Five Guys Named for West End after Stratford???

And, as for Five Guys Named Moe, though it has already announced its transfer direct from the Edinburgh Fringe to return “home” to east London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East, it’s unlikely to stop there. The 20th-anniversary production of the musical, written by and starring Clarke Peters, is at Stratford East (where it premiered in 1990) from 3 September to 2 October 2010, after which it will probably move into the West End in time for Christmas, care of co-producer Cameron Mackintosh and finding a home at one of his theatres, such as Wyndham’s, where Avenue Q finishes at the end of next month.

Five Guys Named Moe follows broke and newly single Nomax (Peters) as Five Guys Named Moe (Big Moe, Four-Eyed Moe, Eat Moe, No Moe, and Little Moe) emerge from his 1930s-style radio in an attempt to cajole and comfort him. The music comes courtesy of jazz legend Louis Jordan, with hits including “Early in the Morning”, “Choo, Choo, Ch’Boogie” and “Saturday Night Fish Fry”.

Following its original run at Stratford East, Five Guys Named Moe transferred to the West End – where it ran for four years and won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment – and on to Broadway in 1992.

The revival is directed by Paulette Randall and choreographed by Peters’ fellow original cast member and Olivier nominee Paul J Medford.