The show, which premiered at the Hackney Empire in April, is set in London’s West End in the Sixties and tells the story of Jude, a working class boy from Liverpool, new to the capital and dreaming of fame.
With famous clubs, trend-setting fashions and mods, mini-skirts and mopeds, Carnaby Street explores the time when a new generation found in a changing world, anything was possible. Jude, armed with his guitar, sets out to pursue stardom and the show follows the highs, lows, passion and heartbreak of his journey.
Carnaby Street is inspired by writer and producer Carl Leighton Pope‘s real life experiences.
He said: “In 1964 I was 18 years old… Being a mod meant I rode a Vespa scooter, bought my clothes in Carnaby Street and followed the cool bands of the time. The Who led the way. We fought on the beaches and lived for the weekends. Our whole lives were based around music.
“My 40 years in the music business has given me many road stories, all of which, told with a drink are entertaining. There have been many suggestions about ‘the book’, but my intention was never to write one. The musical is my document, it is mildly autobiographical in that all that the characters were real people that I met during that time.”
The show, featuring songs such as “Shout”, “My Generation” and “Twist and Shout”, is directed by Bob Tomson (Blood Brothers and Dreamboats and Petticoats) and designed by Matthew Wright (Evita).
The cast includes Aaron Sidwell, Tricia Adele Turner, Jonny Bower, Aimie Atkinson, Paul Hazel, Mark Pearce, Hugo Harold-Harrison, Greg Clarke, Dan Smith, Mike Slader, Jack Buckley, Sandy Grigelis, Katia Sartini, Jill Cardo, Rachel Nottingham, Craig Anderson, James Winter and Claude Pelletier.
The tour will open in Milton Keynes (3-7 September) before going to Woking (9-14 September), Southampton (17-21 September), Wimbledon (23-28 September), Torquay (30 September – 5 October), Stoke on Trent (7-12 October), Brighton (14-19 October), Scarborough (21-26 October), Bradford (29 October – 2 November), Glasgow (4-9 November), Sunderland (11-16 November) and Malvern (18-23 November).
– Louise Miles
