Theatre News

Taboo extends run at Brixton Club House to 31 March

The revival of Boy George musical Taboo at Brixton Club House has extended its run by three months until 31 March 2013.

Producers also announced today that Taboo will stage a special late night performance at 11pm on 31 October in support of the Make A Difference Trust. For this one-off performance, tickets are priced at £20 with £5 going direct to the charity.

The production, which opened last month (14 September 2012), is helmed by the show’s
co-creator and original director, Whatsonstage.com Award-winner
Christopher Renshaw.

The cast features: Sam Buttery as Leigh Bowery; Matthew Rowland as
Boy George; Alistair Brammer as Billy; Sarah Ingram as Billy’s
mother Josie; Michael Matus as Derek/Petal; Niamh Perry as Kim; Paul Baker as club
promoter Philip;
Adam Bailey as Marilyn; Owain Williams as Steve Strange; Katie
Kerr
as Sue Tilley; and Daniella Bowen as Janey.

The ensemble is completed by Zeph Gould, Alex Hammond and Jennifer Hepburn.

Taboo centres on Billy, an aspiring photographer, who launches
himself onto London’s vibrant club scene during the “decadent” 80s. He
encounters many of the era’s most notorious personalities – including
Marilyn, Steve Strange, Leigh Bowery, Philip Sallon and Boy George
himself.

While the show includes snippets of some Culture Club classics, George
also penned an original score with 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”.

The musical premiered on 29 January 2002 (previews from 11 January) at
The Venue, a theatre space specially created in the crypt of a church
off Leicester Square in London. The West End production closed on 26
April 2003 after an oft-extended run of 15 months, before George revived
his performance for the Tony-nominated 2004 Broadway transfer.

Its run at Brixton Club House is produced by Danielle Tarento and
Bronia Buchanan and marks the new venue’s first foray into theatre.

The creative team also features choreographer Frank Thompson, set
designer Tim Goodchild, costumes designer Mike Nicholls and book
writer Mark Davies Markham.