WOS TV: Chocolate Charity Transfers to Haymarket

After receiving news that its productions of La Cage Aux Folles and A Little Night Music have received a total of 15 Tony nominations (See News, 4 May 2010), the Menier Chocolate Factory had further reason to celebrate this week with the transfer of Sweet Charity, which began life at the Southwark powerhouse last December, to the Theatre Royal Haymarket.

The show, which has music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields and a book by Neil Simon, takes a look at the seedy underbelly of 1960s New York. The gullible, enchanting heroine Charity Hope Valentine (Tamzin Outhwaite) dances, laughs and cries her way through a series of whirlwind romances to show-stopping numbers including “Rhythm of Life”, “If My Friends Could See Me Now” and “Hey Big Spender”.

The production is directed by Matthew White, choreographed by Stephen Mear and designed by Tim Shortall, with costume design by Matthew Wright, musical supervision and direction by Nigel Lilley, orchestrations by Chris Walker, lighting by David Howe and sound design by Gareth Owen. The cast also features Mark Umbers, Josefina Gabrielle and Tiffany Graves.