Theatre News

Hannah Waddingham plays Kate for Nunn in Chichester

Hannah Waddingham, Alex Bourne, David Burt and Clive Rowe will join the cast of Trevor Nunn‘s Chichester revival of Kiss Me, Kate. The trio join the previously announced Adam Garcia who takes the role of Bill Calhoun.

Cole Porter‘s 1948 Tony-Award-winning musical focuses on the out-of-town try-out of a new musical version of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Sparks fly on stage and off as sparring between the co-stars threatens the opening night.

Whatsonstage.com Award winner Hannah Waddingham plays Lilli/Kate. She won the 2012 Whatsonstage Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her performance as the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.

Waddingham’s other recent stage credits include Into the Woods at the Open Air Theatre Regent’s Park, A Little Night Music at the Menier Chocolate Factory and in the West End, and Spamalot on Broadway and in the West End. She has also appeared in West End productions of Grease and The Beautiful Game.

Alex Bourne will play Fred Graham/Petruchio. His theatre credits include West End productions of We Will Rock You, Chicago, Grease, Beauty and the Beast and Only The Lonely as well as Showboat with the RSC and Opera North and a national tour of The Rocky Horror Show.

David Burt plays Gangster 1. His theatre credits include the West End productions of Crazy For You, The Woman in White and the title role in Edmund Kean. Burt was also a member of the original RSC and West End casts of Les Miserables, Cats, Evita and La Traviata.

His other credits include The Merchant of Venice, Candide and Troilus and Cressida for the National Theatre and The Beggar’s Opera for the RSC.

Clive Rowe will play Gangster 2. He is currently appearing in the West End production of The Ladykillers with other West End credits including productions of The Fantasticks, Chicago, Twelfth Night and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

He has appeared in Troilus and Cressida at the Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park, Caroline, or Change, Candide, Guys and Dolls, Carousel and Peter Pan for the National Theatre, Guys and Dolls at the National Theatre, Measure for Measure and Twelfth Night for the RSC and Carmen Jones at The Old Vic.

Rowe’s credits also include numerous acclaimed performances as the Dame in pantomimes at the Hackney Empire, and his role in the popular children’s BBC TV drama series Tracy Beaker.

Kiss Me, Kate featuring music and lyrics by Cole Porter with a book by Sam and Bella Spewack.