The Great British Bake Off host Mel Giedroyc and comedy actress favourite Caroline Quentin join the star-studded cast of New Songs 4 New Shows. The one off Gala Concert will give the West End a unique opportunity to hear songs from the musicals of tomorrow, performed at the Lyric Theatre Shaftesbury Avenue on Monday 28 November, produced by musical theatre production company The Stable.
Mel and Caroline will be joining Douglas Hodge (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory) Gemma Whelan (Game Of Thrones) Haydn Gwynne (Threepenny Opera) Alex Gaumond (We Will Rock You) jazz supremo Ian Shaw, sublime tenor Hal Cazalet and singer-songwriter Gwyneth Herbert.
New Songs 4 New Shows is just that, the first opportunity to enjoy a sneak preview of four exciting new musicals that will go into full production from 2017 onwards, hearing their songs for the first time in this fully staged concert production. The Gala performance will include songs from the following new musicals:
Wigmaker – a modern hairy fairy tale about a beautiful wigmaker, but when she locks the door at night the wigs come to life, with music and lyrics by the acclaimed Tony Award-winning actor Douglas Hodge and book by celebrated playwright Bryony Lavery.
Fanatical – a romantic comedy which takes place at a Science Fiction Convention by Matt Board and Reina Hardy.
Joan – the life and times of Joan Littlewood, written by Gwyneth Herbert and Mel Brimfield.
The Happy Prince – the classic Oscar Wilde story brought to life, with a score by opera singer Hal Cazalet and book by Michael Barry.
Mel says: “I have adored musical theatre since the age of five when I would listen to Jesus Christ Superstar religiously (!), every day after school, and act out all the parts. So I am hugely excited to be performing not in my parents’ living-room, but in The Stable’s first ever public Gala!”
Caroline is returning to the musical West End stage for the first time since her role in the original cast of Les Misérables and says: “Having been in the anniversary production of Oh! What A Lovely War at Stratford East a couple of years ago, it’s great to have the opportunity to sing such a brilliant, funny song about the extraordinary Joan Littlewood.”
To book your tickets to New Songs 4 New Shows, visit the official website. You can book for the Lyric Theatre’s current production of Thriller Live here.