Halfpenny Has Blonde Break for British Songbook

Jill Halfpenny will take a short break from Legally Blonde next month to celebrate the “great British songbook”. Following sell-out seasons with Maria Friedman and Kerry Ellis in 2009, The Great British Songbook series resumes this year with Halfpenny performing, for three nights only, from 28 to 30 September 2010, at Wilton’s Music Hall in east London.

In the concert, Halfpenny – accompanied by Chris Ellis-Stanton, also currently appearing in Legally Blonde at the West End’s Savoy Theatre – will perform an eclectic mix of music from British bands and songwriters including Anthony Newley, Gary Barlow, Eric Clapton, The Beautiful South, Richard O Brien, John Lennon, Paul McCartney, The Police, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice, Stiles & Drewe and Leslie Bricusse.

Taking a lead from celebrations of The Great American Songbook and the French Chanson, The Great British Songbook series was founded by Neil Marcus with Hilary Williams, in order to celebrate the rich heritage of popular British song, taking in everything from classical music to music hall, wartime songs, musical theatre, pop, folk and rock. Future concerts in the series are due to feature Haydn Gwynne and Hannah Waddingham.

Currently starring alongside Sheridan Smith’s Elle Woods as beautician Paulette in Legally Blonde, Jill Halfpenny is best known to TV fans from EastEnders and Strictly Come Dancing (which she won in 2004). Her other stage credits include Calendar Girls and Chicago.