

Casting for Our House has not yet begun, though producers are planning to recruit two names to play the parts of Joe's parents. Further company details will be announced in June when the production will be officially launched. Our House is produced by Rupert Lord and Andre Ptaszynski.

The Cambridge’s current resident, nine-lives musical Fame, is booking up to 31 August 2002.

- by Terri Paddock

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