Frozen in the West End to star Samantha Barks as Elsa

Samantha Barks, star of Pretty Woman and Les Misérables, will take on the role of Elsa in the West End production of Frozen, it has been confirmed.

Barks, who has also appeared in The Last Five Years and City of Angels, will play the role in the iconic Disney musical when it opens at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane theatre in October 2020. Further casting for the production is to be revealed.

Elsa, gifted with ice-manipulating powers, is one of the protagonists in the show alongside her sister Anna – final auditions for this role will be held in late January.

The show is based on the highest grossing animated film of all time, which was released in 2013 and won two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. The sequel – Frozen 2 – is currently playing in cinemas around the world.

The theatre production will be directed by Michael Grandage and will feature choreography by Rob Ashford, set and costume design by Christopher Oram, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video design by Finn Ross, puppet design by Michael Curry and musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus.

Frozen opened on Broadway in March 2018 and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Musical. In addition to its West End transfer, the show has recently gone on tour around North America and further productions are set to play in Australia, Japan and Hamburg. A new duet for Elsa and Anna written by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, "I Can't Lose You", will be introduced into the touring production as it runs in Los Angeles.

The London transfer will open the newly restored Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, which is currently undergoing a £60 million restoration project and has been dark since 5 January 2019 after the closing of 42nd Street.