Ryan Molloy joins Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be at Stratford East

Ryan Molloy has joined the cast of Theatre Royal Stratford East's forthcoming revival of Lionel Bart's Fings Ain't Wot They Use T'Be, his first stage role since he announced he is leaving the cast of Jersey Boys next month after more than six years.

Coinciding with Joan Littlewood’s centenary, the production is directed by Terry Johnson, who recently revived Oh What a Lovely War at Stratford East.

Bart's musical was originally developed in 1959 by Littlewood and her Theatre Workshop Company at Stratford East, before transferring to the West End's Garrick Theatre where it ran for 886 performances and won an Evening Standard Award for Best Musical.

The show is set at the end of the 1950s in an East End underworld of gamblers, spivs, prostitutes and Teddy boys. It centres around Fred, a loveable rogue, who comes out of prison to find he is not quite the king of the manor he once was.

The revival, a new version by Elliot Davis, runs from 8 May to 8 June 2014.

Molloy will play Horace. Other new cast members include Mark Arden (Fred), Stefan Booth (Tosher), Christopher Ryan (Red Hot), Vivian Carter (Myrtle), Stevie Hutchison (Ted/PC 2), John Olohan (Paddy), Gary Watson (Norman/PC 1), and Joann Woodward (Margaret).

They join the previously announced Jessie Wallace as Lil and Gary Kemp as PC Collins.

Stratford East's artistic director Kerry Michael said: "It’s great to have Terry Johnson back with us after the wonderful success of Oh What A Lovely War. He has pulled together a superb pool of talent and we look forward to celebrating Joan Littlewood’s 100th birthday year, with the revival of this populist classic."

Other members of the show's creative team include associate director Adam Lenson, set and costume designer William Dudley, lighting designer Ben Ormerod, sound designer Gareth Owen, and choreographer Nathan M Wright.