Kiss Me Kate Tickets

Kiss Me Kate – Starring Adrian Dunbar

Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J Block are starring in a fresh new production of the Cole Porter classic musical Kiss Me, Kate. It’s on at the Barbican Theatre for Summer 2024, directed by Tony Award-winner Bartlett Sher and produced by Trafalgar Theatre Productions.

As the show’s producer Howard Panter said, “I’m delighted to be working with Adrian, Stephanie and Bart to bring this classic, hilarious golden-age musical comedy to the Barbican next summer. Cole Porter’s timeless masterpiece has everything you want: it’s fun, infectious and pure entertainment. This, like Anything Goes, will be the perfect summer treat for London audiences this year.”

Kiss Me Kate – A classic musical

The beloved award-winning actor Adrian Dunbar, of Line of Duty fame, makes his musical theatre debut in the show playing Fred Graham/Petruchio, along with the brilliant Broadway musical superstar and Tony Award Winner Stephanie J. Block.

See Adrian Dunbar and Stephanie J. Block in Kiss Me Kate

The multi-talented Dunbar co-wrote and starred in the 1991 film Hear My Song, which was nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the BAFTAs. He played Superintendent Ted Hastings in six series of the BBC’s Line of Duty and has played numerous varied roles in TV shows including The Jump, Ashes to Ashes, The Hollow Crown, and Broken.

Stephanie J. Block, who wowed audiences in Into The Woods, The Cher Show, and 9 to 5, makes her West End debut as Lilli Vanessi/Katharine, a dazzling stage talent to be reckoned with.

All about Kiss Me Kate – Inspired by real life

Kiss Me, Kate is a gorgeous homage to Shakespeare’s dazzling wit and a celebration of the ups and downs of working in theatre.

The plot explores the production of a musical version of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, and the off and on-stage arguments between the director Fred Graham and his ex-wife and leading lady Lilli Vanessi, by whom the plot was inspired. In real life, they were Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, and their famous arguments took place while producing the 1935 version of The Taming of the Shrew, witnessed by the soon-to-be Broadway producer Arnold Saint-Subber. Bella Spewack and her husband wrote the script and brought Cole Porter in to create the show tunes.

The full Kiss Me Kate cast and creative team

Dunbar joins a company of over 50 people including a full orchestra. The show features a book by Bella and Samuel Spewack, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The creative team includes choreography by Anthony Van Laast, set design by Michael Yeargan, costume design by Catherine Zuber, lighting design by Donald Holder, sound design by Adam Fisher, and musical supervision by Stephen Ridley.