1st Night Photos: Tenor Returns to GielgudDate: 16 June 2011
The West End production of Lend Me A Tenor, adapted from Ken Ludwig's operatic farce for the musical stage by Peter Sham and Brad Carroll, opened last night (15 June, previews from 2 June 2011) at the Gielgud Theatre.
Ian Talbot's production, which started life at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth brings Matthew Kelly, Damian Humbley, Michael Matus and Sophie-Louise Dann with it to the West End, alongside Joanna Riding, Cassidy Janson, Gay Soper, Jane Quinn and Michelle Bishop.
Nominated for Best Regional Production in this year’s Whatsonstage.com Awards for its try-out run, Lend Me a Tenor revolves around renowned tenor Tito Merelli, known as "Il Stupendo", as he prepares to perform his greatest role, Otello. Things go wrong at the final dress rehearsal though, as a case of mistaken identity, double entendres and innuendoes threaten to ruin the show. When Tito is incapacitated, the director’s meek assistant Max is given the daunting task of finding a last-minute replacement.
TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL OF LEND ME A TENOR’s 1st NIGHT PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE "NEXT >" LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.
The Lend Me A Tenor company also features: Jemma Alexander, Karen Aspinall, Natasha J Barnes, Nick Butcher, Kelly Chinery, Sharon Eckman, Daniel Farrow, Andrew Keelan, Kara Lane, Connor McAllister, Haydn Oakley, Stephen Oliver-Webb, Ryan Pidgen, Jeremy Secomb, Emma Sewell, John Stacey, Robert Traynor and Michelle White.
Ken Ludwig’s show premiered in the West End in 1986 at the Gielgud (which at the time was called the Globe Theatre), making its Broadway debut in 1989 where it won two Tony Awards. In March 2010, it was revived on Broadway, directed by Stanley Tucci with a cast including Anthony LaPaglia.
The producers of Lend Me A Tenor have recently said they are confident the production will have a further life in the West End beyond its current limited season to 19 November 2011, despite the news that The Ladykillers will follow it into the Gielgud from 7 December 2011 (previews from 26 November).
- by Andrew Girvan
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