1st Night Photos: Backbeat Beatles Make West End DebutDate: 11 October 2011
Backbeat, the stage adaptation of Iain Softley's 1994 film about the birth of the Beatles, opened last night (10 October, previews from 24 September 2011) at the Duke of York Theatre.
The play, which also includes performances of songs such as "Twist & Shout", "Rock & Roll Music", "Long Tall Sally", "Please Mr Postman" and "Money", premiered at Glasgow Citizens Theatre in February 2010. David Leveaux directs the show's West End debut, which has musical direction by Paul Stacey.
Backbeat chronicles the genesis of the Beatles, when Stuart Sutcliffe, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Pete Best left Liverpool for Hamburg, searching for their big break. Sutcliffe (Nick Blood) falls in love with German photographer Astrid Kirchherr (Ruta Gedmintas) and creates struggle within the band and his friendship with Lennon (Andrew Knott).
Also featured in the cast are Daniel Healy, William Payne and Oliver Bennett. Backbeat is initially booking at the Duke of York until 24 March 2012.
The cast and crew were joined to celebrate their opening night by guests including Harry Enfield, Dominic Cooper, Joseph Millson, Jessica Kirton, Gary Lineker, Virginia and Jason Lawson, Hayley Mills, Greg Dyke, Steven van Zandt and Dave Clark.
TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL OF BACKBEAT's 1st NIGHT PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE "NEXT >" LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.
- by Andrew Girvan
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