Euan Morton as Boy George
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Nominee Morton Returns to George's Taboo, 3 Feb

Laurence Olivier and Whatsonstage.com Award nominee Euan Morton will reprise his role as the young Boy George, starring alongside the real Boy George in the pop star's self-penned musical Taboo at The Venue. Morton (pictured in costume) will return to the production from 3 February to 26 April 2003, while George, who is currently playing late performance artist Leigh Bowery, will continue in the role until 26 April as well.

Boy 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, an aspiring photographer 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 - populate Billy's extraordinary journey.

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".

Morton, who originated the role of the young Boy George, has been nominated for Best Actor in a Musical in the Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers' Choice Awards (to vote, click here) and, just announced yesterday, the 2003 Laurence Olivier Awards. Taboo itself has been nominated for four Whatsonstage.com Awards and four Oliviers in total, including Best New Musical and Best Supporting Performance in a Musical (for Paul Baker) in both.

The show is due to open on Broadway, co-produced by American talk-show host Rosie O'Donnell, later this spring and both Morton and Boy George have been tipped to appear in the production, which is expected to be substantially rewritten for the American audience.

The London-based 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's directed by Christopher Renshaw. In addition to Boy George, the current cast also includes Stephen Ashfield, Phil Nicol and Mari Wilson.

- by Terri Paddock

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