Romantics Anonymous musical to release live cast recording

Wise Children and Plush Theatricals have announced the release of the live cast album for the musical Romantics Anonymous.

The recording, captured during its 2020 run at Bristol Old Vic, will be available on all streaming platforms from Valentine’s Day, 14 February.

Adapted from the film Les Émotifs Anonymes, the musical features direction and book by Emma Rice, with music and lyrics by Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond. The production was originally set to tour the United States following the Bristol premiere, but the tour was halted due to the pandemic.

The musical tells the story of Angelique, a chocolate maker with social anxiety, who takes a job in Jean-Rene’s struggling chocolate factory, leading to a fragile love affair. The album features performances by Marc Antolin as Jean-René, Carly Bawden as Angélique, Brett Brown as Salesman/Fred, Me’sha Bryan as Suzanne/Mimi, Harry Hepple as Ludo/Remi, Laura Jane Matthewson as Young Woman, Sandra Marvin as Magda/Brigitte/Dr Maxim, Craig Pinder as Father/Pierre/Receptionist, and Gareth Snook as Mercier/Mumbler/Marini.

The orchestra includes Tom Brady (musical direction and piano), Sarah Bowler (cello), Sophie Creaner (woodwind), and Mike Parkin (percussion), with musical supervision by Nigel Lilley. Orchestrations are by Simon Hale, mixing by Simon Baker, and mastering by Fritz Meyers.

Romantics Anonymous premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe for the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse in 2017.