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Strictly Ballroom opening night: 'Drew McOnie has done for musicals what Matthew Bourne did for ballet'

Baz Luhrmann’s musical has arrived in the West End via Sydney, Leeds and Toronto

Ben Hewis
London London's West End
Zizi Strallen and Jonny Labey in Strictly Ballroom
Zizi Strallen and Jonny Labey in Strictly Ballroom
© Johan Persson

After its UK premiere at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2016 and a run in Toronto last year, Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom has arrived in the West End, and we were on hand to chat with cast, creatives and guests following the opening night performance.

Directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie (In the Heights, Jesus Christ Superstar, On the Town), the production stars Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins) as Fran, Jonny Labey (In the Heights) as Scott and Will Young (Cabaret) as the band leader.

In her four-star review for WhatsOnStage, Sarah Crompton praised McOnie's 'sensational and inventive' choreography.

Based on Lurhmann's 1992 film of the same name, the show has a book by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce. It features the film's iconic songs including "Love is in the Air", "Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps" and "Time After Time".