London audiences will be able to see Never Forget, the new musical based on the songs of Take That, at the Savoy theatre from May 2008. It was today announced that the show, which toured the UK earlier this year, will begin its London run on 7 May with a press night on 21 May and a celebrity-filled gala night on 22 May. Casting for the London production has not yet been confirmed.
Never Forget tells the story of five lads in pursuit of their dreams, who discover that pretending to be someone else can sometimes help you discover who you are. The story comes from the pen of BAFTA-award winning writer Danny Brocklehurst, who has written for television’s Shameless, Sorted and Clocking Off, along with Guy Jones and Ed Curtis.
The songs, of course, come from the back catalogue of boy band Take That, who recently reformed and have scored hits with Patience, Shine and Rule The World. Though these recent tracks are not included in Never Forget, the musical does contain many of their back catalogue, including 1990s classics Relight My Fire, Pray, Back For Good, Babe and the title track, Never Forget.
The production, which was seen by over 100,000 people in Cardiff, Manchester, Stoke, Glasgow and Edinburgh this summer, also boasts impressive effects including a curtain of rain and a wall of fire.
Director Curtis and writer Jones previously worked together on Jones’s first play, Marlon Brando’s Corset, which was seen at the Greenwich theatre and on a national tour. They are joined in the creative team by Laurence Olivier Award-winning choreographer Karen Bruce, whose wealth of London experience comes from working on productions including Pacific Overtures, Fame and Footloose.
Speaking about the production, producer Tristan Baker said: “We are the biggest fans of Take That’s songs and are thrilled to have had the wonderful opportunity to create a new musical based on the fantastic catalogue of their work. We hope to create a legacy with these well-loved songs in the way that shows such as Mamma Mia! have done before.”
MA