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Sunday, Jus' Like That & Overtures Extend Bookings

Denise Van Outen has added three weeks to her limited 12-week season in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black's new, specially expanded version of Tell Me on a Sunday, originally written as a song cycle for Marti Webb in 1979. The one-woman musical, directed by Matthew Warchus, opened at the West End's Gielgud Theatre on 15 April 2003 (previews from 4 April) and had been scheduled to 2 August. It's now taking bookings to 23 August 2003.

The story centres around an English girl who moves to New York and has various relationships with American men. Formerly best known as the presenter of such television programmes as The Big Breakfast and Something for the Weekend, Van Outen wowed critics when she played murderess Roxie Hart in the West End production Chicago, a role she reprised on Broadway.

Meanwhile, at the Garrick Theatre, Tommy Cooper tribute show Jus' Like That, which stars Soldier, Soldier's Jerome Flynn as the late comedian, has extended its season by 11 weeks. It opened on 8 April 2003 (following previews from 3 April and a month-long regional tour) and had been scheduled to 21 June 2003. It is now booking up to 6 September 2003.

Cooper died on stage at Her Majesty's Theatre in 1984 of a heart attack. His act combined hammy comedy with a classic sense of timing. This enabled him to rehash old jokes, and to make a humorous mess of magic tricks whilst wearing his trademark fez hat. Jus' Like That, written by Cooper's former television producer John Fisher, presents a nostalgic onstage and offstage snapshot of the entertainer.

Jus' Like That is directed by actor-author-director Simon Callow (currently appearing onstage himself around the corner in Through the Leaves at the Duchess Theatre), choreographed by dancer Lionel Blair and designed by Christopher Woods.

Finally, before rehearsals are even in full swing, the Donmar Warehouse has extended by two weeks the run of its upcoming revival of Stephen Sondheim's Pacific Overtures. The 1976 East-meets-West musical, which will star West End musical leads Jerome Pradon and Cornell John, opens on 30 June 2003 (previews 20 June) and had been booking to 23 August. It will now continue to 6 September.

Currently at the Donmar, Michael Grandage's production of Albert Camus' Caligula, with Michael Sheen in the title role, finishes its limited season on 14 June 2003.

- by Terri Paddock

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