Monkee Business Musical Gets Manchester PremiereDate: 4 November 2011 A new Monkees-based musical is launching a national tour from the Manchester Opera House early next year.
Monkee Business The Musical, which opens on 3 April 2011 (previews from 29 March), will feature "a cast of 20, a live band of eight, fabulous costumes and sets, a madcap ‘Austin Powers-style’ plot featuring all new characters and a score packed with iconic hits of the swinging sixties."
It's not the first time the sixties boyband have been associated with a stage production - Daydream Believer was due to launch a tour from Plymouth in 2008, but was subsequently cancelled.
Monkee Business will feature "I’m A Believer", "Last Train to Clarksville", "My Boy Lollipop", "You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me", "Hey, Hey We’re The Monkees" and "Daydream Believer" alongside many more songs from the era.
The original Monkees - Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz - were formed in 1966 as a fictional pop group for a zany TV show. But the success of their first album soon saw them start touring as a real band, going on to become one of the most successful pop acts of the 1960s, with songwriters including Neil Diamond, Carole King and Harry Nilsson among their many collaborators.
Monkee Business premieres at the Opera House as part of 'Manchester Gets It First', Ambassador Theatre Group’s commitment to making Manchester "the UK’s official city for launching theatre’s biggest and best new musicals", a scheme which has won the backing of the city council. The stage adaptation of Ghost, which is currently running in the West End, premiered in Manchester earlier in the year.
Howard Panter, ATG’s joint chief executive and creative director, said: “Manchester is the ideal place for the original creative process necessary for developing large-scale new musicals like Monkee Business, as it is a city with a great foundation in music with knowledgeable and sophisticated audiences who love and understand fantastic musical theatre.”
Following its run in Manchester, the show will visit Glasgow King's Theatre (17 April-21 April 2012) and the Sunderland Empire (24-28 April 2012).
- by Theo Bosanquet Related Content
Reader Comments
| Comment | Date | | Went to see it in Glasgow last night and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Anyone who grew up watching the monkees will get this, the tongue in cheek gags, the minimal sets and the feel corny script - just like the tv show.
And as for the idiots who have posted comments about the show being racist, homophonic or sexist...were they at a different show.
Glasgow - always renowned for being a tough audience - was singing along and off their seats dancing. - Alan | 21 Apr 12 |
| | Went to Manchester from Scotland to see the show (and to have a weekend away) I used to watch the Monkeys when I was a wee boy and this show brought back happy memories and sounds. The cast worhed their socks off and produced a happy slapstick performance which enthralled the 3/4 filled theatre. Had it been full I'm sure the atmosphere could be described as "jumping" but it had folk on their feet enjoying the golden oldies. I think i missed the offensive, racist, sexist and homophobic stuff that Richard talks about but then again I'm not the PC Police. - George | 15 Apr 12 |
| | ok so this show isn't the best and suffers from a poor script. I think the cast were great, some fantastic performances. What it was lacking was pace - gotta be the director's fault surely. I thought the set was clever, and captured the essence of the Monkee tv show perfectly - though I'm guessing those being negative are too young to remember. The gags were by no means racist or homophobic - some people are so stupid....and everyone in the crowd were up dancing at the end.....hardly a 1* in my opinion, more like a 3.5* - dave | 13 Apr 12 |
| | There is always one idiot !! (Richard 3 April, in this case) The show is slick, funny, well produced, excellent entertainment and perfectly captures the slapstick image of the late 60s. - Philip | 11 Apr 12 |
| | Loved the show! The actors must have spent hours getting the accents and mannerisms right and the spoof 60s spy plot was clever It's a fun night out. - Xerxes | 09 Apr 12 |
| | Monkee Business is a feel good show full of catchy numbers and a good plot. I watched only knowing a few songs but that did not matter in the slightest. The acting is the skill that stood out for me, all of the performers were stunning at this, especially Tom Parsons. GO and see it! :) - Emily | 06 Apr 12 |
| | went last night, really enjoyed the show. would recommend. - Gary | 05 Apr 12 |
| | Some strong production numbers, very good performances from some of the lead performers, but spoiled by very thin book - think how zany The Monkeys were and what opportunities there were? And yes, it was racist and homophobic (and crudely so)but if you can forget all that and enjoy the songs then go. - Roland | 04 Apr 12 |
| | Went last night; great entertainment, excellent singing, silly jokes, brought back loads of memories of the TV show. Thoroughly enjoyed it, everyone was leaving the theatre with smiles on their faces. - Sue | 04 Apr 12 |
| | Went to watch it last night with my daughter and thought it was fantastic, so funny and great music, the cast were great! - Beth | 03 Apr 12 |
| | These comments must be from cast members or the production team as
this was probably the worst piece of theatre i have ever seen- trivial, ridiculous storyline; offensive, racist, sexist and homophobic. If you havent booked already, dont bother. If you have booked, get a refund. - Richard | 03 Apr 12 |
| | Great night out. Very nostalgic. The show was put together just like an episode of the original TV show. I thought the actor who played Mike was particularly good. Recommended for a pn enjoyable night out - Caz | 02 Apr 12 |
| | Just seen the show, a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
When Davey Jones sang Daydream Believer it brought a tear to my eye!!!.
A fitting tribute to Davey Jones. - John | 31 Mar 12 |
| | Once I got the idea that the stage sets were were designed as though watching a TV screen it clicked for me. Very Monkees TV show, very Marx Bros-esque,good old fashioned vaudville slapstick entertainment......and the Monkees music to boot. - David | 31 Mar 12 |
| | Went to see the show and it was wonderful. Really enjoyed it. Xx - | 30 Mar 12 |
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