The Tailor-Made Man
From: Thursday, 14th February 2013
To: Saturday, 6 April 2013
Our Review: 
Your Reviews:
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Synopsis
Starring Mike McShane,Dylan Turner and Faye Tozer of Steps, The Tailor-Made Man runs from 21 February (previews at 13 February) to 6 April at the Arts Theatre.
Produced by Stephen McGill, the new musical tells the true story of William Haines, the silent screen star who was fired by Louis B Mayer of MGM Studios because he was gay and refused to marry and give up his lifelong partner Jimmy Shields.
In 1930, William 'Billy' Haines was one of MGM's most idolised male stars, second only to John Gilbert. On screen he was tailor-made to get the girl in the last reel. On the back lot he cruised every bit player and stagehand in sight. Billy lived openly with his lover and former stand-in Jimmy Shields. This was tolerated by the studio until rumours started to seep out into the wider world. Louis B Mayer ordered him to marry the sultry silent screen vamp Pola Negri. Billy refused and so Louis B Mayer fired him. Billy's defiance of the studio led to his second and even more successful career as an interior designer to the stars.
The Tailor-Made Man is a story about Hollywood and its system and hypocrisy, but above all it is the story of Billy and Jimmy's turbulent, passionate love affair that survived and lasted over 50 years.
The musical will be choreographed by Nathan M Wright, with design by Sophia Simensky, lighting by Humphrey McDermott, sound by Tom Marshall and musical direction by Duncan Walsh Atkins.
Book your tickets now.
Our Review:
Michael Coveney - 22 February 2013
The title of this exceedingly modest Hollywood musical refers to one of the films made by William Haines, an MGM top-five box office star from 1928 to 1935, who refused to follow studio orders to disguise his homosexuality and marry the silent screen vamp Pola Negri, famous for her affairs with Charlie Chaplin and Rudolph Valentino.
Instead, actively promiscuous, but also happy domiciled with his life partner and on-set stand-in, Jimmy Shields, Haines became an interior decorator to the stars he knew well and, surviving media notoriety and an ugly gay-bashing incident, ceded his leading roles to Robert Montgomery; he designed homes for his former leading lady, Marion Davies, as well as Joan Crawford, Ronald Reagan and the British Ambassador in Regent's Park, London.
It's a good story that writer/director Claudio Macor first recounted as a play at the Hen and Chickens in Islington over 20 years ago, and now re-heats wit...
Latest User Review
Steve - 18 March 2013:
Probably the best [smaller scale] musical production currently on in the whole of the West End at the moment; the singing, live music, dancing, quiet humour and acting are all EXCELLENT and you can still get a ticket for a tenner... what more do you want for a great night out in the heart of London?...
Cast
Faye Tozer (Marion Davies)
Dylan Turner (William Haines)
Mike McShane (Louis B Mayer)
Bradley Clarkson (Jimmy Shields)
Michael Cotton
Kay Murphy
Matt Wilman
Lauren Grant
Vivien Carter
Holly Easterbrook
Edward French
Creative
Claudio Macor (original play) (Author)
Amy Rosenthal (musical adaptation) (Adaptation)
Duncan Walsh (Music)
Adam Meggido (Music)
Adam Meggido (Lyrics)
Stephen McGill (Producer)
Claudio Macor (Director)
Sophia Simensky (Design)
Humphrey McDermott (Lighting)
Nathan M Wright (Choreographer)
Tom Marshall (Sound)
Duncan Walsh Atkins (Musical Director)
Information
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