Flamen\’ka Dances to Lyric for Eight Weeks, 22 Sep

Flamenco Flamen’ka, a new dance show directed and choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood, will open for an eight-week season at the West End’s Lyric Theatre from 22 September to 15 November 2008 (previews from 18 September).

Based around the story of a passionate and tragic love triangle, Flamenco Flamen’ka promises a fusion of “flamenco, tango and contemporary ballet”. The company is made up of 20 dancers led by Karen Ruimy (pictured), who also created the story on which the show is based. It includes classical flamenco music by Bruno Ribera, with additional choreography provided by Jerome Couchart, Marjorie Ascione and Manuel Gutierrez Cabello.

Director Craig Revel Horwood’s previous West End credits include Spend Spend Spend and My One and Only, both of which garnered him Olivier Award nominations for best choreography. He was associate director/choreographer of West Side Story, and was a resident director of Miss Saigon. Recently he’s gained fame as a judge on the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, the sixth series of which starts on 20 September 2008, and he’s currently directing and choreographing a revival of Sunset Boulevard which opens later this month at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury (14 July 2008).

The Lyric has only recently become available after the closure of Rufus Norris’ award-winning revival of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret, which opened on 10 October 2006 (previews from 23 September) and ran until 21 June 2008 (See News, 5 Jun 2008).

Flamenco Flamen’ka recently had a limited season in Paris, though the story and movement are being reworked for the West End production. It’s designed by Diego Pitarch with lighting by Ben Cracknell and is produced by Flamen’ka 2008 Ltd in association with D & J Arlon.

– by Theo Bosanquet