Exclusive: Cher to star in solo version of West Side Story in the West End

Exclusive: Hot on the heels of Andrew Scott’s award-winning turn in Vanya and Sarah Snook’s critically lauded solo take on The Picture of Dorian Gray, another solo version of a classic tale is coming to the West End.

Cher will return to the stage for the first time in decades to appear in a solo version of West Side Story, based on her now-mythic solo version of the show released in 1978. You can watch footage of that performance below:

Though initially a 12-minute video when it was first performed, Cher has expanded the production to a full-length adaptation, lasting close to two hours without an interval.

Cher said today: “I see these guys – Andrew, Sarah, Sheridan Smith, Billy Crudup – doing their solo thing and I think – pah – I was doing that before it was cool. Honey, I invented the solo version of a show – just look at the YouTube clips.”

Not happy with playing all the roles in the musical, Cher will also take on all the creative roles in the piece – from director to designer, to costume designer, to sound designer.

Without the blessing of any of the show’s original team, Cher will rewrite a number of tunes from the piece, with new titles including “One Hand, One Cher”, “SomeCher” and “Ameri-Cher”. The “Quintet” will simply be known as “One-tet”.

The multi-award-winning singer and actress continued: “Yes, you guys might have had The Cher Show, but now you get a show full of Cher. Gypsies, tramps and thieves… and sharks and jets!”

The star recently wowed in the much-loved Mamma Mia! sequel Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, releasing her own covers of a variety of ABBA tracks at the same time.

The show, produced by Premier Avril, has yet to announce dates and a venue.