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Langford Steps Out in Fresh Fosse Tour, 31 May

Following seasons in the USA and France, Fosse returns to the UK starring Bonnie Langford. Langford opens in Llandudno on 31 May 2004 and continues with the tour to Milton Keynes, Bristol and Nottingham.

A former child star, Langford is a West End veteran whose credits include Cats, Gypsy, Gone With the Wind, The Pirates of Penzance, Me and My Girl and Sweet Charity. She was most recently seen in Big Night Out at the Watford Palace Theatre.

Langford follows in the footsteps of ex-TV soap actress Claire Sweeney (see News 10 June, 2003) who toured the world with the jazz musical after opening at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool on Wednesday 29 October 2003.

Fosse pays tribute to the late American choreographer/ dancer/ director Bob Fosse, who provided the distinctive choreography for Chicago as well as other musicals such as Cabaret, Sweet Charity and All That Jazz. Fosse also worked in film, winning an Oscar for the screen version of Cabaret, starring Liza Minelli.

In Fosse, Ann Reinking and Chet Walker recreate many of Fosse's trademark numbers, such as "Hey Big Spender" from Sweet Charity, "Mein Herr" from Cabaret, "Steam Heat" from The Pajama Game and "Mr Bojangles" from Dancin'. Fosse's widow and dance partner, the late Gwen Verdon, acted as artistic consultant for the show.

Fosse premiered in January 1999 on Broadway, where it ran for more than two-and-a-half years and won three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. It transferred to the West End in 2000, running for a year at the Prince of Wales theatre (See News, 8 Nov 2000).

Born in 1927, Bob Fosse began his career in vaudeville before joining touring dance companies. He made his Broadway debut in 1950 in Dance Me a Song and made his choreographic debut four years later with The Pajama Game. Fosse's use of groups of dancers, often donned in bowler hats and white gloves, performing jerky, rhythmic steps along with slow-motion movements became his signature style. The acclaimed choreographer died in 1987.

Langford will only be performing in Fosse in Llandudno (31 May – 5 June), Milton Keynes (7–12 June), Bristol (14-19 June) and Nottingham (21–26 June). The tour then continues to three further stops, for full details see listings.

- by Hannah Kennedy

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