NEWS TICKER
Return To The Forbidden Planet Starts 2015 UK Tour
Published on
January 24, 2015
By
douglasmayo
CLICK FOR THE FORBIDDEN PLANET TOUR DATES BELOW
The Olivier-Award winning rock spectacular Return To The Forbidden Planet is back and exploding onto stages across the UK in a major new production to celebrate the shows 25th anniversary. Inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest and packed with rock n’ roll classics including Great Balls of Fire, This is a Man’s World, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, Who’s Sorry Now, Teenager in Love, Young Girl, Heard It Through the Grapevine, Johnny B. Goode and Born To Be Wild, Return to the Forbidden Planet is a musical of meteoric proportions that will be remembered for light years to come. With stunning special effects, a brilliant cast of actor-musicians, a mad scientist, a huge green-tentacled monster and a rock ’n’ roller-skating robot, your in-flight entertainment is guaranteed! So fasten your seatbelts, set your ray guns to stun and prepare for blast off! Return to the Forbidden Planet opened at the West End’s Cambridge Theatre in September 1989, where it ran for over 1500 performances and won the 1990 Olivier Award for Best Musical (sorry Miss Saigon, spaceships trump helicopters!). Founding member of Queen and a world-renowned guitarist Dr Brian May will appear via video projection as the Newscaster/Chorus. Over four decades, Queen amassed a staggering list of awards and to this day remain the most successful albums act in UK chart history. Brian penned 22 Queen top 20 hit singles including We Will Rock You, namesake to the Queen/Ben Elton hit musical which enjoyed an unprecedented 12 year run at London’s Dominion Theatre. More recently, Brian has enjoyed writing and touring with Kerry Ellis, as well as returning to Queen in 2012 with guest vocalist Adam Lambert. A highly anticipated 2014 North American tour followed with further dates announced to encompass 21 European cities in 2015.
The cast features Steve Simmonds as Bosun, Sean Needham as Captain Tempest, Christine Holman as Science Officer, Greg Last, as Navigation Officer, Mark Newnham as Cookie, Jonathan Markwood as Prospero, Frido Ruth as Ariel, Sarah Scowen as Miranda, Georgina Field as Anne Droid, Callum Hughes as Phil McCavity, Joseph Mann as Ewan Watami and Hannah Howcroft as Young Miranda.
The original design team return to recreate their award-winning original production, helmed by creator Bob Carton, who directed the West End production and now returns to direct this highly anticipated 25th Anniversary tour, his final production as artistic director of the Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch.
Bob Carlton said: “It was an incredible time when Return to the Forbidden Planet landed in West End, in what was a vintage year alongside shows such as Miss Saigon and Buddy. And it’s thanks to the audiences, who took it to their hearts and rocked out every night, that it became such a cult success. I can’t wait to bring it back 25 years later, to introduce it to a whole new generation and to reunite with original fans of the show. I’m thrilled to be able to return to the Forbidden Planet, along with the original design team, and get reacquainted with Captain Tempest and his crew once more!"
Return to the Forbidden Planet is directed by Bob Carlton and choreographed by Frederick ‘Frido’ Ruth, with musical direction by Greg Last. It is designed by Rodney Ford with lighting design by Mark Dymock and sound design by Ben Harrison.
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET 2015 UK TOUR
Monday 26th - Saturday 31 January 2015
Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
Monday 2 - Saturday 7 February 2015 Orchard Theatre. Dartford Monday 9 - Saturday 14 February 2015
King's Theatre, Glasgow
Monday 16 - Saturday 21 February 2015 Wycombe Swan Theatre Monday 2 - Saturday 7 March 2015 Darlington Civic Theatre Monday 9 - Saturday 14 March 2015
Edinburgh Festival Theatre
Monday 16 - Saturday 21 March 2015
Regent Theatre, Stoke
Monday 23 - Saturday 28 March 2015
New Wimbledon Theatre
Monday 30 March - Saturday 4 April 2015
Oxford New Theatre
Tuesday7 - Saturday 11 April 2015
Curve Theatre, Leicester
Monday 13 - Saturday 18 April 2015 Kings Theatre, Portsmouth Monday 20 - Saturday 25 April 2015
New Theatre, Cardiff
Monday 27 April - Saturday 2 May 2015
Blackpool Grand Theatre
Monday 4 May - Saturday 9 May 2015
Manchester Palace Theatre
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