London
Three shows have confirmed extensions to their ongoing or upcoming runs.
The hit production of Mean Girls, playing at the Savoy Theatre, has now extended its season to 4 April 2025. Based on the much-loved Lindsay Lohan-led flick about a girl who moves back to the US where she realises just how savage high school can be, the stage musical was first seen in Washington in 2017 before a Broadway transfer in 2018.
It’s penned by Tina Fey, with music by Jeff Richmond and lyrics by Nell Benjamin. Featuring many of the original film’s much-loved quotes, it has songs including “Meet the Plastics”, “Apex Predator” and “Revenge Party”. The stage show is directed by Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon, Aladdin).
Starring in the West End are Charlie Burn (Les Misérables) as Cady, Georgina Castle (Dirty Dancing, Elf the Musical) as Regina, Elèna Gyasi (Six, UK tour) as Gretchen, Grace Mouat (The Great British Bake Off Musical) as Karen, Elena Skye (Les Misérables, Kinky Boots) as Janis and Tom Xander (The Book of Mormon) as Damian.
Also extending its run to 4 January 2025 is the hit production of Fawlty Towers, playing at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue and penned by John Cleese. Currently leading the show are Adam Jackson-Smith (who plays Basil), Anna-Jane Casey (Sybil), Hemi Yeroham (Manuel), Victoria Fox (Polly) and Paul Nicholas (The Major).
Finally, the National Theatre has extended its production of Ballet Shoes, which will now play from 23 November through to 22 February on the National Theatre’s Olivier stage. Kendall Fever’s adaptation will star Melanie-Joyce Bermudez (Petrova Fossil), Eryck Brahmania (ensemble), Cordelia Braithwaite (ensemble), Michelle Cornelius (ensemble), Sonya Cullingford (Winifred), Jenny Galloway (Nana), Courtney George (ensemble), Georges Hann (ensemble), Nadine Higgin (Theo Dane), Helena Lymbery (Doctor Jakes), Xolishweh Ana Richards (Ballerina), Sid Sagar (Jayan Saravanan), Grace Saif (Pauline Fossil), Justin Salinger (GUM) and Daisy Sequerra (Posy Fossil).
Alongside Katy Rudd’s direction, the show will feature set design by Frankie Bradshaw, costume design by Samuel Wyer, choreography by Ellen Kane, composition by Asaf Zohar, lighting design by Paule Constable, sound design by Ian Dickinson for Autograph, casting by Bryony Jarvis-Taylor and associate choreography by Jonathan Goddard.