Richard O'Brien musical part of new St James season

The St James Theatre have announced their new season with highlights including The Stripper, a musical from the team behind The Rocky Horror Show and the return of popular show The Pianist of Willesden Lane.

The Stripper will see the St James Studio turned into a sleazy nightclub as Lieutenant Al Wheeler is thrust into an underworld of strip-joints and lost lonely hearts. Based on the story by Carter Brown, the show has music and lyrics by Richard Hartley and Richard O'Brien, the writers of cult classic The Rocky Horror Show. Benji Sperring (The Toxic Avenger) directs the production which runs from 11 July to 13 August.

Elsewhere in the season, the previously announced Waiting for Waiting for Godot will receive its European premiere in Spetember and The Pianist of Willesden Lane will return for a run from 7 September to 16 October. You can read our review of the production here.

James Albrecht, creative director of the St. James Theatre said: "I am delighted to announce our summer and autumn programme. In an exciting deviation from the norm, the Studio will present two longer running shows. For six weeks from July The Stripper will transform the Studio into an underworld of mystery, pulp fiction and sleaze. And in late August, New York Fringe Festival award winner Waiting for Waiting for Godot comes to the Studio in a new production directed by Mark Bell.

"In the main house, smash hit The Pianist of Willesden Lane returns for a six week encore. This is the first time we have brought a show back to the St. James, but Mona Golabek's remarkable account of her mother Lisa Jura's escape from Austria on the Kindertransport, her subsequent survival of the London Blitz and elevation to concert pianist, captured the hearts and imaginations of our audience in unprecedented numbers."