Theatre News

Motown the Musical to close in the West End

The show is about the famous record label with music from the Motown back catalogue

l-r Anna Van Ruiten, Natalie Kassanga (Diana Ross) and Cherelle Williams (The Supremes) - Motown the Musical
l-r Anna Van Ruiten, Natalie Kassanga (Diana Ross) and Cherelle Williams (The Supremes) – Motown the Musical
©Tristram Kenton

Motown the Musical is to end its run in the West End on 20 April 2019.

The show opened in February 2016 and has been running at the Shaftesbury Theatre since. Charles Randolph-Wright directs the show, which tells the story behind the hits from the record label Motown, and has a book by the label's founder Berry Gordy.

The show is closing so that major refurbishments can take place at the theatre. A UK tour begins in October this year and in January next year the record label celebrates its sixtieth birthday.

The show features songs including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", "I'll Be There", "Dancing In the Street", "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "I Heard It on the Grapevine". It tells the story of Gordy, who went from boxer to music mogul with the help of $800 lent to him by his family. He launched the careers of Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson.

The show had its world premiere in April 2013 in New York.