Theatre News

UPDATED: UK tour of Hair starring Gareth Gates is cancelled

| London's West End |

28 February 2012

UPDATE (1/3/2012): Whatsonstage.com has been contacted by a representative of The Booking Office, general managers of Hair, with the following statement:

“We would like to make it clear the sole reason for the cancellation of the UK tour was that the producers, EJB Entertainment, filed for bankruptcy and therefore they were not in a position to fulfil their responsibilities. Whilst every effort was made to secure another producer, sadly it was to no avail. All the cast, their agents and ancillary companies working on the production remained, until the end, 100% committed to the UK tour of Hair.”

The forthcoming UK tour of 60s musical Hair, which was due to open at Liverpool’s Empire Theatre on 10 April 2012, has been cancelled.

Gary Lloyd’s production had been due to star Pop Idol’s Gareth Gates and Zoe Birkett alongside Over the Rainbow contestant Amy Diamond.

A statement from producers EJB Entertainment and Charles Aerts Entertainment said: “(We) are sorry to announce that unfortunately the forthcoming UK tour will not be going ahead. Despite the best efforts of all involved to keep the production moving forward, it has become apparent that certain criteria could not be met and regrettably the show will not now open in Liverpool as originally planned.”

Hair was recently seen in the West End in 2010 when the full Broadway company of the Public Theater production were transferred to the Gielgud Theatre by impresario Cameron Mackintosh.

The 1968 musical has book and lyrics by Gerome Ragni and James Rado and music by Galt MacDermot. The score includes numbers such as “Aquarius”, “Ain’t Got No”, “I Got Life”, “Good Morning Starshine”, “Let the Sun Shine In” as well as the title song.

Following Liverpool the tour had been due to visit: Churchill Theatre, Bromley; Manchester Opera House; the Alexandra
Theatre, Birmingham; the King’s Theatre, Glasgow; the New Theatre,
Oxford; the Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton; the Alban Arena, St Albans;
the Marina Theatre, Lowestoft; the Grand Theatre, Blackpool and the
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton.

Ticket holders are advised to contact their point of purchase. The press statement continues: “The producers would like to apologise to the many fans of this iconic show who had been greatly excited by its planned revival.”