Come Dancing - Ray Davies leads cast
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
THE Kinks’ Ray Davies, as narrator Terry, will lead the 13-strong cast of his self-penned musical Come Dancing, which runs from September 24 (previews from September 13) to October 25, 2008, at the Theatre Royal Stratford East.
Come Dancing is loosely based on Davies’ own childhood when he watched his sisters go out with their latest boyfriends to dances on a Saturday night.
The cast will also include Alasdair Harvey, Anthony Flaum, Bradley Clarkson, Delroy Atkinson, Gemma Salter, Katey Munroe, Katherine James, Marcus Ellard, Martin George, Samantha Hughes, Stephen Lloyd and Wendy Mae Brown.
Previously Posted: A new musical by former Kinks singer/songwriter Ray Davies, Come Dancing, will receive its world premiere at east London’s Theatre Royal Stratford East where it runs for a limited season – from September 13 to October 25, 2008.
Set in and around Ilford Palais, Come Dancing is set in the 1950s, a time when Saturday night dancing at the local palais was the magical, not-to-be-missed highlight of every young person’s week.
Although the new musical takes its name from The Kinks 1983 song of the same name, it’s not a compilation of the band’s hits. Instead, it will feature new music and lyrics specially written for it by Davies.
London-born Davies was frontman for The Kinks from their formation in 1963 until their demise in the mid 90s. During that time, he wrote many hits for the group, including You Really Got Me, Lola, Waterloo Sunset, Do It Again and Come Dancing.
In 1990, Davies and the Kinks were the third British band (along with The Who) to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and in 2005, into the UK Music Hall of Fame. And in 2004, Davies received the CBE for services to music.
Come Dancing will be directed by the Theatre Royal Stratford East’s artistic director Kerry Michael (The Harder They Come), with choreography by Omar Okai and musical direction by Robert Hyman. Designs are by Harriet Barsby and Jenny Tiramani, and lighting by Jo Joelson.
Come Dancing has a book by Davies and Paul Sirett, with additional material by Terry Johnson.