It’s just been announced that powerful producer Sonia Friedman is to transfer The National Theatre of Scotland and Live Theatre production of raucous new musical OUR LADIES OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR from the National Theatre to the Duke of York’s Theatre.
I wasn’t too impressed when I saw if a few months ago but I must admit I was in the minority, audiences and critics love this show, so I'm looking forward to taking another look to see what I missed.
It’s about a gang of underprivileged 16 year old convent girls from Oban in Scotland who are let loose on a choir trip, and that’s about all you need to know about this show. As you’d expect there’s strong language, scenes of drug and alcohol abuse, unforgiving peer pressure, lost virginities, teen age pregnancy, lesbian crushes and of course everyone turns out to be a rough diamond with a hearts of gold. And that's exactly and predictably what happens.
As they’re a choir you also get to hear school choir arrangements of existing songs predominantly by 1980s stadium rock group E.L.O. (Electric Light Orchestra)
The Daily Telegraphs Critic described it as “one of the great theatrical experiences of the year”, the production has won a Scotsman Fringe First Award, a Herald Angel Award, a Little Devil Herald Award and a Stage Ensemble Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2015.
Vicky Featherstone’s smash-hit production will reunite all the shows young, unknown and very talented original cast members.
It’s adapted by Lee Hall (who wrote the script for Billy Elliot) adapted from the novel THE SOPRANOS by Alan Warner.
The press release reminds us that Lee Hall “has been writer-in-residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company and Live Theatre, Newcastle Upon Tyne. His theatre work includes The Pitmen Painters (Live Theatre/National Theatre of Great Britain/Broadway/ West End/UK tour, Evening Standard Best Play Award and TMA Best New Play Award), Billy Elliot - The Musical (West End/Australia/Broadway/Chicago, Olivier Award - Best Musical and nine Tony Awards including Best Book) and Cooking with Elvis (Live Theatre/ West End). His adaptations include Shakespeare In Love (Noel Coward Theatre)”
Live Theatre who created the show are described as follows -
“Live Theatre is recognised as one of the great new writing theatres on the international stage. Based in Newcastle upon Tyne it is deeply rooted in its local community and produces work as varied and diverse as the audiences it engages with. As well as championing the art of writing for stage by producing and presenting new plays, Live Theatre finds, nurtures and trains creative talent and uses theatre to unlock the potential of young people”
That’s certainly true in this case. How fantastic that this young cast are to become West End Stars.
The show opens at The Duke of York’s Theatre, St Martin’s Lane, London, WC2B 4BG on 9 May 2017 and runs until 2nd September.
No one can accuse the producers at the Charing Cross Theatre of playing it safe. Since the appointment of Thom Southerland as Artistic Director they've already had two big hits with revivals of cult musicals TITANIC and RAGTIME and the more obscure