Su Pollard is to lead the cast of Shout!, a musical celebration of the swinging 60s, which plays at the Arts theatre from 17 April to 28 June (press night 29 April).
Shout!, which comes to London following a regional tour last year, is billed as a feel-good musical which celebrates the hazy days of swinging London, when the Beatles conquered the world, students took part in sit-ins, England won the World Cup and Top Of The Pops was born.
The show follows three young girls as they arrive to try their luck in the big smoke at the start of the 1960s. The score features more than 30 of the biggest pop hits of the decade, including Downtown, Son Of A Preacher Man, These Boots Are Made For Walking, I Only Wanna Be With You and the title tune.
Pollard is still best known for playing Peggy in 1980s television sitcom Hi De Hi!, though her background is in theatre. In recent years she has been seen on the stage in Menopause The Musical, The Vagina Monologues, Annie The Musical and The Pirates Of Penzance, as well as several pantomimes. Further back, she appeared in West End productions of Godspell, Me And My Girl and Don’t Dress For Dinner.
Shout! is directed and choreographed by Bill Deamer, whose previous work in London includes The Boy Friend and Lady Be Good at the Open Air theatre, Regent’s Park. His choreography for The Boy Friend earned him a Laurence Olivier Award nomination in 2007.
Shout! opens at the Arts theatre following a production of Saturday Night, Stephen Sondheim’s first musical, which transfers from the Jermyn Street theatre to the Arts, where it plays from 25 March to 11 April.
CB