Griff Rhys Jones will return to Oliver! this December for a five week run, while Jodie Prenger will play Nancy for one last time on 13 November.
Rhys Jones will replace Russ Abbot as Fagin from 6 December until the show finishes its West End run on 8 January. The actor first appeared in Oliver! in December 2009 and enjoyed a six month run as the greedy, but loveable rogue. Rhys Jones is possibly best known for his long standing television career, but the actor and comedian also boasts theatre credits including Laurence Olivier Award-winning roles in Charley’s Aunt and An Absolute Turkey, The Wind In The Willows at the National Theatre and Front Page at the Donmar Warehouse.
Prenger will stand in for current Nancy, Kerry Ellis, when Ellis takes to the Royal Albert Hall stage for the Festival Of Remembrance concert. Performing in both the matinee and evening performance, Prenger will be back in familiar territory having originated the role of Nancy when Cameron Mackintosh’s production opened on 14 January 2009. After spending over a year as Nancy, Prenger left the production in March 2010 to star as the Lady Of The Lake in the touring production of Monty Python’s Spamalot.
Oliver! is playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane until 8 January, after which the theatre will become home to Shrek The Musical when the green ogre moves in with Princess Fiona from May 2011.
CM