Cast: Steven Webb plays Quasimodo at King’s Head, new Billy Elliot
Other cast members confirmed for Robert Chevara’s production include Zoe George (Spring Awakening) and Helen Sheals (Vieux Carré), alongside Iestyn Arwel, Melanie Bright, James Hume, Sean Paul Jenkinson and James Wolsenholme.
Based on Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel set at Notre Dame, Quasimodo – billed as Bart’s “last great unproduced musical”, having never been professionally produced – tells the classic story of unlikely love between a deformed bell ringer in 15th century Paris and a beautiful gypsy girl, Esmerelda.
Lionel Bart’s other musicals include Lock Up Your Daughters, Fings Ain’t Wot They Used t’Be, Blitz!, Maggie May and the show for which he is best known, Oliver!.
In other casting news, 13-year-old Tade Biesinger has been cast into the role of Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace. Biesinger is not only the 32nd boy to have ever played the
role on the West End, he is also the second to have played the
role on both Broadway and the West End.
He’ll be joining Harris Beattie (14 years old from Aberdeen,
Scotland), Harrison Dowzell (12 years old from Nottinghamshire), Redmand
Rance (12 years old from Fareham, Hampshire) and Kaine Ward (14 years
old from Hertfordshire) who alternate the title role.
Adapted from the hit film of the same name, Billy Elliot tells the story of a young boy’s
struggle to realise his ambitions against the odds. Growing up in a
Northern mining town during the miners’ strike of the 1980s, Billy discovers his passion for ballet much to the disappointment of his family.
– Katherine Boone
