Photos

1st Night Photos: Saints Alive for Sweet Outhwaite

On Tuesday (4 May 2010, previews from 23 April) the same day that its Broadway transfers of La Cage Aux Folles and A Little Night Music received a total of 15 Tony nominations, the Menier Chocolate Factory was celebrating the West End transfer of its latest musical blockbuster revival Sweet Charity to the Theatre Royal Haymarket, where its limited season continues until 1 August.

Myriad All Saints, EastEnders, aspiring Dorothys and other celebrities were on hand to cheer on Tamzin Outhwaite, who stars as Charity Hope Valentine, the role played in the 1969 film of the 1966 Broadway musical by Shirley MacLaine.

Sweet Charity – which has music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and a book by Neil Simon – takes a look at the seedy underbelly of 1960s New York. The gullible, enchanting heroine dances, laughs and cries her way through a series of whirlwind romances to show-stopping numbers including “Rhythm of Life”, “If My Friends Could See Me Now” and “Hey Big Spender”.

The Menier production, which started life last December at the 150-seat Off-West End powerhouse in Southwark, is directed by Matthew White, choreographed by Stephen Mear and designed by Tim Shortall, with costume design by Matthew Wright, musical supervision and direction by Nigel Lilley, orchestrations by Chris Walker, lighting by David Howe and sound design by Gareth Owen. The cast also features Mark Umbers, Josefina Gabrielle, Tiffany Graves, Paul J Medford and Ebony Molina.

TO SCROLL THROUGH THE SWEET CHARITY 1st NIGHT PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE “NEXT >” LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.