Daddy Cool Closes on 17 Feb Ahead of World TourDate: 12 January 2007
Daddy Cool has posted closing notices at the West End’s Shaftesbury Theatre. The Boney M musical, which premiered belatedly on 21 September 2006 (previews from 15 August), announced an extension in October, taking it up to 1 September 2007 (See News, 31 Oct 2006). However, it will now finish, on 17 February 2007, at the end of its initial six month booking period, in order to embark on a world tour.
Daddy Cool’s West End stars Javine and So Solid Crew’s Harvey – who has been nominated for a Whatsonstage.com Theatregoers’ Choice Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his West End debut in the show (click here to vote now!) – will headline the international tour. It opens on 24 April 2007 in Berlin, home of Boney M creator and Daddy Cool producer Frank Farian, before visiting France, Spain and Russia.
Farian commented today: “I had always dreamt of my show Daddy Cool and the music that I created being taken around the world and was delighted that the London production has been so well received, and has enabled me to fulfil my dream with a world tour. I also wanted to bring the London production and its cast to some of the initial European territories, particularly Germany, my home land, in order to show off our success.”
A separate UK tour, co-produced by Mark Goucher with Robert Mackintosh and Farian, will launch at Manchester’s Palace Theatre in September, with casting commencing shortly for the “UK’s best, young urban talent”.
Daddy Cool features the hits of Boney M – as well as other Frank Farian artists such as Milli Vanilli and No Mercy - reinterpreted with contemporary influences and set alongside a modern London story loosely based on Romeo and Juliet (See News, 19 Jan 2006). Songs from the 1970s and 80s include “Rivers of Babylon”, “Brown Girl in the Ring”, “Ma Baker”, “Can’t Stand the Rain”, “ Mary’s Boychild” and the title number.
The musical - which has a book by Amani Naphtali and Stephen Plaice - is directed by Andy Goldberg and designed by Jon Morrell. In addition to Harvey (as Shake) and Javine (Asia Blue), the current West End cast features Sarah Moyle as notorious East End club owner Ma Baker. Moyle has replaced the role originator, EastEnders star Michelle Collins, who left at the end of her contract after Christmas.
No further productions have yet been announced for the Shaftesbury.
- by Terri Paddock
